Playoff losses provide lessons about where your team needs to get better - except here

[buybuydandavis]

We don't seem to learn from playoff losses b/c our GM only sees the good things and sweeps the rest under the rug. Jerry is incapable of critical thought in regard to his team. Thats why he's celebrating pro bowls not super bowls.

In Jerry Brain, "Pro Bowls" mean "i delivered a good roster", while playoff failure means "coaches failed him".

Passive aggressive sabotage at RB and DT.
Maybe Jerry realizes that the end is near and he is writing his self justifying Narrative.

 

[Aven8]

That’s a good point Aven. But my thought is, it’s not just that we “addressed“ a position in the draft, but also WHO we drafted and what physical qualities they bring to shore up weaknesses. We need some beasts.

What I mean by that is we knew we needed some pass rushing help and some run stop help too, so we drafted Taco Charleton in the first round in 2017. He was a DE and supposedly a good pass rusher, but did we draft the right kind of player? Taco was never going to be a physical, punishing player. He was the right position to address, just not the right kind of player at that position. (We all know we passed on TJ Watt too although I don’t hold that against our FO)

This year I was glad we addressed OL in the draft in Guyton and Beebe. We also drafted what appears to be a good DE in round two with Kneeland. We don’t know yet whether or not these guys are exactly what we needed. I think Beebe is but the jury is still out on Guyton and Kneeland.

My point is we need some physically punishing players on both sides of the ball. We haven’t had that in far too long and our playoff losses have made that clear.

I get what you are saying. Other teams have a “type” of a player they want. That fits the franchise. Pitts, Balty, SF, and now Campbell with the Lions. Our buffoon GM’s just try to fill needs. Whether they are soft or not.

I would love for McClay to have full control and let him spend money on anything he see fits. That would be cool to see.

 

[IceStar-D7]

No quarterback can win without a running game. Ask Mahomes when he didn't have one in the Super Bowl he lost.

 

[Asklesko]

A wise man once said that if you don't learn from the past, you are doomed to repeat it. I feel like there is not a lot of learning and a whole lot of repeating. Thanks Jerry!

 

[jgboys1]

I wish Jerry would have realized that this team had ran its course. Three, 2-5 seasons in a row with one playoff win was all we got to show for it.

This team was due for a major overhaul and not a little tweaking here and there, but Jerry the ultimate optimistic salesman thought otherwise.

 

[75boyz]

The ultimate judge of any pro football team in a season is what that team does in the playoffs. Playoff wins reinforce the good things about your team. Playoff losses provide the opportunity to dissect what your team lacks. The best GMs take that loss, look at what the opponent was successful at exploiting, what their team could and could not do, and find ways to address that in the off-season.

What is so frustrating about this arrogant, unaccountable 82 year old GM in Dallas is his inability (or refusal) to dissect his team critically after a playoff loss and find serious ways to improve in the off-season. How many times have we heard JJ or his entitled son say that all they needed was some luck or the ball to bounce our way? What a crock.

LOOK AT THE RECENT PLAYOFF LOSSES AND WHAT THEY SHOWED ABOUT US

• 2018- Lost to the LA Rams 30-22 in the divisional round and the biggest lesson was clear- the Cowboys gave up 273 yards rushing. They got trucked and were physically dominated. Dak actually played well, throwing a TD and no picks. but the defense was overwhelmed. We got sacked once, did not sack them at all.
• 2021- Lost to the SF 49ers 23-16 in the divisional round and there were two huge problems: 1. (Surprise!) The inability to stop the run, giving up 170 yards on the ground and 2. Set a record with the number of penalties - 14 penalties for 89 yards! This included 7 pre-snap penalties. Again they got physically dominated. Dak was just ok, throwing a TD but had one pick. Dak was sacked 5 times, we got zero sacks against a statue QB Jimmy Garropolo.
• 2022- Lost again to the niners in the divisional round 19-12. A game where Dak was bad, throwing 2 picks, and the niners once again out-physicaled us. Their defense smothered us, holding us to 76 yards rushing and we had 7 costly penalties.
• 2023- Lost 48-32 at home in the wild card round. A complete embarrassment from the opening kickoff. Dak was terrible again, throwing two costly picks in the first half including a pick 6, we got physically manhandled by the 7th seed packers. Dak was sacked 4 times and we never sacked Jordan Love once. They rushed for nearly 150 yards and completely dominated us physically.

