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2010-2011 Regular Season: Bidding Fine Farewell
From Philly Before Formal Fitting For Cowboys Coaching Crown?
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- January
5, 2011
At 3:20 PM CST
By Eric M. Scharf
The postseason has arrived
and Dallas Cowboys fans everywhere are rejoicing!
The postseason has arrived and Dallas Cowboys fans everywhere are
rejoicing at their team's merciful absence from the playoffs . . .
for the first time since Dave Campo’s third straight 5-11 finish!
The postseason has arrived and Dallas Cowboys fans everywhere are
rejoicing . . . as if the wicked witch was dead!
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- America’s Nightmare is
finally over for America’s Team!
The season that was supposed to be such a magical mammoth for the
Dallas Cowboys has ended as quietly as a mouse.
Bottom Feeder
Bowl
Lost in the celebration of a failure finally finished is that the
Cowboys won their season finale against the Philadelphia Eagles.
One important detail not to be overlooked is how the Cowboys won
this game by playing all of their available starters against the
Eagles’ back-up players.
Attrition had stripped the Cowboys of several starters by the final
game of the season, but their starters were still on the field
Sunday afternoon at the Linc . . . and struggling mightily against
the Eagles’ second hand band.
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- The Cowboys were
conservatively catapulted through Philly by third string quarterback
Stephen “Mistake-Free” McGee, along with a grinding ground game
where Felix flew, McGee made the most of his motion, and Choice
churned . . . against a posse of pine riders.
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- The Cowboys were led on
defense by DeMarcus “De’ Sack King” Ware, Anthony “Alive And
Sacking” Spencer, and Terence “Two Tip-Toe” Newman, along with
Gerald “Get Some” Sensabaugh snagging his fifth interception of the
season . . . against some second string swabs.
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- People throughout the NFL
are fond of saying “a win is a win."
People throughout the NFL are also fond of saying "you play who you
are scheduled to play.”
People throughout the NFL are also fond of saying “you are what you
are."
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- The Cowboys offense was
big play neutral against the Eagles while the defense was big play
positive and negative – equally making them and giving them up.
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- The Cowboys were playing
in their own BCS game – the “Bottom Feeder Bowl” – making more
mistakes on their way towards a vanilla victory.
This season is gone but – like the relative handful of miserable
seasons in the long and storied history of the Dallas Cowboys
franchise – this season can never be forgotten.
This season needs to be used as fuel for a fantastic follow-up . . .
to what was a floundering failure at fulfillment.
Jason Garrett – or the next head coach of the Dallas Cowboys –
should have custom-framed posters of failed and successful seasons
throughout the locker rooms of both Valley Ranch and Cowboys
Stadium.
Each successful season poster will read “Potential Fulfilled: This
Could Be You!” and each failed season will read “Potential Failed:
This Could Be You!”
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- There could even be a
poster for the 2007 season. The image would show the New York Giants
celebrating in the background with the Cowboys skulking off the
field, and the tag line would read “Quality Before Quantity: This
Could Be You!”
13 wins regular season wins and first seed ranking for the playoffs
are only great accomplishments if you know what to do with them
moving forward.
These images would remind the entire organization – from owner to
coach to scout to player – that it takes consistently renewed effort
to develop, maintain, and grow a winning history of which you can be
proud . . . and it takes mere moments to demolish that history.
Successful teams – from any franchise – pass along their winning
ways with the desire to see the dedication and devotion to winning
continued . . . rather than wasted.
The Dallas Cowboys organization is one of only a handful of “old
money” teams – along with the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Green Bay
Packers, the San Francisco 49ers, the Oakland Raiders, the
Washington Redskins, and the New York Giants – who have a long
history of winning, winning on a regular basis, and winning big.
The New England Patriots – as ridiculous as it may sound – have only
been enjoying similarly consistent success over the past decade
(with respect to solid Super Bowl blips from Raymond Berry and Bill
Parcells) . . . but that may be all that counts in a sport that
focuses on the here and now rather than past greatness.
None of the teams listed here were perfect out of the gate, none of
them have been successful forever, and none of them have been
without their multi-year miseries – brought on by a toxic tonic of
poor decisions, poor play, and poor luck.
Do you remember the Steelers before Bubby Brister’s flash in the
pan, Tommy Maddox’s recovery, and Ben Roethlisberger’s arrival? Mark
Malone and Todd Blackledge were generally brutal to watch after
Terry Bradshaw’s retirement.
Do you remember the Packers before Aaron Rogers was finally allowed
to breathe or Brett Favre began walking on water in Green Bay? It
was a long punishing period between Bart Starr and the Don “The
Majik Man” Majkowski.
Do you remember the Raiders before Rich Gannon almost reached three
straight Super Bowls – only to come up short against the Ravens and
Patriots before being fatally flogged by the Bucs in the big game?
