Parcells/the post-Thanksgiving collapses

[burmafrd]

No way were we 0-4 in Dec 93. We lost the 1st two games and as I recall went 12-4 for the season- or close to that. If we were 0-4 in Dec we could not have been any better then 10-6.
Still it is interesting that the cowboys have not had any consistent success in December even in our glory years of the early to mid 90s.

 

[superpunk]

No way were we 0-4 in Dec 93. We lost the 1st two games and as I recall went 12-4 for the season- or close to that. If we were 0-4 in Dec we could not have been any better then 10-6.
Still it is interesting that the cowboys have not had any consistent success in December even in our glory years of the early to mid 90s.

You're right - we were 5-0 in 93 to close out the season. But that is the last time we dominated a close to a season. The closest we've come since then is the prestigious 3-2 mark.

The Cowboys of the last 15 years have not been good finishers.

 

[Cowboy4ever]

No way were we 0-4 in Dec 93. We lost the 1st two games and as I recall went 12-4 for the season- or close to that. If we were 0-4 in Dec we could not have been any better then 10-6.
Still it is interesting that the cowboys have not had any consistent success in December even in our glory years of the early to mid 90s.

You are correct... I can't read my own hand writing..

 

[burmafrd]

still even with that mistake that was through JJ, Switzer, Gailey, Campo and Parcells. What is it- something in the water or what?

 

[Cowboy4ever]

still even with that mistake that was through JJ, Switzer, Gailey, Campo and Parcells. What is it- something in the water or what?

I actually went backed and looked at every season since 1985,, Landry's last few years.. and it seems we have had 4 winning records in Dec.. I might go look at since we started this thing... it is strange, that no coach has had much success in Dec in Dallas.

 

[dbair1967]

You're right - we were 5-0 in 93 to close out the season. But that is the last time we dominated a close to a season. The closest we've come since then is the prestigious 3-2 mark.

The Cowboys of the last 15 years have not been good finishers.

1990 we won 4 staright in Nov/Dec to get to 7-07, unfortunately Aikman got hurt in game 15 at Philly and we lost last two...Laufenberg was so bad that Jimmy mandated getting a backup QB for 1991...it paid off...after strating 6-5, we won our last 5 in 1991 and then a postseason game at Chicago..1992 we won 5 of our last 6, only a flukey loss at Washington kept us from 14-2..1993 we won our last 5...1994 we finished 4-2, however the last game vs NYG was meaningless...1995 we finished 4-2...1996 we won 3 straight to get to 10-5, then the last game was menaingless and it was treated like a preseason game and we lost...

1997 was the season where we started sliding every yr down the stretch, and it hasnt stopped since

David

 

[superpunk]

sorry david, 15 was a mistake. I thought it was 2008.

 

[Maikeru-sama]

Comparing 93 to 2006.

Odd .

- Mike G.

 

[JPM]

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.

I don't it's slow either, some guys on the team can really move (Newman, Ware). The Pats probably have a slower D than us, but they are very successful.

 

[burmafrd]

BUt our record in DECEMBER has not been good with only a few exceptions for many years and many coaches. So there must be SOME reason for that.

 

[Bob Sacamano]

BUt our record in DECEMBER has not been good with only a few exceptions for many years and many coaches. So there must be SOME reason for that.

Jack Frost hates us!

 

[StanleySpadowski]

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.

First off, if the point of your posts is to imply that Parcells is no different than Campo, Switzer ..., we get it and probably agree. Whoo hoooo. Parcells is equal to Dave Campo. Whooooooooo. ..Wait a minute.
Wasn't the idea of having Almighty Bill and his SB rings to be better than Campo?

The bottom line is that Parcells is the only coach in Cowboys history to have a consistent record of poor performance post-Thanksgiving.

I tried to answer that question and elicit others' opinions on the subject. You seem to think that it's not a problem.

 

[Cowboy4ever]

First off, if the point of your posts is to imply that Parcells is no different than Campo, Switzer ..., we get it and probably agree. Whoo hoooo. Parcells is equal to Dave Campo. Whooooooooo. ..Wait a minute.
Wasn't the idea of having Almighty Bill and his SB rings to be better than Campo?

The bottom line is that Parcells is the only coach in Cowboys history to have a consistent record of poor performance post-Thanksgiving.

I tried to answer that question and elicit others' opinions on the subject. You seem to think that it's not a problem.

I def think it is a problem, just not one that is exclusive to Parcells.. Landry, Johnson, Switzer, Campo, Gailey,, all were coaches here and only a handful of their teams had winning records in Dec. Why we don't win in DEC is beyond me,, but to make it sound like that all of sudden, Dallas Forgot how to win in Dec under BP is not accurate..

 

[burmafrd]

Fact is that only our very best teams had a winning december- and not always even them. Makes you wonder....

 

[dbair1967]

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.

is this supposed to be the Cowboys record? If so you totally made this garbage up...it is not accurate

David

 

[big dog cowboy]

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.

The only common theme throughout your great post........BP was in command. See sig.

 

[TruBlueCowboy]

I think it's mostly been because we're an easy team to figure out. Either in the earlier Parcells rebuilding years when we were such a depleted overall roster, that the weaknesses only hide us for a while, or now, when teams have to X and O a little bit more with the extra talent on this team, but our conservative gameplans aid them.

With quarterbacks, we disguised their weaknesses for only so long. (See Quincy Carter and Drew Bledsoe.) Romo faltered as more of the league got film on him, and then Peyton showed everyone how to play him. You lose your QB's play, you lose your offense.

With defense, we've always favored that vanilla Parcells overpower philosophy. Last year, it didn't hurt us as much, but once teams figured out how to abuse our linebackers this year, it killed us. Secondary has fallen apart in some years too as teams figure out where the weaknesses are. It's only gotten worse as we continue to try and find some type of consistent pass rush in the Parcells era.

 

[burmafrd]

THE POINT is that the weak december has gone on for years under various coaches. The question is why? In years with good records and bad.

 

[Cowboy4ever]

is this supposed to be the Cowboys record? If so you totally made this garbage up...it is not accurate

David

Other than the mistake in the 93 season, which as already been admitted, its right on, unless the stats are wrong on DC.com. So its not total garbage. But the point to the OP,, he said the Cowboys are Traditally strong after thanksgiving,, and that is just not the case,, if anything, we are weak after Thanksgiving. Having a winning record in Dec is the exception, not the rule for the Cowboys.

 

[dbair1967]

Other than the mistake in the 93 season, which as already been admitted, its right on, unless the stats are wrong on DC.com. So its not total garbage. But the point to the OP,, he said the Cowboys are Traditally strong after thanksgiving,, and that is just not the case,, if anything, we are weak after Thanksgiving. Having a winning record in Dec is the exception, not the rule for the Cowboys.

you have almost all of them wrong

David