Why this team was worse this year and how we improve in the post season

[Hadenough]

The biggest problem with the Cowboys is they are run by coach Jerry. He is calling the shots behind closed doors. That is basically undermining McCarthy. These players will never respect McCarthy until he has the power to get rid of players.

 

[GMO415]

We were worse in the playoffs this season. We folded against a hot team.

Correction- they pissed down their leg against a hot team.

 

[CCBoy]

Change happens when the pain of staying the same is greater than the pain of change. True, personnel changes need to happen. We need an upgrade in talent at a few positions. But without accountability, physicality and discipline, we will only be a more talented team that failed.

The pain of failure has to force a change in the way we do business. GM hold your coach accountable, head coach hold your players and assistance accountable, players in the leadership role hold your brother's accountable. If we do this regardless of talent we will always compete when the stakes are at their highest.

Take it to the team level.

 

[CCBoy]

The team faded at the end of the season, as they have done so for the past 10 years.

Players seem tired and no energy like the first half of the season. That needs to change, but how.

Maintained focus and constant accountability. No penalties also matters a lot.

 

[J_Allen]

The biggest thing that hurt this team was not having much of a running game. Jerry likes making the same mistakes over and over. These small backs like Randle and Pollard are not number one backs and the same goes for slower backs like Barber. All three are change of pace backs. You'd think as long as he's been playing GM he would have figured out what it takes to be a featured running back but he hasn't. He doesn't have a clue. And not one person in the organization has the courage to tell him that.

 

[DuncanIso]

Draft one of the top 5 RB’s. One can be had later in the draft. Get Overshown and Diggs back.

For once since Jimmy make it seem like our coaches outmaneuvered the opposing coaches in the playoffs.

I think we are going to take a big step back in 2024.

Cap problems and a terrible schedule.

Plus Big Mike is back.

 

[DogFace]

I think we are going to take a big step back in 2024.

Cap problems and a terrible schedule.

Plus Big Mike is back.

Yea. I think I wrote the before they decided to keep Mike. Or I was in denial it happened.

Really bad move. He looked lost as the team did. 2nd and long running plays with this team was beyond what a normal bad coach would do.

 

[cmoney23]

This all sounds good, too bad jerry didnt hire you lol.
But none of this is going to happen with the same HC staff and players.
Might as well accept there wont be much change with the 24 team and results.
Our draft picks will all be low so dont expect much help there. FA.....LOL

I guess I'm hoping one of the Jones's grandkids is reading on here and they maybe take it to grandpa!! LOL

The thing I'd add is that we don't need massive change to accomplish this, just some tweaks!

 

[Rayman70]

A no nonsense culture and known expectation or goal. Then a HC with real power to enforce it and influence. A few players that lead by example and demand you do your job. We lack all that. This is what it means to be built to win. But you better have a QB.

 

[jterrell]

This is a good topic OP!!

A true postmortem on why we failed would likely include:
1. Injuries were an Achilles. Losing Diggs and the top 2 LB specifically hurt. Injuries aren't an excuse but they are a reality.
2. Draft class offered near zero as rookie class. Dallas relies on its draft classes so the lack of health and production there hurt. Maxi and Schoon may be plus/plus guys in year 3-4 but year 1 they were well below replacement level.
3. Over-reliance on return of the RT. I love Steele as a Tech grad but he was awful much of the year. PFF pass blocking grade of 48 is truly bad indeed. 72nd rated Tackle.
4. Coaching. Dallas was great much of the year and they rolled over many teams. But a few weeks they had no clue. They were schematically whooped. I'm very concerned that teams can coach against our coaches' tendencies instead of just say Dak or Micah.
5. Failed under pressure. The team came out and GB applied pressure right away and a couple penalties extended the first drive all the way to the end zone. Once behind we looked shell-shocked.

 

[75boyz]

A no nonsense culture and known expectation or goal. Then a HC with real power to enforce it and influence. A few players that lead by example and demand you do your job. We lack all that. This is what it means to be built to win. But you better have a QB.

Spot on.
Excellent post.

 

[CCBoy]

This is a good topic OP!!

A true postmortem on why we failed would likely include:
1. Injuries were an Achilles. Losing Diggs and the top 2 LB specifically hurt. Injuries aren't an excuse but they are a reality.
2. Draft class offered near zero as rookie class. Dallas relies on its draft classes so the lack of health and production there hurt. Maxi and Schoon may be plus/plus guys in year 3-4 but year 1 they were well below replacement level.
3. Over-reliance on return of the RT. I love Steele as a Tech grad but he was awful much of the year. PFF pass blocking grade of 48 is truly bad indeed. 72nd rated Tackle.
4. Coaching. Dallas was great much of the year and they rolled over many teams. But a few weeks they had no clue. They were schematically whooped. I'm very concerned that teams can coach against our coaches' tendencies instead of just say Dak or Micah.
5. Failed under pressure. The team came out and GB applied pressure right away and a couple penalties extended the first drive all the way to the end zone. Once behind we looked shell-shocked.

The coaches over protected their players against good teams.

I said all season, I would give Jerry until the exit from the playoffs.

I have given up on Mike McCarthy. I will watch this next season as I always do.

The dark tornado cloud now is next seasons' top of the line winner's schedule. I'm already calling for the ERT's.

 

[jterrell]

The coaches over protected their players against good teams.

