Watching games with a critical eye

[Aviano90]

I've noticed that I watch games with a critical eye over the past several years and I wondered what it would be like to watch a game from the 90's with the same critical eye I watch the present games. I pulled up the 1992 NFC Championship game, figuring it was the game the Cowboys won that launched years of confidence I had in the team.

I just got done watching the first half on YouTube and I would roast today's team if they performed that way. The offense sputtered in the first half. I would be screaming to "run the ball". There were dumb penalties. Troy was getting sacked too many times. Our 10 points came off of turnovers and the touchdown drive got extended because of a favorable penalty on 3rd down. To top it off, they missed a FG at the end of the first half.

I'm not trying to compare that team to today's team but rather my reaction to how they played compared to how the team today plays. I believe my perception of the 90's teams shapes my opinion of the present team should play in terms of expecting near perfection in execution. The 1992 team was far from perfect. As a matter of fact, that first half I just watched was down right sloppy and ugly.

I realized I have been overly critical of the team, even with the lack of success, in which some criticism is deserved. I need to get back to just being a fan and rooting for the team instead of memorizing their every mistake.

 

[ScipioCowboy]

Yes, the first half of the 1992 NFC Championship game against one of the NFL’s great dynasties at their place in the rain was not always great.

 

[Aviano90]

Yes, the first half of the 1992 NFC Championship game against one of the NFL’s great dynasties at their place in the rain was not always great.

Understood. The point was I watched the game without a critical eye, simply being a fan rooting for the team to win the game, even with all the sloppy play. Had I been as critical of the team back then as I am now, I would not have enjoyed that ride to the Super Bowl. I would have been complaining the entire way until they actually won.

 

[RodeoJake]

Over the last 8 years, I've learned to watch Cowboy games with a lazy eye. That way I miss most of the boneheaded plays and play calling.

 

[Aven8]

The whole seasons were tense, no different from today. Those teams didn't blow teams out. Nail biter after nail biters. The NFC East has always been the best division in football.

But, that team had hope and a lot of talent. The defense was #1 in the NFL, or top 3 most years. They were all young and were hungry. And we had Emmitt. When you needed a 1st it was him. Zeke is extremely similar IMO.

Only difference now is coaching. Daks no Aikman, and Dez is definitely no Irvin...but they could be so much better with coaching.

 

[Point-of-the-Star]

I like what you said.

I Youtubed and watched our first SB win against the Miami Fish today. My remembered impression of that game was that we played a near perfect game but it wasn't that. Roger wasn't the force I remember him being, bad pass decisions, poor accuracy at times, boneheaded sacks (kinda reminds me of a more recent Cowboy QB). Doomsday won that game along with the run game.

Different game in those days and the offense did total 352 yards.

 

[Reality]

Most people fail to realize that sometimes one or two plays can change the outcome of a game. Even something simple like a drive-killing penalty can alter the outcome of a game that ends with a 14-point loss.

Look at the Eagles this year at 13-3 or the Cowboys last year at 13-3. Neither of those two teams were dominant every game. They had close games, even games they should have lost, but they won. The Cowboys had games this year that they should have won, but they lost and games they won that they could have lost (ex: Oakland).

In the end, all that matters is the final score. I played a lot of sports in my life and one thing I have always said is good teams find a way to win games. It may not always be pretty and the good team may not be the best team, but in the end, they score more than the other team.

 

[Bleedblue1111]

Good point.

My eye tells me we haven't had a Superbowl caliber defense since that era in the 90's.

 

[Reality]

Good point.

My eye tells me we haven't had a Superbowl caliber defense since that era in the 90's.

And that's been our biggest problem that most seem to overlook. So many times, we just needed one stop and couldn't do it.

 

[Bleedblue1111]

And that's been our biggest problem that most seem to overlook. So many times, we just needed one stop and couldn't do it.

So true. If Dallas had that defense from the early 90's in the past four seasons, we would be sitting on #6 and #7 with two different QB's and RB's.

 

[armadillooutlaw]

And that's been our biggest problem that most seem to overlook. So many times, we just needed one stop and couldn't do it.

