It’s Time to Name These ‘Boys Sue
Posted: October 20, 2008 @ 9:51 am
“And he said: ‘Son, this world is rough,
And if a man’s gonna make it, he’s got to be tough,
And I knew I wouldn’t be there to help you along.
So I give you that name and I said goodbye,
I knew you’d have to get tough or die…”
– Johnny Cash, A Boy Named Sue
Rams 34, Cowboys 14.
We’re angry. We’re indignant. We’re embarrassed. But we’re Cowboys’ fans. Let’s not pretend we’ve never seen this before:
- 1970, week 9 — Cardinals 38, Cowboys 0. A second consecutive loss that drops the ‘Pokes to 5-4;
- 1971, week 7 — Bears 23, Cowboys 19. A loss to a weak Bears team in the infamous QB rotation game leaves Dallas 4-3.
- 1978, week 10 — Dolphins 23, Cowboys 16. A second consecutive loss, this one in dreaded Miami, where Tom Landry always lost, drops the Cowboys to 6-4.
- 1981, week 6 — 49ers 45, Cowboys 14. A second consecutive loss drops Dallas to 4-2 after a 4-0 start.
- 1992, week 5 — Eagles 31, Cowboys 7. Dallas comes out of its bye week and gets thrashed on a Monday Night in Philly.
- 1995, week 15 — Eagles 20, Cowboys 17. Dallas loses its second in a row and third in five weeks in the infamous 4th-and-1-x-2 game. Their record is 10-4 but they’re being written off as yesterday’s champs, done in by Jerry’s meddling and Barry’s ineptitude.
Every one of these teams made it to the conference championship game. Five of them made it to the Super Bowl. Three of them won it.
I’m sure most of the Max Mercys in the press corps are writing about a coaching change today. I’m sure if they were around in ‘70 they would have been calling for Tom’s head too. Some of them were around in ‘95 and I know they wanted Barry axed immediately. Don’t be led along. You might want Wade Phillips and a couple of assistants fired too. He might deserve to be fired. But it’s not going to happen now. When did a mid-season firing ever send a team on a tear?
This year’s team will have to look within itself, as these other Cowboys teams did. It will have to draw on the devotion and camaraderie voiced by Nate Newton in the Philly locker room after that embarrassing ‘95 loss, when he said, “there’s too much love in this locker room for us to turn on each other.”
We’re going to learn how much these guys love each other, and how much they really trust each other. Because today, each other is all they got.
So in the spirit of helping, and because I need to laugh to keep from grinding my teeth to the gums, I’m going to do my small part. I will henceforth refer to the ‘08 team as “the ‘Boys Named Sue.”
They’ll either get tough or die.
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Susan seems more appropriate
But won’t that require “Leadership”? Who on this team is going to call the meeting, then get respect from the players enough to be listened to?
Ware doesn’t seem the personality. Romo’s the obvious choice, but he’s not there yet. Whiner Ellis? No.
This is what some of us have seen on this team for the last 2 years but it’s been pooh-poohed, or whatever the phrase is. It’s not going to happen by osmosis. Someone will have to stand up and speak and lead.
And after Wade is gone, man , I HOPE the 3-4 experiment is over. What a crock.
1986 all over again?
The loss of Dennis Thurman and Dextor Clinkscale left an aging defense without its heart, without Thurman’s thieves the flex went from ‘doomsday’ to ‘not so bad day’. Head Coach Landry and Defensive coordinator Ernie Stautner looked lost as to how to address this problem. Meanwhile Herschel Walker and rookie Mike Sherrard fueled Paul Hackett’s new west coast style offense and Danny White led the Cowboy’s offense to a blistering 28.5 points a game average and the #1 offense in the NFL in the first half of the season. The Cowboys were seemingly a legitimate super bowl threat again. Carl Banks unholy blindside sack of Danny White in the following game broke not only White’s wrist but also the spirit of the team. An overwhelmed backup came in behind an aging and dispirited offensive line which suddenly began giving up sacks with increasing frequency. A promising 6-2 start turned in to the bitter disappointment of a 7-9 ending, missing the playoffs, the first losing season since 1965, and signaled the beginning of the end of the Landry era.
Tony Romo’s injury is far less serious from a medical standpoint than White’s but perhaps not from a football one. Romo is at his most lethal when throwing on the run (The best I have ever seen, better than Staubach even) his pinky will not affect his pocket passing too much but may seriously affect his throwing on the run (holding onto the ball while scrambling), something of ever increasing importance with our faltering Offensive line play. Despite the influx of defensive backs this year I feel we are not progressing in that area and even more alarming is our ‘Border Patrol’ run defense. For every one we stop nine get through. We simply have to score a lot of points to win. Brad Johnson can not do that, if Romo can’t throw on the run, I don’t think he can either. I don’t know what was worse, watching Steve Pelluer ‘deer in the headlights’ performance in late ’86 or Brad Johnsons last week? They both were like watching some screw your sister. I’ve got a bad feeling for the rest of the season folks.
Can the community now agree… Brian Stewart is the weak link in the Cowboys organization. The beleaguered BStew was a bad assistant secondary coach, overseeing the 26th ranked pass defense in San Diego, and he has no business masquerading at a Coordinator for the Cowboys. The arrogant male hostess has no juice and should be removed immediately. Fire Brian Stewart… Tex would have done this in the ‘Nard.
I’m behind reading due to an interesting weekend, but Raf, thank you for not playing the injury card. My paper’s accounts of other games yesterday is full of phrases like “injury-depleted secondary” when talking about who won.
I hope the posts from yesterday don’t have a bunch of whining about injuries.
Do I get partial credit for the Boys named Sue ?!?
Thank goodness I was too busy to watch this game.
I think Barber could be the guy to lead the rally, but he’s so quiet publicly that it’s hard to tell what his locker room presence is like.
One more thing-I glanced over to the Poll–”Who in the division worries you the most?”
Can I change my answer to “Everyone”?
No Tex, actually your argument still sucks. This is Wade’s defense for the million-th time.
From the St Louis Post-Dispatch:
“Torry Holt said the Rams discovered some holes in Dallas’ Cover 4 look while preparing for Sunday’s blowout victory.”
Does anybody need to see much film to determine that the DBs playing soft coverage and the safeties offering zero help over the top isn’t exploitable?
BStew should be working under Wes, not Wade.
PS: Please put another fork in Brad Johnson
Ahh, I pleased to see the love coming from this site; I do not see this as homerism but trying to keep and open mind. I saw a number of post game player interviews and saw that they were not going to take the bait from the media in trying to point fingers. The players refused to single anyone or any unit out. The team is frustrated and know that they have had their head up their butt; and need to put this game away and focus on this week (ware was already talking about TB and putting this game out of his head). The state of this team’s season will be decided over three games; so until then I will be burying myself in work to get to sunday asap and see what they do.
A recommendation to all my fellow cowboys fans, DO NOT WATCH OR LISTEN TO MSM during this week if critizism of the team drives you nuts. Me, I embrace the hate; so hearing the hate just makes me smile and think that no matter how bad another team does their fans take joy from Dallas losing. To me that is a compliment because they are happier when dallas loses than when their team wins (I am looking at you Texan fans).
Read dies. Simple answer there. Drowned, revived; eletrocuted, revived:
drawn and quartered then burned slowly on a stick.
After the body is consumed by whatever hogs can be attracted to the carcass (that is if the jackals turn up their noses)
We hire Bill Bates- probably the only half way qualified guy for ST available right now. Not to mention ATTITUDE is needed and he has plenty.
Stewart dies. Simple execution-really not as guilty as read so mercy is warranted. Body fed to whatever vultures are left after read.
Dom Capers is hired- Jerruh money whips him if necessary= and pays him more then Garrett. Slap upside the head to Garrett to get his attention.
If Capers turns us down I hate to say it but go with Campo.
Wade dies really badly. I am thinking slowly dipped feet first into a vat of acid.
Body just dumped since vultures, hogs and maybe jackals are now too stuffed to eat. Not that there would be much left anyway.
Phone call to Bill Cowher. If he does not take it- Phone call to Jimmy.
Do not give it to Garrett- he has not earned the shot in any way.
IF they both turn it down-give Lane Kifflin a call; he has experience working in a circus and he did not do a half bad job there.
When was the last time the O-lne had a dominate game. If the key is to score a lot of points like the Pats last year to over come a weak D it has to start with the guys up front blowing people up and not missing assignments. We have the offensive power. 3 healthy wide receivers, The top tight end and a top flight Running back and when healthy a Fun to watch QB that moves the chains. But non of that matters if the guys of front don’t get the job done. These guys are playing like its December of the past couple of years. I think the question to ask is What needs to happen to get these guys on the line back to playing like the pro bowlers they are?
