What is wrong with the Cowboys?

[Verdict]

This is not intended to be a big bash fest of the team. I am just going to throw a few things out for conversation.

First off no team has everything go right. And the Cowboys are NOT doing everything wrong. So many of you want to throw the baby out with the bathwater and that accomplishes nothing. The better way to keep the arrow pointing up is to make an honest self evaluation and tweak the minor things that get you over the hump instead of blowing it up and starting from scratch.

We have a very talented roster. The team should be winning and competing better than it is. So what needs to change?

I think the single biggest problem that this team has week in and week out is defensive coaching. I refuse to believe that our defense is not talented. I really believe if this team had reasonably good coaching this defense would be much better than it is.

The run defense sucks as a general rule. It’s probably mostly scheme related but we also refuse to invest in a pocket collapsing NT. That’s the single biggest issue on defense.

Rod has no idea how to evaluate talent and values the wrong things in player evaluation on the DL.

Kellen Moore is doing the right things on offense but some rookie coaching mistakes are costing us at inopportune times.

Our OL is underperforming as a unit. They are probably the highest plaid unit in the NFL and they aren’t consistently performing at that level.

Special teams are an absolute train wreck. I guess it could always be worse if we fired the special teams coach, but I’m not sure how that can be. They are already epically bad.

You guys an discount this one all you want but anti Cowboys officiating bias is also costing us multiple games every year. The Zeke fumble that really wasn’t a fumble cost us a game earlier this year. The two phantom tripping calls also cost us the Patriots game. This is really getting old.

If I were Jerry Jones I would fire the special teams coach immediately. I would fire Marinelli too immediately. I would promote Richard (who probably also sucks) and see if he could right the ship by the end of the season. If not he would be gone at the end of this season.

I would also cut Maher first thing Monday morning. I’m not sure it would help the team talent wise, but it would send a message that you must perform or you are gone.

 

[catiii]

Honestly, I just think it's a few things:

The team isn't being worked hard enough athletically in the preseason or during practice. I know karate workouts that look more strenuous. So when a LB needs to cut off a jet sweep, they just haven't got the gas to get to the corner. It's all about being in the absolute best athletic shape. (Camp cupcake, country club, etc) I don't think they pride themselves on it and they slack off during practices, and as another poster mentioned - the perfection should come during the week - the game will follow naturally.

And the obvious one - lack of creative coaching which includes use of the best personnel in the best position for the best particular play call, independent of how much money their contract is for.

And the catch all: culture. These guys think that they are stars without having to produce - that they are stars for being NFL players and not Cowboys - that attitude isn't discouraged by this "nice-guy" staff. No moral foundation. No teaching how to be a real winner.

Of course, I'm only speculating..........

 

[DABOYZ]

Simply put. Dak can’t set his feet and make a simple screen pass. Not sure why the Dak dance means anything if he himself can’t follow along.

Next is this team hasn’t tackled well all season. Is there more? Of course there is. None of them wrap up. What a joke we have become.

We all know it All comes down to coaching. This team loves the ease that is JG as a coach. Zero accountability.

Make no mistake about it we will lose Cooper and some other Vets if changes aren’t made.

For the Cowboy’s homers who think this is a shot at the team. Get over it and stop supporting this loser mentality. YOU ARE PART OF THE PROBLEM!

 

[Tangle_Foot]

Bad management bad coaching, the end

 

[Oz-of-Cowboy-Country]

Its 4am in Beaumont Texas and I just found out the Eagles loss to the Dolphins. With that in mind what's wrong with the Cowboys may be poor competition. (aka) No one to push them to be better. The East is weak.

 

[DuncanIso]

This is not intended to be a big bash fest of the team. I am just going to throw a few things out for conversation.

First off no team has everything go right. And the Cowboys are NOT doing everything wrong. So many of you want to throw the baby out with the bathwater and that accomplishes nothing. The better way to keep the arrow pointing up is to make an honest self evaluation and tweak the minor things that get you over the hump instead of blowing it up and starting from scratch.

We have a very talented roster. The team should be winning and competing better than it is. So what needs to change?

I think the single biggest problem that this team has week in and week out is defensive coaching. I refuse to believe that our defense is not talented. I really believe if this team had reasonably good coaching this defense would be much better than it is.

The run defense sucks as a general rule. It’s probably mostly scheme related but we also refuse to invest in a pocket collapsing NT. That’s the single biggest issue on defense.

