Trenches: Some proof on why we lose in the playoffs

[nhcowboysfan]

It sucks that our QB is sometimes required to carry his load and perform when others aren't playing lights

As much as some people here want to make it about just one player, this has been a common theme in just about all the playoff losses over the past three decades, even pre-dating the Dak era. There is such a fixation here about Dak that you would think the Cowboys can just change the quarterback and suddenly the Super Bowls will start flowing in.

Dak is not blameless at all, but he is far from alone. The Cowboys as a team, offense, defense, coaching, everything, has underperformed in the postseason.

I go back to last year's Chiefs-Ravens AFC Title Game. The Patrick Mahomes-led Kansas City offense scored 17 points, zero in the second half. But the Chiefs won.

Now, ask yourself how many playoff games the Cowboys would win scoring just 17 points and getting shutout after halftime. And imagine the "Dak choked" narratives. This Dallas team does NOT play complementary football in the postseason. If the offense bogs down, the defense is just as bad. If the defense plays well, the offense does not. And so on and so on.

This is not a Dak apology post because I will say, he has been bad the majority of the time in the playoffs. But I also think it's about time some fans take off their Dak blinders and see the rest of this team is just as much, if not more, to fault for these failures.

I believe your overall perspective about the team is spot on. The entire team is soft and lacks the mental fortitude to overcome adversity - a cancer that continues to plague this team for no reason other than the rot in this team flows downhill from the front office - and it has now for some 28+ years. It appears that the moment any one player or unit starts struggling in a game, it becomes a team-wide excuse for everyone else to roll over too. The reason why Dak is the target of so much animosity - and more recently, CeeDee and Parsons - stems from our frustration that these star players, who are supposed to step up when it counts the most, rarely if ever do. But then they expect to set the market when their contracts come due.

 

[Rockport]

I believe your overall perspective about the team is spot on. The entire team is soft and lacks the mental fortitude to overcome adversity - a cancer that continues to plague this team for no reason other than the rot in this team flows downhill from the front office - and it has now for some 28+ years. It appears that the moment any one player or unit starts struggling in a game, it becomes a team-wide excuse for everyone else to roll over too. The reason why Dak is the target of so much animosity - and more recently, CeeDee and Parsons - stems from our frustration that these star players, who are supposed to step up when it counts the most, rarely if ever do. But then they expect to set the market when their contracts come due.

Some of you take this too seriously. It’s just football. Your life shouldn’t revolve around wither the Cowboys win or not. Only 1 team out of 32 win the Super Bowl. Enjoy the ride and when the Cowboys win another SB, which they will, it will be that much sweeter.

 

[glimmerman]

Good post. You will catch crap from the Dak haters. I agree with the trenches making a big difference. Dak has made his mistakes. So has mahomes but his defense gave him more chances. Same with josh allen. How many years have we gotten run on. I remember the rams game. They brought a retired guy off the couch and ran us over.

2016 we had a real chance. But our Defense gave it up. Was marinelli and his bs bend and break. We got in a whole and he finally started going after rogers. Dak brought us back. And with the last series I told my wife if marinelli goes after him we will go to OT. If he plays off then we lose. He played off. Irving beat his man and right in front of rogers and the ref standing there the lineman put him in a choke hold and wrestled him down. No flag was thrown. Gave rogers time to make a good throw and a really good catch because jones was standing there and not watching the receiver.

Dak spent a lot of snaps with biadaz in his lap. He don’t like to run as much since his nasty leg injury. I am excited with these new monsters on the O-Line. But we still have no nose tackle. No DT1. We need that big man in the middle. We lost hankins over 2 million dollars. Thats not an all in move.

 

[Rockport]

Good post. You will catch crap from the Dak haters. I agree with the trenches making a big difference. Dak has made his mistakes. So has mahomes but his defense gave him more chances. Same with josh allen. How many years have we gotten run on. I remember the rams game. They brought a retired guy off the couch and ran us over.

2016 we had a real chance. But our Defense gave it up. Was marinelli and his bs bend and break. We got in a whole and he finally started going after rogers. Dak brought us back. And with the last series I told my wife if marinelli goes after him we will go to OT. If he plays off then we lose. He played off. Irving beat his man and right in front of rogers and the ref standing there the lineman put him in a choke hold and wrestled him down. No flag was thrown. Gave rogers time to make a good throw and a really good catch because jones was standing there and not watching the receiver.

