CFZ Where is the Chip?

[Jake]

The last 27 years speaks for itself. I don’t need to remind Cowboys fans of what that means. But I have a couple of serious questions for the entire Cowboys organization:

• Where is the chip on the shoulder? The last two seasons have ended in losses to the San Francisco 49ers in the divisional round. Both losses where the team clearly underperformed and did not bring their best to the most important game in their entire season.
• Does anyone sense from the players, coaches and FO a sense of urgency or a chip on the shoulder about their lack of quality playoff performance?

Here’s my question to us as fans: Maybe I’m wrong, but for a team and organization that has clearly underperformed for decades, do these guys seem to have more determination, focus and clarity than in the past? Or do they seem a bit too self satisfied with reading their own news clippings? Does anyone sense a drive and urgency to get right what they haven’t for so long?

Jimmy Johnson has said for years that this organization is like a country club rather than a football team. He has said on numerous occasions that the players “look too comfortable” with losing.

Where is the chip?

It‘s way too early to give up on this team and I still have some optimism. They have talent and they can compete with any team when properly prepared and focused. But every time I watch this team underperform as we witnessed last Sunday, I wonder again, Where is the chip?

When you play for other teams you have to be a star to be treated like one. Cowboys players get treated like stars simply for being Cowboys.

What motivates players who are already stars, despite not winning anything? Sure, they want to win but why would they have a chip on their shoulder? Do you know who does have a chip? Playoff opponents of the Cowboys. They're tired of hearing about the Cowboys, seeing the Cowboys, and know they will make a name for themselves by knocking out the Cowboys. Remember San Fran marching into Jerryworld with a boom box? That's a chip. The Cowboys didn't come out with that swagger and the Niners stole their lunch money in their house. They did it again last season in SF, just in case anyone thought the first time was a fluke.

 

[Aven8]

I really think losing Diggs late in the week flustered the minds of the D. Then losing three Olineman before the game didn’t help either. They should be better this week

 

[Bobhaze]

When you play for other teams you have to be a star to be treated like one. Cowboys players get treated like stars simply for being Cowboys.

What motivates players who are already stars, despite not winning anything? Sure, they want to win but why would they have a chip on their shoulder? Do you know who does have a chip? Playoff opponents of the Cowboys. They're tired of hearing about the Cowboys, seeing the Cowboys, and know they will make a name for themselves by knocking out the Cowboys. Remember San Fran marching into Jerryworld with a boom box? That's a chip. The Cowboys didn't come out with that swagger and the Niners stole their lunch money in their house. They did it again last season in SF, just in case anyone thought the first time was a fluke.

Well said.

This week is an interesting matchup for this team. The Cowboys are more talented than the pats but they were way more talented than the cards too. Talent alone is never enough. I will be looking to see if the loss in Ariz coupled with the recent playoff disappointments of the last two years kindle any kind of edge or chip?

It’s easy to look tough when you win your first two in a combined 70-10 fashion. But how do you respond to getting kicked in the crotch by a team you expected to squash? We will see.

 

[blueblood70]

A week ago this team was unstoppable. One loss to a desperate team playing at home and everyone jumped off the bandwagon.

100%

the chip on the shoulder?? no teams coming out and winning 17 and nothing and sometimes when you're missing 4 Pro Bowl players this is what happens you look like you didn't have a chip on your shoulder but really you didn't have enough shoulders to lean on that's what happened.. It's simply one game everybody's making a literal mole hill.. I guarantee every great team in Dallas Cowboys history laid an egg to a team they should have beat in a season.​

I mean Troy Aikman and Jimmy Johnson couldn't win a game without Emmitt Smith missing one player on offense hmm

we had 3 on offense alone. Wonder how those teams missing 3 PB OL would have faired in a meaningless RS game in the grand scheme of things.. we were missing 4 pro bowl players, the subs created chaos and penalty's and quickly gave the cards the advantage on their D, Our d seemed to underestimate the loss of diggs, the return of Dono, and the cards offense. Got whooped..it one game people..

