Parcells/the post-Thanksgiving collapses

[StanleySpadowski]

Dallas has been 2-3 every year of the Parcells era after Thanksgiving. My question is why. Traditionallly this has been a time for the Cowboys to shine. That 10 day break gave them a little boost as they headed off into the playoffs.

I believe there could be several legitimate reasons.


1) The training camp schedule is too easy. I don't know if I agree with this but an argument could be made that the players aren't prepared for a grinding season.

2) Training camp is too hard. I would think more likely than number one but I don't agree with it wholeheartedly, but players may be beaten down over the long haul.

3) The coaching staff is able to hide weaknesses for only so long. This seems a popular rationale, but I don't agree with it. Dallas' schemes haven't changed that much so why would it take 11 games into the season for other staffs to take advantage.

4) Parcells insistence on players practicing through bumps and bruises doesn't allow them to ever heal. This is my personal most likely. I really believe that injured players never get a chance to recover from the sprains and strains that happen.

5) Lack of size on the lines. Over time, the big uglies aren't big enough to wear others out but rather get worn out themselves. I don't believe this at all but have heard it used. Other teams that are smaller haven't had the same continual problem.

6) Lack of speed on both sides of the ball. Bumps and bruises make slow players even slower. I could see this if combined with number four.


As I said, I really believe that if one looks at not just this year but the last four years, numbers four and six combined seem to be the most probable.

 

[aikemirv]

Last years problem was injuries I believe, as they were many, and greatly effected Bledose at QB. Adams gone and Pettiti at RT were devastating going down the stretch. That really about sums up last year for me.

This year I think the PLAYERS got ahead of themselves and started reading how good they were and forgot to show up on the field. It all started with JJ's huge run against NO and the team fell asleep after that run. The defense then lost confidence and it went downhill after that. No amount of coaching can bring back confidence, it has to be gained out on the field. I think we were getting a bit back during the Seattle game and might have played better after that had we made it thorugh that game.

Everyone wants to say we were so outcoached in the New Orleans game and a few after that, but I am not so sure that is true, I believe the players were responsible for 90% of the failures on the field. That is the only way you can explain it. The coaches did not fall asleep IMO.

 

[superpunk]

How much speed do we really lack? Defensively, the only guys that might be considered slow are our ILBs. Their shortcomings seemed more mental than physical, this year. Henry lacks speed, I guess, and his nicks have slowed him up more, but that happens to alot of players, just unfortunate that it's happened to henry two years running.

I just think the execution started to break down. When crunch time is on, Zimmer loved his cover-2. Always, that's what he went to when it was go time. Our spacing sucked, and we got no pressure. The pressure was alot different at the end of the year than the start, so our middle as stretched out continuously, and the other teams were exposing it.

Consider this - we haven't closed out those last 5 games with a winning record since 1996. Even then, we were only 3-2. The alst time we dominated a closing stretch was 1993, when we went 5-0 to close the season. Maybe these players are "eating the cheese".

 

[Eddie]

Hard to explain the Decembe collapses, but with a 30 thousand foot view commentary:

2003 - late season collapse as QC hit a brick wall. Defenses figured him out. Troy Hambrick not the answer at RB.

2004 - injuries across the board caused the entire season to fall apart.

2005 - blame fell to Flo's injury and the OL's inability to protect Bledsoe.

2006 - defensive collapse, both in scheme and in play.

Can't say I can put a finger on exact causes. 2006 was supposed to be our strongest team since the Super Bowl days. Things fell apart again.

There are still inherant weaknesses along the OL. The D just couldn't make the stops when it needed to.

 

[GimmeTheBall!]

I just think the fat guy BP just runs out of gas toward the end.

He is not the fat guy we used to know.

Toward the end of this year he was just too busy pining for New York and New Jersey and that job that disappeared when the Giants filled their GM vacancy.

But, buck up, Bill. If you stay, the Cowboys aren't so bad. They are just the most glamorous and successfull and well-known team in the football universe. Give us one more chance, big Bill?

Purely facetious, but I just had to say it. har-har.

 

[Cowboy4ever]

Dallas has been 2-3 every year of the Parcells era after Thanksgiving. My question is why. Traditionallly this has been a time for the Cowboys to shine. That 10 day break gave them a little boost as they headed off into the playoffs.