Johnny Cash, whose self-eulogy rendition of “Hurt” never ceases to strike me as the most powerful music video on the Internet.
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=SmVAWKfJ4Go
That’s odd. I wonder what it is that gets the Squire of Montecito up so early on a Monday. I would have thought the Great Gatsby #2 would be sleeping until 10 at least - only rising after the bedchamber staff had alighted your fireplaces and drawn your bath.
Something different about those teams though, they had character, soul, and identity. This team has none of that. They are all Hard Knocks movie stars that get annointed every year without cause. They haven’t won anything, and came into the season in the same division as the defending superbowl champ, and thought a division/ superbowl title would be handed to them. Now that it isn’t as easy as just showing up, it looks like they would rather give up. This team must be the only one this season that has progressively gotten worse in each game.
I have to admit I drank the kool aid up untill week 3. If the Washington game did not get them serious about winning and putting up a fight in every game I don’t know if anything can.
Cowboys fan untill I die, or untill it becomes a mortal sin to be.
Raf, you know I love me some historical perspective, but this team just ain’t reminding me of those great teams of the past.
Every team you listed above with the exception of maybe the 1992 squad was a veteran team with quality leaders - especially on defense, come on - Lee Roy Jordan, Bob Lilly, etc in the early 70s; Randy White, Charlie Waters, etc in late 70s early 80s, and Charles Haley/Darren Woodson in the 90s. We just don’t have those types of players here now.
Plus every one of those teams had won at least one playoff game. Even the 1970 team had many players who beat Cleveland in 1967. The 1992 had previously beaten the Bears in Chicago with a backup QB!
And maybe most important, all the teams listed above (with the exception of Switzer in ‘95) had great head coaches and high quality assistants too. This team? It hardly looks that way…
So maybe the 2008 team has the most in common with the 1995 team. I stand by my earlier assertion that the Rams debacle was to me the worst loss since losing to the 5-4 49ers in Texas Stadium 20-38. But let’s face it - the talent and leadership and experience on that team was enough to overcome Jerry’s meddling and Switzer’s incompetence. Can this team overcome similar obstacles? No effing way.
The biggest problem is at the top: Jerry.
He’s made really good decisions on personnel, the the structure of the organization is unprecedented in football history. Where else does the GM go into the locker room after the game for a post game speech? The players have to be accountable to their coaches, they have to hear the occasional rant from their coaches. But it has less effect in Dallas because Jerry is always in the room, like an overbearing parent.
The traditional knock on Jerry is that Jerry=Steinbrenner. Actually, Jerry is nothing like Steinbrenner…he’s a likeable guy who likes to be liked, and treats the players really well. I wish he were MORE like Steinbrenner…who created a culture of fear that eventually became counterproductive. But in the short term, a culture of fear can work pretty well.
Just like, in the short term, a culture of lassitude can work pretty well (see the ‘07 Boys). But ultimately, we need a coach who can inspire fear AND make the players have a joyful swagger. We haven’t had that since Jimmy left.
The biggest problem is at the top: Jerry.
He’s made really good decisions on personnel, the the structure of the organization is unprecedented in football history. Where else does the GM go into the locker room after the game for a post game speech? The players have to be accountable to their coaches, they have to hear the occasional rant from their coaches. But it has less effect in Dallas because Jerry is always in the room, like an overbearing parent.
The traditional knock on Jerry is that Jerry=Steinbrenner. Actually, Jerry is nothing like Steinbrenner…he’s a likeable guy who likes to be liked, and treats the players really well. I wish he were MORE like Steinbrenner…who created a culture of fear that eventually became counterproductive. But in the short term, a culture of fear can work pretty well.
Just like, in the short term, a culture of lassitude can work pretty well (see the ‘07 Boys). But ultimately, we need a coach who can inspire fear AND make the players have a joyful swagger. We haven’t had that since Jimmy left.
Rafael,
I think trying to sugar coat this situation is as dangerous as keeping Brian Stewart as our D coordinator. This team can be compared to those teams only AFTER they decide to come together and win some games. None of what we’ve seen the last 4 weeks leads us to believe that will happen. As a matter of fact, I see the team going 4-5 into the bye week and T.O. starting to open his mouth (rightfully so) and then the $hit will reallly hit the fan. This team will be another 6-10 dissapointment team and we’ll have to get a new head coach in the offseason. Hopefully Jimmy or Cowher. More realistic, I would love to see Jim Johnson from the Eagles as our HC. Blitz the freaking house!!!!
TEX you are a gosh darn genius.
Ok we all pretty much see the same problems…
A team that doesn’t seem to have that guy (guys) that stand up and say, NOT TODAY!
A team that thought they had made the superbowl and wouldn’t have to work at it.
A team that, individually, seems to be waiting for someone else to do something.
The question is… What can be doen about it? Anything this season? We can’t get new guys but maybe someone will step up and take responsibility.
Don’t think for one minute Tuna ain’t laughing his a$$ off. He recommended Wade to Jerry. Tuna thinking was I;’ll give them an easy going guy and when it does not improve it points back to one person Jerry.
I want stewart and wade to go but remember every time Jerry shows up in the locker room/ on the sideline shaking hands and other $hit he is undermining Wade.
The players know Wade ain’t benching anyone. They don’t like it they complain to Jerry. Jerry did not get where he is today acting the way he does with this football team.
Jerry you made billions by using your business smarts and savvy.
Stop undermining Wade.
PS I am not sure Jerry knows he is even doing it!!!
These guys are Rocky Balboa during the first half of Rocky 3, and their opponents always look like Clubber Lang in comparison.
This team needs to see the wizard. No heart, no brains, and no courage.
I been gone a while but have been reading on occasions. No internet yet on my new house and Blue and Silvger report is blocked by corporation. Is there a back door to logging onto this site. All I can figure is this site seems like a stock report and since we are top heavy with MBAs with nothing to do they dont want them working on their stock portfolios.
Its time to take off the diapers and turn the D loose. Trying to protect our DBs with zone has only left them exposed with way to much time to throw. Lets go down blitzing the hell out of them. Nobody can cover for that long, not even prime time.
Where is the animosity for the pathetic play calling and execution of the offense. The red ball express has made BPs play calling look progessive. Where is TO in motion.
There are so many problems right now that you can’t really blame it on one player, coach, or personnel group. But let’s try anyways:
1) Wade seems like he’s Dead Man Walking, to me at least. It seemed like every other presser he’s giving some form of the “If that’s what Jerry said” answer, which means that he’s not inner circle anymore, if he ever was. Time to put Wade out to pasture, I think.
2) Whatever Redball is, I think it was a tad early to label him an offensive genius. He’s simply not finding ways to get the ball to his best players in position to make plays like he once was. How about we run TO on crossing routes, like, every play.
3) I really though Hudson Houck was going to make this line dominant. Guess I was wrong.
4) Flo - I thought you were a Pro Bowl LT? Then how the hell are you getting beat multiple times a game. It doesn’t seem to matter whether it’s a speed rusher or bull rusher - they’re all getting by you these days.
5) I guess we now know who our most valuable O-lineman is: Kyle Kosier.
6) If there was any question as to whether Brad Johnson is done, I think the answer is now clear. Stick a fork in him.
7) Witten - how about you stop illegally shifting on key plays, and what happened to those hands?
9) TO - quityerbitchin’
10) Defense - can everyone besides Ware and Ratliff make a play now and then? And can we start wrapping up? Conventional wisdom has always been that the original Roy Williams was a problem on D. Guess we now know otherwise.
This was one ugly game. I couldn’t believe what I was watching. Almost in total shock. The defense played dead except for Ware and Ratliff. The linebackers were horrible. Bobby Carpenter is definitely a bust and I don’t see him back next year. Canty has been MIA the last few weeks. Not sure what his problem is. We will need to get another ILB. We have no depth at this position - Burnett can’t stay on the field. Any Ty Law news? It’s hard to believe that we go with Jenkins until Newman gets back. Who knows when Newman will even be healthy - I am hoping it was his injury that made him look so bad (I will keep my fingers crossed on that one). Roy Williams looked like crap again before he got hurt. I wonder if he will ever wear the Star on his helmet again? I’m ready to get him out of here. I thought the defense actually played pretty good at Arizona but to lay an egg this week when the team needed them to step up is just so disappointing. On offense, I thought our OL played better than the week before (I know that’s not saying much) but Brad Johnson could not hit his receivers.Does Brooks Bollinger know the playbook? Put him in - Brad Johnson is done. The Bucs will try to run it down our throats next Sunday. They have a pretty good (and physical) OL. I doubt that Romo plays next week and without him I just don’t see how we win against Tampa. No way Wade gets fired now. That type of talk is just silly. I’m hoping Spencer & Watkins are back this week. We will need both of them.