So what were the common problems in all 4 of those playoff losses?

• This team gets physically whipped by playoff teams. It’s obvious. The playoffs show which teams are physical and the Cowboys are always getting whipped in the physical battle. Every single time.
• This team cannot stop the run. It’s so obvious, there’s no need to discuss.
• In the last 4 playoff losses, the Cowboys have 2 sacks against the opponents QB…2. And the Cowboys QB has been sacked 12 times.
• If Dak Prescott is going to have success in the playoffs, he needs a running game. In the two wins Dak has in the playoffs, here are the rushing totals:
  • WC win 24-22 vs Sea in 2018- Cowboys rushed for 164 yards. Dak had 2 TDs, no picks.
  • WC win 31-14 vs Tampa in 2022- Cowboys rushed for 137 yards. Dak had 4 TDs, no picks.
  • In all the playoff losses Dak has been the QB, the team cannot run the ball. When he has no running game, it all falls to Dak.
• Penalties - An ongoing problem under Big Mac that never seems to get addressed.

So with all these clear deficiencies- getting physically whipped by playoff opponents, inability to stop the run, your highly paid QB needs a running game to be effective (most QBs do), and your team is so undisciplined in the playoffs, they average double double digit penalties…

And what does this GM learn from all this? We just need to get lucky?

They've gone through who knows however many head coaches and coordinators the last 29 years.
All while having the same GM.

They've gone through 5(counting McFraud) OC/playcallers in the last 9 years.
All while having the same QB.
And signed said QB for an additional 4 yrs and a 6th new playcaller will be coming in.

So those are 2 common denominators to team futility. One's been for 29 and if he remains alive for the next 4, 33 total years.

The other for 9 and if contract fulfilled, 13 total years.

We need to replace BOTH.

And throw in a HC while we're at it.
And take it from there.

 

[Praxit]

....keeping Big Mike is what killed this season. Here we are again, getting stomped similar to GB game.

I'll say this, we're going to win few of these tough games coming. Dallas will be in hunt again.

Then AGAIN, will let everyone down. Because the infrastructure needed is not there.

 

[Brax]

The ultimate judge of any pro football team in a season is what that team does in the playoffs. Playoff wins reinforce the good things about your team. Playoff losses provide the opportunity to dissect what your team lacks. The best GMs take that loss, look at what the opponent was successful at exploiting, what their team could and could not do, and find ways to address that in the off-season.

What is so frustrating about this arrogant, unaccountable 82 year old GM in Dallas is his inability (or refusal) to dissect his team critically after a playoff loss and find serious ways to improve in the off-season. How many times have we heard JJ or his entitled son say that all they needed was some luck or the ball to bounce our way? What a crock.

LOOK AT THE RECENT PLAYOFF LOSSES AND WHAT THEY SHOWED ABOUT US

• 2018- Lost to the LA Rams 30-22 in the divisional round and the biggest lesson was clear- the Cowboys gave up 273 yards rushing. They got trucked and were physically dominated. Dak actually played well, throwing a TD and no picks. but the defense was overwhelmed. We got sacked once, did not sack them at all.
• 2021- Lost to the SF 49ers 23-16 in the divisional round and there were two huge problems: 1. (Surprise!) The inability to stop the run, giving up 170 yards on the ground and 2. Set a record with the number of penalties - 14 penalties for 89 yards! This included 7 pre-snap penalties. Again they got physically dominated. Dak was just ok, throwing a TD but had one pick. Dak was sacked 5 times, we got zero sacks against a statue QB Jimmy Garropolo.
• 2022- Lost again to the niners in the divisional round 19-12. A game where Dak was bad, throwing 2 picks, and the niners once again out-physicaled us. Their defense smothered us, holding us to 76 yards rushing and we had 7 costly penalties.
• 2023- Lost 48-32 at home in the wild card round. A complete embarrassment from the opening kickoff. Dak was terrible again, throwing two costly picks in the first half including a pick 6, we got physically manhandled by the 7th seed packers. Dak was sacked 4 times and we never sacked Jordan Love once. They rushed for nearly 150 yards and completely dominated us physically.

So what were the common problems in all 4 of those playoff losses?