I believe there could be several legitimate reasons.


1) The training camp schedule is too easy. I don't know if I agree with this but an argument could be made that the players aren't prepared for a grinding season.

2) Training camp is too hard. I would think more likely than number one but I don't agree with it wholeheartedly, but players may be beaten down over the long haul.

3) The coaching staff is able to hide weaknesses for only so long. This seems a popular rationale, but I don't agree with it. Dallas' schemes haven't changed that much so why would it take 11 games into the season for other staffs to take advantage.

4) Parcells insistence on players practicing through bumps and bruises doesn't allow them to ever heal. This is my personal most likely. I really believe that injured players never get a chance to recover from the sprains and strains that happen.

5) Lack of size on the lines. Over time, the big uglies aren't big enough to wear others out but rather get worn out themselves. I don't believe this at all but have heard it used. Other teams that are smaller haven't had the same continual problem.

6) Lack of speed on both sides of the ball. Bumps and bruises make slow players even slower. I could see this if combined with number four.


As I said, I really believe that if one looks at not just this year but the last four years, numbers four and six combined seem to be the most probable.

What Tradition are you speaking about??? Since 1985, the Cowboys have had exactly 3 winning records in the Month of December,, these after TG Day collopses are not special to Parcells.

 

[eduncan22]

Hard to explain the Decembe collapses, but with a 30 thousand foot view commentary:

2003 - late season collapse as QC hit a brick wall. Defenses figured him out. Troy Hambrick not the answer at RB.

2004 - injuries across the board caused the entire season to fall apart.

2005 - blame fell to Flo's injury and the OL's inability to protect Bledsoe.

2006 - defensive collapse, both in scheme and in play.

Can't say I can put a finger on exact causes. 2006 was supposed to be our strongest team since the Super Bowl days. Things fell apart again.

There are still inherant weaknesses along the OL. The D just couldn't make the stops when it needed to.

Gotta disagree with just about all of this.

2003 - QC hit a brick wall? How about no running game.

2004 - One word can sum the entire season. Vinni

2005 - The Commanders games killed us.

2006 - Henry/Glenn and Romo killed us.

 

[dbair1967]

Gotta disagree with just about all of this.

2003 - QC hit a brick wall? How about no running game.

2004 - One word can sum the entire season. Vinni

2005 - The Commanders games killed us.

2006 - Henry/Glenn and Romo killed us.

David

 

[Cochese]

Gotta disagree with just about all of this.

2003 - QC hit a brick wall? How about no running game.

2004 - One word can sum the entire season. Vinni

2005 - The Commanders games killed us.

2006 - Henry/Glenn and Romo killed us.

Hilarious, 2003 was in no part Quincy's fault, but 04 was on Vinny, who really did a good job considering the circumstances, and 06 is on Romo, who without him, we had no chance of even making the playoffs . You Quincy people are too fun.

 

[zrinkill]

2003 - Carter sucks
2004 - Carter puts team in a bad situation trying to find replacement.
2005 - Drew started his decline
2006 - Too conservative.

 

[superpunk]

Just be careful.

This is a thread that SS put some thought in to, offered some theories, and some solid discussion points.

Don't let the Q troll hijack it, folks. Please.

 

[Spontae]

My humble opinion:

By Week 10, opposing teams have enough film to track your tendencies, so thereafter talent takes over. Our talent has not been enough to finish strong down the stretch lately, as compared to 1991-96.

Go Cowboys~

 

[Chocolate Lab]

SP, I don't know we disagree so much lately because you've always been one of my favorites. But I would say that compared to teams that really value speed on defense, everybody but Ware, Newman, and Watkins could be considered slow.

Or at least, definitely not fast.

 

[superpunk]

SP, I don't know we disagree so much lately because you've always been one of my favorites. But I would say that compared to teams that really value speed on defense, everybody but Ware, Newman, and Watkins could be considered slow.

Or at least, definitely not fast.

3-4 Dlinemen aren't really gonna be fast, no matter what. They can be quick, and I think Canty is, and Hatcher is, but I am kind of ignoring them for now.

