Still no identity after all these years

[Galian Beast]

I think that is the most disappointing part of being a Cowboys fan. After all these years, we still have no identity on offense or defense.

I don't understand why this team can't turn the corner, but it especially makes me not want to keep players like Ware around. Only a few of the high paid players on this team really play to their salary. I think Romo is one of them, and I think Witten is one of them. I never understood tagging spencer two years in a row. I never saw him as a game breaker on defense. And honestly I don't think Ware is a game breaker on defense either. Not to say none of these guys have made big plays, but they never have consistently.

Right now we're 16th in the NFL in points allowed. Playing Denver really skewed things for us. I don't like to try to unskew things like this, but outside of Denver our defense has allowed 17.3 points per game. And even with some less than stellar performances against San Diego and New York, that would put us in the top 5 in defense in the league. I am somewhat optimistic that we're turning the corner on defense and fixing a lot of issues that have plagued us against Manning and Rivers. That being said stafford and johnson are dangerous. It'll be great if we can shut him down. I think their success thus far this year has been pretty slanted. Detroit hasn't won when they've relied on Megatron this year.

Going forward Marinelli's rushmen are going to make or break our season. I hope we can squeeze all of the potential out of any lineman we sign. I also hope that we can handle the blitz better than we have in the last two games.

 

[perrykemp]

He is the funny thing about this.... beat the Lions and the Cowboys are 5-3 and the arrow is pointed upward. Callahan / Kiffin's philosophies are taking hold and the team is positioned to make noise in the playoffs....

Lose the the Lions the team is right back at 4-4 and everything is the same as it has been for the last 2-3 years -- wonderfully mediocre.

This is a big game for that reason.

 

[Nova]

I wouldn't say we have a lack of identity.

It's just that no one here likes what our identity is.

It's a "Hope we get lucky, take what they give us" approach.

That's who we are. That's who we've been since 2008.

 

[Yakuza Rich]

I have no problem with franchising Spencer. He played great in 2012. And he was at that tricky time of his career where he was just old enough and just not good enough to sign to a long term deal for big $$$$ that he wanted, but too good to let go. Unfortunately, his knee took him out for this season. But if he went somewhere else and his knee didn't give out and he plays well...everybody would be up in arms.

As far as identity goes...I'm not really sure what that means or has ever meant.





YR

 

[Staubacher]

Gosh if the last two games didn't show you guys anything i don't know...

 

[strasscat]

Did he Ravens have an identity last year ? Did the Giants have one before that ?
Having an identity is overrated, it does not win championships.

 

[Deep_Freeze]

Lack of identity to me means we really don't have a certain way we win. We can win by special teams, by our D playing well, an explosive game out of Romo or Murray, and by just dumb luck. We can lose by some of the same things in reverse.

We don't come into games like last years Houston team, which you knew was always going to win one way, their running game would dominate or they would lose. Green Bay, they are going to throw it and lose if you outscore them. San Fran will try to beat you down in the trenches, and win the ol' fashioned way. The list goes on with identity.

The Cowboys are a hard team cause they can beat you in multiple ways.......this isn't a bad thing, it makes us a more unpredictable opponent for other teams to gameplan for. Having a standard identity is highly overrated, would be rather be able to beat you in alot of ways than just one.

 

[rcaldw]

Garrett is giving this team identity and it is slowly taking hold. Work hard. Be a team guy. Focus on what is right in front of you. Do whatever it takes to win. Never give up. Play to the last whistle. Look up after the dust has cleared and see where you are.

I like that identity and while everyone in the NFL talks about it, I think Garrett is actually getting this team to embrace it.

 

[Zimmy Lives]

He is the funny thing about this.... beat the Lions and the Cowboys are 5-3 and the arrow is pointed upward. Callahan / Kiffin's philosophies are taking hold and the team is positioned to make noise in the playoffs....

Lose the the Lions the team is right back at 4-4 and everything is the same as it has been for the last 2-3 years -- wonderfully mediocre.

This is a big game for that reason.

I think this is a valid point but you also have to factor in the following: The offense is becoming more efficient and has shown signs of potentially being explosive; the defense is developing an identity of playing fast and relentless; and, the team overall is showing a little more resiliency in facing adversity. Win or lose in Detroit, I take these things as positive.

 

[perrykemp]

I think this is a valid point but you also have to factor in the following: The offense is becoming more efficient and has shown signs of potentially being explosive; the defense is developing an identity of playing fast and relentless; and, the team overall is showing a little more resiliency in facing adversity. Win or lose in Detroit, I take these things as positive.