Let's see how they play in the playoffs to see if they finally have that chip on their shoulder you can't maintain a high level of ball for 17 games... I mean why did Patrick mahomes lose game one?? Oh that's right they said they were missing one player on offense and one player on defense... They lost the game they should have won.. The bills got beat by The Jets ,Jacksonville just lost a game they should have won....


I mean we could just stay in the last few weeks but we can go throughout history and find these same types of games for all teams and this has nothing to do with 27 years because these players should not be carrying the weight and the monkey and the sins from our past teams and coaches that has nothing to do with it every year is a one off you just have to wait get to the playoffs and see if they made any progress

 

[blueblood70]

Well said.

This week is an interesting matchup for this team. The Cowboys are more talented than the pats but they were way more talented than the cards too. Talent alone is never enough. I will be looking to see if the loss in Ariz coupled with the recent playoff disappointments of the last two years kindle any kind of edge or chip?

It’s easy to look tough when you win your first two in a combined 70-10 fashion. But how do you respond to getting kicked in the crotch by a team you expected to squash? We will see.

You take four pro bowlers off our team we technically were not on the road that big and advantage over the Cardinals... You can say that to make your narrative stick and everyone saying it was a huge loss to an underdog without saying 4 pro bowlers were missing three on one unit that's very important in the trenches or did we change that narrative to move the goal post to the trenches don't matter?? Yes the defense only missing Trayvon diggs should have dominated the cars but that is their Achilles heel mobile quarterbacks with strong run games in an offensive corner willing to stick to it...

And by the way we see what you are doing here saying we're more talented than the New England Patriots so that way if we lose you can come here and cry a little more?? It depends on who's on the field and who's missing cause it's not the team you're playing it's who's on that team when you play them... And for the Cowboys missing 4 pro bowlers took away our advantage..

So who will be back on the OL? Now getting back home on our turf should help. a lot.

 

[Batman1980]

I don't understand why one game matters more than the other 2.

There was no problem with a chip on the shoulder when they were 2-0 and outscoring opponents 70-10.

Good teams have stinkers all the time, it doesn't mean anything about the culture or motivation.

Also 2-8 in last 10 games against Cards and just lost all world CB Diggs. Gotta lace up and move past it.

 

[rambo2]

He’s missing his best player who will be a top 10 draft pick next year. He replaced 75 out 85 scholarship players in 1 offseason which is unheard of……. Reason ? He got there and saw a 1-11 team with a bunch of players who were ok being 1-11. So, just making a bowl is going to make this one of the most impressive turnarounds in CFA history.

Cowboys missing 3 top linemen and one of the best corners in the league.

 

[john van brocklin]

Jerry’s role in the building of the team that won 3 super bowls is well documented. He was GM in name only and Jimmy had full roster control. After 93’ when the core of the team and roster depth was already constructed , Jimmy left and Erik Williams had that horrible car wreck and was never the same player. That derailed the 94’ season which was still a huge success losing in the NFC title game. The NFC title game is probably the organizations goal these days. Jerry to his credit added Dieon Sanders which was the move that put them back on top……. But with the core of jimmy’s team still intact.

That's how I see it as well.

 

[blueblood70]

Cowboys missing 3 top linemen and one of the best corners in the league.

Exactly also having Tyler Smith back in the game for the first time this year also Donovan Wilson first game this year at a place looked out of sorts there were a lot of reasons on the road that we lost this game.. I don't think a chip on her shoulder was gonna help much...

 

[rambo2]

You take four pro bowlers off our team we technically were not on the road that big and advantage over the Cardinals... You can say that to make your narrative stick and everyone saying it was a huge loss to an underdog without saying 4 pro bowlers were missing three on one unit that's very important in the trenches or did we change that narrative to move the goal post to the trenches don't matter?? Yes the defense only missing Trayvon diggs should have dominated the cars but that is their Achilles heel mobile quarterbacks with strong run games in an offensive corner willing to stick to it...