I said all season, I would give Jerry until the exit from the playoffs.

I have given up on Mike McCarthy. I will watch this next season as I always do.

The dark tornado cloud now is next seasons' top of the line winner's schedule. I'm already calling for the ERT's.

A lot of folks are right with you there.
But my guess is a couple impressive early season wins sucks many back in to believing.

The level of crotch kick that GB game was is hard to describe so I do understand.

This very much feels like an off-season where they have to get better or get much worse.
Status quo is a hard, hard sell and Jerry is all about selling.

 

[Gambit]

The Cowboys were largely healthy bar missing Diggs

Mostly, but we weren't just missing Diggs.

LVE Overshown Gilly played hurt other players who were projected to play significant role this year ie Stephenson.

They need to address LB and depth at LB, need to get stronger in middle edges could use some discipline in setting the edge and maintaining it and not rushing up field every dang play.

 

[Bobhaze]

GM hold your coach accountable, head coach hold your players and assistance accountable, players in the leadership role hold your brother's accountable.

Tangle I agree with your statement. But in order for it to work, it needs to START with the phrase, “Owner hold your GM accountable.”

And it’s hard for the HC to hold the players accountable when there is zero accountability at the top of this organization. The old saying is 100% true here in Big D: “If there is no accountability at the top of your organization, there can be no accountability anywhere else in the organization.”

 

[CCBoy]

A lot of folks are right with you there.
But my guess is a couple impressive early season wins sucks many back in to believing.

The level of crotch kick that GB game was is hard to describe so I do understand.

This very much feels like an off-season where they have to get better or get much worse.
Status quo is a hard, hard sell and Jerry is all about selling.

Over the past ten seasons his teams have won 10 or more games for 6 of those games. That's hard not to sell credable at.

Given a full off season how can this team not improve their run defense?

Dallas has four players right now in the running for players of the year. Two offensive: Dak Prescott and CD Lamb'

Two on defense: Micah Parsons and DaRon Bland.

The Cowboys can improve both focus and productions in the first quarter of games and change some of their results against tough opponents.

The Cowboys have a very tough schedule in 2024 and will be working on just that all next season. We'll see as to expectation. Our Governor stood up to the Supreme Court!

 

[CWR]

We were worse in the playoffs this season. We folded against a hot team.

We were gonna fold regardless of who we faced. Maybe, we beat Tampa, but that's a big maybe.

 

[rambo2]

I've seen a lot of people trying to cast blame on the Cowboys "failure" this year AND while a lot of blame is to go around, I think we are missing the key point.
The NFL, in a lot of ways, is about finding ways to win football games.

• Players are going to have off games.
• Injuries will happen.
• Game plans might not pan out.
• Other teams might have better talent.
• Etc.

But you have to find ways to win games... and the teams that are the best in this league can win games in different ways.

To me, the Cowboys biggest flaw is in the core of their construction.
They only had TWO ways to win games this year... and neither way is very reliable.

1. Dak had to play extremely, extremely, well. I'm talking MVP, herculean effort, play.
2. The defense had to get multiple turnovers AND score.

That's it. If one of those two things didn't happen, we weren't winning. And heck, even when you'd have one of them happen, it wasn't guaranteed. Timely penalties, poor execution, or elite opponents could overcome a great game by Dak or a pick six.

So, how do we improve for next year?
Simple. Add players and coaches that can maximize the way we win!!!
Here's how:
1. Develop a REAL running game. (Watching the Chiefs, Ravens, 49ers, Bills, Dolphins, Eagles, etc. etc. This year, and in the playoffs it's clear to see, good running games travel, and WIN!
2. Alter your defensive philosophy and personnel. Rangy, speed LBs and undersized speed on the edge is nice when you have a lead (Dak elite, turnovers, etc..) but when The Bills are jamming it down your throat... or the Dolphins need to drive the field and you need a stop. That doesn't' win games.
3. Manage the game better. A lot of winning in the league is done in the margins. Fat Mike has proven he can't do this at a high level. So, bring someone on staff that can!!!
4. Add more skill position talent. Bring in more weapons to carry you when the season is long and they are taking away your top options. Cooks was great, but there were more options available and will be this offseason.

I could go on and on... but if we don't address THIS. We are in for more of the same.
If we do, we could see late season success.

They were actually better. That is why they were the 2.

 

[DogFace]

We all know the Cowboys struggled to run and stop the run. That needs fixed. But the biggest problem is coaching. It still matters and MM and his staff failed the Cowboys this year. They were underprepared for every big game and got outcoached in them also.

How you could go into that Packers game and face the leading rusher in the last month of the season with 205 pound safety Bell at MLB is unfathomable to me. And the WR's were running wide open all day because they changed from man to zone due to Gilmore's injury?

Perfect post. I simply have no idea how pro coaches making millions can be so bad at basic strategy.

The shots of Mac looking uncertain as he called rum plays on 2nd and longs was telling.

 

[CowboyFrog]

The biggest thing that hurt this team was not having much of a running game. Jerry likes making the same mistakes over and over. These small backs like Randle and Pollard are not number one backs and the same goes for slower backs like Barber. All three are change of pace backs. You'd think as long as he's been playing GM he would have figured out what it takes to be a featured running back but he hasn't. He doesn't have a clue. And not one person in the organization has the courage to tell him that.

Im not sure any back was gonna be a "Featured" back behind that run blocking...