The Real Reason for the Cowboys’ Struggles

Cowboys fans, including myself, expect “greatness.”

Over the years, we have been spoiled by one of the most successful sports franchises. We are not accustomed to being mediocre and we have a hard time accepting it when that may really be the case. So, we look for excuses.

The coach sucks. The quarterback isn’t serious enough. The owner’s ego gets in the way. We run too much. We throw too much. Etc.

Some of those statements may be true, but none of them address the team’s real issue–talent.  Simply put, the Cowboys are what their record indicates, a slightly better than .500 team.

Depending on how you look at it, this team is in the bottom portion of the top quarter of teams in the league or the top of the second quarter of teams in the league. To expect “greatness” out of this team, as presently constructed, is foolish.

Could another coach get more out of this team? Perhaps, but not much. Even Coach Landry or Jimmy Johnson would have struggled to win 10 or 11 games with this unit and as much as I love those two coaches, neither of them would have won a Super Bowl with this roster.

Even in the watered down version of today’s NFL, depth is vital to a title run. While the starting 11 on both sides of the ball match-up well with the top tier teams, it’s the lack of depth that brings this roster down. No where was this more evident than when DeMarcus Ware suffered his injury and was forced to leave the game. It’s impossible to fully replace Ware, but the gap between starter & backup at outside backer is so extreme on this team that it’s almost impossible to make any sustainable compensation for the loss.

We see this disparity at almost every defensive position. Without a doubt, the biggest difference between the Cowboys and the serious contenders is this disparity.

The good news is that the Cowboys are close enough to the contenders that they can enter the conversation with one good off-season. This begins with compiling a list of your core players to keep and a list of expendable parts and suitable replacements.

Let’s end the debate right now, Tony Romo is a legitimate championship caliber quarterback and Miles Austin and Roy Williams are your #1 & #2 receivers respectfully. It would be nice to add another great receiver through free agency. All is well on the tight end in front, Jason Witten is the best in the league and I’m convinced that Marty B will continue to develop.

On the offensive line, Flozell Adams’ skills as a lineman no longer outweigh the liability of his mental issues–he needs to go. I would recommend turning to free agency to find a suitable replacement and use our first round draft pick to add some depth behind the rest of the line.

In the backfield, I like what Marion Barber and Tashard Choice bring to the table, but I don’t believe either one can handle the load on their own. In spite of his ability to make “big plays,” I have not been that impressed with Felix Jones. Sure, he is fast, but the “big plays” have been few and far between. I think that his stock around the league is still high enough that you could snag a third or fourth round pick away from some unsuspecting team for his services and turn that draft pick into more offensive line depth.

On the defensive side of the ball, the most glaring weakness is at linebacker. When the Cowboys turn in their helmets and shoulder pads at the end of this season, I pray to God we don’t ever see Bobby Carpenter in a Cowboys uniform again. I have yet to hear anyone who covers this team justify his existence on the roster. In an ideal world, I would love to see us use our first round draft pick and get Alabama’s Rolando McClain. However, I doubt he will be around when the Cowboys pick and that’s why I recommended going for offensive line depth. I’m convinced that either in free agency or in the draft, we can find a more capable back-up and nickle backer than Carpenter. I think Brooking, Spencer, James and Ware are more than capable of being part of a championship caliber defense. The same goes for the front three.

In the secondary, depth is the biggest concern. Orlando Scandrick has taken a step back this year and Alan Ball, God love him, just doesn’t have what it takes to play the position at a high level in this league. This is another area I would focus on in the off season.

Finally, Wade Phillips has done about all he can do here. It’s time Jerry showed him to the door and thanked him for his service. On the way walking Phillips out of Valley Ranch, Jerry needs to stop by Jason Garrett’s office and hand him his walking papers as well. He is not the coach this team needs.

If you really want to find a common thread between the recent Cowboys teams that have struggled during the month of December look at the system. The Dallas Cowboys have NEVER won a playoff game playing a 3-4 defense. The fact that this team still uses it is blasphemous. Until they win a playoff game with the 3-4 defense, the possibility of a “3-4 curse” must be considered legitimate. Though it might set the franchise back another year in building towards a legitimate championship threat, I really do think Jerry Jones should consider courting a 4-3 coach and return this franchise to its defensive roots.

Be prepared to be beaten down by the sports media in this town continuing to talk about the “December swoon.” Be prepared to listen to them pour all the blame on Wade Phillips and question the toughness of this team. Be prepared to answer back with, “you know what, this team is playing just about the way they should.”

