The two biggest roadblocks to success

[Bobhaze]

Watching our long time divisional rival hoist a Lombardi last Sunday should be a cold shower for the leaders of this organization. The beagles took all the problems (excuses) that the Cowboys have wrestled with the last few years and not only overcame them, they grew through them.

When we lose key starters, we lose games. When Filly lost key starters, they won a championship.

And the lesson that must be learned at team headquarters if we are ever going to compete for a championship again (in my opinion) is that we must address these big picture problems. If we don’t fix these them, talent alone will never overcome.

1. Lack of Mental toughness. The Cowboys of the last 5 years can play some smash mouth football. They can be physical with anyone. But we are excuse sponges mentally. And it starts at the top. Jerry loves him some excuses why we didn’t win. He accepts them as reasons to keep his HC and even some overpaid players he loves like a fantasy football owner. This team needs to stop embracing excuses...PERIOD. And again, that starts at the top.

2. A culture lacking accountability. This will be the hardest to change. Jerry doesn’t hold anyone accountable for failure at the top of this organization. Not himself, not his son, and not his head coach. He prefers to place false accountability on mid level assistant coaches who ironically never had any real power to begin with. By getting rid of assistant coaches with no power, a false sense of change is created. Nothing has really changed. Until someone of real power loses their job, nothing will really change. And it needs to happen with players too. If your highest paid player(s) grossly underperform their pay grade, the lack of accountability for them poisons the team’s culture too.
​

There are certainly other problems that face our favorite team. But IMO, the two problems listed above are the biggest impediments to winning. If those two problems aren’t addressed, the ONLY hope this org has is to simply overwhelm our opponents with far superior talent...that never gets hurt or has a bad game. Sadly for us fans, not very likely.

Thoughts?

 

[Sydla]

1) The GM

2) The head coach

 

[Alexander]

1. Lack of Mental toughness. The Cowboys of the last 5 years can play some smash mouth football. They can be physical with anyone. But we are excuse sponges mentally. And it starts at the top. Jerry loves him some excuses why we didn’t win. He accepts them as reasons to keep his HC and even some overpaid players he loves like a fantasy football owner. This team needs to stop embracing excuses...PERIOD. And again, that starts at the top.​

​

You could say that is a part of the problem.

As much as scratching, clawing and scraping is praised, that only goes so far. Eventually it needs to be overcome.

But when your response to adversity is to challenge the team to keep working harder and clapping and doing nothing yourself to manage the challenge, you deserve what you get.

 

[Bobhaze]

​

You could say that is a part of the problem.

As much as scratching, clawing and scraping is praised, that only goes so far. Eventually it needs to be overcome.

But when your response to adversity is to challenge the team to keep working harder and clapping and doing nothing yourself to manage the challenge, you deserve what you get.

When the players know that their head coach has neither the power to bench or cut them, you have destructive team culture issues.

 

[cowboyec]

When the players know that their head coach has neither the power to bench or cut them, you have destructive team culture issues.

Ive said before...I have no reason to believe players like and respect Garrett...Im sure they do.
BUT.
They DO NOT fear him.
part of "winning the right way".....there are consequences.And here...I dont see any.
There is no fear...here.

 

[Alexander]

When the players know that their head coach has neither the power to bench or cut them, you have destructive team culture issues.

But we have been told there is no culture problem.

 

[Bobhaze]

But we have been told there is no culture problem.

Lol.....Yeah and that blindness to see and acknowledge that there are core foundational problems is maddening.

 

[coogrfan]

1) The GM

2) The head coach

More accurate to say

1) The owner
2) The GM.

 

[Alexander]

Lol.....Yeah and that blindness to see and acknowledge that there are core foundational problems is maddening.

You got it all wrong.

The new thing is to acknowledge it and just say "whaddaya gonna do?". Jerry Jones is not going anywhere, he owns the team, etc.

Just a seven years ago under Phillips, the head coach was neutered as well, but it the head coach's fault.

 

[Dalmations202]

1) Discipline - too many penalties. Too much cutting off routes or taking plays off. Too many of Deion's Business Decisions.
2) Responsibility - No responsibility to make sure the plan/players/job is correct, and the job is completed as designed
3) Teamwork - too much worry on who gets what touches
4) Accountability - no one held accountable from the GM to Coach on down to the players.

Yes mental toughness and accountability are part of it, but in my opinion it is bigger than that.