Rod has no idea how to evaluate talent and values the wrong things in player evaluation on the DL.

Kellen Moore is doing the right things on offense but some rookie coaching mistakes are costing us at inopportune times.

Our OL is underperforming as a unit. They are probably the highest plaid unit in the NFL and they aren’t consistently performing at that level.

Special teams are an absolute train wreck. I guess it could always be worse if we fired the special teams coach, but I’m not sure how that can be. They are already epically bad.

You guys an discount this one all you want but anti Cowboys officiating bias is also costing us multiple games every year. The Zeke fumble that really wasn’t a fumble cost us a game earlier this year. The two phantom tripping calls also cost us the Patriots game. This is really getting old.

If I were Jerry Jones I would fire the special teams coach immediately. I would fire Marinelli too immediately. I would promote Richard (who probably also sucks) and see if he could right the ship by the end of the season. If not he would be gone at the end of this season.

I would also cut Maher first thing Monday morning. I’m not sure it would help the team talent wise, but it would send a message that you must perform or you are gone.

agree with most of your comments.

the defense and the special teams coordinators have killed our season.

many of us, me included, tried to warn everyone about Marinelli.

he will eventually cost JasonG his job.

jason is loyal to the end.

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

Jerry......

 

[JoeKing]

This is not intended to be a big bash fest of the team. I am just going to throw a few things out for conversation.

First off no team has everything go right. And the Cowboys are NOT doing everything wrong. So many of you want to throw the baby out with the bathwater and that accomplishes nothing. The better way to keep the arrow pointing up is to make an honest self evaluation and tweak the minor things that get you over the hump instead of blowing it up and starting from scratch.

We have a very talented roster. The team should be winning and competing better than it is. So what needs to change?

I think the single biggest problem that this team has week in and week out is defensive coaching. I refuse to believe that our defense is not talented. I really believe if this team had reasonably good coaching this defense would be much better than it is.

The run defense sucks as a general rule. It’s probably mostly scheme related but we also refuse to invest in a pocket collapsing NT. That’s the single biggest issue on defense.

Rod has no idea how to evaluate talent and values the wrong things in player evaluation on the DL.

Kellen Moore is doing the right things on offense but some rookie coaching mistakes are costing us at inopportune times.

Our OL is underperforming as a unit. They are probably the highest plaid unit in the NFL and they aren’t consistently performing at that level.

Special teams are an absolute train wreck. I guess it could always be worse if we fired the special teams coach, but I’m not sure how that can be. They are already epically bad.

You guys an discount this one all you want but anti Cowboys officiating bias is also costing us multiple games every year. The Zeke fumble that really wasn’t a fumble cost us a game earlier this year. The two phantom tripping calls also cost us the Patriots game. This is really getting old.

If I were Jerry Jones I would fire the special teams coach immediately. I would fire Marinelli too immediately. I would promote Richard (who probably also sucks) and see if he could right the ship by the end of the season. If not he would be gone at the end of this season.

I would also cut Maher first thing Monday morning. I’m not sure it would help the team talent wise, but it would send a message that you must perform or you are gone.

If you are asking what is wrong with the Cowboys then how is the question going to get answered without bring to light it's deficiencies? This has to be a bash fest of the team if you want answers to the question you are asking.

 

[big dog cowboy]

Are you not entertained?

 

[TwentyOne]

This is not intended to be a big bash fest of the team. I am just going to throw a few things out for conversation.

First off no team has everything go right. And the Cowboys are NOT doing everything wrong. So many of you want to throw the baby out with the bathwater and that accomplishes nothing. The better way to keep the arrow pointing up is to make an honest self evaluation and tweak the minor things that get you over the hump instead of blowing it up and starting from scratch.

We have a very talented roster. The team should be winning and competing better than it is. So what needs to change?

I think the single biggest problem that this team has week in and week out is defensive coaching. I refuse to believe that our defense is not talented. I really believe if this team had reasonably good coaching this defense would be much better than it is.

The run defense sucks as a general rule. It’s probably mostly scheme related but we also refuse to invest in a pocket collapsing NT. That’s the single biggest issue on defense.

Rod has no idea how to evaluate talent and values the wrong things in player evaluation on the DL.

Kellen Moore is doing the right things on offense but some rookie coaching mistakes are costing us at inopportune times.

Our OL is underperforming as a unit. They are probably the highest plaid unit in the NFL and they aren’t consistently performing at that level.