Who does Steve Dennis think he is?

At Monday’s Wade Phillips’ press conference, CBS 11 sports reporter Steve Dennis asked the Cowboys’ coach if he considered his team “winners.” By virtue of owning a winning record, this Cowboys team is, by definition, a “winner.” Of course, “winning” can mean a lot of different things. Dennis posed this question to Wade Phillips to drive home a tired Dallas media talking point–the dreaded “December swoon.” While the Cowboys have enjoyed success September through November under Phillips’ watch, they have not performed well when the season really matters–December and beyond.

In and of itself, this is fine. The Dallas market is flooded with sports media personalities, some good and some bad. If a member of the media wants to talk about the same generic talking points, he has the right to do so, but it makes for very boring radio, TV or print. However, what makes Dennis’ question different is the pattern he has established for himself.

In the summer, he made our “Bottom 5 Dallas Sports Media Personalities,” where we described him as “loud, obnoxious, and pompous,” descriptions we stand by to this day. As part of the best TV sports team in the market, it appears that Dennis feels threatened by his compatriots and seeks to stand out anyway possible. He does this by making himself part of the story, which is exactly what happened with this one.

In addition to his duties at CBS 11, Dennis also hosts “The Keith Brooking Show” on Sunday mornings on their sister station KTXA 21. Somehow, footage of the taping for the upcoming episode was leaked to the media. In the opening, an upset Keith Brooking (Cowboys linebacker) confronts Dennis about his questioning of Wade at the Monday press conference. Evidently, Brooking and other members of the Cowboys team felt that Dennis’ question implied that their team was full of losers. Dennis handles himself very well and seeks to explain his question more thoroughly, but the entire clip I heard was extremely tense.

Tonight, I tuned into the 10 PM news on CBS 11 and when it was time for sports who do I see prancing around the Cowboys locker room but Steve Dennis. They framed it as a segment showing how the Cowboys team is rallying around their coach and using the media as motivation for a successful December, but again it appeared that Dennis was trying to make the story about himself.

I do not know Steve Dennis personally. He may be a great guy for all I know. I only know the Steve Dennis I see on TV and hear on the radio and when I see or hear that Steve Dennis, I scratch my head and ask, “who does Steve Dennis think he is?”  If I could pass along any advice to him, it would be this:

When people tune into a Wade Phillips press conference, they do so to hear Wade Phillips talk about the Cowboys, not to hear Steve Dennis.  When people tune into watch sports on the local news, they do so to catch the latest on their local teams, not to see the local reporter injecting himself into the center of a story. If Mr. Dennis wants to be the center of a program, get your own radio show or start your own blog. Until then, report the news and stay out of it.

One giant mistake…

The day Bill Parcells stepped down as coach of the Dallas Cowboys, I celebrated.  In my mind, Parcells’ departure represented the end of a bitter reconstruction era for this franchise and the beginnings of a new Cowboys’ dynasty. Parcells served his purpose in rebuilding the roster, but he never embraced the star. The Cowboys ended the 2006 season with a heart breaking first round playoff loss to the Seattle Seahawks. In spite of yet another early playoff exit, the pieces appeared to be in place for a championship contender for years to come. All the Cowboys needed now was a coach to guide them to the “promised land.”

Parcells’ fast-talking, Jersey boy ways never meshed with the Cowboys. The arrogance of the man to replace the 4-3 defense, a defense that the legendary Tom Landry perfected, with the 3-4, a system he preferred and the audacity to invite former New York Giants greats, bitter enemies of the star, to practices rubbed many fans the wrong way. The Cowboys franchise needed another Texan at the helm, one who would embrace the legacy of this great franchise and write a new chapter in the Cowboys’ history book.

Cowboys’ owner, Jerry Jones, interviewed 10 candidates to replace Parcells. On January 30, 2007, he interviewed Mike Singletary, a Hall of Fame linebacker from Houston who grew up a Cowboys’ fan. Since his playing days ended, Singletary had made a name for himself as a well respected defensive coach in the NFL. Though he had no head coaching experience, everyone felt he had a very bright coaching future ahead of him. In the end, Jones opted for a Texas born coach with head coaching experience, Wade Phillips, son of the legendary, “Bum” Phillips. Looking back, it’s clear to see that Jones made the wrong decision.