I dunno. 4-4 is 4-4. I'll be highly disappointed in the team is 4-4 at the half way mark.

 

[jterrell]

Romo to Dez.

That is the identity. It's as much of an identity as any NFL 2013 team has.

 

[LittleBoyBlue]

I wouldn't say we have a lack of identity.

It's just that no one here likes what our identity is.

It's a "Hope we get lucky, take what they give us" approach.

That's who we are. That's who we've been since 2008.

That's because we have been "Jekyll and Hyde" for wayyyyy to many years.

 

[Zimmy Lives]

I dunno. 4-4 is 4-4. I'll be highly disappointed in the team is 4-4 at the half way mark.

“Blessed is he who expects nothing, for he shall never be disappointed.” -- Jonathan Swift

 

[DogFace]

Lack of identity to me means we really don't have a certain way we win. We can win by special teams, by our D playing well, an explosive game out of Romo or Murray, and by just dumb luck. We can lose by some of the same things in reverse.

We don't come into games like last years Houston team, which you knew was always going to win one way, their running game would dominate or they would lose. Green Bay, they are going to throw it and lose if you outscore them. San Fran will try to beat you down in the trenches, and win the ol' fashioned way. The list goes on with identity.

The Cowboys are a hard team cause they can beat you in multiple ways.......this isn't a bad thing, it makes us a more unpredictable opponent for other teams to gameplan for. Having a standard identity is highly overrated, would be rather be able to beat you in alot of ways than just one.

Great answer. Very smart.

 

[Direwolf63]

He is the funny thing about this.... beat the Lions and the Cowboys are 5-3 and the arrow is pointed upward. Callahan / Kiffin's philosophies are taking hold and the team is positioned to make noise in the playoffs....

Lose the the Lions the team is right back at 4-4 and everything is the same as it has been for the last 2-3 years -- wonderfully mediocre.

This is a big game for that reason.

Correct. You've nailed exactly why the Cowboys have to win this game. They need to start beating teams in playoff contention. They need to beat teams that don't have Sam Bradford or Nick Foles at QB.
The Lions are in the playoff mix. They have an excellent QB. And they are playing at home. Tough circumstances for the Cowboys. But good teams win games like this.

Last week, I predicted we would lose this game. I want the Cowboys to prove me wrong. Do it and give me some hope.

If I am proven correct and we lose this game, it's just more of the same. We will still be swimming in the lake of mediocity.

Cincinnati is a likely playoff team and they just went into Detriot and won a tough game. We need to do the same.

 

[Direwolf63]

I too think having an identity is overrated. Just execute your game plan, don't turn the ball over and get turnovers on defense. Keep your penalties to a minimum.

Do this better than your opponent and you win games. Do this on a week-to-week basis, and your a playoff team. I don't consider this an identity, just simple common sense.

 

[Zordon]

I dunno. 4-4 is 4-4. I'll be highly disappointed in the team is 4-4 at the half way mark.

that san diego game and kansas city game is going to come back and bite us in the ***.

 

[JD_KaPow]

I think that is the most disappointing part of being a Cowboys fan. After all these years, we still have no identity on offense or defense.

I have no idea what this means or why it's desirable. As far as I can tell, it works like this:

When a team has a particular obvious thing they excel at and they win a lot, they have an "identity."
When a team has a particular obvious thing they excel at and they lose a lot, they're "one-dimensional."

When a team isn't great at one particular thing and they win a lot, they "can beat you in so many ways."
When a team isn't great at one particular thing and they lose a lot, they "have no identity."

The Lions are in the playoff mix. They have an excellent QB. And they are playing at home. Tough circumstances for the Cowboys. But good teams win games like this.

Another cliche that doesn't make sense to me. Good teams win some games like this and they lose some games like this. I mean, with one exception, teams don't go 16-0. So what games do good teams lose? More often than not, they lose road games against other teams in the playoff mix who have good quarterbacks, right?

 

[Crown Royal]

You know what our identity was in 2011 and 2012? A talented team that put up great numbers but just made enough stupid errors to get itself beat. Too many woulda coulda shouldas, too many they look good but just did those 2-3 things in a game that look 'Freak" but ended up losing them games.

I do not think that is what we are this year. I am generally comfortable with each loss we had, if only because they were the kind a team CAN have. WE didn't shoot ourselves in the foot, we aren't playing stupid and we seem to play as a team more now than ever before. Go win in Detroit and that becomes your identity; 52 guys and a coaching staff on the same page.

 

[Crown Royal]

that san diego game and kansas city game is going to come back and bite us in the ***.

Any team worth it's salt should not be in a scenario where road non conference losses to good teams come back and bite you in the ***.