Dak spent a lot of snaps with biadaz in his lap. He don’t like to run as much since his nasty leg injury. I am excited with these new monsters on the O-Line. But we still have no nose tackle. No DT1. We need that big man in the middle. We lost hankins over 2 million dollars. Thats not an all in move.

Great post and I’ll add that besides the DT1 they need a better RB. On paper, they look weak as hell there.

 

[TheCritic]

Putting aside the word salad (vomit) of the OP, I agree that losing in the trenches is definitely a big factor for the playoff losses. Still, I wouldn't overlook getting out-coached. Those losses all looked like the Cowboys were ill-prepared, like the opponent were able to easily predict their plays while the Cowboys looked completely lost.

 

[Chasing6]

No, the problem is that Dak doesn't have ENOUGH SUPPORT. He needs 13 pro-bowlers, 6 all-pros, defense to hold opponent under 15 points - and no fumbles, drops or mistakes BY ANYONE - then we can judge Dak fairly.

*insert sarcasm emoji*

That's what Aikman had, if not more.

 

[glimmerman]

Great post and I’ll add that besides the DT1 they need a better RB. On paper, they look weak as hell there.

We can all see it. Why can’t the FO. Elliot was a gimmie RB. Was gonna cost a team. We paid and got the years we expected at an elite level. Also had a O-Line to go with it.

But our Defense suffered for years with no Safety. We finally get some help but let DT1 slide. The O-Line deteriorated and we addressed it. But you let our only DT1 talent go over 2 million dollars. Actually he made 1.3 million last year. We let him go over a 700,000 bump in pay. That he obviously earned. What are we rolling with, Mazi. They must think they have something. Or they can get by all season with bigger LBs. I would opt for bigger LB and huge DT1..

 

[rnr_honeybadger]

The only trench that is going to help keep Dakota upright is literally the Laurentian Abyss placed in front of any defense that is lining up with Dak under center.

 

[Rockport]

The only trench that is going to help keep Dakota upright is literally the Laurentian Abyss placed in front of any defense that is lining up with Dak under center.

Dak, Dak, Dak!

 

[glimmerman]

Putting aside the word salad (vomit) of the OP, I agree that losing in the trenches is definitely a big factor for the playoff losses. Still, I wouldn't overlook getting out-coached. Those losses all looked like the Cowboys were ill-prepared, like the opponent were able to easily predict their plays while the Cowboys looked completely lost.

Another bingo that’s not brought up enough. Last seasons playoff loss it looked like quinn didn’t care. Maybe it’s just me but he made no in game adjustments at all. I won’t go as far as to say he knew he was leaving and didn’t care but wow. It’s like they could run the same play over and over and we couldn’t stop it.

Our Offensive game plan was the same. Try to run and know that it’a gonna be on Daks arm. And he didn’t have the best game. Teams know how to play us. Run and stop our run.

 

[glimmerman]

That's what Aikman had, if not more.

People don’t understand what we had. And a lot of it was great coaching. We had coaches turning Defensive players into Offensive trench players. Every player in the trenches and outside was pretty much elite. Or above average.

 

[rnr_honeybadger]

Dak, Dak, Dak!

Ineptidude can't be defended, even by the best line in football.

 

[Momanpr100]

This team will never win unless we get some real depth on this team. Cowboys roster is overrated every year.

 

[KJJ]

We lack mental toughness. We struggle to run the ball. We get out coached. We lose the battle in the trenches and our defense folds once they get punched in the mouth.

 

[5Stars]

We lack mental toughness. We struggle to run the ball. We get out coached. We lose the battle in the trenches and our defense folds once they get punched in the mouth.

And you want the team to retain Dak at a huge amount of money, right? That makes sense.

 

[Rockport]

And you want the team to retain Dak at a huge amount of money, right? That makes sense.

Dak, Dak, Dak!

 

[tomokawan]

We are losing in the trenches, just a thought I’d share…starts on Offense, because Dak/Tony gets blamed a lot,​

Zeke and our run game in the playoffs,

• 2016 -22-125 5.7, lost over no defense against rogers not on dak.
• 2018 -Seattle game 26-137 won the game. The next week 2018 rams game 47 yards, averaging 2.4 yards per carry yup LOSS but really was on the defense but dak alone once again.
• 2021-31 yards on 12 carries 2.6 yup a loss.
• 2022 -23 carries 53 yards 2.4 YPC, that’s 2 games, ouch. I mean at least we did beat Tampa Bay on Prescott’s arm with no run game…
• 2023-TP wow HOF 15-56 at 3.7 he was cooking but down big they were hollow stats folks.