The Wade Phillips’ era began with a bang, a 13-3 season, the NFC East title and the number one overall seed in the playoffs. However, from the beginning, it was obvious Phillips lacked the leadership necessary to lead a team to the ultimate prize. The 2007 season ended the same as the seasons of the past decade, with the Cowboys falling short of their goal and a first-round, home playoff loss to the eventual Super Bowl champions, the New York Giants, but the teams actions leading up to the game were more troubling than the game itself.

By virtue of having the best record in the NFC, the Cowboys earned a bye during the first round of the playoffs.  Instead of using that time to rest and prepare for their next opponent, many players treated the time as a mini-vacation. Tabloids ran wild with coverage of Tony Romo and Jessica Simpson jetting off to Cancun with Jason Witten, Bobby Carpenter and their significant others. Other players traveled to their alma mater’s bowl games to partake in the revelry. Clearly, this team was not focused on their job at the time. Since that time, the team has experienced several embarrassing incidents both on and off the field–the T.O. fiasco, Pac-Man Jones’ brawl at a local hotel, and games like last December in Philadelphia when it appeared that the team quit on their coach.

Wade Phillips will point to his 24-12 record as head coach of the Cowboys, but the only record that matters is his 0-1 record in the playoffs with this franchise. As coach of the Dallas Cowboys, fans expect you to win championships. Though not the most talented team in the league, the Cowboys’ roster contains enough talent to compete for championships year in and year out. A good coach bridges the gap of talent between teams, this coach has failed to do that.

What has Mike Singletary done during this time period? On October 20, 2008, Singletary took over head coaching duties for the San Francisco 49ers, a team with a 2-5 record and a perennial cellar dweller . Singletary made clear from the beginning the way things would work with him in charge. In his first game at the helm, Singletary sent star tight end Vernon Davis, arguably the best player on the team, to the locker room during the game because of the player’s attitude. After the game, Singletary issued a passionate response to the press where he said, “I will not tolerate players who think it’s about them, when it’s about team.” Makes you wonder how many players he would send to the showers early if he was coaching the Cowboys.

Shocked with his move and his speech, critics began to question how long Singletary would last as a coach. He ignored the critics and led his teams to a 5-4 record to finish out the season. During that time, the 49ers played an inspired brand of football rarely seen in the NFL. While the Cowboys led the league in penalties last year with almost 60 yards a game, Singletary’s team averaged a mere 36 yards a game in penalties. Defensively, the 49ers looked impressive as well, especially against the run, given up only 94 yards a game on the ground. The Cowboys, on the other hand, gave up 106 yards a game on the ground, and it was the lack of a rushing defense that led to collapses against Baltimore and Philadelphia in the final two games of the season, eliminating the Cowboys from the playoffs.

Then you see video clips like this, and you see how Singletary deals with adversity during the course of a game. Is there any doubt that the mentality of the Cowboys team would different under Singletary? What would the Cowboys look like without the mental errors?

In the book The Catch, author Gary Myers explains in detail how the Dallas Cowboys almost drafted Joe Montana. Coming out of college, not many NFL teams placed a very high value on Montana. However, Tom Landry loved the kid, as did Gil Brandt. However, the Cowboys thought they had their quarterback of the future in Danny White and felt taking Montana would be wasting  a draft pick. They passed and the 49ers took Joe Montana. In 1982, Joe Montana would lead the 49ers to a victory over the Dallas Cowboys in the NFC Championship game, with a play that has become known simply as “the catch.”  The 49ers would go on to win the Super Bowl that season and three more times under Montana’s leadership. Danny White never won a Super Bowl and the Cowboys sank into the futility. As a Cowboys fan, I can only hope that this odd connection between the Cowboys and 49ers repeat itself with Mike Singletary.

Wade Phillips must go…NOW!

When Jerry Jones made the decision to hire Wade Phillips I was initially skeptical. I didn’t know all that much about him, but I thought of him as just a generic head coach like Bruce Coslet, Jim Haslett, Wayne Fonts, etc. Phillips certainly didn’t have the resume necessary to lead “America’s Team.” However, over time, as I leanred more about his father and his Texas roots, Wade began to grow on me. As any good Cowboys’ fan knows, a Texas born coach will usually win a Super Bowl when coaching the Cowboys.