Special teams are an absolute train wreck. I guess it could always be worse if we fired the special teams coach, but I’m not sure how that can be. They are already epically bad.

You guys an discount this one all you want but anti Cowboys officiating bias is also costing us multiple games every year. The Zeke fumble that really wasn’t a fumble cost us a game earlier this year. The two phantom tripping calls also cost us the Patriots game. This is really getting old.

If I were Jerry Jones I would fire the special teams coach immediately. I would fire Marinelli too immediately. I would promote Richard (who probably also sucks) and see if he could right the ship by the end of the season. If not he would be gone at the end of this season.

I would also cut Maher first thing Monday morning. I’m not sure it would help the team talent wise, but it would send a message that you must perform or you are gone.

 

[LovinItAll]

How about a Devil's Advocate jumping in here and saying that there's something wrong, but it isn't much. Here's that line of thinking:

- Parity rules in the NFL. Despite being 6-6, there are only 6 of 16 teams in the NFC with a better record than Dallas at the moment.
- Our losses have been by 2, 10, 2, 4, 4, and 11 points. For the sake of this argument. Let's say that we had managed to win half of the games decided by 4 points or less and were at 8-4. Though it wasn't, that could EASILY have been the result in the aforementioned games.
- If we were 8-4, do you really think the comments (depending on the result of whatever the last game we played happened to be) would be different on this board? I don't.
- This is the nature of the NFL. I've said this before: The NFL is an entertainment organization. It is in the league's best interest for wins to be spread around and to give fan bases some hope, however small, that their team may win on any given Sunday (or Monday/Thursday)
- Does anyone really believe that it is beyond the NFL's ownership to lay down a dictate to officials to move close games in a particular direction? My point: The Dallas fan base is loyal and HUGE. A win over the Cowboys does more to help many teams fan bases than to does to erode ours. By every viewing metric (TV, Home, and Away games), the Cowboys outdraw every other team significantly, even when they are losing.
- Let's say that the fix isn't exactly in (and btw, Jones does NOT have to be a part of it), but there is some nudging going on. Wrestling has shown us that the Hero/Villian paradigm is wildly popular (read: profitable). Every time the Cowboys play, it's a Hero/Villian game. In some people's eyes, we're always the Hero or Villian. In others, it is situational.

For the record, I don't think the games are manipulated and I would be crushed to find out they were. With that said, I thought wrestling was real when I was 10 and would have fought anyone who told me that Jack Briscoe was a fake.

I don't know what the problem currently is with the team. It's easy to say it's coaching and maybe it is. Or maybe it isn't and the coin just didn't come up heads for us in the tight games this year.

I'll finish with this: We're a heck of a lot closer to being a very good team than we are to be being a very bad team, I'm not sure that ANY team can ask for a lot more in today's NFL, and there are a whole bunch of teams who would take that over their current situation.

Oh, and all those glory days we all wish would return? That NFL doesn't exist anymore. The salary cap and rule changes have evened the playing field. I'll say this for our owner: If there was no salary cap, we would be almost unbeatable. Jones would have exactly zero problem paying to get the best players in the league. I know that ruins the 'Jones doesn't care' narrative, but he's already proven that to be true pre-salary cap era.

Anyway..........GO COWBOYS!!!!!

 

[Brax]

Jerry......

Jerry and Jason, the fish stinks from the head first.

 

[JohnnyHopkins]

The defense and special teams are the biggest issue.

The Dallas defense creates no turnovers. They are consistently among the worst on the league at it. No short fields for the offense ever. Bend but don't break is now bend until you break.

Special teams constantly sets other teams up with excellent field position, but never our offense.

 

[shabazz]

Simply put. Dak can’t set his feet and make a simple screen pass. Not sure why the Dak dance means anything if he himself can’t follow along.

Next is this team hasn’t tackled well all season. Is there more? Of course there is. None of them wrap up. What a joke we have become.

We all know it All comes down to coaching. This team loves the ease that is JG as a coach. Zero accountability.

Make no mistake about it we will lose Cooper and some other Vets if changes aren’t made.

For the Cowboy’s homers who think this is a shot at the team. Get over it and stop supporting this loser mentality. YOU ARE PART OF THE PROBLEM!

The big difference I'm seeing at watching other Qb's play around the league. is that Dak just doesn't match the intensity that other Qb's have in winning the Big games.