I blame Parcells for this. He raided the coaching staff. But, I also blame Phillips for not seeing this. Phillips probably has one game to prove he can direct this team. They weren’t even almost prepared for the Rams game.
Urinal - post 23,
The problem is that the ‘boys don’t have an Apollo Creed to straighten them back out. Find me an Apollo on that staff that can make them into sprinters on the beach in a 10 minute montage. I’ll join in the hugging in the surf.
As for the defensive leadership getting in faces and making a difference, I think you’re down to Ware and Ratliff. I don’t think it’s in Ware; he’s just a machine on the field. Ratliff, though, I can see as being the spark. He plays hard consistently, makes plays, and has worked his way up from the bottom to the best player on the DL. He may be the best hope for any spark from the defensive players group.
Offensively? I have no idea. Flozell would stutter-start through the speech. Marion doesn’t talk. Romo’s goofy, and nobody listens to T.O. Maybe Witten, but how many do they lose before anybody who is yelling and trying to spark them loses their interest?
I don’t think you fire Wade now. He’s gone after the season, anyway, and you don’t have anybody inhouse that’s ready to take over. Garrett, no. Campo, come on, Jerry aint going down that road again. I do think you need some shake-up. Is that Houck, Stewart, Wes Phillips?
Let me be clear I have never liked the current coaching staff. However, someone much smarter than me once told me - coaches coach & players play.
The effort on the field (by most) has been terrible the last 3 or 4 games. Football games are usually won by the more physical team and that has not been us.
Offensively, I think it starts with the O-line. That group should be blowing open huge holes for MBIII. I have not seen to many of those recently. Also, the pass protection has been terrible.
Defensively & Special teams, they need to be aggressive, hit and tackle. Simple Pop-Warner football.
Dallas Cowboy players - get a set!
While it’s true that this bunch of soulless players would probably not perform any better for a magnificent bastard closer to Parcells’ or Jimmy’s brand of motivation and mid-season coaching changes never affect the desired result; this team is never going to be moved in the least by someone with as little fire as Wade has in his holly jolly little Santa Claus belly. To me, Wade’s never been more than a mere overseer halfheartedly trying to get the numbnutskies on defense to buy into his concept of the 3-4. I mean hasn’t Redball more or less been the co-head coach anyways and had just as much control of the team as Wade? More importantly, Redball’s unquestionably been the main man in charge of the offense, the superior unit on this team. The only clear decision-making that sticks out to me about Wade is his piss-poor management of time-outs and his decision to go for a field goal late in the 4th against New England last year when it was clear TD’s were needed to even keep up.
So what now? Give Redball a trial run as head coach and gut the defensive staff starting with Wade and his little buddy Stew? As idiotic and sorry as most of the defense looks excepting Ware and his ill-advised sack dancing ass, how much worse off would they be if Wade was fired and a new guy was brought in to install his take on the 3-4 mid-season? Although it can’t get much worse, the fact remains that it most certainly would if these jive-asses had to learn somebody else’s 3-4 on the fly in the middle of the freaking season. Two more months of delegate Wade and his dumbfounded lackey Stewey: stupendous.
As for Jimmy Johnson, while it would be interesting and he still might possess the fire, what in the world would lead anyone to believe Jerry would be willing to swallow his pride enough to make such a move? It had to kill him a little inside each year he paid Parcells 4 million per and more importantly surrendered so much of his precious control only to never get a play-off win or division title in return.
Ware is playing his ass off, because he’s still working on his next contract.
Adams, Hamlin, Romo, Barber, James, Roy Williams, Crayton, and the list goes on and on…..have no incentive to put forth the extra work it takes.
I was a lone voice against the contracts to Newman and Adams, because of age and injury concerns and was roundly blasted by Raf and company.
I think I’ve been vindicated.
Cash, I was against MB3 and Flo. Don’t blame this one me. These little Homers on this site killed me. They gotta live with this shit now.
There is one answer to all this. Jerry hear me now.
HIRE BILL COWHER!
Tex doesn’t feel sorry for Wade, he had his chance this summer….
“BStew, I like you as a kid, but we have a chance to bring Dom Capers to Dallas to run the defense. He’s forgotten more about the 3-4 than I’ll ever expect you to know. You can either wine and moan or you can get with Wes and Dat and learn from Dom, myself and this experience in front of you. Lord knows, nobody else in the NFL is going to give you a job. My a$$ is on the line and I’ve got to surround myself with the best possible minds. There is just too much involved as a head coach for on-the-job training of a Defensive Coordinator as I had hoped. My mistake originally, but… Brian, you are being demoted to quality control for the benefit of the Organization.”
Squid!!! You’re back!!!
JC56,
I’d have to agree. Rat seems like the best choice for a guy who is 1) Performing well on a weekly basis, and 2) A guy who is probably respected enough in the locker room to chew some a**. How cool would it be to have a 7th round draft pick like Rat start chewing all those 1st rounders and should have been 1st rounders out?? I’d be sure to mention that if I were him.
I think on offense it’s going to have to be Romo. He’s the magic man. The Jedi. I know he turns the ball over too much and he’s “goofy” but this team is going to live or die by him offensively. He’s the leader on that team and our O-line ranking goes up 10 spots just by him lining up under center.
I just wish NFL players had players only meetings. Like in baseball. Those guys need to get together in the locker room and look each other in the eyes and chew some of each others a**. Scuffle a little if you want but the next game they go out and play the need to know that if they fu** up someone is going to hold them accountable and let them hear about it. Believe me, it’ll be pretty uncomfortable when it’s made clear to you that your teammates are carrying your sorry butt.
Is there any question that Romo gets the start this week? Not that that’s going to help a whole lot, but he’ll be out there.
Just a few thoughts.
1. I wonder if Romo can start. I think they were just trying to make the Rams prepare for 2 QBs.
2. The locker room yelling by players and player only meetings will only go so far. They have to be held accountable during the games.
3. The coaches (both O and D) need more creative game plans that take advantage of their strengths and exploit opponents weaknesses.
4. How could the coaches not know that BJ was going to perform that poorly in the game? I cannot believe he was doing a lot better during practice during the week and a 14 year vet choked under pressure like that.
5. I don’t think mathematically the season is over yet but if we lose the next two games the season is over.
There actually was one thing that I liked in the Rams game. Ware was moved around the LOS during passing downs, dancing about. This enabled hiim to get isolated a number of times on TEs and RBs and we all saw what problems he caused as a result. Not having him line up every freaking time at RDE, slog through the OT, getting chipped by the RB and TE.
Maybe the coaches finally figured out they may have to scheme a touch? Might try to get your best players in positions where they can do the most damage? Maybe not be quite so predictable?
Now if we can figure out what our CBs do best and try to implement schemes for that, we might actually play a little pass defense. But I guess that involves too much coaching for our guys to do.
Ed Werder reporting that WP will relieve BStew of play-calling and will run the defense himself. I wonder if that COULD actually make a difference. I thought he was doing that already.
Bulldog,
I thought the same thing. I didn’t think Stewart called the plays anyway. I thought that was one of those things that Wade was never going to let someone else do again after it supposedly didn’t work out for him with another team. I think it was Denver.
Anyway, what I heard was that Wade basically implied that he would be taking a more active hand in the defense this week. I didn’t read anything about play calling. I read that they’ll be simplifying things and getting rid of some of the stuff they don’t use much. Some players were going to notice a difference in their playing time. Wade was more disappointed in our run D than anything. Don’t know how much it’ll help but it can’t get worse. Can it??
I think the commentators on Sunday said that not one head coach in the league calls their own defensive plays. I think they said that. Something about being difficult to control the game and focus on clock management.
Guys -
This team ain’t turning it around with Wade “the clown” Phillips leading the way.
Sorry Raf, but right now is the perfect time for change. You liked Phillips from day one. He is a loser, a clown, a goof … get over it.
Jimmy can come in right now and add structure. He brings credability with 2 SB rings and College Championship. Most of all he brings a work-man like, winning attitude. …. And no they aren’t going to look “super” next Sunday, but if they can win some from now until December, JJ will have them ready for a run. That is the best we can hope for right now.
