CFZ The simple equation of a team ready to compete for a championship

[Bobhaze]

Despite all changes that have come to the modern era of professional football, it still remains a fairly simple game if you want to win a championship. Teams that can block well, tackle well and execute their offense and defense with excellence win. Yes you need at least a very good QB but even they can’t overcome a team’s inability to block and tackle. The fundamentals still matter.

To take all this a step further into simplicity, here’s a very simple formula for a team built to win a championship.

1. Have a philosophy of the kind of team you are trying to be.
2. Acquire talent to fit that philosophy. (Have to have a good QB)
3. Develop and Coach that talent to be able to impose the team’s philosophy on opponents.

The teams that can impose their will on their opponents - especially capable of imposing their will on good teams- are capable of being champions.

And the teams that have great trench players on both sides of the ball - Capable of imposing their will on their opponents - they are the teams that are capable of beating any team anywhere. That’s playoff ready.

Some questions:

• What is the Cowboys current philosophy of team building? (What kind of team are we trying to be?)
• When was the last time the Cowboys had a team you were confident they could impose their will on another good team?
• Is the 2024 team more or less capable of imposing their will on good teams?

 

[maryquality]

• What is the Cowboys current philosophy of team building? (What kind of team are we trying to be?) - very good question. Wish I knew, but more importantly, wish Jerry knew!!
• When was the last time the Cowboys had a team you were confident they could impose their will on another good team? - Probably those great 90's teams.
• Is the 2024 team more or less capable of imposing their will on good teams? - I'm going to say no. But, maybe they'll surprise us.

 

[jazzcat22]

Good questions.

I really do not know anymore what the philosophy on team building is. I know many will say Jerry wants fans to believe they are building. But he wants to promote sales over wins. I disagree with that. Because he knows winning will increase sales.
But lately with lack of FA and solely relying upon the draft seems like it has been their philosophy and hope to get lucky.

I have not had much confidence in them imposing their will upon any team. Especially with the track record of the playoffs. Been so long I can't remember.
They never seem to have any of those "gut check" moments.

I will say no to 2024 until we actually see it, and in games like against SF.

 

[Bobhaze]

• What is the Cowboys current philosophy of team building? (What kind of team are we trying to be?) - very good question. Wish I knew, but more importantly, wish Jerry knew!!
• When was the last time the Cowboys had a team you were confident they could impose their will on another good team? - Probably those great 90's teams.
• Is the 2024 team more or less capable of imposing their will on good teams? - I'm going to say no. But, maybe they'll surprise us.

Mary I agree with your assessment on all three questions. The only post 90s team I’ve seen that may have been able to impose its will on other good teams was the 2007 team. We had a really good defense that could stop the run and a good enough QB in Romo to win playoff games. Romo was good, just not great.

Maybe that 2014 team had half the imposing its will equation. We had a dominant OL and running game but the defense was incapable of imposing anything.

 

[ArtClink]

Despite all changes that have come to the modern era of professional football, it still remains a fairly simple game if you want to win a championship. Teams that can block well, tackle well and execute their offense and defense with excellence win. Yes you need at least a very good QB but even they can’t overcome a team’s inability to block and tackle. The fundamentals still matter.

To take all this a step further into simplicity, here’s a very simple formula for a team built to win a championship.

1. Have a philosophy of the kind of team you are trying to be.
2. Acquire talent to fit that philosophy. (Have to have a good QB)
3. Develop and Coach that talent to be able to impose the team’s philosophy on opponents.

The teams that can impose their will on their opponents - especially capable of imposing their will on good teams- are capable of being champions.

And the teams that have great trench players on both sides of the ball - Capable of imposing their will on their opponents - they are the teams that are capable of beating any team anywhere. That’s playoff ready.

Some questions:

• What is the Cowboys current philosophy of team building? (What kind of team are we trying to be?)
• When was the last time the Cowboys had a team you were confident they could impose their will on another good team?
• Is the 2024 team more or less capable of imposing their will on good teams?

Everything you mentioned is an indictment of the Jones system. We don’t know what kind of team we are building. We just throw the players together and hope it works out.

I had confidence when we had Romo and Parcells. I had confidence Daks rookie year. Other than that, I have to go back to 1995.

This years team is on thin ice. Lame duck head coach who will be fired due to Jerrys incompetence. We still can’t stop the run. Why is Zeke occupying a roster spot when we could be developing a young player with potential? Our GM has been spending all his GM time being father of the year in court.

 

[Rockport]

Despite all changes that have come to the modern era of professional football, it still remains a fairly simple game if you want to win a championship. Teams that can block well, tackle well and execute their offense and defense with excellence win. Yes you need at least a very good QB but even they can’t overcome a team’s inability to block and tackle. The fundamentals still matter.

To take all this a step further into simplicity, here’s a very simple formula for a team built to win a championship.

1. Have a philosophy of the kind of team you are trying to be.
2. Acquire talent to fit that philosophy. (Have to have a good QB)
3. Develop and Coach that talent to be able to impose the team’s philosophy on opponents.

The teams that can impose their will on their opponents - especially capable of imposing their will on good teams- are capable of being champions.

And the teams that have great trench players on both sides of the ball - Capable of imposing their will on their opponents - they are the teams that are capable of beating any team anywhere. That’s playoff ready.