• This team gets physically whipped by playoff teams. It’s obvious. The playoffs show which teams are physical and the Cowboys are always getting whipped in the physical battle. Every single time.
• This team cannot stop the run. It’s so obvious, there’s no need to discuss.
• In the last 4 playoff losses, the Cowboys have 2 sacks against the opponents QB…2. And the Cowboys QB has been sacked 12 times.
• If Dak Prescott is going to have success in the playoffs, he needs a running game. In the two wins Dak has in the playoffs, here are the rushing totals:
  • WC win 24-22 vs Sea in 2018- Cowboys rushed for 164 yards. Dak had 2 TDs, no picks.
  • WC win 31-14 vs Tampa in 2022- Cowboys rushed for 137 yards. Dak had 4 TDs, no picks.
  • In all the playoff losses Dak has been the QB, the team cannot run the ball. When he has no running game, it all falls to Dak.
• Penalties - An ongoing problem under Big Mac that never seems to get addressed.

So with all these clear deficiencies- getting physically whipped by playoff opponents, inability to stop the run, your highly paid QB needs a running game to be effective (most QBs do), and your team is so undisciplined in the playoffs, they average double double digit penalties…

And what does this GM learn from all this? We just need to get lucky?

Get to the dance and anything can happen, that’s Jerry’s philosophy. It’s sad but it’s his vision and keeping a HC who has failed against better teams and his teams are a penalty waiting to happen, poor play calling poor clock management the list goes on but heck Jerry isn’t paying him to sit in his barn chowing down and thinking of more BS for his next interview, Jerry doesn’t believe in dead coaching money his words not mine.

 

[Bobhaze]

They've gone through who knows however many head coaches and coordinators the last 29 years.
All while having the same GM.

They've gone through 5(counting McFraud) OC/playcallers in the last 9 years.
All while having the same QB.
And signed said QB for an additional 4 yrs and a 6th new playcaller will be coming in.

So those are 2 common denominators to team futility. One's been for 29 and if he remains alive for the next 4, 33 total years.

The other for 9 and if contract fulfilled, 13 total years.

We need to replace BOTH.

And throw in a HC while we're at it.
And take it from there.

Since the last Cowboys SB or even divisional playoff win 29 years ago, here are the number of coaches who have been here:

• 6 different head coaches
• 8 different OCs
• 8 different DCs
• Over 40 different assistant coaches

And one GM.

 

[Bobhaze]

No quarterback can win without a running game. Ask Mahomes when he didn't have one in the Super Bowl he lost.

And he also has a truly GREAT defense.

 

[Redline360]

Posted this in the wrong thread so

So many examples of well run organizations/GMs

KC: Knew Alex Smith could not elevate a talented team and went ahead and drafted Mahomes. Got run over by Tampa Bay in the superbowl because the OL was terrible. First thing they did was add talent to the OL via numerous means after the season. They didn't click to start the following season until half way through and now continue to win superbowls. They also averaged below 3ypc against Baltimore in the playoffs but pounded the rock almost 30 times. They averaged 3.2ypc in the superbowl and still continued to run the ball. Doesn't matter how bad the run game is doing, you have to keep the other team in check and wear them down.

Eagles: Slowly built a talented team with Wentz. Won a superbowl with Foles and dumper Wentz and alot of talent. Then they quickly rebuilt another superbowl caliber team shortly after

Detroit: One of the laughing stock of teams for a long time. Had talented young players but the wrong coaching staff, ownership, culture. In 2020 I think a new member of the family took over. Then they hired Dan Campbell(huge culture change) and added even more talent like Goff, Gibbs, Hutchinson, amon ra st.brown, Sewell, Sutton and etc. Massive turnaround simply by appointing a new family member(I think it was another family member)

Patrots: Had defense genius and mastermind Belichick. Greatest QB of all time and continously added key pieces here and there.

Then you have teams that are wasting incredible talent

Cincinnati: Burrow was arguably the closest QB to Mahomes at one point. Endless amounts of talent and dragged one of the worst OLs ever to see the playoffs into a superbowl. Organization continues to waste his career behind a turn table OL that has gotten him killed over the last few years. Now there defense has been atrocious

Cowboys: Wasted Romos career with terrible defenses and OLs for the majority of his career. Wasted top 10 OLs on Dak, multiple 1k recievers and at one point a premier run game. Still fail to do anything about stopping the run, overpay it's own players, soft countey club mentally. Dallas has fielded some incredible teams

Etc

 

[JayFord]

He don’t care

He figures if you make it to the playoffs enough you’ll break through

 

[Nova]

The lack of physicality on this team is reflective of the culture Jerry has created.