After a season and a half, it has become abudantly clear that my initial reaction was right. Wade Phillips is not qualified, nor does he understand what it takes to lead the NFL’s top franchise. As I sit here listening to Wade’s press conference, I’m reminded how he dodges the hard questions. At first, I thought it was just the overzealous Dallas media, but over time I see a man who doesn’t know how to deal with negative criticism. Coaching in Dallas, you’re going to receive negative criticism. Being able to quote stats like scripture won’t change the fact that we haven’t a playoff win in over a decade.

Not only can Wade not deal with negative criticism, but he can’t dish it out either.  He handles this team with a very delicate hand, choosing to let inamates run the asylum. This leads to a lack of discipline on the team, which leads to the mental mistakes that have plagued the Cowboys since Wade’s arrival.  A good coach corrects and eiminates mental errors. A good coach gets in his players faces when the make mistakes.  A good coach knows how to use a combination of positive and negative criticism to motivate his squad.  Without negative criticism, there will be no discipline and no motivation. Currently, this Cowboys squad plays with no discipline and no motivation.

Redskins 26 Cowboys 24

I first played organized football as a 7th grader at Atlanta Junior High School in the early 90′s. We were a rag-tag bunch of football players with a ton of talent but little knowledge of the nuances of the game. Even so, our coaches stressed to us the importance of two basic principles–runing the ball and stopping the run. As a wide receiver, this wasn’t much fun to me. In our veer option offense, I was a glorified blocker, but the conservative philosophy payed off.  From the time we were 7th grade through our senior year in high school, our class lost only 4 games. That’s less than one a year.

Though 20 years have almost passed since those days, I believe the same principles still apply to football, even in this pass happy age. For proof, you need look no further than the Cowboys loss to the Redskins. The Cowboys rushed the ball only 11 times and gave up a total of 161 yards rushing. 

What was Jason Garrett thinking? This is a Princeton-educated man who is supposed to be the next coaching legend for the Dallas Cowboys. Yesterday, I believe Garrett’s biggest weakness was exposed yet again–stubborness. Garrett showed last year in the playoffs that he refuses to veer from his game plan, no matter what the opposition may throw at him. Yesterday, Garrett seemed hell bent on getting Terrell Owens involved with the offense, no matter what it meant for the rhythm of the team.  On countless occassions, Romo forced bad throws into double coverage or checked down to secondary receivers in an attempt to get T.O. some touches.

All the while, one of the leagues best back, Marion Barber, was left with only 9 touches. This is a man who rushed 28 times for 148 yards last week. And what about rookie sensation Felix Jones? Why didn’t Garrett attempt to get him involved?

What can you say about the defense? The 3-4 is a horrible defensive scheme to run, especially in the NFC, but the Brian Stewart/Wade Phillips version is even worse due to the coverage scheme they use. When you give a West Coast offense 10-20 yard cushions on the pass routes, you’re playing right into their hands. I could have played quarterback for the Redskins and picked the Cowboys’ secondary apart with that type of coverage.  Once the passing game got started, our front seven were on the heels for the remainder of the game and Clinton Portis had his best game of the season.

When you add all these elements together, you can clearly see that the common theme is “bad coaching”. Bad offensive play calling, bad defensive scheme, bad preparation of part of the head coach, all across the board, the Dallas Cowboys’ coaching staff failed their team, owner and millions of fans all over the world.

In all this madness, I was able to find a positive. This type of loss, this early in the season, serves as a perfect wake up call for a team that seemed to be invincible. As Bradie James said, “I don’t want to go undefeated. I want to win the games that count.” If this loss will cause the Cowboys to realize that they aren’t invincible and inspire them to play harder, longer, then we stand a great shot of winning the games that count in January.

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Call me a curmudgeon, but I hate summer! The sun, the laziness, the endless days, and the lack of football make for a miserable season.  A stubborn high-pressure system prevents any relief from the heat, but relief from the lack of football lies just around the corner. I write this while streaming the Jerry Jones, Wade Phillips press conference that officially signals the start of the Dallas Cowboys’ training camp in Oxnard, California. We’re still a couple of weeks away from preseason games and players won’t really start hitting for a few days, but at least it provides some mental relief to know we past summer’s steep hump and it should be all downhill from here.  In a few weeks, high schools and colleges will begin their two-a-day practices. NFL preseason games get under way the first weekend in August. The last weekend in August we’ll get REAL high school and college games to watch and before you know it we’re chugging through September, heading towards October and the slightly cooler temperatures of autumn.

 

Yes my friends, today is a wonderful day, because it represents the beginning of the most wonderful time of year—FOOTBALL SEASON!