And trust me it was just as bad for the quarterback with the offensive line not opening holes, no run game, and this is what you want where is Tony Dorsett and Emmitt Smith and the offensive lines from those championship teams??​

I mean for a defense I'd have to go by memory, but I just know the defense gave up

2016- the last play of the game with less than two minutes and 2016 is why we lost to Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers while the offense played great.

2018- the Rams game in 2018 there was no run game as I said above but there also was no defense 278 yards on the ground.

2021- this one's tougher to remember but if memory serves me right first half of that game the defense gave up nearly 10 yards per carry to deebo Samuels they owned the time of possession and then on offense they had to deal with once again no run game and you had to add on the fact that the offensive line had 11 penalties yeah quarterback is supposed to play well in that game short should have won that game by himself put him on his back and won the game.

2022- in my opinion this was one of the ones that's tough to blame the defense they played pretty well but at times they gave up yards on the ground but they did not make the key plays the championship defense should yeah Trayvon diggs didn't break up that play against kittles he did not intercept that ball would have been some game changing plays in a close game.. But we do know it was very easy for their defense to stop our run game and once again make our offense one-dimensional and it's very difficult to play quarterback in this kind of environment. IMHO

2023- this is the absolute **** show total annihilation from beginning to end by the team, 100% all on the team. please do not blame the flow of the game which started out down 7 nothing because the defense sucked but it was more people keep citing those two interceptions by Prescott is somehow setting the tone forgetting that the defense didn't stop the Green Bay Packers at all the whole entire game. Let's be clear that first interception Brandon cooks was interfered with not once but twice there was nowhere to throw the ball so Prescott said hey go make a play there was no call by the referees but the reason that ball got picked off is because our receiver got yanked once and then solder pulled back while they were going to the ground so he can sneak up in there and just grab that ball. 2nd interception it was clear that Prescott was trying to make a play he threw the ball where the play was supposed to go and CD lamb broke off his route and started up field they were he was trying for a off script play and it didn't turn out well.

So yes, while Prescott did play great play bad at times deserves some criticism there's obvious proof here, in the trenches, this Cowboys team is set up for failure against the better teams in the league.. they do not bring what it takes as a team to win.

Where is the defense, run game, and coaching?? This happened to Tony Romo as well, so let’s stay on facts and not flawed memory's. LOL​

let me finish on this,

because we all want the championships, and we keep citing how great Troy and Roger were as championship quarterbacks and deserve the Hall of Fame flowers that they get...

come on people, give me a break they never had to carry a team in that mess I described above, they did not have to feel like they had to come into a game and play perfectly or take all the heat for a loss.

They had Tony Dorsett, Emmitt Smith, Jimmy Johnson, Landry and some of the best play in the trenches you can get out of a team and that is why they won championships, had nothing to do with just having a great quarterback.

Nailed it. It is just easy for some to pick out the easy target (QB) and blame him. They can't sit down and analyze all the aspects of a game. Just, Me no like QB, QB bad, we lost.

 

[KJJ]

Nailed it. It is just easy for some to pick out the easy target (QB) and blame him. They can't sit down and analyze all the aspects of a game. Just, Me no like QB, QB bad, we lost.

It’s because they’re knuckleheads. They turn every thread into a Dak thread. We haven’t had good enough teams/defenses. Aikman was 0-2 in his last couple of playoff games.

 

[McKDaddy]

Needing to always keep your trenches strong on both sides of the ball is often discussed on this forum. Has the FO been willing & able to do this particularly on the defensive side? No. No argument from me. It needs to be fixed regardless of who we have at the so called skill positions.

Regardless of that though, there are plenty of snaps where the QB had opportunities to make plays and just didn't or even worse committed errors.

Both can be true.

Better QB play wins some of those games. 2016 we were for sure playing a bad defense. 2023 he was off from the get go. The two against the Niners were close & we held an explosive offense to 23 & 19. You couldn't hope for much more from your defense on those. Certainly the ability to run the ball more effectively would have been nice. Odd with all those All Pro's.

 

[TheCritic]

Another bingo that’s not brought up enough. Last seasons playoff loss it looked like quinn didn’t care. Maybe it’s just me but he made no in game adjustments at all. I won’t go as far as to say he knew he was leaving and didn’t care but wow. It’s like they could run the same play over and over and we couldn’t stop it.

Our Offensive game plan was the same. Try to run and know that it’a gonna be on Daks arm. And he didn’t have the best game. Teams know how to play us. Run and stop our run.

Agreed and superglad Quinn is gone.