You keep giving Wade a free ride … just tell me how is “camp marshmellow” doing right about now for ya? I said it then and I’ll say it now the guy is a clown, and has never won a damn thing in the NFL!! It disgusts me as a Dallas Cowboys fan to see teams all over the league playing with passion … and the Cowboys playing with their heads firmly up their a#$%+!!!!
He has got to go!
This is the first game that an opponent hasn’t had to focus more on keeping up with our offense. So I think if they are disappointed in our run d because someone ran a bunch on us. I lose even more confidence that they haven’t realized the team was vulnerable to the run.
Another example of a coaching staff that is reactionary in nature and is always one step behind the opponent coaching staff.
I thought it would make me feel better after 4 years of Parcells never taking responsibility for anything bad happening to hear a coach actually point the finger at himself for once. Somehow though, after so much finger pointing at himself it doesn’t make me feel better. It makes me feel like the problems are really being identified and addressed. Like Wade is just taking the quick and easy way out by saying “blame me”.
When did a mid-season firing ever send a team on a tear??? How about the Rams? The team that just spanked us… a team that lost to the Eagles by 35…
Why isn’t someone throwing Hudson Houck under the bus? His OLs are stinking up the place. They’ve gotten worse under his tenure.
Anyone else wondering if we kept the wrong offensive coordinator? Look at what Sparano is doing with absolute garbage!
rogthegreat,
I was wondering the same thing. Did Houck just forget how to coach all of the sudden?? Flo has regressed to the same fat lump of clay that he used to be back when Houck was here before. Maybe it wasn’t Flo that was the problem??
I thought Grantham was supposed to be an upgrade too. His D-line stinks right now except for the Rat. I don’t even know who our LB’s coach is right now and I don’t want to know.
Best line of the game was from Urinal Mint:
Sparano?
Even if that cheesy looking ’70s cop moustachioed Sparano got offered the Cowboys head coaching job, he probably would’ve preferred working under his daddy Bill. Plus, you seem to have lost your mind forgetting that Sparano accepted the job in the week leading up to the Giants play-off debacle. Nobody got rid of Sparano. He more or less shirked his duties to shove his head up inside Big Tuna’s ass. Furthermore, well, there you have it; it’s right there in front of you. Sparano still was in charge of the OL when they got whipped in the 2nd half by the Giants. Cowboys could’ve been the Cowboys saviour? Come on, brotha.
Although speaking of things Sparano’s Dolphins do well, I will say if Felix was healthy, a Felix/Barber Wild Hog probably would’ve had more success than that ancient sucker BJ flaccidly flicking the ball down the field.
Blah, last line of that first paragraph should read “Sparano could’ve been the Cowboys saviour?”
1)There is no way Jimmy Johnson would leave his cushy gig to come back to this circus with the clown owner, so get over it. We are more like the Al Davis Raiders than anyone would probably like to admit 2) clown owner will not fire his buffoon so get used to sloppy, bad play for the rest of ‘08. 3) playoffs are not happening for us in this brutal division and the schemes we use have been exposed 4) out of 22 starters, there are maybe 7 or 8 worth anything,the rest is overrated slop or will be out of here in a year or 2. The “most talented team in the NFL” tag is a joke, we are getting exposed for the frauds that we are 5) you can’t teach “heart”-either you have it or you don’t. 6) I hope like hell I’m wrong, but I needed to vent
David,
Really. In ‘70, when this team had not won anything and had crapped out ‘07 style *four years in a row* you really think they were getting any less bile than this team? That people were saying, “just wait, Landry is a walking legend.” Or in ‘71, when they still hadn’t won anything? Or in ‘95?
The anger today is nothing compared to those moments.
ManTab,
I’m sugarcoating it, huh? Well, riddle me this. What exactly can I do? Arm myself to the teeth and take the coaching staff hostage?
We’re fans. We either stop paying money for tickets, tune the team out or change our vantage points and keep rooting.
That’s it. All we have at our disposal is the way we choose to perceive or not perceive the team.
I am not going to pretend to know all the x’s and o’s like a lot of you guys do but it seems like this team has not been playing up to it’s potential since last season.
My ‘feeling’ is that the team welcomed the change from Parcells with open arms and played great for a good part of last season. Somewhere along the way all that oooy goooy stuff from Phillips stopped working.
We should have canned Reid after last year…special teams were a big problem most of the season last year and might be worse this year.
Stewart might not be putting in the defensive scheme, but I guarantee he has more contact with the players throughout the week than Phillips does. For whatever reason our defense is not working. Stewart just cannot be communicating, motivating, or whatever.
Lastly, our super duper offense has hit a wall.
Jimmy Johson coming back is a pipe dream and probably Cowher too. I don’t know what the coaching answer is, but this team is broken right now and SOMEBODY needs to please, please, please fix our team!
Speaking of a “HOG LIKE” offense, what about putting P. Crayton, or Stanback back there with Choice and Marion, and just pounding the shit out of the ball. I know that seems far fetched but a pass here and there when TO is in the slot one on one with a linebacker, with the ball having a chance to get it, would be nice every once in a while.
Cowher would be nice, Hell even Johnson, but damn this team needs to get dirty in the trenches, looks and reputation is not getting it done anymore. Also, has anyone heard about Kosier, I mean, when does that guy come back. When you think about it that was the best game the line had.
On Defense they do need to bring the house and get to the QB, plain and simple, you win some you lose some.
I realize the run defense was the problem this last game, but bringing heavy pressure will cure that too.
If Cowher comes you can kiss a highpower offense goodbye. What a waste of Romo, TO, and Felix Jones. Barber and Witten will be worn out for sure. I for one would not want that.
rha,
What do you think Cowher runs? “When his Steelers faced the Cowboys in Super Bowl 30, his was the team that went four and five wides, had Kordell Stewart running gadgets. When he won the Super Bowl three years ago Ben Roethlisberger went pretty wide open and he used Willie Parker, a speed back, to complement Jerome Bettis. Pretty much what Dallas is doing today.
He’ll use every tool at his disposal. What I like about him is that he tuned his offenses to the talent at hand. He was as wide open as he could be. He insisted on power running — and what is wrong with that? — because he coached in an open air stadium in Pittsburgh, where relying on the pass in January weather can be very risky.
Larry,
The 3-4 is here to stay. Dallas will find a DC who can run it better if they make a coaching change.
I did not see the name on the last post, and then i looked up and realized why it made so much sense.
Cowher would be brought in to tweak the defense, and inspire and get in peoples face. I dont think he would try to over haul the offense now, maybe during the off season. If Cowher were to come her, with Garrett in hand I think it will still be controled by Garrett, but Cowher will have in hand what types of plays he would like to run at a given point and situation.
Was Bollinger available for the game? The Romo backup thing was strange to me. If it was determined he would not play, why not let Bollinger back up Johnson? Hell, why not let Bollinger relieve Johnson?
I get it, Romo wanting to play, but somewhere reason has to take over. If Bollinger was available, it seems to me he should have gotten in the game in the second half, Johnson was taking us nowhere fast. Is Bollinger that bad?
I am curious, would Wade take the D Coordinator spot, and Garrett the O coordinator, and Cowher the Head Coach. I think Wade has done very well at D coordinator, but just seems he lacks the fire starter type mentality.
Also everyone says for TO to shut up, and we are all calling for a players leader. UH well Hello, TO is the only one who is screaming, playing with passion, and guess what they all ignore him, cause of course he is TO and he is just being TO, its complete BS!
Give the guy some credit already, all he wants is to win, and these guys are being a bunch of Vaginas
Do you think Cower takes Felix Jones? TO? Makes the RW trade? I doubt we would be sitting here looking at 4,200 yard passing seasons with Witten and Barber on the payroll.
I am all over the discipline Cower would bring, but there would be a cost. Maybe that cost would be acceptable and all is good, but our roster would look different.
Brian Stewart, a bad assistant secondary coach at his previous stop, has been calling all the defensive plays for the last two years… HELLO! That is the problem. Sure it’s Wade defense, but who is calling the plays - a male secretary, the beleaguered BStew.
What the hell has Tex been yelling about for the last four months from the hills of Montecito… Brian Stewart isn’t qualified to call plays/ or Coordinate in the NFL, especially for a team with Super Bowl aspirations.
Stripping BStew of the play calling duties is a step in the right direction. Now get him off the sidelines so viewers don’t have to see that deer-in-the-headlights look again.
RHA,
I had the same passing thought whenever the topic of Cowher comes up, but I don’t know how accurate it really is. Besides that, the sooner Felix can be fully trusted in pass protection, there is no reason why the touches on offense shouldn’t be split dead even between him and Barber. As long as Barber isn’t pounded into the ground, more rushes isn’t the worst thing in the world.