Jeff Hostetler was tried and failed to make Oakland Super again
behind an offensive line that nearly got him killed. The Raiders had
to coax Jim Plunkett out of his tomb to regain any of the stability
of Kenny Stabler.
The sickening stories go on and on from team to team – showing fans
everywhere just how fragile rich winning histories have become and
can become.
Dallas fans need no such insufferable reminders, but in the event
any right-minded fan is bold enough to play revisionist history,
please start up the "Way Back Machine" and ponder the Cowboys own
quarterback quandaries.
The quarterback quality they had to endure between Danny White's
withering wrist and Troy Aikman's arrival . . . or between Aikman's
aching exit and Tony Romo's righteous revival of the quarterback
role. Not all fans appreciate just how good Danny White was in
following Roger "The Dodger" Staubach. While the Cowboys quandaries
this time around are varied, they are not quarterback-centric . . .
but I digress.
The 49ers, the Raiders, and the Redskins – regardless of the reasons
– have been unable to recapture the magic of their historically
winning traditions . . . and another star-crossed team could join
them if they do not get their house in long-term order.
The Cowboys – for their own sanity and that of their deliriously
dedicated fans – need to avoid joining this group of regular and
postseason flops. It is one thing to be absent from the postseason
for the better part of 15 years, and it is entirely something else
to add ripe regular season sorrow to the mix.
The Dallas Cowboys organization needs to consistently make every
reasonable mental, monetary, and physical effort to uphold their
rich winning tradition . . . or get used to playing in the “Bottom
Feeder Bowl."
Pro Bowl Flubs
People throughout the NFL are also fond of saying "Jason Witten,
Andre Gurode, Jay Ratliff, DeMarcus Ware, and Mat McBriar are Pro
Bowl players.”
Andre "God-awful" Gurode must have been a fan favorite even though
he seems to misfire a snap as often as David Buehler misses a kick .
. . and only two out of these five Pro Bowl selections – Jason
Witten and Mat McBriar – had consistently been doing their jobs all
season long.
Witten has no control over how many passes he receives – save peer
pressure and beating his defender to the open spot on his route. Add
to this fact that Witten was often asked to remain on the line for
additional blocking, and he had to compete for receptions with Miles
Austin, Dez Bryant, and even Roy Williams . . . and it is simply
amazing he accomplished what he did this year.
Failing to stop the run for most of the year and collecting cheap
sacks in bits and bunches against bad players and bench warmers does
not cut it for Ratliff and Ware.
"You face who you face whether your opponent is All-Pro or Joe
Blow," but if that logic holds true then Jay and DeMarcus should
have been even better than their numbers indicate . . . but I
digress with my uncompromising and unfair opinion.
Fans know Jay and DeMarcus are two of the best at what they do, but
fan "popularity voting" has clearly overpowered professional
"performance voting" for this year's Pro Bowl roster . . . turning
the Pro Bowl into an even bigger farce than ever before.
Some good players were vote-snubbed this year while others were
vote-flubbed.
Tin Man
Jason “Red Ball” Garrett was and remains beloved by fans for his
scrappy play and timely success as the former back-up to the
immortal Troy Aikman.
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- Jason “Tin Man” Garrett
was beloved for his offensive acumen in coordinating the 2007
Cowboys offense to a 13-3 record.
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- Tin Man – since that time
– has been accused of displaying truly offensive acumen in
conservatively coordinating the Cowboys offense . . . and
tight-lipped, almost Belichickian responses to interview questions.
Tin Man – since Wade’s fade – has been applauded for getting his
interim team to play with purpose . . . win or lose. While anything
is better than 1-7, the recent collapse against the Cardinals
brought back painful memories of Wade’s World . . . which has
tempered the atta’ boys being tossed Tin Man’s way.
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- Tin Man – it appears –
has a heart . . . and a plan and the resolve to pursue it to the
best of success.
Tin Man – and the rest of Cowboys Nation – will be learning shortly
if he will be allowed to continue putting all his heart and soul
into rebuilding the Dallas Cowboys into lean, mean, fighting
machines . . . rather than allowing them to remain the bumbling,
stumbling, fumblers of 2010.
Rebuilding – yes, I said it. When your team reasonably and
realistically requires 2-4 personnel improvements on both offensive
and defensive units, as well as a potential new defensive
coordinator to get the most out of that group . . . rebuilding is
the appropriate word.
Can the rebuilding be accomplished through the April 2011 NFL draft
and a few shrewd free agent pick-ups? Absolutely . . . depending
upon your approach and how choose to acknowledge what you really
have versus what you really need.
I wrote an article about this very topic in late 2009 – as it
pertains to business in general – entitled “Acknowledge Your
Limitations Or Risk Your Resources.” It certainly applies to the
Dallas Cowboys on a certain level . . . but I digress.
Passing On
Pasqualoni?
Does Paul Pasqualoni deserve an opportunity to install his preferred
defensive scheme in the presence of a completely healthy defensive
unit? Yes and no.
