CFZ The Cowboys on-going struggle on grass fields

[Bobhaze]

Here‘s an interesting trend with the Cowboys the last 5 years: We are 6-16 playing on grass fields (including 2 playoff games) One reason I mention it is we open the season next Sunday in Cleveland on a grass field.

In the last 5 seasons, for whatever reason the Cowboys have played their worst games on grass fields. Obviously all those games are on the road where winning is inherently harder, but the Cowboys road record is way better on turf. Sometimes it may be we are just playing way better opponents. At any rate, here is our record playing on grass fields the last 5 seasons:

• 2019: 1-2
  • Win at Wash
  • Losses at Philly, at Chi
• 2020: 0-3
  • Losses at Wash, at Philly, at Balt
• 2021: 2-2
  • Wins: at Wash and at Philly
  • Losses: at Tampa Bay, at KC
• 2022: 2-5
  • Wins at Tenn and in Wild Card win at Tampa Bay
  • Losses: at Philly, at GB, at Jax, at Wash, at SF in Divisional playoff game
• 2023: 1-5
  • Win at Carolina
  • Losses at Ariz, SF, Philly, Mia

So we have won 6 of our last 22 games on grass. Explanations? We play the egirls at their grass field every year which is tough. But we also have a game at Wash each year. Losing to below average grass field teams in the last 5 years on the road like Ariz, Chicago, and Wash stand out. But we have also played some really good opponents on grass like SF twice, GB twice, Philly 5 times, Balt and at KC. So all those have been tough road matchups anyway.

Any other ideas why we are 6-16 on grass the last 5 seasons?

 

[rambo2]

Here‘s an interesting trend with the Cowboys the last 5 years: We are 6-17 playing on grass fields (including 2 playoff games) One reason I mention it is we open the season next Sunday in Cleveland on a grass field.

In the last 5 seasons, for whatever reason the Cowboys have played their worst games on grass fields. Obviously all those games are on the road where winning is inherently harder, but the Cowboys road record is way better on turf. Sometimes it may be we are just playing way better opponents. At any rate, here is our record playing on grass fields the last 5 seasons:

• 2019: 1-2
  • Win at Wash
  • Losses at Philly, at Chi
• 2020: 0-3
  • Losses at Wash, at Philly, at Balt
• 2021: 2-2
  • Wins: at Wash and at Philly
  • Losses: at Tampa Bay, at KC
• 2022: 2-5
  • Wins at Tenn and in Wild Card win at Tampa Bay
  • Losses: at Philly, at GB, at Jax, at Wash, at SF in Divisional playoff game
• 2023: 1-5
  • Win at Carolina
  • Losses at Ariz, SF, Philly, Buff, Mia

So we have won 6 of our last 23 games on grass. Explanations? We play the egirls at their grass field every year which is tough. But we also have a game at Wash each year. Losing to below average grass field teams in the last 5 years on the road like Ariz, Chicago, and Wash stand out. But we have also played some really good opponents on grass like SF twice, GB twice, Philly 5 times, Balt and at KC. So all those have been tough road matchups anyway.

Any other ideas why we are 6-17 on grass the last 5 seasons?

The Cowboys are going to beat Cleveland.

 

[JBS]

This is a good thread man. We need to improve our performance on grass

 

[JBS]

The Cowboys are going to beat Cleveland.

Where do you think Dallas wins this game?

 

[Iago33]

The Cowboys are going to beat Cleveland.

I appreciate it when someone who replies puts in as much effort as the OP. Well done!

 

[Bagman]

Like you said, obviously grass fields mean road games. There aren't many teams who win a ton of road games. Dallas is middle of the pack on the road.
Another less obvious reason is Dallas built their defense ( through Quinn) for speed on their home field (turf). When Dallas plays on grass, the speed edge is taken away, leaving nothing but an undersized defense.

 

[HungryLion]

The Cowboys are going to beat Cleveland.

Useless post

 

[Iago33]

Like you said, obviously grass fields mean road games. There aren't many teams who win a ton of road games. Dallas is middle of the pack on the road.
Another less obvious reason is Dallas built their defense ( through Quinn) for speed on their home field (turf). When Dallas plays on grass, the speed edge is taken away, leaving nothing but an undersized defense.

I agree. We have been built for speed and lacked toughness, especially on defense. I think we also don’t practice on grass much. Different shoes and cuts, etc.

 

[Rockport]

Here‘s an interesting trend with the Cowboys the last 5 years: We are 6-17 playing on grass fields (including 2 playoff games) One reason I mention it is we open the season next Sunday in Cleveland on a grass field.

In the last 5 seasons, for whatever reason the Cowboys have played their worst games on grass fields. Obviously all those games are on the road where winning is inherently harder, but the Cowboys road record is way better on turf. Sometimes it may be we are just playing way better opponents. At any rate, here is our record playing on grass fields the last 5 seasons:

• 2019: 1-2
  • Win at Wash
  • Losses at Philly, at Chi
• 2020: 0-3
  • Losses at Wash, at Philly, at Balt
• 2021: 2-2
  • Wins: at Wash and at Philly
  • Losses: at Tampa Bay, at KC
• 2022: 2-5
  • Wins at Tenn and in Wild Card win at Tampa Bay
  • Losses: at Philly, at GB, at Jax, at Wash, at SF in Divisional playoff game
• 2023: 1-5
  • Win at Carolina
  • Losses at Ariz, SF, Philly, Buff, Mia

So we have won 6 of our last 23 games on grass. Explanations? We play the egirls at their grass field every year which is tough. But we also have a game at Wash each year. Losing to below average grass field teams in the last 5 years on the road like Ariz, Chicago, and Wash stand out. But we have also played some really good opponents on grass like SF twice, GB twice, Philly 5 times, Balt and at KC. So all those have been tough road matchups anyway.

