Which one hurts the most, 2008 or 2015?

[Joe_Fan]

This year is horrible for me. We should/could be running away with the East and be in a position to get a very high seed in the play-offs. Now it's almost like a lost season, not to mention we have been in EVERY game without Romo so you can't even just "enjoy the loss" they give you false hope!


(excluding the pats game)
My hope is Romo comes back and just re-energizes this team and they don't lose the rest of the year. At least then, we can say, "SEE!!!"

It'll be too little, too late..

And even then how can that get you excited because these last 7 games showed you everything that we ever needed to know about our team as a whole and the organization. They're completely inept and the only thing Romo coming back will do is hide all the warts yet again.

At the end of the day it'll have changed absolutely nothing. The organization still won't learn from its mistakes. Still won't address the needs in the off season. And we'll still go into next season with it all being placed on the health of Romo with no backup plan in sight.

 

[Crown Royal]

2008 AND 2010 were worse for me. Dez and Romo being out would be like NE losing Brady and Gronk. It hurts but it's just the risk of the league. I think the blame game is silly anywhere I look, almost any coach would have been toast with this.

 

[mrmojo]

1994....could have made history that year :-(

 

[robbieruff]

That Jackie Smith drop in the end zone still hurts the worst for me.

Actually...you know what hurts most about SB XIII for me?

The fact that Tony D. was dominating early (first drive) and dominating late (during comeback) and yet Landry absolutely REFUSED to lean on him as part of what was working against the Steelers' stout but relatively slow front seven...Tony's speed and ability to catch the ball out of the back field was WAY TOO MUCH for them to handle and he should've touched the ball 30+ times during that ballgame...he would've been an MVP candidate if used properly/adequately.

That was one game that I look back on where I was very critical of Landry's track record of "by committee" approach (rotating QBs, rotating Olineman, RBBC, etc.). If there was ever a "hot hand" to ride in that contest it was Tony's...just like Pittsburg road Swan to victory, even with Stallworth out of the game - since Franco Harris was more or less neutralized for the entire second half (essentially except for one play).

Alas, the Smith drop hurt...but that strategic coaching blunder (or stubbornness) is what I look back at for SB XIII and SMH.

 

[robbieruff]

1994....could have made history that year :-(

don't remind me...i was living in SF proper during that game and actually lost friendships over that...lol

 

[robbieruff]

The thread should have been titled 2010 vs 2015 (Which one hurts the most?) because both seasons were very similar. Both teams were coming off playoff wins the previous seasons and expectations were very high. Romo ended up going down both seasons and they turned into epic disasters. Heading into the 2008 season the Cowboys were coming off one of the most disappointing seasons in franchise history in 07 having gone 13-3 leading to a #1 seed and were knocked out in the divisional round by a Giants team they beat twice that season. Sitting home and watching the Giants win the SB vs a undefeated NE team was extremely disappointing. I wasn't convinced like many that the 08 team would rebound after what happened in 07. I had a feeling all the expectations everyone had entering that season would blow up in our faces.

With expectations so low heading into last season with most expecting a real down year the Cowboys surprised much like they did in 09 with a solid season and a playoff win. Unfortunately what we were expecting last season we got this season. I was on my guard heading into this season especially with the loss of Murray I knew his departure would have a negative impact. I posted many times during the offseason I didn't think the Cowboys would be as good this season. I was very concerned about the running game knowing that Romo would likely have to do more which could lead to him having a less efficient season or an injury. I certainly didn't think it would be as bad as it's been this year but with Romo going down and our entire backfield from last season gone and the defense continuing to disappoint winning games was going to be a challenge.

Great point! and yes there are tons or parallels between this year and 2010 (and probably compares closely to what has occurred DURING THE ACTUAL SEASON)...I guess I initially went with 2008 as the comparison instead of 2010 as MY OWN mindset coming into this season and that one were similar. For whatever reason, despite the optimism coming out of 2009 (even with the bad loss to the Vikings), I didn't have a ton of high expectations (SB) going into 2010. I simply didn't think we were a SB team yet (probably because I thought our Oline was so suspect and that was a glaring need we didn't address that year due to cap issues, etc.).

Thanks for the thoughtful sharing!

 

[dupree89]

2008 much worse. The main thing I take out of this season is this....well 2 things.

1. How valuable Romo really is to this team

2. that we have a coaching staff (and its not JUST Garrett, its the entire staff) that isn't competent enough to milk a few wins out of a 7 game stretch when your star player is out. So this was surprising and quite disturbing, but for heartbreak it was 2008 for me.

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

I don't feel entitled any year so none of it hurts as I haven't lost anything. When they get there and then lose it hurts. 1994 NFCCG comes to mind. That is actually being bothered by something that happened as opposed to not getting what I wanted.

 

[Yakuza Rich]

Tough to say.

This season doesn't hurt as much as it is a bummer. We've lost so many players due to injury it's like having a new Ferrari that you want to try out and then you go about 20 miles and they have to replace the engine. But, they'll replace it with a Ford Focus engine...so you can ride around with that for a while.

2008 was more about a sign of things to come. The media would never let TO off that easily, they have always been in the back pockets of the Eagles and he left their team. This was Garrett's second year as O-Coordinator and he showed some signs of neglecting the run in 2007, but really showed it badly in 2008 and we simply couldn't figure out how to get Felix Jones on the field which was maddening. The only thing that was encouraging besides Romo's age was that Wade said he was going to be tough on players in '09. He did just that and they had a nice season and beat the Eagles 3 times that year.

This year, the bigger issue for me is that Romo and Witten are not getting any younger. I'd like to see them at least make a Super Bowl. They have more than earned it. I think the biggest issue is still our defense and the safety play. Maybe we will fix that as that becomes more clear as the team struggles. Maybe that convinces Jerry to also find a replacement for Romo (I would be giddy with Paxton Lynch). I can always take some struggles if it means finally resolving the enduring problems and having greater success.




YR

 

[IAmLegend]

Well, considering that we're sonly 2 games back and actually still in contention right now, I'm going to go with 2008..

 

[cmoney23]

It'll be too little, too late..

And even then how can that get you excited because these last 7 games showed you everything that we ever needed to know about our team as a whole and the organization. They're completely inept and the only thing Romo coming back will do is hide all the warts yet again.

At the end of the day it'll have changed absolutely nothing. The organization still won't learn from its mistakes. Still won't address the needs in the off season. And we'll still go into next season with it all being placed on the health of Romo with no backup plan in sight.

So, my question is, What are the "needs" and what is your plan to fix them?

 

[khiladi]

You mean the year the Garrett led-offense, with his first year in total control, dropped the team from 2nd in scoring to 18th, but Wade got all the blame?

 

[AlterEgo]

How sad, all these failures are starting to run together in my head now.