Now, would Cowher really stifle the passing game? Actually over the course of his career there’s at least a handful of seasons where Cowher’s Steelers teams attempted right around 28 passes per game including Tommy Maddox’s stint as the QB where he attempted 33 passes per game. The passing game might not be as aggressive down-the-field as Redball’s attack but I think Cowher’s willingness to pass the ball is not that inflexible and I don’t think he’d be any more stodgy than Parcells could get at times.
Jimmy Johnson coming back and ’saving’ this team is just crap. He’s had his day in the sun. I don’t remember him taking Miami to any Superbowls when he had the chance.
I’m pissed too, but realistically, that ain’t gonna happen. Let’s have a seance and conjure up Tom Landry, Papa Bear Halas and Vince Lombardi while we’re at it.
This team is playing like each player is always waiting for the next guy to step up and make something happen, when nobody ever steps up.
If Romo can’t man-up and get these guys fired up, maybe TO can. He’s got the chops, he should blister every one’s ass.
On D, Zach Thomas has been around and has respect, him or Hamlin or Henry or Tank or friggin some one needs to challenge the other players to bring their ‘A’ game every week.
If these guys have one ounce of pride between them, they will ramp it up for Tampa.
I’m going to have to agree with Tex…BStew looks like a deer in the headlights. We are not an attacking defense, we are always on our heels, reacting instead of dictating. Other coaches seem to be doing more with less. There’s an old joke about…the executions will continue until morale improves…there’s nothing like a good ceremonial execution to get everyone’s attention. Administer the last rites to BStew.
DRG6976- I liked the Border Patrol Defense reference in post#3
We could say the same about our O-Line.
Cower will do whatever his talent allows and the talent here allows him to throw or pass. IMO he runs first passes later if given the choice. I seriously doubt he lets Romo throw as much as he does now, and he most certainly would discourage many of Romo’s specific throwing decisions, eliminating many big plays.
I also think he is much more conservative with a lead, which has driven all of us crazy, especially with this defense. Maybe he fixes the defense and puts the game in their hands? Percentages say that is what he should do, but all this plays against the excitement that is Romo.
I don’t know how I feel about that. I know for a fact this roster would look different, maybe on balance better, but certainly different.
Mad, I hope you aren’t suggesting Mendenhall over Jones.
but will lean toward conservative play if given a choice. He would have that choice here because of the size of the offensive line.
Who wouldn’t?
As far as sacrificing passing yards goes, I believe Tommy Buddox averaged a 300-yard passing game roughly once every four starts as Cowher’s signal-caller. Of course, the Steelers actually had a losing record in those games because, well, Tommy Buddox sucks.
Also, why in the world wouldn’t Cowher be able or willing to fully utilize Felix Jones?
boo boo, disregard the part after the Mad line.
RHA,
Mendenhall over Felix? No way. Very early on before the draft, I thought Jerry drafting a Hog just for the sake of drafting a hog sounded just a little too rinky dink. However, I changed my tune on Felix well before the draft.
All the pass protection comment about Felix meant is I think he’s good enough to be a starter right now or get the majority of the carries, and that him being able to be fully trusted protecting Romo would be the only barrier between him being the feature back sooner than later. Given what I’ve seen there’s no reason to believe he shouldn’t be the featured back by his 3rd season if not sooner.
If Romo only passes for 3,500 yards but Felix and the Barbarian are both right around 1,000 yards, fine.
If these players don’t get it turned around soon there probably will be major changes in the offseason. And I don’t just mean Wade and Stewart. There’s several players who are playing for contracts and others entering their later contract years that are viably cutable.
Canty ($2 million salary), Colombo ($2 million), Burnett ($0.5 million). Which of these guys gets a big offer to stay if the season ended now? It could be none.
Roy Williams (SS) probably just played his last game as a Cowboy. His cap charge is $6.6 million this year and $7.35 in 09 ($4.4 million base salary). It’s the second last year of his contract, think he’ll see that? I don’t, that’s a $4.4 million saving right there.
Anthony Henry’s cap charge this year is $5.6 million. Who thinks he’s worth that? Yep, nobody. Next year, his last year under contract, Henry’s cap charge is $5.6 million (base salary of $2.6 million) and he’s due a roster bonus of $1 million in March. Who thinks he mightn’t see that roster bonus? I think he might be gone unless he renegotiates and extends for less and moves to Safety.
My understanding of Zach Thomas’ contract is that it rises significantly for the next year through to 2012. But there is also some sort of get out clause after this year. While I don’t think Zach’s been bad, is the 35 year old Linebacker worth investing long term big money in?
Tank Johnson’s cap charge this year is very cheap (600,000 with possible 300,000 bonus incentives) but his contract is up after this season. What has he done to deserve a pay rise?
That might seem harsh cleaning house like that Defensively but why pay these guys big money for the performance we’ve got so far? Let’s look at the Defensive stats after 7 games;
Overall D
24th in scoring (25 points a game)
15th in yards per play (5.1 per play)
30th in penalty’s
Passing D
16th in passing yards allowed per game
17th in yards per pass (7.0)
20th in completion % (62.6)
29th in Interceptions (4)
24th in opponents QB rating (93.4)
Rushing D
13th in rushing allowed per game.
14th in yards per rush (4.0)
They’re average or worse in every significant defensive category. Why is anyone on this D getting 5 million plus dollars? If guys are coming off contract we should be showing as many the door as possible and giving others a go. What have we got to lose by letting Carpenter and Hatcher very cheaply replace Canty and Thomas? What about Watkins and Courtney Brown filling in for Roy Williams permanently? What about saying goodbye to Henry and just letting Jenkins and Scandrick take over (maybe the reasonably priced Pacman too)? If Tank wants big dollars let him go and draft a big guy to split with Ratliff. Do all that and you’ve freed significant cap space that we could hopefully attempt to add an actual good or heaven forbid dominant player to our DLine via free agency.
On offense we need to be careful not to overpay for Marc Colombo either. He’s not going to get less rigid as he moves into his 30’s and beyond. We are already overpaying for one old, rigid and slow OT let’s not make it two.
I hope Doug Free gets it together real fast. If he doesn’t, use our 2nd round pick to Draft a Center, move numskull Gurode to RG where he doesn’t have to snap the ball and move Kosier to RT where he wouldn’t be any worse than Colombo and possibly better, let Colombo walk. There’s not much we can do about Flow, we’re stuck with him for the next few years but at least this way it eliminates Gurode’s crazy snaps and Colombo’s speed rush weaknesses. Or, another option would be, use our second to Draft an OG and send Chunk Davis over to RT, he’d certainly be better than Colombo.
Anyway, I’m not as pessimistic as this post sounds, I’m just contemplating scenarios out loud (so don’t drill me for speculating either please).
I actually (perhaps stupidly) think that they can turn it around and make a strong push to finish the year and make the playoffs. And once there, hey who knows, anything can happen, but if they don’t heads should role and I mean players not just coaches.
Does anyone know the salary cap ramifications if Roy Williams #38 has played his last game in a Cowboy uniform?
Sorry,just seen the last post.Thanks
Jim Vance,
JJ & Miami to the Super Bowl, huh? As I remember, he brought our Cowboys to two and had them well on their way to 3 or 4 in a row until egos got the best of he and Jerry’s relationship. Coach of the greatest team in history, had he not parted ways.
Maybe we are reaching to fix “lost seasons”. I’ll give you that. But hey I was the one saying get one of the Ryans in here when Parcells left, or bringing in a young upstart defesive coordinator with Turner. Instead Jerry and a large part of the folks here were chanting “the clown’s” name (Phillips that is).
The guy is a loser! He is a clown …. and every second he is on the sidelines of the Dallas Cowboys, I loose faith … we should all loose faith. .. The problem is I have been saying that for a year and a half …. and the people (or person as in Jones) who matter, and make the desicions for this team don’t see it that way. …. I said to get rid of “the clown” last year when the Cowboys were like 6-1, and was insistant that the Cowboys will go nowhere with this “clown” as a coach. He is a goof ball, and the only way the Cowboys will win is despite of him, never because of him!
Keeping him on the sidelines for another SECOND makes no sense. He is worthless. If this season is “lost”, then lets move on NOW .. without “the clown”!!!
The only way to send a message to Jerry is by hitting his pocketbook. Nothing sounds the alarm for change with him like empty seats/suites, diminishing souvenir sales, and less advertising revenue.
Wow, those Monday Night Countdown bastards just absolutely wrecked Jerry Jones and his dysfunctional team. What’s worse is that they absolutely seemed to be enjoying the hell out doing it. I guess ESPN would go off the air if it wasn’t for Farve and the Cowboys. My fault for tuning in I guess.