And by the way we see what you are doing here saying we're more talented than the New England Patriots so that way if we lose you can come here and cry a little more?? It depends on who's on the field and who's missing cause it's not the team you're playing it's who's on that team when you play them... And for the Cowboys missing 4 pro bowlers took away our advantage..

So who will be back on the OL? Now getting back home on our turf should help. a lot.

Exactly on the money.

 

[rambo2]

Probably because we need to win the division to have any chance and we blew it losing to a bad team. We didn't just lose but it wasn't even close. Unless the Eagles or the 49ers slip up this loss is going to hurt us all season.

It wasn't close? They drew the penalty to put the ball on the 1 yardline with more than 5 minutes to go. Then somehow the refs claimed ther wasn't a penalty when it clearly was. How in the hell was that not close?

 

[blueblood70]

It wasn't close? They drew the penalty to put the ball on the 1 yardline with more than 5 minutes to go. Then somehow the refs claimed ther wasn't a penalty when it clearly was. How in the hell was that not close?

he means he feels like even if we scored after the flag the d couldn't stopped on the following drove and we would have lost anyway
but even if he is right don't you figure that the big deal being made of the INT , i mean if that was a Td instead, we would have lost anyway. LOl hypocrisy .

i mean that's what most of us are saying Dak was simply forcing it to make a play because if that series fails anything after that probably wasn't going to help.. i mean if the flag didn't matter that means the interception didn't matter..which is it..hmm.

 

[PA Cowboy Fan]

It wasn't close? They drew the penalty to put the ball on the 1 yardline with more than 5 minutes to go. Then somehow the refs claimed ther wasn't a penalty when it clearly was. How in the hell was that not close?

I'm talking about the score. We loss by 12 points. And the game was practically over when Dak threw that interception anyway because McCarthy kept running the ball which was running the clock out. We needed 2 scores and wasted over 2 minutes. Even if the refs didn't throw the flag and we scored the game was practically over. We would have had to recover an onside kick and then actually score another TD. Doubt that was happening.

 

[rambo2]

he means he feels like even if we scored after the flag the d couldn't stopped on the following drove and we would have lost anyway
but even if he is right don't you figure that the big deal being made of the INT , i mean if that was a Td instead, we would have lost anyway. LOl hypocrisy .

i mean that's what most of us are saying Dak was simply forcing it to make a play because if that series fails anything after that probably wasn't going to help.. i mean if the flag didn't matter that means the interception didn't matter..which is it..hmm.

The odds are pretty good that the defense would have got a stop and the Cards would have folded just like they did against the Giants. But, we will never know. However, it certainly was close, whe you figure you are going to have the ball on the 1 yardline with more than 5 minutes and with timeouts.

 

[PA Cowboy Fan]

The odds are pretty good that the defense would have got a stop and the Cards would have folded just like they did against the Giants. But, we will never know. However, it certainly was close, whe you figure you are going to have the ball on the 1 yardline with more than 5 minutes and with timeouts.

The defense hadn't stopped the Cards all day.

 

[rambo2]

I'm talking about the score. We loss by 12 points. And the game was practically over when Dak threw that interception anyway because McCarthy kept running the ball which was running the clock out. We needed 2 scores and wasted over 2 minutes. Even if the refs didn't throw the flag and we scored the game was practically over. We would have had to recover an onside kick and then actually score another TD. Doubt that was happening.

They wouldn't onside kick with over 5 minutes to go and with timeouts.

 

[rambo2]

The defense hadn't stopped the Cards all day.

Really? Then how did the punts happen?

 

[noshame]

Clearly teams made it justments. Do we have the ability to re-adjust that is the question.

If we don't win this week, we're looking at 2-4 at the bye
McCarthy will be down the road.

 

[The Fonz]

A week ago this team was unstoppable. One loss to a desperate team playing at home and everyone jumped off the bandwagon.

Too lousy NY teams

 

[Roland]

I really think losing Diggs late in the week flustered the minds of the D. Then losing three Olineman before the game didn’t help either. They should be better this week

100% They didn't really have enough time to absorb these hits. The OL should be back to more normal levels this week. On D, may have to give them a week or two to settle into the roles without Diggs