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2008-2009 Regular Season: Postgame -
Quality Versus Quantity
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- September 29, 2008 At
11:03 AM EST
- By
Eric M. Scharf
Even after all of our complaints about the Cowboys, both ignorant
and spot-on, what is really at the root of the problem is "quality
versus quantity" . . . just like I said regarding Romo's
interceptions (whether bad throw, bad route running, or incredible
play by the defender).
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- We all want to know that, at the end of the
day, the players played their brains out and the coaches schemed
like mad hatters. Remember the first year or two of Jimmy Johnson's
time? Yes, ruling through fear helped, but the players, no matter
how badly they were beaten during the 3-13 season, tried everything
they were asked to try (and then some) in order to get wins, QUALITY
wins.
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- The fans could smell what the team was cookin'. We did not
know when, where, or how, but we all knew something good was on the
horizon. The more we saw that team scratch and claw towards regular,
weekly victories, the more the anxiety killed us. And, then, when
the effort started paying off (the raw talent started to grow some
experience), the anxiety transformed into an adrenalin rush, where
we simply could not wait to see the next game.
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- Not like now, where
some of us are debating whether to TIVO the next game, or watch the
ESPN highlights / lowlights with one eye covered, or not watch the
game at all (like my father) and pray for the best. But I digress.
Quality over quantity is the mission statement here. Have you ever
noticed how the Eagles, Giants, and Redskins always want to take our
heads off? Forget the "jealous of America's Team" bit for a moment.
Even when each of those teams shows up with one or more of their
star players injured, what happens? They still bring the kitchen
sink.
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- They still look for blood. They still scratch, claw, and bite
their way towards potential victory. They do not sulk, they do not
smile or laugh it off during bad plays, and they do not back off . .
. even when they know they are down for good. THAT, RIGHT THERE, is
the QUALITY to which I am referring.
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- The Eagles and Bears,
regardless of the huge number of turnovers between them, displayed
the right stuff on Sunday night. HEART and BLOOD-THIRSTY EFFORT
equals the kind of quality I seek in my team, whether quality in
winning or losing. Yes, the Skins game represents only ONE loss from
just one quarter of the season, but where is the quality?
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- Where is
the effort we all look for that allows us to relent a bit, because
we know the team and coaching staff killed themselves and left every
last shred of effort on the field? We beat Cleveland handily, but we
still made stupid errors and did not dominate (a team that made
their own stupid errors).
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- We beat Green Bay somewhat handily, but we
still made stupid errors against an INJURY-DEPLETED defense, and we
had to rely on our running game to finish the job. We barely beat an
Eagles team missing its two starting wide receivers (who coughed up
the ball through dumb luck).
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- Where is the quality in that? NOT
perfection but quality (bleeding heart, exhaustive effort,
clever-and-thorough planning). Very few teams will roll over for you
in today’s NFL.
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- You need to keep your head on a swivel, even when
you are the best of the best, because a perennial loser may just
rise up and knock your head off when you least expect it, and in a
tight division race, when you most need a win.
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