Last time Hudson Houck was here, Flozell was an over weight under achiever, from what i have read, the two never got along very well. Then Bill came in and whipped his ass into shape. Tony Sparano was a lot like Bill.
I told some Dolphins fans that I work with that they were getting one hell of a coach. I didnt realize how right I was.
A good friend of mine that’s a Vikings fan asked me yesterday “What in the hell would the Cowboys want two quarterbacks that couldn’t cut it with the Vikings for? If they couldn’t help the Vikes, they sure as hell couldn’t help the Boys.”
I didn’t have a good answer for him. I sure never understood the Bollinger signing.
Alright fellas, I’m starting to agree Tex on some things and it’s making me feel dirty.
I’m done pouting about this game and this season. They have an opportunity to form a real bunker mentality and I hope they realize they have to win them one at a time. The next three games are winnable. The Bucs let a sorry Seahawk team hang around last night and the Giants and Skins haven’t dazzled anyone the last couple weeks.
I understand the team is at a low point and I sound like a homer. Well, you’re damn right! The Boys have given me a lot of thrills over the years and I still don’t believe this is a 4-12 team, so they should give me a few more before the season is over.
Everyone hammering on Jerrah Jones, at least he does what he believes will help his team win. Leaving no stone unturned. I can live with that. As a St. Louis Cardinal baseball fan, the thing that frustrates me about them is they will not spend money in the offseason to help the roster. No such problem with the Boys.
I don’t have big documentation on how, but I still think they’ll turn it around. If not, maybe they can get Drew Henson to start Sunday and we can rag Tex.
Mike Nolan is now available to coach up this defense.
Bring him in. TOMORROW! I see no reason Stewart should get another check from this organization
Illcowboy,
What tells you more about the Bucs? That they slacked off and gave up some garbage time points after leading the Seahawks 17-0 or whatever the score was or that they absolutely throttled Carolina? I take more from the latter. BJ will surely suck even worse against the Bucs and considering they intercepted Jake Delhomme thrice, what is Romo with a dinged up digit going to do? If these boys couldn’t make mince meat out of the Lamb Chops, you’re kidding yourself if you think the Bucs is the team they get going against.
madmick, I forgot about the asswhupping they put on Carolina. Jeff Garcia against our defense actually worries me more. I guess I’d rather find a reason to watch the game. I know our team isn’t as bad as they’ve been playing and not as good as we thought they should be. Tampa is a good team, but beatable. The Boys have to start somewhere and Tampa would be a quality win. Trust me, I know it will take a 180 degree turn from yesterday to beat them.
The sky has fallen, the sky has fallen!!!
Now what?
First the season is not over and it is not lost. Someone needs to get pissed off. Jerrry, Wade, Ellis, Barber, Folk, waterboy, someone. Someone needs to tell the HBO HArd Knocks super stars that they are not all that, and everyone outside of Dallas is laughing at you, nobody respects you, no one cares about your peceived talent level. Nobody gives a $h!t about your injuries. Untill you prove that you can man up for 3 or 4 games straight no one will take you seriously.
That is the first thing.
Next the coaches have to find out what their identities will be on both sides of the ball. The coordinators are young and think they are talented enough to game plan around their talent from week to week. The Cowboys are not that good. They need 3 or 4 signature plays on both sides of the ball that opponents fear and game plan against, not look forward to.
And if anyone gets the can, its the ST coach. But since I haven’t heard anything about him being fired I guess he is around to stay as well. That is the weakest link. If the Cowboys can find an identity on both sides of the ball and be consistant with it they can make it out of this mess by december into a playoff berth. If not even if they do maek it to the playoffs it will be more of the same. One and done.
First time I’ve checked the site all day and I see a Johnny Cash reference.
THAT Raf is cool.
I’m done with analyzing for now, either Dallas is going to dig its way out or its going down the pooper.
You know what I want to see?
I honest to god just want to see a Dallas Cowboys get fined for a brutal hit.
Is that wrong for me to want?
I want to see some f’n passion. If Dallas loses the lose, but I just want to see the guys out there play with the same passion that the team in Austin is playing with right now.
Would anyone else like to see Dallas show fire when the hit?
I am also not a guy who thinks you have to yell to be a good leader or a coach, but I WANT to see someone pissed. I want a little f’n emotion.
To all those RockyIII references: It was the best of the series, love mr t, running and hugging on the beach was the gayest thing I ever saw(not that there is anything wrong with that). Maybe we could get Carl Weathers to come back and play some more TE in the NFL(Cleveland wasn’t it?).
AFB,
Bullets made that hit. A couple of times. Once was when the ST player for the Rams was hurt. The other was on D. It made me come out of my seat. I think that was the highlight of the game for me.
Sad.
Yeah but bullets, as much as people here despise him, always plays with heart.
Talent, he is small, but you know the dude plays with emotion.
I want other guys too. I’m just pissed. Not sad, just pissed.
These guys break my heart. I don’t know if they are as talented as we thought they were, but they are SURE AS HELL talented enough to beat the Rams.
No one is getting fired.
If you fired the culprit(s) respnsible, no one would be left to call plays or field enough active players D. Ware, Owens can’t do everything.
That was a compliment to bullets. He is a fired up player. Not the most talented, but a neobates if you will.
What is sad is that that was the highlight of the game for me.
This was not the same Rams team that played at the beginning of the season.
This team is playing motivated and inspired after a coaching change. They play fearless. I would not be suprised if they made them selves competitive for post season play.
I wish our coaches could inspire such play.
I really hate reading about “draft” and “offseason” at Week 8.
illcowboy,
you said it.
does anyone out there really think this is a 4-12 team?
Hell, campo took teams far worse to 5 wins.
No one is sugarcoating anything around this blog. This team just needs to suck it up and get back to taking care of their business.
Tex,
I think you’re going to see stewart relieved of some significant duties this week. I think the defense will be simplified, and the offense tweaked.
Couple that with the lines playing better fundamentally, and the boys can get right back on track this week.
wouldn’t mind seeing romo back though.
elharpo,
i wouldnt be shocked if the rams get spanked soon.
they looked “inspired” b/c the cowboys were just plain flat. that was wade’s biggest shock. its the first time he has seen this team quit.
Sorry Elwood but I’m just trying to talk about something other than “we suck, fire wade and stewart, we have no heart, no passion, no brains etc”. It seems to be pretty well covered by everyone else so I was trying to start talking about something different. Seems nobodies interested anyhow.
AFB2,
I was thinking about the physical play earlier. What happened to when they knocked half the Bears defense out for the year? Other teams used to know when they played the Cowboys. The injury report reflected it the next week. I don’t know that they’ve had games like that this year. In fact, the Cowboys have been dropping like flies.
I have a motto when I’m at work, “If I can’t fix it, I’ll beat the hell out of it.” Maybe our Boys can take the same mentality. They’re evidently going to get penalties anyway.
Has anyone seen the line yet for the Dallas-Bucs game yet? If Romo doesn’t play I think Tampa could be favored by at least a touchdown, and I don’t think they’d have much problem covering. Garcia is playing lights out, Antonio Bryant is playing well and coming home, and their two-headed RB combo is averaging 4.8 yards per carry. With Graham and Dunn rushing and Garcia with his dink-and-dunk passes, I could see Tampa controlling the clock for like 34 minutes.
And if it’s Brad Johnson at QB? Uh oh. I know he’ll be playing his former team. but that and a nickel will get you…well, nothing. Tampa’s defense is playing very well against quality offenses.
Raf, my main point above was that those earlier Cowboy teams had players with attitude and heart. They weren’t just showhorses, but workhorses. And yes, say what you will about the 1970 team, but at least a strong core of it had indeed won a playoff game, even if it was in 1967. Do I need to go into the postseason futility of this latest squad? They have never proven squat. When are we going to see someone throw a helmet 40 yards downfield like Bob Lilly did?
Watching the Denver New England game is just as painful as watching us against the Rams. Turnovers, stupid penalties, the other team running up their arses, QB going out with an injured finger, top corner going out with a groin injury. Incredible the parallels.
the only diff is they’re loosing against the Patsies who happened to be a good team last year and this year at least they’re better than the Rams, dude….we got fuc…edfor 24 points by those guys in the 1st qtr man….id rather be Denver right now to be honest. We have to many injuries and too many mental issues going on with the team plus the pressure to make the playoffs and do good……we were just meant to make some noise this season, we’ve sucked. Denver has nothing to loose.