Any other ideas why we are 6-17 on grass the last 5 seasons?

Didn’t know about this trend. Thanks for posting. I think we’ll be 7-17 after Sunday.

 

[fivetwos]

Every team brings its A game vs Dallas no matter what, and so do their fans.

Fans of teams that have no business hating Dallas still do. They generally hate the other three teams in their division…and Dallas.

All three fans bases of the other teams in the NFCE hate Dallas more than the other two.

 

[Boyzmamacita]

I agree. We have been built for speed and lacked toughness, especially on defense. I think we also don’t practice on grass much. Different shoes and cuts, etc.

The Star has at least 1 grass practice field and at least 1 turf practice field. They need to practice the way they play.

 

[Bobhaze]

Like you said, obviously grass fields mean road games. There aren't many teams who win a ton of road games. Dallas is middle of the pack on the road.
Another less obvious reason is Dallas built their defense ( through Quinn) for speed on their home field (turf). When Dallas plays on grass, the speed edge is taken away, leaving nothing but an undersized defense.

I agree. We have been built for speed and lacked toughness, especially on defense. I think we also don’t practice on grass much. Different shoes and cuts, etc.

I agree - the turf speed thing has to be a big reason. I remember that playoff win at Tampa on their grass field and we dominated 31-14. But it seems those kind of performance have been rare.

 

[Boyzmamacita]

Every team brings the ts A game vs Dallas no matter what, and so do their fans.

Fans of teams that have no business hating Dallas still do. They generally hate the other three team in their division…and Dallas.

All three fans bases of the other teams in the NFCE hate Dallas more than the other two.

I wish the Cowboys would adjust accordingly.

 

[Coogiguy03]

What about playoff fields??

 

[quickccc]

Grass fields means road games for us ... and we don't seem to be prepared vs the more competitive road teams.
That's discipline, coaching, scheming, peddle to meddle play mode, killer mentality, from start to finish- less mental mistakes.

the closet remedy is:
- Do not kill and beat ourselves - ala turnovers, killer penalties.
Win the Trenches on both sides of the ball
- Prove we can run ball effectively, .. prove we can stop the run effectively - makes teams more one dimensional
- Out Physical the opposing team. either we cannot run the ball ... or Stop the run (and it's happening on a year-to-year basis)

- We've been living off Fast n Furious from past DC's ..now it's time to find out if this DC will bring a muscle n brawn Out physical style
defense than the norm.

 

[Bobhaze]

What about playoff fields??

Last 5 years we have only played 2 playoff games on grass and we are 1-1. Both were in the 2022 season. Won at Tampa Bay on grass in the Wild Card game and then lost at SF in the divisional game on their grass field.

 

[stiletto]

Here‘s an interesting trend with the Cowboys the last 5 years: We are 6-17 playing on grass fields (including 2 playoff games) One reason I mention it is we open the season next Sunday in Cleveland on a grass field.

In the last 5 seasons, for whatever reason the Cowboys have played their worst games on grass fields. Obviously all those games are on the road where winning is inherently harder, but the Cowboys road record is way better on turf. Sometimes it may be we are just playing way better opponents. At any rate, here is our record playing on grass fields the last 5 seasons:

• 2019: 1-2
  • Win at Wash
  • Losses at Philly, at Chi
• 2020: 0-3
  • Losses at Wash, at Philly, at Balt
• 2021: 2-2
  • Wins: at Wash and at Philly
  • Losses: at Tampa Bay, at KC
• 2022: 2-5
  • Wins at Tenn and in Wild Card win at Tampa Bay
  • Losses: at Philly, at GB, at Jax, at Wash, at SF in Divisional playoff game
• 2023: 1-5
  • Win at Carolina
  • Losses at Ariz, SF, Philly, Buff, Mia

So we have won 6 of our last 23 games on grass. Explanations? We play the egirls at their grass field every year which is tough. But we also have a game at Wash each year. Losing to below average grass field teams in the last 5 years on the road like Ariz, Chicago, and Wash stand out. But we have also played some really good opponents on grass like SF twice, GB twice, Philly 5 times, Balt and at KC. So all those have been tough road matchups anyway.

Any other ideas why we are 6-17 on grass the last 5 seasons?

Seems like a factual problem to me. Every field they practice on is artificial turf isn't it? Maybe Jethro and Nepo #1 should add a field that is natural to the Star??

 

[fivetwos]

Then again they are a pretty good home team (turf and essentially a dome) and it wouldn’t seem that you could have things both ways.

I wouldn’t expect them to install grass nor would I want to see that.

 

[Bobhaze]

Seems like a factual problem to me. Every field they practice on is artificial turf isn't it? Maybe Jethro and Nepo #1 should add a field that is natural to the Star??

We do have a grass practice field at the Star.

 

[Rockport]

Useless post

How ironic.