James I don't know. He's either slow or dumb.

From watching Ayodele, and thinking about him when we've manned up, he is fast.

Carpenter seems very good physically. I think he has very nice speed.

Aside from the DL and Henry and James, I'm just not seeing the slow guys. Clearly we're not built like the tiny predecessors of our current D, but I don't think we're plodders. Mostly I just think they're dumb. The Patriots aren't fast. Heck, man to man I'm sure nearly every member of our defense could beat them in a foot race. They just play so well together. (I'll pretend to insert one of my generic continuity phrases here, because they're boring even me.)

Do you disagree?

 

[Chocolate Lab]

Oh. I know that we're never going to be as fast as, say, the Colts. We just aren't built that way. And I'm not saying that lack of speed is necessarily the reason we've collapsed in December, either.

But I would rate it like this:

Spears: Potential for good speed, but he's so fat that now he's average.
Fergy: Slow, as most NTs will be.
Canty: Doesn't have much going for him but size IMO. Not fast.
Carpenter: Decent quickness but average speed.
Ayodele: I'd agree, he might have above-average speed.
James: Slow (and dumb ).
Ware: Big and fast -- but players like him are rare as hen's teeth.
Newman: One of the fastest players in the league at any position.
Roy: Slow for an NFL safety.
Watkins: Good, solid speed.
Henry: Probably one of the slower corners in the NFL.

Like I say, a lot of the guys can't be both as big as Parcells wants and fast -- except Ware, who is a freak -- so it's not like I hold it against them. But I do think we have way below average speed overall.

As for the Pats, I agree with you. They're built the same way, only they are SO smart and well-prepared. (I'll resist a coaching tangent here. ) But still... I bet if we compared each position, they'd still be a little faster than we are. Maybe not by much, but by a little.

Of course, I've always believed we need more speed. Hopefully some of the younger and faster guys we've drafted -- like Hatcher, Carpenter, and Watkins -- will keep developing.

 

[Cowboy4ever]

My humble opinion:

By Week 10, opposing teams have enough film to track your tendencies, so thereafter talent takes over. Our talent has not been enough to finish strong down the stretch lately, as compared to 1991-96.

Go Cowboys~

91-winning record in dec.. won all 3 games
92- 3-1 in Dec
93-0-4 in Dec
94-2-4 in Dec
95-2-4 in Dec
96 3-1 in Dec


Out of those 6 years, we had 3 winning records in Dec.. the only 3 winning records in Dec for the last 20 years.. I wouldn't exactly say that finsihing poorly is a new thing for the Cowboys.

 

[wileedog]

Spears: Potential for good speed, but he's so fat that now he's average.

Spears came out of school at 307 and is now listed at 298. He also ran a 4.80 40, darn fast for a 3-4 DE.

Lazy maybe. Fat and slow, not so much.

I don't think this is a slow defense at all, just a young and so far not a very bright one.

 

[Bob Sacamano]

and Carpenter ran a 4.6 something only a couple months removed from a knee injury, I would say that's above-average speed, and in the nickel, where we really need speed at ILB, we should put the hellavu fast Kevin Burnett in more in place of James

we're only slow at RCB, and Roy ran a 4.5 coming out, his problem is angles, and at NT, and maybe LDE (Canty) but the front 3 in a 3-4 should be slow since their huge, and Spears was also a former TE, is extremely athletic and has good agility

 

[Chocolate Lab]

Spears came out of school at 307 and is now listed at 298. He also ran a 4.80 40, darn fast for a 3-4 DE.

Lazy maybe. Fat and slow, not so much.

I don't think this is a slow defense at all, just a young and so far not a very bright one.

Unless he's lost a ton of weight since Thanksgiving, I'll bet you a box of donuts he's not even close to being south of 300.

 

[superpunk]

I'm looking down the rosters of other 3-4 teams, and I'm just not seeing where they kill us on speed. Obviously, SD's got a Donnie Edwards where we've got a James, so they're beating us there, but they're also slow on the corners. Do you think Tedy bruschi and Rodney harrison are faster than James and Roy? If so, it's marginal. Henry's really our only guy who you can point at and say, this guy doesn't have good foot speed, which is obvious in his struggles against fly routes.