 

[DallasEast]

Individual player on-the-field accountability gets lost in the mix in my opinion. Inconsistent gameday execution is a major problem. Coaching can be blamed up to a certain point but that excuse fizzles out when a defender is in proper position and misses the tackle or when an offensive lineman allows himself to be repeatedly manhandled by a defensive lineman with no resume or when a defensive back/wide receiver drops a ball that hits him in the hands, etc. At some point fingers should stop pointing at everyone except the players themselves.

 

[MCMetal69]

The only success this franchise has had during Jerry's ownership was under Johnson and Parcells ; both respected and feared Head Coaches....

That isn't a coincidence........................

 

[MCMetal69]

Individual player on-the-field accountability gets lost in the mix in my opinion. Inconsistent gameday execution is a major problem. Coaching can be blamed up to a certain point but that excuse fizzles out when a defender is in proper position and misses the tackle or when an offensive lineman allows himself to be repeatedly manhandled by a defensive lineman with no resume or when a defensive back/wide receiver drops a ball that hits him in the hands, etc. At some point fingers should stop pointing at everyone except the players themselves.

You need a Head Coach who holds himself responsible 1st and that type is the one who would hold individual players accountable for the things you mentioned........................

 

[ShortRound]

1) The GM

2) The head coach

Thread

 

[Creeper]

Watching our long time divisional rival hoist a Lombardi last Sunday should be a cold shower for the leaders of this organization. The beagles took all the problems (excuses) that the Cowboys have wrestled with the last few years and not only overcame them, they grew through them.

When we lose key starters, we lose games. When Filly lost key starters, they won a championship.

And the lesson that must be learned at team headquarters if we are ever going to compete for a championship again (in my opinion) is that we must address these big picture problems. If we don’t fix these them, talent alone will never overcome.

1. Lack of Mental toughness. The Cowboys of the last 5 years can play some smash mouth football. They can be physical with anyone. But we are excuse sponges mentally. And it starts at the top. Jerry loves him some excuses why we didn’t win. He accepts them as reasons to keep his HC and even some overpaid players he loves like a fantasy football owner. This team needs to stop embracing excuses...PERIOD. And again, that starts at the top.

2. A culture lacking accountability. This will be the hardest to change. Jerry doesn’t hold anyone accountable for failure at the top of this organization. Not himself, not his son, and not his head coach. He prefers to place false accountability on mid level assistant coaches who ironically never had any real power to begin with. By getting rid of assistant coaches with no power, a false sense of change is created. Nothing has really changed. Until someone of real power loses their job, nothing will really change. And it needs to happen with players too. If your highest paid player(s) grossly underperform their pay grade, the lack of accountability for them poisons the team’s culture too.
​

There are certainly other problems that face our favorite team. But IMO, the two problems listed above are the biggest impediments to winning. If those two problems aren’t addressed, the ONLY hope this org has is to simply overwhelm our opponents with far superior talent...that never gets hurt or has a bad game. Sadly for us fans, not very likely.

Thoughts?

Just look at the offseasons of both teams. The Eagles had holes to fill and went out and signed players to fill those holes. They used free agency and trades. Look at the players the Eagles managed to find and how they contributed to the success of the team. The Cowboys strategy of building through the draft alone is never going to work. It can't. You cannot find enough quality guys through the draft alone fast enough before the contracts of players you drafted earlier expire. You need to get players wherever you find them and that include trades and free agency. Not only did the Eagles fill their biggest need at WR, but they also added depth and strength to their defense, which was already strong.

The Joneses say that in free agency you pay good players great money so they are over priced. Maybe so, but then they do exactly that with players on their own team! They overpayed Romo and crippled their cap. They overpaid Tyrone Crawford and Dez Bryant. By overpaying players the Cowboys used up their cap space so they extended contracts just to fit their players without any high priced free agents. Last year they had no room at all and had to let a bunch of players who started or contributed go. No, they wouldn't pay Ron Leary. They replaced him with Jonathan Cooper a castoff from several teams. He was okay, but the OL was better with Leary.

I honestly believe the Cowboys claiming to prefer to build through the draft is just an excuse for their horrible cap management.

 

[DallasEast]

You need a Head Coach who holds himself responsible 1st and that type is the one who would hold individual players accountable for the things you mentioned........................

I somewhat agree with that perspective but it is still shifting accountability from the players to the head coach. Whether the head coach's name is Jimmy Johnson or Jason Garrett, it is still the player's responsibility of doing his job on the field after each snap. Some of the miscues last season were flat out embarrassing. And while I agree better coaching may have prevented some of the errors, it does not excuse all of them.

 

[MCMetal69]

I somewhat agree with that perspective but it is still shifting accountability from the players to the head coach. Whether the head coach's name is Jimmy Johnson or Jason Garrett, it is still the player's responsibility of doing his job on the field after each snap. Some of the miscues last season were flat out embarrassing. And while I agree better coaching may have prevented some of the errors, it does not excuse all of them.