Teams – and their fans – expect coaches to successfully alter their
preferred systems to fit available players. The Steelers, for
example, live and die with zone defenses, but they also manage some
successful man-to-man coverage as well. The ability to play all
types of coverages is great-but-unrealistic, the ability to play
some is good, and the ability to play none is the Cowboys’ true
Achilles heel in the defensive secondary.
What if Dom Capers can be pried away from the Packers or Todd Bowles
can be pried away from the Dolphins and offered the necessary title
of Assistant Head Coach / Defensive Coordinator?
Would those choices allow the Cowboys to take a pass on Pasqualoni .
. . or should Paul, again, be allowed to work his system into place
with the benefit of a full off-season and a full complement of
healthy starting-quality players?
Fans would be wise to remind themselves – once again – that
inserting a successful coach into a new venue with new (and
different) resources does not guarantee the same success . . .
immediate, long-term, or otherwise.
If Dom Capers could bring a few of his defensive stars with him from
Green Bay, then, fans would be right to have higher expectations.
Reality indicates otherwise but Capers – just like his offensive
counterpart, Packers head coach Mike McCarthy – has succeeded in
getting far more out of a beaten up and injured defensive unit than
anyone thought possible. The Cowboys – at this point – should be all
about coaches who get more out of less.
While Todd Bowles is highly respected throughout NFL circles – and
remains so within the Cowboys locker room – he may have Miami’s poor
results held against him just as Pasqualoni has been potentially
framed for his defensive failures.
Mike Nolan – Miami's current defensive coordinator – might be met
with even greater skepticism than Bowles, as Nolan is at the top of
the defensive decision-making food chain.
Mike Zimmer is at least as respected as Bowles within the Cowboys
organization, but the smoke needs to clear in Cincinnati before his
interest can be determined. While Marvin Lewis is set to return with
a new contract, he may opt to go with a different defensive leader .
. . although with Zimmer's squad keeping the Bengals' bungling
offense in many games, it is hard to imagine Zimmer being allowed to
zoom off.
Dave Wannstedt – who was unable to dig himself out of a pit at Pitt
– could be a dark horse only if he is interested in leaving the less
pressurized ranks of college football. No one questions his
defensive expertise, he has never appeared to be ego-driven, and
Jerry and Jason have nothing but praise for him.
While Eric "Man Genius" Mangini was recently cleaved from his title
as Cleveland head coach, his defensive results have become less
stingy and more dingy – ever since his first and final successful
year with the New York Jets. Fans – more importantly – must wonder
if he is interested in buckling down onto one discipline and
remaining focused on it . . . rather the distraction of building
towards another top job.
Whoever becomes the next head coach of the Dallas Cowboys will want
exactly that: no distractions for the people charged with coaching
the player personnel. Head coaching jobs are and should be awarded
to those coaches who demonstrate their ability to focus on their
exclusive tasks – regardless of their available resources – and
those given to them in an emergency capacity and realize successful
results.
If fans have learned anything from this season’s Dallas debacle, it
is that you should assume nothing and expect everything in every
facet associated with professional football . . . just like
America’s Team must start doing on a regular basis.
Will They Or
Won't They?
Cowboys fans are eager to see the next head coach selected and the
team started down a new path of enlightenment as soon as possible.
Fans who experience far less than they expected naturally want
drastic changes and immediate results.
Fans – no matter how frustrated they may be – must prepare
themselves for one or more additional days before the next head
coach of the Dallas Cowboys is announced.
Fans – no matter how frustrated they may be – must prepare
themselves for one or more additional days before the next head
coach of the Dallas Cowboys acknowledges any impending changes to
his coaching staff.
Fans – no matter how frustrated they may be – must prepare
themselves for one or more additional days before the next head
coach of the Dallas Cowboys announces who will be staying and who
will be leaving his coaching staff.
Fans – no matter how frustrated they may be – must prepare
themselves for one or more days, weeks, or months before the next
head coach of the Dallas Cowboys acknowledges any impending changes
to his roster: cuts of existing players, pursuit of other players,
and plans for the April NFL draft.
Fans – no matter how frustrated they may be – know the routine, know
they have no control over it, and know they must wait like everyone
else.
Will they or won't they? The answers are coming – as always –
whether fans like what they hear or not.
Go Time
While a handful of NFL teams are busy preparing for their playoff
games and a chance to inch closer to a grid iron appearance in the
Super Bowl, the Dallas Cowboys are preparing to announce their next
full-time head coach.
Will that next coach be Tin Man?
Will that next coach be making over his coaching staff?
Will that next coach be working closely with Jerry Jones to make
long-term alterations to the landscape of the Cowboys’ player
roster?
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- Will that next coach be
following the yellow brick road in leading the Dallas Cowboys back
to their winning ways?
Is it GO Time for "Dallas Cowboys Head Coach Jason Garrett" . . . or
simply time for offensive coordinator Jason Garrett to go away?
We shall see . . . in the interim. We always do.
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