I know Luke I didn’t mean it wasn’t worth talking about, I’m just disappointed that we’re already looking at that.
Luke,
tank is the only guy who plays his lanes.
everyone loves ratliff but he ain’t doing the job against the run at NG.
The center takes him 1 on 1 and the guards get to attack our LB’s.
Move ratliff out to end and play spears/johnson at the nose.
t
Jarhead,
The Rams aren’t devoid of talent. They just sucked for whatever reason. They got confidence against the Redskins and showed it off against us. When teams have confidence they move a little faster, and hit a little harder. They just beat two teams from the “almighty NFC East” It will carry them a little bit.
Good list Luke.
I wonder if there’s any doubt that we make a move towards someone like Albert Haynesworth next year?? If he’s not franchised. I know everyone hates him ’cause of what he did to Gurode but this guy is a beast. Bring him in and move Rat to DE. Let Canty and Tank both go.
Then let Burnett and Zach go. I like both those guys but Zach is just too old and Burnett can’t stay healthy. I say make a move on LB Karlos Dansby or even Bart Scott next year. They would both be big upgrades on this team.
elharpo,
forget about ellis being a leader. he’s had his chance the last few years and he acts like a baby in the off season complaining about his position and $$. He is by far the worse tackler on the team.
Now teams are isolating him with a RB and making him cover someone.
Best guess for leadership may be Hamlin and possibly Tank.
Tell the d-line to stop over pursuing, use different blitz packages and maybe give carpenter a shot.
he made a nice tackle yesetrday against jackson when james got hurt.
Elwood,
Arghh, yep, I get you. And yeah I sure didn’t think it would be coming up this early either. I don’t know what else to talk about with Dallas though. We all know what they need to do, we’ve been saying it here endlessly for about 3 weeks now. I simply need to talk about something else.
I don’t know who the leader will be, but you got my attention when you said different blitz package.
I’m no coach but I know what’s coming on defense. On 2nd and long 3-4 front blitz from up the midlle. On 3rd and long 4 man front blitz from the middle of the slot.
The coverages, this game were not as predictable. However they were still very vanilla, and with two rookie DB’s not very hard to beat.
Good Lord, I’m just a fan whose only seen each game once and I can break down the Cowboys defensive trends. Just think what a professional can do.
Oneforthethunb,
Yeah, Tank sometimes holds his ground against a double team the way Ratliff can’t quite seem too but Tank does get pushed around a fair bit as well. I just don’t think either of these guys are capable of being a great NT. Don’t get me wrong, I think they can be solid players at NT, and I think Ratliff is a very good player in general, but I don’t think either of them are suited to NT.
Kam,
On bringing in another Middle-linebacker through free agency; I don’t know if it’s worth it. If we land a great NT our middle-linebackers will look much better and if we don’t land a great NT it won’t matter who we’ve got at MLB because their going to be facing charging OG’s all year anyway. Save the money and just Draft someone in the later rounds for MLB and let James and Carpenter play.
For all of you who is saying that Phillips is a joke, a clown or whatever where were you last year when this team was 13-3. Where were you after the first two games this year when everyone was talking Cowboys and Super Bowl?
Look at the Cowboys injury report. Koisier, Romo, FJones, Mcbrair, Tnew, Burnett, RWilliams1, Wadkins, Spencer, Hurd, Ajones, then there are the ones playing hurt Bjames, Tjohnson. That is 13 regulars and 1/4 of the starters missing.
Maybe we should have kept Ferguson.
Sue? Shirley, you can’t be serious!
Seriously, if the Patsies can thrash the Broncos, why couldn’t we beat St. Louis and Arizona?
I present you, the 2008 Dallas Cowboys! Paper Chumps, Lifeless Lumps.
I don’t see a leader emerging from this team anytime soon. T.O. has too much of a reputation to be taken seriously by the team. Romo, as has been mentioned previously, is too goofy, and has too much of a circus life with Jessica.
Witten? Ratliff? Ware? Maybe. It’s up to them, if they have the courage. But the guy who may have the most clout on that team is Zach Thomas.
The most amusing thing now as a fan, is if they can right this ship. Can they salvage this season, with all the craziness going on around them, or will they fold and go back to square one in the off-season?
I think we all have adjusted our expectations for this team. We started the season expecting them to tear it up. Perhaps not 13-3 tear it up, but at least 12-4 or 11-5 tear it up.
With Nolan just getting fired in SF? Can SOB survive the season? I know Raf and a lot of you don’t think it’s a good thing to fire a coach mid-season, and I too have my doubts, but if this team tanks….. all bets are off.
As bad as the Cowboys’ defense is, how ’bout dem Broncos? Their defense is even worse!
Probably heresy to most Barber fans but the Cowboys are 4-4 since Barber became the starter. Teams don’t have to game plan to stop him. He works hard and he seems to be a good guy but teams don’t fear him and that lets teams game plan to stop other things. He was superb in his goal line and late game role when his fresh legs took their toll on defenses. He is average in a starting role. When he started the playoff game last year everything changed. While his numbers looked good for one half, the team changed from an explosive team to a long drive team against the Giants that didn’t put up points like they did with with more speed at the tailback position…even if it was Julius Jones. Barber should be used in the role that he does best and he should not be overused.
On defense, I think their personnel still fits a 4-3 better but if they are going to play a 3-4 then they need to find ways to improve play from Canty, James (probably use Burnett full time instead when healthy), get Spencer healthy and have him take over for Ellis on most downs and use Ellis in various spots as a situational rusher and get Newman healthy. Everything changes when Newman is healthy. When he is healthy, he plays well and he makes everyone around him better. The bad run started when Newman tried to play banged up against Washington.
When your team has been underperforming consistently over the end of one season and the beginning of another then whats wrong
with firing the coach? Maybe not yet but Jerrah needs to put wade on warning that if by the bye things are not looking better overall he is gone.
For anyone still wonder who is the real coach of the Cowboys read the 2nd half of the first page.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/writers/peter_king/10/20/week7/index.html?eref=T1
Then for everyone screamng that Wade has to go and to bring Jimmy back, or Cower..why would anyone who is not a yes man want to come to Dallas to coach.
For anyone wondering who is the real head coach of the Cowboys read about half way down the first page of this article.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/writers/peter_king/10/20/week7/index.html?eref=T1
I was listening to my local sports talk tonight and they had this one guy who comes on the show every week. He is supposedly a big Cowboys fan. He said the following plus actually predicted the Cowboys draft picks for next year. I was a little bit surprised to hear about the draft so early in the year.
This is what he had to say -
Wade would be fired at seasons end
Red Bull would be the new HC
Norn Turner will be fired at SD and will then be hired as the new Cowboys OC working under Red Bull
Dom Capers will be named the new DC
The Cowboys will not switch back to the 4-3 and will continue to play a 3-4
Coach Joe will be brought back to coach special teams
His Dallas mock draft went like this (I have not heard of all these guys so not sure if he is full of crap or not)
2. OT - Xavier Fulton - Illinois
3. ILB - Jasper Brinkley - South Carolina
4. OG - Tyronne Green - Auburn
4. S - Louis Delmas - Western Michigan
5. DE/LB - Brandon Swain - West Texas A&M
7. DT - Marlon Favorite - LSU
7. OLB - Orion Martin - Virginia Tech
Unless there is some big turnaround, Wade’s gone. OK.
But please, Stop with the JIMMY JOHNSON crap!
This is 2008 you guys! We are not reliving pre-salary cap days.
1) Why would he want to? It’s a no-win situation if he came back.
2) the dude is a little older, you know?
3) this is a different NFL. Parcells couldn’t do it, and Gibbs didn’t do it in Wash. You can’t just hire a guy from the Glory Days and then expect them to come back.
We are not Marty McFly and cannot go Back to the Future!!
Raf, post 50-I’m starting to tune them out. I’m sure not going to be planning my Sundays around watching this team for a few weeks until they prove they deserve my time.
Post 55–you have good sources, but I hope JJ sees the light and drops it. Of course, if Cowher comes in it may work better.
JJ could bring in Jesus to coach this team, and they still wouldn’t win; they’d still suck as bad as they do today. The sole reason… JJ himself. in 95, the team pulled together and won, Switzer had nothing to do with that. This team hasn’t won a playoff game since 96. This means that this team hasn’t had a good coach since Jimmy Johnson. Ever since JJ thought he could coach the team, this team has sucked.
I’m not advocating for Jimmy to come back. He couldn’t get paid enough to put up with JJ’s sh*t. I’m afraid this team is becoming the Raiders, and JJ is looking more and more like Al Davis. I surely hope all of you who have paid for any seats in the new stadium call and get your money back because the Cowboys are a fraud.
