Maybe roles are reversed this year

[playmakers]

In previous years, we have been clearly the paper champion of the league. While this was going on other teams such as Philly and NY were always taking verbal abuse from fans, reporters, etc for not doing enough in the draft and free agency to keep up with the best teams in the league. However, when the end of the season rolled around it was Philly and NY going further then the paper champions. Now, when you look around, we are the team getting hammered and those other teams are getting anoited(sp) as the new paper champions. Is this the year we go under the radar and have our best season in a decade? We will always have pressure and lots there of it. Can the Giants and Eagles handle the new pressure to win. Now they are forced to win and have no excuses if they lose. Hopefully, we can do to them what they did to us the last two seasons and out of the blue go to the championship game or better yet Superbowl. Roles are reversed this year. Do you think that means anything?

Our draft might not have been sexy but we did take 12-13 players I beileve. Numbers alone is an advantage and by pure luck we might of bumped into a player. I just have this feeling we might of got lucky with one of those speed rush ends. We will see what happens this year with the shoe on the other foot.

 

[Monster Heel]

Nah. This team doesn't respond to bulletin board material or being underdogs. They either play well or they don't without a lot of rhyme or reason.

 

[DallasEast]

Pressure from the media in New York is just as prevalent (or worse at times) for the Giants as it is for the Cowboys in Dallas. Fans are harder on the Eagles than fans are on America's Team.

In my opinion, public criticism is a very real intangible for Dallas as it is for any team. Focus (or lack thereof) is another. I believe that...

hold up...



Five??? Is that you 5Countem5???



It must have been Ed Werder. Anyway, as I was saying, I believe that focus can be a key element during critical games.

Any team can have all the talent anyone could imagine, but football is still a team sport. Every player has to execute their individual responsibilities every down. Every coach has to thump their counterpart's best play or scheme.

Pro football is a 60 minute game. To help the '09 Dallas Cowboys to be as successful as they can be, everyone from the Wade Phillips down must have their heads in every moment of every game. Doing so can enhance proper execution of plays and greater efficiency during drives. In turn, that will help lessen the offensive and defensive sputtering and bonehead miscues.

Everyone associated with the Cowboys franchise must exorcise their personal beliefs that they are already paper champions. Championships can come, but they must be earned. To earn championships, individual goals must be solidified into singular team goal... a singular team purpose. We will soon see if the '09 Cowboys can adopt that philosophy for (hopefully) 19 or 20 games.

 

[Shinywalrus]

I personally have never put much stock into that stuff. Bulletin board material, feeling disrespected, etc. There are still upper and lower boundaries to any player's physical and mental abilities. Some things might make people play a little angrier, which is something, but I'm not convinced it makes people play any better.

It'd be interesting to do a survey of teams that hyped up "bulletin board material" before a game to see if they did any better than expected. I'd be surprised if they did.

 

[Smith22]

A few keys to this season:

• Romo needs to rebound from last year and reduce his amount of fumbles & INT's.
• Spencer or another OLB need to create more pressure, say 7+ sacks.
• Felix Jones needs to stay healthy and be utilized early and often.
• Roy Williams must produce as a #1 WR, something like 1,000 yards and 8 + TD's.
• Better special teams play, and a healthy McBriar punting the ball.

If all of the above happens, I really like our chances.

 

[jwhardin]

I think it would help if they got in hitting shape in TC and during practice. Being in good physical condition is not the same as hitting and getting hit.

 

[CATCH17]

We'll come out the gates hot and whooping up on everybody.

Where we fall off is late in the season.

We can't lose the focus and enthusiasm down the stretch.

Its like these guys get bored with football in the last month and a 1/2 of the season.

 

[Apollo Creed]

Nah. This team doesn't respond to bulletin board material or being underdogs. They either play well or they don't without a lot of rhyme or reason.

Well they never play well when it matters. They always do well enough to keep themselves afloat, then they read their press clippings and fall apart again.

44-6 should be in bold all over their locker room, weight room, practice field, bathroom, wade's office, etc.

 

[TellerMorrow34]

Nah. This team doesn't respond to bulletin board material or being underdogs. They either play well or they don't without a lot of rhyme or reason.

Agreed. This team just never seems to respond to things the way you believe the should.

A few keys to this season:

• Romo needs to rebound from last year and reduce his amount of fumbles & INT's.
• Spencer or another OLB need to create more pressure, say 7+ sacks.
• Felix Jones needs to stay healthy and be utilized early and often.
• Roy Williams must produce as a #1 WR, something like 1,000 yards and 8 + TD's.
• Better special teams play, and a healthy McBriar punting the ball.

If all of the above happens, I really like our chances.

I agree with all of the above. An excellent set of points that are all going to directly effect where we go this year and how well we do.

Well they never play well when it matters. They always do well enough to keep themselves afloat, then they read their press clippings and fall apart again.

44-6 should be in bold all over their locker room, weight room, practice field, bathroom, wade's office, etc.

Great idea. I would have it up there. I'd have big posters with the score and showing Eagles players celebrating, the works. I'd have reminders up everywhere to the point that they'd be so sick, and angry, with being reminded all the time that they'd work harder, and harder, and harder to make sure they're never in that position again.

At least thats what you hope the reaction would be.