We need a full stable of hogs up front.
D-Law, Irving, Collins, Crawford and Taco are a huge start. Need to address the 1T and add some talent to the LBs but most of the pieces are there for a really good defense i think.
I really like the young secondary

 

[DandyDon52]

Understood. The point was I watched the game without a critical eye, simply being a fan rooting for the team to win the game, even with all the sloppy play. Had I been as critical of the team back then as I am now, I would not have enjoyed that ride to the Super Bowl. I would have been complaining the entire way until they actually won.

Are u Italian?
I noticed in your avatar is Italy and Sicily, as part of the A.
Then the yellow thing I am
not sure what that is.

About being critical of the cowboys, that only happens
If they lose big games or they
lose for many years in a row.

Since the 90s, Dallas has done both of those.
So then fans start to question
why they are losing, in growing detail.

Back then sloppy or not they usually won, and then the 3 years they won SB, no one had reason to think about why they lost.
Winning will hide any flaws.

 

[Aviano90]

Are u Italian?
I noticed in your avatar is Italy and Sicily, as part of the A.
Then the yellow thing I am
not sure what that is.

About being critical of the cowboys, that only happens
If they lose big games or they
lose for many years in a row.

Since the 90s, Dallas has done both of those.
So then fans start to question
why they are losing, in growing detail.

Back then sloppy or not they usually won, and then the 3 years they won SB, no one had reason to think about why they lost.
Winning will hide any flaws.

I am not Italian but went to school over there and married my high school seeetheart from there, who is Italian. The gold ring is a halo representing our school mascot, the Saints. The A is for Aviano which is the town the air base is at.

 

[Jake]

If this board existed in 1990:

"Troy Aikman will never be a franchise QB."

"Emmitt Smith is too small and too slow. Should of traded up for Blair Thomas."

"Jimmy Johnson is a college coach. Should of hired Marty Schottenheimer."

I'm not defending the current bunch. I'm indicting fans who overreact to just about everything, often with poor grammar.

 

[visionary]

Understood. The point was I watched the game without a critical eye, simply being a fan rooting for the team to win the game, even with all the sloppy play. Had I been as critical of the team back then as I am now, I would not have enjoyed that ride to the Super Bowl. I would have been complaining the entire way until they actually won.

Sustained mediocrity invites criticism

Success is the best deodorant

Not sure why you're surprised

 

[visionary]

And that's been our biggest problem that most seem to overlook. So many times, we just needed one stop and couldn't do it.

Can't agree
When you "just can't make that one stop" year after year, you're a bad team
Problems are far far deeper than not being able to make that one stop

 

[foofighters]

Prepare for the worst and hope for the best. That’s how I approach our always consistently inconsistent team.

 

[Aviano90]

Sustained mediocrity invites criticism

Success is the best deodorant

Not sure why you're surprised

Not sure why you believe I am surprised, especially considering I specifically mentioned lack of success deserves criticism in my original post.

 

[TINGS21]

And that's been our biggest problem that most seem to overlook. So many times, we just needed one stop and couldn't do it.

We’ll it was easier to blame Romo instead of reading all of @percyhoward posts on how bad our defenses have actually been compared to what Super Bowl winning QBs had for defenses over the last 10 years

 

[Silver N Blue]

Most people fail to realize that sometimes one or two plays can change the outcome of a game. Even something simple like a drive-killing penalty can alter the outcome of a game that ends with a 14-point loss.

Look at the Eagles this year at 13-3 or the Cowboys last year at 13-3. Neither of those two teams were dominant every game. They had close games, even games they should have lost, but they won. The Cowboys had games this year that they should have won, but they lost and games they won that they could have lost (ex: Oakland).

In the end, all that matters is the final score. I played a lot of sports in my life and one thing I have always said is good teams find a way to win games. It may not always be pretty and the good team may not be the best team, but in the end, they score more than the other team.

All great points. The other thing is, as we all know, the 92 team won playoff games. I get what you are saying but your points reflect the regular season. The NFC championship game on the road vs the 9ers does not compare to a regular season game. Now not stopping a drive, a dumb penalty, and turnovers are only hightened during a playoff game. We need not look any further than the 94 playoff game vs the same 9ers. Either way this all comes back to coaching and having your team prepared. Switzer and Garrett are very similar personalities on the coaching field. The one thing the 92 team did was overcome a rocky start on the road in a game that mattered. Something we haven't seen here in over twenty years.