Hey, I hear Lane Kiffen is available…
No credit or that nickname?
9/18 thread?
*for* not *or*
1. The Defense sux. All of em. Canty, Tank, Spears, James, Thomas, Ellis, henry, all the SS’s, They all suk. hamlin is OK. Ratliff is OK. Ware is good, but he doesn’t dominate. He makes 1 good play and 2-3 decent plays a game, but he’s not the unstoppable beast everyone makes him out to be. Newman is OK, although, i have yet to see what the fuss is about. . .and the guy can’t stay healthy. What have ANY of these guys done. NOTHING! Not this year, and not ever.
2. Does anyone think the undefeated Titans will just let Haynesworth go? He’s the best defensive player in the league. Nobody is that stupid, so please don’t be yourself.
3. I hate talking draft midseason, and I don’t really think it’s possible, but ayone watch UT and notice the D-linemen Roy Miller and Brian Orakpo? Damn those guys are good. I wish the Cowboys could get their hands on them.
. . .and speaking of UT, anyone watch that Mizzou game and think that Colt McCoy looks like Tony Romo without the penchant for mistakes?
4. This team is not a team. It’s the Bengals. A collection of high picks that have raw talent, but don’t know how to be a football team. they don’t have the leadership to teach, forge and control them. I’m not talking about Bill Parcells type of control where nobody can speak or sit without his permission, I mean a guy who knows exactly how to treat each guy to get the best out of him, knows how to inspire them to be their best on every play and instills confidence in everyone - players, coaches, jerry, the media and the fans, that he’s in charge and he know’s EXACTLY what to do.
5. Speaking of Parcell’s - didn’t he say when he left, that this team was “unreachable”. they made the same mistakes over and over, and just when they finally fixed a mistake, they let new ones spring up? Most of these guys are the same people still. Maybe he was right about them.
My 2 cents worth - things are never as bad or as good as they seem. You’d think we had the SB in the bag after week 3 - the media were already annointing us. Now we’re dead and buried - by the same mediots.
A little while ago I posted an analysis by Football Outsiders of our injury record over the past 5 years - and how it was by far the best in the league.
Now injuries happen in football and perhaps luck is catching up with us, but the thing the bothers me is the nature of our injuries:
Kosier comes back and is re-injured
RW comes back and breaks the same arm
Watkins comes back and is re-injured
Hurd comes back in and is re-injured
Spencer & Felix both have hamstring issues - these are things that relate to training and stretching regimes.
What’s changed in our training / medical team? Maybe we’ve got complacent here too.
Wade should shake things up with a 4-3 against TB. He has the players, they play it during the season, and it is easier to control the gaps.
We have a great tackle and DE rotation for a 4-3 with Spears, Tank and Rat as tackles, and Ellis and Canty at end with Rat backing them up. Our linebackers look better too with Spencer backing up Ware, Carpenter backing up James and Thomas and Burnett backing up Thomas and playing all nickle and dimes.
Seems like an idea who’s time has come.
From day one, Phillips has looked lost, befuddled on the sidelines. The guy is a clown!! … I am waiting for Raf to do another piece on the “Phillip’s effect”. Lets talk about how two “walk through camps” and a SOFT approach has led to a talented team having NO DISCIPLINE and spiraling out of control … that my friends is the “Phillips’ effect”!!
Keyshawn made the best analysis about coaching. He idealized, that a team will continue “their ways”, and even step up their game during the first year when a new coach is brought in, but you don’t see the new coach’s effect until later, usually in the second year. … That comparison is so true. Its just like any person when they get a new boss. If the previous boss was strict, you tend to continue your structured routine, but then conform as you get more comfortable with the new guy. … Incase you all are missing this, the Dallas Cowboys are headed in the wrong direction! They have no structure!!
Like Jimmy Johnson, I believe that this is correctable. The only problem is, Wade “the clown” Phillips is not the guy that is going to change the discipine of this team. That is why NOW is the best time to make a change!!
This team isn’t going anywhere with good ole Wade! It could though, if Jerry swallowed his damn pride and hired a guy that would bring structure.
Eric R.
Didn’t this same group of players lead or rank near the league lead in penalties for Bill Parcells, who was one of the hardest asses around?
Didn’t this team’s special teams suck for Bruce DeHaven, who *was* considered one of the best ST coaches in the business before he came to Dallas?
Phillips teams do lack discipline. But so did Parcells, and I’m sure Bill tried his damndest to run a tight ship.
Bringing in a hard coach could help, but only if that coach had the latitude to make some serious personnel changes.
Seriously, who’s here who wasn’t here in ‘05? Leonard Davis on offense and Ken Hamlin on defense. That’s it.
The players are accountable too, Eric.
Raf,
There is soft .. and then there is Wade Phillips soft.
Maybe you are right and there is no turn around for this group. My point, even if there is, Wade is not the guy that will turn them. Don’t we have to challenge these players to see?
If the group has no “turn around”, then the organization must start the process of determining which of them do have “team concepts” and “the fight to overcome advercity”. Keeping Mr. “Camp Fluff” isn’t going to help this process either. At this point, he is worthless.
The guy is a loser! 30+ years in the league and no championship … its unheard of! You know and I know, I was calling for his head last year when the Boys were 6-1, 7-1. I kept saying, if the Cowboys win, it will be despite of Wade, not because of him. Jerry made a critical mistake by bringing him here. Cut your losses and move on!!
Now everyone keeps saying Jimmy coming here is a pipe dream. He is over the hill? … I don’t think so. Garrett played for Johnson. Houk and Campo coached with him. Jimmy took a group with some malcontents (Haley, Irvin) and turned those guys into leaders, and created an atmosphere of “team”. It is not cliche to say winning is an attitude! You know that Raf, you have seen the Michael Irvins and Troy Aikmans shape the character of a championship team. … There would be no harm in Jerry calling Jimmy and asking, “Do you think you can turn this thing around?” … I think he can! If not, Jimmy is still 10Xs better than what is here already!!
Eric,
And who would have been better? It was Wade or Norv Turner. Norv is an even worse coach and is proving it in San Diego. Yeah, it may be time to move on, but that’s not going to happen until 2009. Jerry doesn’t fire coaches mid-season, and I’m glad. That’s the type of thing the Atlanta Falcons and Detroit Lions of the world do.
Hey Raf,
I didn’t get to watch the whole game this weekend, but I did share your concern expressed in your prediction last week. To me, something is fishy, and I don’t mean tuna fishy. For the first three games of the season we looked like world beaters. There was fire. There was intensity. There was enthusiasm. I have not seen it since about the time of the Washington game. I made the comment then that it almost appeared to me that they knew before hand that they would not win the game. I still get that feeling. I know chemistry is important, but these guys are suppose to be professionals and do their jobs. If I did my job the way some of them have done theirs the last 4 weeks, I would be on the street.
Do you sence some kind of player rebellion? Could these guys just really not care that much? Is there no pride in a job well done?
Something about this does not sit well with me…
What do you know that you are not telling us?
watcher
Who would have been better? At the time I suggested one of the Ryan brothers, Rob or Rex … or Norv along with a firey defensive coordinator (Bud Foster Va Tech was my suggestion). No doubt Dallas needed a defensive minded coach … but Wade was the wrong choice, so lets move on.
You are right about the Atlantas and Dtroits. But their situations differ greatly from Dallas’. The Lions and Falcons are perenial losers and needed franchise make overs. The Cowboys don’t need dramatic changes … they need structure. Replacing a “clown” with a “general”, that is it. Not a change in offensive scheme … no need to boot the 3-4 … ain’t going to bring in the zone blocking scheme … just a guy who says “the buck stops here” … a coach who will bench the Bradie Jameses, Anthony Henrys, and Cris Cantys to send the message “if you aren’t going to execute as a team, then we will replace you” … a guy who will get in the face of a player who takes a dumb penalty (not hug and pat him on the back and say “it will be OK”). That is what this team needs, and it will take some time to start seeing a difference. They need a coach like Jimmy!
Raf,
Replacing Wade with Jimmy isn’t a huge change that says “the season is over”. Johnson has experience with Garrett, Houk, and Campo (maybe Zack Thomas too). The schemes will be the same. JJ will come in and practice execution. There is enough time to change the direction of this ship, but the longer you keep going in the wrong direction, the longer time it will take to right the ship. That is why the time is now!
Staying with Wade says “the season is over” because they aren’t going anywhere with this guy. … If Jimmy doesn’t jump at the opportunity, then hire within. Bottom line is Wade must go .. and must go ASAP!!