Stuck in Groundhog Day

[Nova]

Let me ask you this:

What do you think we should do as fans? Some will boycott. Many will criticize and whine and despair lol.

I have been a fan for over 30 years. This is honestly the first time I am considering a “fan sabbatical”. You know— just step away for a bit. Spend time on other pursuits. If they somehow get out of the tailspin and cycle of dysfunction— then sure, flip on the game.

How are you handling the latest round of depression? Lol… this is kind of what I feel like doing to this entire franchise right now:

Just posted a very similar thing in another thread.

The loss is still raw, but it features all the same hallmarks of a team that prioritizes style over substance.

Do I even like this team, what it stands for, and what it’s stood for over the last 25 years?

It’s obvious that I don’t, so why continue?

 

[noshame]

Because the O-Line couldn’t block. No run game and only up the gut runs..Take away the run and cover. That would beat most QBs in the league except the brady and a few others.,

It would only beat the inaccurate ones. The outside curl routes were there all season, he will not throw to them.

 

[MountaineerCowboy]

When you give your franchise to an undrafted guy and a 4th round dual-threat QB that refuses to be dual-threat anymore this is what you get.

Jerry thinks when QBs overachieve he's found the next Brady. He hitches his wagon to them and when faced with adversity they show why they were low picks or undrafted guys.

 

[fivetwos]

Well don't forget the customary clunker next year after finishing first.

We rarely beat good teams and next is full of those.

 

[Hawkeye19]

It would only beat the inaccurate ones. The outside curl routes were there all season, he will not throw to them.

Yep. Dak is indecisive now more than ever. Thinking too much. Lacks confidence to zip the ball sometimes… definitely hesitant when it comes to taking off and running.

Accuracy has always been a flaw— seems to be getting worse. Many passes behind and off schedule to wide open WRs.

Pressure and expectations are getting to him. But with the huge contract come huge expectations

 

[Hawkeye19]

Well don't forget the customary clunker next year after finishing first.

We rarely beat good teams and next is full of those.

Yah. This L was a gut punch and the media will be crowing and criticizing all off season.

The “blueprint” will be effective until Dak can punch his way out of it— but will he be able to with a less talented roster and (possible) new OC?

First place schedule and less talent definitely has this team trending downwards. If they draft well and make some needed cuts, maybe they can be a contender for the NFCE crown— but they simply are not in the same league as the better teams in the NFC.

Will be that way until they win in January and prove otherwise

 

[MyFairLady]

Excellent post from the OP. It is the most frustrating part. The arrogance. The front office does things that they know hurts the football teams chances to win but they do it anyway. The coaches do things that they know hurts the football teams chances to win but they do it anyway. The players do things that they know hurts the football teams chances to win but they do it anyway. It is the Cowboys way.

A few examples are as follows:

1. Zeke is clearly ineffective and has been for 6 games in a row. Doesn't matter Zeke is still featured in the win or go home game.
2. LT has been hobbled for years and is typically ineffective at the end of the season. Doesn't matter he will start and play.
3. Historically the strength of the QB is his ability to run and throw on the run. Doesn't matter he is a 40 million dollar pocket passer now so we will play that way.
4. Team is constantly getting penalties. Doesn't matter we will continue to play the way we play and complain about it after.
5. Gregory has not contributed meaningfully in his entire career. Doesn't matter we will pencil him in as a starter and rely on him to get the job done.
6. Constant investment of cap space and first round picks in WRs has not paid dividends. Doesn't matter trade first round pick for WR, give him massive deal, draft first round WR.
7. Always extending player contracts early even though it never works out in the teams favor.
8. Changing team philosophy on a whim. One day RBs are disposable. The next day you draft one 4th overall. One day high priced WRs are not required. The next day (see item 6 above).
9. Continually slow starters refusing to come out ready to play. Even the team media members stated that the other teams seem more ready to go from the body language.

These are just a few examples off the top of my head. I am sure that here are more. They are pretty obvious I think to everyone and the reality is they are pretty easy things to fix. The problem is no one wants to fix them. They are arrogant and would rather lose doing it the way they want then acknowledge and fix their issues and give themselves a better chance of winning.

 

[sean10mm]

Everything changes and nothing changes. It's like the dumbest Zen koan.

New coach, nothing.
New QB, nothing.
Repeat ad infinitum the entire 21st century.

A fish rots from the head down.

 

[noshame]

Yep. Dak is indecisive now more than ever. Thinking too much. Lacks confidence to zip the ball sometimes… definitely hesitant when it comes to taking off and running.

Accuracy has always been a flaw— seems to be getting worse. Many passes behind and off schedule to wide open WRs.

Pressure and expectations are getting to him. But with the huge contract come huge expectations

the league as a whole began noticing the late over the middle throws for the past 2 seasons and now they've decided to crowd the middle give him the sidelines because they know he hasn't got the consistent accuracy to throw it out there.
sad really especially for us and the cap ramifications.
The only hope is to move him around

 

[Risen Star]

Don't blame Prescott for this. We've been living Groundhog Day around here long before he arrived.