Some questions:

• What is the Cowboys current philosophy of team building? (What kind of team are we trying to be?)
• When was the last time the Cowboys had a team you were confident they could impose their will on another good team?
• Is the 2024 team more or less capable of imposing their will on good teams?

As far as #1 that philosophy should be to have a tough, physical running game. One that can impose their will like you said. Same thing on defense. Must be big, tough and physical and must be able to stop the run.

Watch what Harbaugh has been doing in Baltimore and now his brother is going to do the same thing with the Chargers. In a couple of years, they’ll also be a force in the AFC.

 

[Ranching]

Every team is trying to accomplish the same thing. Not every team can or will. You cannot always pick and choose top talent, you have 31 other teams to compete against.
Defense wins championships, that's where you need to start. QB doesn't have to be a star, bus drivers have won SBs with great defenses.
Running game is important....string together some time consuming drives to keep your defense rested and time to make sideline adjustments. My take.

 

[big dog cowboy]

And the teams that have great trench players on both sides of the ball - Capable of imposing their will on their opponents - they are the teams that are capable of beating any team anywhere. That’s playoff ready.

Football 101 stuff that so many people just don't get.

Especially pertaining to the running game.

No need to reinvent the wheel.

 

[Bobhaze]

Football 101 stuff that so many people just don't get.

Especially pertaining to the running game.

No need to reinvent the wheel.

As great as the triplets were…and they were hall of fame greats…Jerry never seemed to understand that those triplets were able to do what they did because of guys like Nate Newton, Mark Stepnoski, Mark Tuinei, and Erik Williams in front of them. Without that great OL, there would have never been “triplets”.

Football 101. And few seem to understand it.

 

[Brax]

As great as the triplets were…and they were hall of fame greats…Jerry never seemed to understand that those triplets were able to do what they did because of guys like Nate Newton, Mark Stepnoski, Mark Tuinei, and Erik Williams in front of them. Without that great OL, there would have never been “triplets”.

Football 101. And few seem to understand it.

Then why when they had top lines and a great RB did they still spit the bit

 

[JBS]

The equation is much more simple

Elite qb
Very good or better head coach
Good supporting cast

Championship

Here is how Dallas ranks

Elite qb - X
Very good or better HC - X
Good supporting cast - check

 

[Bobhaze]

Then why when they had top lines and a great RB did they still spit the bit

Those 90s teams had great linemen on both sides of the ball. We haven’t had it on BOTH sides since then.

 

[Bobhaze]

The equation is much more simple

Elite qb
Very good or better head coach
Good supporting cast

Championship

Here is how Dallas ranks

Elite qb - X
Very good or better HC - X
Good supporting cast - check

Don't disagree that having a great QB helps a ton.
Questions:

• Would Mahomes and the chiefs have won that SB last year without that great defense? (#2 defense in the league; held great ravens offense in AFC championship game on the road to 10 points in a game Mahomes wasn’t that great)
• If all you need is a great QB, good coaching and supporting cast, why did Dan Marino never win a SB? Top 3 QB (if not best) in the 80s and had HOF HC Don Shula, the winningest HC in history. Or Dan Fouts, HOF QB under HOF HC Don Coryell never even made it to a SB.
• Why did it take HOFer John Elway 14 seasons to win a SB? Bad coaching? Or bad defenses?
• Aaron Rodgers has won one SB. And that was with Mike McCarthy. Despite earning the #1 seed several times, has not been back to the SB since 2010 season. Why? The one he did win was WITH McCarthy.

All I’m saying is history shows you better have more than a great QB and head coach. You better have a defense too.

 

[JBS]

Don't disagree that having a great QB helps a ton.
Questions:

• Would Mahomes and the chiefs have won that SB last year without that great defense? (#2 defense in the league; held great ravens offense in AFC championship game on the road to 10 points in a game Mahomes wasn’t that great)
• If all you need is a great QB, good coaching and supporting cast, why did Dan Marino never win a SB? Top 3 QB (if not best) in the 80s and had HOF HC Don Shula, the winningest HC in history. Or Dan Fouts, HOF QB under HOF HC Don Coryell never even made it to a SB.
• Why did it take HOFer John Elway 14 seasons to win a SB? Bad coaching? Or bad defenses?
• Aaron Rodgers has won one SB. And that was with Mike McCarthy. Despite earning the #1 seed several times, has not been back to the SB since 2010 season. Why? The one he did win was WITH McCarthy.

All I’m saying is history shows you better have more than a great QB and head coach. You better have a defense too.

Not disputing that , I added a very good supporting cast as part of the equation. Qb and coach are not enough. But those are the two most important pieces to the puzzle.

 

[Diehardblues]

As great as the triplets were…and they were hall of fame greats…Jerry never seemed to understand that those triplets were able to do what they did because of guys like Nate Newton, Mark Stepnoski, Mark Tuinei, and Erik Williams in front of them. Without that great OL, there would have never been “triplets”.

Football 101. And few seem to understand it.

Yes, that’s because the media influences fans cause that’s all they talk about is the QB’s and or in this case the Triplets.

That top defense and Great Wall on OL isn’t mentioned as much.

The media over glorifies these aspects and that’s all many fans pay attention to.

And our owner runs our team thru the eyes of a fan. He probably thinks it was all about the Triplets too.