Even if you bring in dogs in the trenches and a hard nosed coach like Vrabel, it wouldn't be long before they would morph into this same bunch of entitled babies.

 

[Chasing6]

In Jerry Brain, "Pro Bowls" mean "i delivered a good roster", while playoff failure means "coaches failed him".

Passive aggressive sabotage at RB and DT.
Maybe Jerry realizes that the end is near and he is writing his self justifying Narrative.

Jerry is having a final life crisis.

 

[75boyz]

Posted this in the wrong thread so

So many examples of well run organizations/GMs

KC: Knew Alex Smith could not elevate a talented team and went ahead and drafted Mahomes. Got run over by Tampa Bay in the superbowl because the OL was terrible. First thing they did was add talent to the OL via numerous means after the season. They didn't click to start the following season until half way through and now continue to win superbowls. They also averaged below 3ypc against Baltimore in the playoffs but pounded the rock almost 30 times. They averaged 3.2ypc in the superbowl and still continued to run the ball. Doesn't matter how bad the run game is doing, you have to keep the other team in check and wear them down.

Eagles: Slowly built a talented team with Wentz. Won a superbowl with Foles and dumper Wentz and alot of talent. Then they quickly rebuilt another superbowl caliber team shortly after

Detroit: One of the laughing stock of teams for a long time. Had talented young players but the wrong coaching staff, ownership, culture. In 2020 I think a new member of the family took over. Then they hired Dan Campbell(huge culture change) and added even more talent like Goff, Gibbs, Hutchinson, amon ra st.brown, Sewell, Sutton and etc. Massive turnaround simply by appointing a new family member(I think it was another family member)

Patrots: Had defense genius and mastermind Belichick. Greatest QB of all time and continously added key pieces here and there.

Then you have teams that are wasting incredible talent

Cincinnati: Burrow was arguably the closest QB to Mahomes at one point. Endless amounts of talent and dragged one of the worst OLs ever to see the playoffs into a superbowl. Organization continues to waste his career behind a turn table OL that has gotten him killed over the last few years. Now there defense has been atrocious

Cowboys: Wasted Romos career with terrible defenses and OLs for the majority of his career. Wasted top 10 OLs on Dak, multiple 1k recievers and at one point a premier run game. Still fail to do anything about stopping the run, overpay it's own players, soft countey club mentally. Dallas has fielded some incredible teams

Etc

Great post.

 

[StarLord]

The refs bias does play a role in the last 20 years of being one of the most penalized teams to go along with the few very unique ones.

I believe they overcompensate (unconsciously likely) for all the favoritism we get from being the most popular team.

Isn’t why we lost
Isn’t why we’re bad
Just a factor and I’m pretty convinced it’s real.

McCarthy's GB teams consistently had low penalties. Now his team gets penalties left and right.

If it's coaching, why the difference?

I do think there is some bias for sure.. just not sure to what extent.

 

[JohnnyTheFox]

Good write up Bob, remember the 91 playoff loss to Detroit. Team got hammered 38 to 6, then the off-season brought Woodson, Smith, Washington, Haley, memory is a little foggy on Thomas Everett. But yeah, they identified their problems addressed them and the rest is history. Not this Bunch though. Sad

 

[Chasing6]

Good write up Bob, remember the 91 playoff loss to Detroit. Team got hammered 38 to 6, then the off-season brought Woodson, Smith, Washington, Haley, memory is a little foggy on Thomas Everett. But yeah, they identified their problems addressed them and the rest is history. Not this Bunch though. Sad

That was when we had a team philosophy.

 

[gtb1943]

No quarterback can win without a running game. Ask Mahomes when he didn't have one in the Super Bowl he lost.

it was more that he had no oline at all in that game

 

[gtb1943]

Good write up Bob, remember the 91 playoff loss to Detroit. Team got hammered 38 to 6, then the off-season brought Woodson, Smith, Washington, Haley, memory is a little foggy on Thomas Everett. But yeah, they identified their problems addressed them and the rest is history. Not this Bunch though. Sad

JIMMY recognized the problem and fixed it