 

[Gaede]

Let me ask you this:

What do you think we should do as fans? Some will boycott. Many will criticize and whine and despair lol.

I have been a fan for over 30 years. This is honestly the first time I am considering a “fan sabbatical”. You know— just step away for a bit. Spend time on other pursuits. If they somehow get out of the tailspin and cycle of dysfunction— then sure, flip on the game.

How are you handling the latest round of depression? Lol… this is kind of what I feel like doing to this entire franchise right now:

I'll be back for the draft. Always am. Every year I get sucked in and next year will be no different

 

[75boyz]

Dak and this group of core players are front runners. Talk comes cheap— and they love attention.

Dak’s “confidence” is not rooted in reality. On one hand he expects to win and convinces everyone around him they can win together.

On the other hand— when he plays poorly— he acts surprised. Then he swears that he and the team will “get better” (memorized from the Garrett school of daily “improvement”). In the end— it’s not confidence. It’s arrogance that sounds like humility because Dak is a decent communicator.

The truth is they don’t know what to do to get better. Kellen isn’t equipped to “fix” Dak… and Prescott is convinced he is elite— and so there aren’t big problems in his game.

He does work hard and lead by example— but what exactly is he working on? Does he have anyone telling him the truth and challenging him ala Parcells and Romo? Or is this franchise so enamored with Dak’s leadership skills no one dares challenge the golden boy?

It is very hard to dispel ignorance when arrogance is in the way. And this team is infested with arrogance and it keeps them in denial about the issues plaguing the franchise.

Until they are willing to admit what their issues are— and take the necessary steps to address them— we will continue to be stuck in Groundhog Day

I think this is very well written and accurate.
Nice post.

 

[CowboysFaninHouston]

Dak and this group of core players are front runners. Talk comes cheap— and they love attention.

Dak’s “confidence” is not rooted in reality. On one hand he expects to win and convinces everyone around him they can win together.

On the other hand— when he plays poorly— he acts surprised. Then he swears that he and the team will “get better” (memorized from the Garrett school of daily “improvement”). In the end— it’s not confidence. It’s arrogance that sounds like humility because Dak is a decent communicator.

The truth is they don’t know what to do to get better. Kellen isn’t equipped to “fix” Dak… and Prescott is convinced he is elite— and so there aren’t big problems in his game.

He does work hard and lead by example— but what exactly is he working on? Does he have anyone telling him the truth and challenging him ala Parcells and Romo? Or is this franchise so enamored with Dak’s leadership skills no one dares challenge the golden boy?

It is very hard to dispel ignorance when arrogance is in the way. And this team is infested with arrogance and it keeps them in denial about the issues plaguing the franchise.

Until they are willing to admit what their issues are— and take the necessary steps to address them— we will continue to be stuck in Groundhog Day

I never like when players talk out loud to give themselves confidence and talk big.....that tells me they are not confident and just want to talk themselves up...Dak did that at the end of the season. his demeanor, the way he acted, his eyes and his actions told me he was frustrated. confused. lacked confidence in himself. he abandoned all his fundamentals because he was acting desparate and went back to what he was familiar with, his old craapy foot work. and when he said its OK for fans to pelt the Refs....then I was really mad at him and lost any respect I had.....that was the icing on the cake.

 

[75boyz]

Excellent post from the OP. It is the most frustrating part. The arrogance. The front office does things that they know hurts the football teams chances to win but they do it anyway. The coaches do things that they know hurts the football teams chances to win but they do it anyway. The players do things that they know hurts the football teams chances to win but they do it anyway. It is the Cowboys way.

A few examples are as follows:

1. Zeke is clearly ineffective and has been for 6 games in a row. Doesn't matter Zeke is still featured in the win or go home game.
2. LT has been hobbled for years and is typically ineffective at the end of the season. Doesn't matter he will start and play.
3. Historically the strength of the QB is his ability to run and throw on the run. Doesn't matter he is a 40 million dollar pocket passer now so we will play that way.
4. Team is constantly getting penalties. Doesn't matter we will continue to play the way we play and complain about it after.
5. Gregory has not contributed meaningfully in his entire career. Doesn't matter we will pencil him in as a starter and rely on him to get the job done.
6. Constant investment of cap space and first round picks in WRs has not paid dividends. Doesn't matter trade first round pick for WR, give him massive deal, draft first round WR.
7. Always extending player contracts early even though it never works out in the teams favor.
8. Changing team philosophy on a whim. One day RBs are disposable. The next day you draft one 4th overall. One day high priced WRs are not required. The next day (see item 6 above).
9. Continually slow starters refusing to come out ready to play. Even the team media members stated that the other teams seem more ready to go from the body language.

These are just a few examples off the top of my head. I am sure that here are more. They are pretty obvious I think to everyone and the reality is they are pretty easy things to fix. The problem is no one wants to fix them. They are arrogant and would rather lose doing it the way they want then acknowledge and fix their issues and give themselves a better chance of winning.

I read a great debate here yesterday.
Now, I have read this awesome OP and your just as good breakdown list of Cowboys problems that need fixing.

And I agree with ya both.

Cheers

jmo