But the problem starts with Jerry ; when he's laying out lame excuses like injuries , there's no reason for any coach or player to hold himself accountable for anything.............................

 

[GORICO]

Watching our long time divisional rival hoist a Lombardi last Sunday should be a cold shower for the leaders of this organization. The beagles took all the problems (excuses) that the Cowboys have wrestled with the last few years and not only overcame them, they grew through them.

When we lose key starters, we lose games. When Filly lost key starters, they won a championship.

And the lesson that must be learned at team headquarters if we are ever going to compete for a championship again (in my opinion) is that we must address these big picture problems. If we don’t fix these them, talent alone will never overcome.

1. Lack of Mental toughness. The Cowboys of the last 5 years can play some smash mouth football. They can be physical with anyone. But we are excuse sponges mentally. And it starts at the top. Jerry loves him some excuses why we didn’t win. He accepts them as reasons to keep his HC and even some overpaid players he loves like a fantasy football owner. This team needs to stop embracing excuses...PERIOD. And again, that starts at the top.

2. A culture lacking accountability. This will be the hardest to change. Jerry doesn’t hold anyone accountable for failure at the top of this organization. Not himself, not his son, and not his head coach. He prefers to place false accountability on mid level assistant coaches who ironically never had any real power to begin with. By getting rid of assistant coaches with no power, a false sense of change is created. Nothing has really changed. Until someone of real power loses their job, nothing will really change. And it needs to happen with players too. If your highest paid player(s) grossly underperform their pay grade, the lack of accountability for them poisons the team’s culture too.
​

There are certainly other problems that face our favorite team. But IMO, the two problems listed above are the biggest impediments to winning. If those two problems aren’t addressed, the ONLY hope this org has is to simply overwhelm our opponents with far superior talent...that never gets hurt or has a bad game. Sadly for us fans, not very likely.

Thoughts?

mr Haze--- I think you hit a bullseye with the main issues affecting cowboy success....we live in our own dream world...and here is why i dont think it will really change as long as Jerry Jones is alive....for the most part..since Jerry bought the cowboys in 1989 for 180 million dollars...He has since turned that into the largest sporting empire in the world of 4 billion...and for the most part his recipe for success is pointing to yester- years winners while combining mediocre teams and mediocre coaching...all with the narrative..."dont worry we are close"...giving fans this false sense that we are better than we are....and it has worked....even if Garrett tanks another season this year i doubt Jones fires him...cause he loves him some Garrett....an no doubt he is drinking "blue label" and giggling as he rides his helicopter circling his empire

 

[Doc50]

Watching our long time divisional rival hoist a Lombardi last Sunday should be a cold shower for the leaders of this organization. The beagles took all the problems (excuses) that the Cowboys have wrestled with the last few years and not only overcame them, they grew through them.

When we lose key starters, we lose games. When Filly lost key starters, they won a championship.

And the lesson that must be learned at team headquarters if we are ever going to compete for a championship again (in my opinion) is that we must address these big picture problems. If we don’t fix these them, talent alone will never overcome.

1. Lack of Mental toughness. The Cowboys of the last 5 years can play some smash mouth football. They can be physical with anyone. But we are excuse sponges mentally. And it starts at the top. Jerry loves him some excuses why we didn’t win. He accepts them as reasons to keep his HC and even some overpaid players he loves like a fantasy football owner. This team needs to stop embracing excuses...PERIOD. And again, that starts at the top.

2. A culture lacking accountability. This will be the hardest to change. Jerry doesn’t hold anyone accountable for failure at the top of this organization. Not himself, not his son, and not his head coach. He prefers to place false accountability on mid level assistant coaches who ironically never had any real power to begin with. By getting rid of assistant coaches with no power, a false sense of change is created. Nothing has really changed. Until someone of real power loses their job, nothing will really change. And it needs to happen with players too. If your highest paid player(s) grossly underperform their pay grade, the lack of accountability for them poisons the team’s culture too.
​

There are certainly other problems that face our favorite team. But IMO, the two problems listed above are the biggest impediments to winning. If those two problems aren’t addressed, the ONLY hope this org has is to simply overwhelm our opponents with far superior talent...that never gets hurt or has a bad game. Sadly for us fans, not very likely.

Thoughts?

Yes, it could be said that JJ & JG are just too soft.

 

[Sydla]

More accurate to say

1) The owner
2) The GM.

Any list that doesn't include Garrett is wrong.