The performance by Lamar Jackson yesterday and the fierce effort by Josh Alllen when converting that 4th down by sheer force and determination should stand out as to what Im talking about

I don't blame any fans though as we have little to no impact on the outcomes, but we should recognize that we are a 3rd tier team......us and the Eagles. Lol

 

[Blackrain]

This is not intended to be a big bash fest of the team. I am just going to throw a few things out for conversation.

First off no team has everything go right. And the Cowboys are NOT doing everything wrong. So many of you want to throw the baby out with the bathwater and that accomplishes nothing. The better way to keep the arrow pointing up is to make an honest self evaluation and tweak the minor things that get you over the hump instead of blowing it up and starting from scratch.

We have a very talented roster. The team should be winning and competing better than it is. So what needs to change?

I think the single biggest problem that this team has week in and week out is defensive coaching. I refuse to believe that our defense is not talented. I really believe if this team had reasonably good coaching this defense would be much better than it is.

The run defense sucks as a general rule. It’s probably mostly scheme related but we also refuse to invest in a pocket collapsing NT. That’s the single biggest issue on defense.

Rod has no idea how to evaluate talent and values the wrong things in player evaluation on the DL.

Kellen Moore is doing the right things on offense but some rookie coaching mistakes are costing us at inopportune times.

Our OL is underperforming as a unit. They are probably the highest plaid unit in the NFL and they aren’t consistently performing at that level.

Special teams are an absolute train wreck. I guess it could always be worse if we fired the special teams coach, but I’m not sure how that can be. They are already epically bad.

You guys an discount this one all you want but anti Cowboys officiating bias is also costing us multiple games every year. The Zeke fumble that really wasn’t a fumble cost us a game earlier this year. The two phantom tripping calls also cost us the Patriots game. This is really getting old.

If I were Jerry Jones I would fire the special teams coach immediately. I would fire Marinelli too immediately. I would promote Richard (who probably also sucks) and see if he could right the ship by the end of the season. If not he would be gone at the end of this season.

I would also cut Maher first thing Monday morning. I’m not sure it would help the team talent wise, but it would send a message that you must perform or you are gone.

You really hit on everything I dont have much to add other than Dan Bailey really spoiled us and having this guy attempt these long FGs early gives teams great field position and is just another nail in the coffin

 

[doomsday9084]

I drank the kool aid on the roster at one point but I put down the glass. The roster is above average but its not elite. Zeke is no longer a top back. Dak was never a top QB. The O-line isn't what it was, particularly run blocking. The linebackers are really struggling. The DT's have problems holding position. The safeties are "meh" at best.

Basically, I disagree with the line that we have "a very talented roster".

IMO, you add bad coaching to an above average talent team and you end up with mediocrity, which is where Dallas is at.

 

[BatteryPowered]

Here's a thought. Maybe the players are as good as everyone makes them out to be...especially with this coaching philosophy and culture. We have all heard of a team being better than the sum of it's parts (out performing), but the opposite is also possible...the sum of the parts is better than the team (probably butchered that, but you get the point). It is time the media starts holding the players as accountable as they want to hold the coaching. I would love to hear one of them ask Dak (or any player) who parrots JG by saying they need to execute better; "You are going into game #13 and have been saying you need to execute better for two months, do the players plan on doing that this season?"

There is no accountability with this team. The CEO, GM and SVP Ops have lifetime jobs, regardless of their performance. The head coach (until this season) was set, regardless of the record or team performance in the post season. The players have no fear of anything by not performing... the "names" know they are going to be paid and played, period. When was the last time this team benched someone? And don't give me the line "there is no depth and the next player is worse". If the starter is almost always out of position and cannot tackle, how much worse can it get?

 

[silvrNblue]

I’m not sure it would help the team talent wise, but it would send a message that you must perform or you are gone.

All that was really needed, was this last line right there....HOLD THESE NUMBNUTS ACCOUNTABLE! Fire, bench or pack them out the door. Enough of this nice pat em on the head crap for under performing, that goes for the players, coaches and who ever else is involved in driving this garbage toting train down the wrong tracks.

 

[MysteryIceGuro]

Everything that could've went wrong, went wrong for this team. I would go on my "our players don't care" tangent, but you get the picture. Our players and coaching staff are lazy. They lack the will, effort, passion, and emotion to play real football.

 

[Whyjerry]

Bad management bad coaching, the end

This is it.