CFZ The 2024 Cowboys are walking into a psychological trap

[Streifenkarl]

That’s an understandable and even logical conclusion. But I don’t think Jerry thinks that way. We’ve seen him do stupid things before all while thinking he was doing the right thing. Like a decade with Garrett, lol. In other words I think Jerry thinks all this is not a bad idea. I could be wrong of course, lol.

Believers are more dangerous than frauds and con men. The latter know what the reality is and try to get out at some point. Believers think they are right and only they know what they are doing. So they stay forever.

 

[Diehardblues]

Believers are more dangerous than frauds and con men. The latter know what the reality is and try to get out at some point. Believers think they are right and only they know what they are doing. So they stay forever.

I think it’s actually some of both . He thinks he’s smart or right enough to keep a relative product in the spotlight. And unfortunately I’d argue he’s been right. No doubt he’s been able to market the hell out of it.

And what he does believe is he is only one who can steer the narrative and public perception. It’s why he stays in the media at every turn.

But he also knows others could do more running football operations like Jimmy did with total control. He’s just not willing to give up that control.

And not willing to give up him being the face of his franchise even if it means more success like we had with Jimmy.

He was a great owner when Jimmy had control over football operations. But that wasn’t enough for him when the accolades begun coming in. He wanted to be a part of that celebrity football guy stardom.

 

[Xeven]

2024 is a wash, Dak need to leave before his entire career is a waste, CD and Parson need to decide if they want to play for a team that will never get there.

 

[DCBoysfan]

Excellent write up. I really believe that the Jones’s miscalculated the amount FA activity that happen yesterday.

I believe they thought they would have an opportunity to acquire some higher level FA‘s later this week.

The purpose of FA is to either sign players with at least the same skill set or better as the players you lose,
hope I’m wrong but it’s hard for me to see how we acquire players to match the production of the players we have lost so far.

 

[glimmerman]

When it was obvious we were running it back again I thought Quinn was gonna stay. When he didn’t I was kind of ok since he don’t care about stopping the run and taking a big guy like Mazi and making him drop weight.

He heard JJ say he was going all in. For a second I actually thought he saw these other teams moving money and players around and kicking the big can down the road and getting the key players needed to close the gaps this season. We are a playoff team needing a big guy or 2 in the middle to stuff that run enough to get us the ball back and then a good RB that can make the plays on a regular basis to move the ball and add that dimension we needed to take the pressure off a QB that’s throwing the ball way to much..

So far it’s looking like JJ is a liar. Right now he is going to depend on Dak to throw the ball 45-50 times a game with Lamb and a few TEs.

 

[glimmerman]

2024 is a wash, Dak need to leave before his entire career is a waste, CD and Parson need to decide if they want to play for a team that will never get there.

If Lamb and Parsons get huge deals they will be just fine being here.

 

[Eightneight]

This is one of many reasons that having a completely unaccountable front office kills this organization. JJ and SJ’s places are never on the line so they feel no reluctance to place their coaches and players in a very tight squeeze that has never really been a great way to create a great season.

The players know the coaches are in a very tenuous position so that makes the whole season even more pressurized. If the FO just rolls with their usual dumpster dive approach to FA and expects their draft to fill all the holes, this could be a disaster season.

And we have seen how poorly this team plays under pressure, (see playoffs).

 

[Bobhaze]

Hey Bobhaze?? Don't you mean ,FANS are??????

Lol! Well that’s every year the last decade or so.

 

[Floatyworm]

When Jerry Jones decided in late January to bring Mike McCarthy back for the 2024 season, I immediately thought of the similar decision he made with Wade Phillips after the 2009 season, and all the ramifications that followed in the 2010 season.

In Jan, 2010 the Cowboys had been destroyed in the divisional round of the playoffs in embarrassing fashion by the Brett Favre led Vikings 34-3. Most believed Wade’s time in Big D as head coach was clearly at an end. It should have been. Jerry ran it back for the 2010 season. And that team went 1-5 to start the year, then they lost Romo for the season in mid-October and ended up 1-7 after that humiliating loss to GB on national TV where it was obvious the team had quit on Wade Phillips.

Jerry of course followed the bad decision to keep Wade on another year by hiring Jason Garrett for the next 9.5 seasons. But that’s a whole different story for another time.

What concerns me for the 2024 season is having Big Mac and his coaches all on essentially one year deals. Because it sets up a psychological trap for the players that inherently comes along with that:

• What if this team starts the season 3-5? Will the players begin to believe it’s all for nothing to keep fighting if they know Big Mac and staff are gone in 2025?
• This scenario puts more pressure on a team and its coaching staff to win early or the slide into a 2010 type scenario that could easily follow.
• If the front office extends Dak 2-3 more years, what happens to the future of this team if they fail early next year?

IMO, Mike McCarthy is a far better coach than Wade Phillips was and is more respected by the players. But how difficult will it be for the players to continue to fight for Mac if team gets off to a rough start knowing he has one leg out the door?

I respect Mike McCarthy and what he had done here. But this owner did him and the team no favors with this one year thing hanging over the season. Then follows that up with their usual standing pat routine while the rest of the league is reloading.

With that being said....I'm starting to think free agents are staying away just for that reason....they see the train wreck ahead and want no part of it....Jerry couldn't even over pay guys to come here....is what he doesn't understand. He still believes the brand sells itself....and he couldn't be more wrong.

 

[Bobhaze]

With that being said....I'm starting to think free agents are staying away just for that reason....they see the train wreck ahead and want no part of it....Jerry couldn't even over pay guys to come here....is what he doesn't understand. He still believes the brand sells itself....and he couldn't be more wrong.

I don’t even think the Cowboys are seriously trying to sign FAs that aren’t bargain bin guys. It’s hard to get some decent FAs when you don’t even try.

Btw, if they were serious, they could have cleared millions in cap space before this FA period by extending a few guys like Diggs, Steele, DLaw…without even extending Dak! These clowns aren’t serious.

 

[Beast_from_East]

I don’t even think the Cowboys are seriously trying to sign FAs that aren’t bargain bin guys. It’s hard to get some decent FAs when you don’t even try.

Btw, if they were serious, they could have cleared millions in cap space before this FA period by extending a few guys like Diggs, Steele, DLaw…without even extending Dak! These clowns aren’t serious.

Exactly.............it is being reported that the Cowboys "are waiting for free agents to call them".

That is just insane, no sports team in the world that is trying to seriously win just sits on their hands and wait by the phone for free agents to call them !!!!!

They are intentionally gutting the roster now..............there is no way this is not being done on purpose, even some in the media like Mike Fisher are starting to ask this question (tanking on purpose).

If this is not an intentional tank job and they are actually trying, then they seriously are the most incompetent pro-sports team I have ever seen.

 

[chuck520]

Exactly, which is why this needs to get much worse for a few years to have any chance to change. Even then maybe not.

Whether they know it or not, or don’t agree, the league is built for peaks and valleys and they don’t get that. These last few drafts were awful, two players, maybe another couple aside. Not enough to supplement what wasn’t good enough at that point.

Hint….they just went through the peak and decided to leave them short on the field, presumably to avoid cap problems that we somehow continue to have. Is every single player treated as if they are worth the cost or not, or is there some sort of overall plan?

If you’re not good enough and the cap restricts you from getting better you’re doing it wrong.

The only way it can change is by new ownership or a new GM

 

[chuck520]

Great perspective.
Sounds very Jerry-like.

Except if you are going into a rebuild, Belichick isnt going to go to there and he's too old to be part of a rebuilding program