With this particular team, there is something very bad about tanking and to even have the players think they are losing on purpose sends the wrong message about the guy they're tanking to replace. If there is one player on that team that doesn't have to backup to a paycheck, it's the QB.
The OL didn't block well enough for him so now they're going to lose on purpose to replace him?
That's not just the QB they'd be tanking on, he's their leader. He risked his career to try and make a play for them because a couple of inches higher and Prescott might be gone the way of Theismann.
How does any coaching staff even approach their players to lay down. If it's one thing we can say about them, they resurrected their heart in the last two games and at least can now take the field with some pride.
If the Joneses were capable of such a thing, they would have to change out most of their players form a team that took a dive. Just like a boxer, once they do that, nothing is ever the same.
And let's add another element to this. How do the coaches and players look at their wives and kids if there is even a hint that they're tanking?
But, the biggest reason they cannot tank and will not tank is that they're America's Team, even with that record, they're still that and Americans, even those that don;t like the Cowboys, aren't going to abide the most publicized sports team in the world becoming the Black Sox. Think Goodell and the other owners would sit still for a tank from the Dallas Cowboys?
This team is so strapped for talent, they don't have to tank.