Another Year, Another Letdown
In a year that felt different, the Cowboys proved that everything is still the same
“The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.” - Albert Einstein
Well, Cowboys fans, here we are again. In a familiar place. With familiar feelings. Another year, another playoff collapse. This one feels worse than years past, though. The Cowboys had truly everything working in their favor. But still, in the end, it all came crashing down. I’m going to get into the game itself, and some of the long-term implications later on. But first, I want to give you some stats and info that put into perspective who the Cowboys have been for the past 27 years. What we are seeing is a historical divide between who a team is in the regular season vs who they are in the playoffs. The last time the Cowboys won a Super Bowl (which was also the last time they made it to the NFC Championship game) was the 1995-1996 season. Since then…
The Cowboys are 10th in regular season win % (.541). Every single team ahead of them have won at least one Super Bowl. In fact, four teams behind them have also won at least one Super Bowl.
The Cowboys are 28th in playoff win % (.278). Only the Lions, Browns, Commanders, and Dolphins are worse.
The Cowboys are one of six teams to fail to reach the Conference Championship since 1996 (Browns, Lions, Texans, Dolphins, Commanders).
Of those teams, only the Lions, Texans, and Cowboys have seasons with 12+ wins. The Texans did it once in 2012, the Lions did it for the first time in that time period this year (so the final outcome is undetermined). The Cowboys have won 12+ games SIX times since 1996 (including the past three seasons).
It’s hard to compare the Cowboys to a team in another sport given the fact that Cowboys are the most valuable sports franchise in the world. The best that I can do is this: They’re the Philadelphia 76ers.
The last time the 76ers won the NBA Finals was 1983. The last time the 76ers made the NBA Finals 2001. That was also the last time the 76ers made it out of the 2nd round of the playoffs. Both the 76ers and Cowboys are big-name teams, in big markets, who perform very well in the regular season only to fall flat in the playoffs.
Okay, let’s talk about the game a bit.
That was one of the worst playoff performances I’ve seen from any team in recent memory. There wasn’t a single positive to be had from that performance.
Dak played arguably his worst game of the season.
Ceedee Lamb played arguably his worst game of the season.
The offensive line, finally healthy, consistently gave up pressures.
The pass-rush failed to generate consistent pressure, and failed to record a single sack.
The run-defense allowed Aaron Jones to run for 118 yards and 3 TDs.
The pass-defense gave up chunk play after chunk play.
The coaching staff seemed outmatched and unprepared.
It’s incredibly pathetic when you consider that from a personnel standpoint, the Cowboys are better at just about every position. Even so, the Packers dominated for all 60 minutes.
I don’t think a single person in the organization is free from blame for the performance on Sunday. However, the group that will end up receiving the majority of the blame will be the coaches. To be honest, I don’t think that’s unfair. When a team with NINE All-Pro selections looks that unprepared and discombobulated, the blame should fall on the coaching.
Dan Quinn will have multiple Head Coach interviews in the coming weeks, and has overall had a very impressive run as the Cowboys Defensive Coordinator. That said, his decision to have the defense predominately in zone-coverage when they had been in man-coverage the majority of the season was laughable. The secondary looked like a bunch of chickens running around with their heads cut off the entire game.
Mike McCarthy’s insistence to run the ball in the first half is enough for him to lose his job without even considering anything else. Especially his insistence on running the ball on 2nd down. If we exclude the final drive of the half (that resulted in the only first half points) since this drive was a two-minute drill, the Cowboys had six 2nd down plays. They ran the ball five times for an average of 1.6 yards per carry. The one time they passed the ball was a 22 yard completion to Jake Ferguson. Mike McCarthy went away from everything that had made the Cowboys one of the best offenses in the NFL. One of the things that made the Cowboys so deadly on offense was how they were throwing the ball on early downs more than anyone else in the league. They leaned into the fact that their passing game is leaps and bounds better than their running game.
Where do the Cowboys go from here?
I think the most likely outcome is Mike McCarthy is fired. He’s a great regular season coach, but has not shown the ability to adequately prepare his team for the playoffs. The Cowboys have one of the most talented rosters in the NFL, but they haven’t had a coach that actually gets their players to play ABOVE their talent level since Bill Parcells. I know there’s rumors about Belichick. I’d rather see them get Jim Harbaugh or Mike Vrabel, but I’d be happy with Belichick. All three get the most out of the players which is exactly what the Cowboys need.
From a personnel standpoint, the Cowboys still need to bolster their run-defense. It’s been their Achilles heel for a long-time. The Cowboys also need to address the Tackle position. Tyron Smith is old and injury prone, and Terrence Steel is by far the weakest link. You can’t have consistent offensive line production with uncertainties at both Tackle positions.
Where do we, as Cowboys fans, go from here?
Honestly, I could write a thousand words about what the Cowboys could do this offseason to try and write the ship. However, a ship is only as good as it’s captain. No, I’m not referring to Mike McCarthy. You know exactly who I’m referring to. I’m afraid that as long as Jerry Jones is at the helm, the Cowboys will continue to disappoint. The problem with the Cowboys is that their owner is also the GM. When that is the case, a complete overhaul or reset is impossible. One man will always remain. One man is impervious to being fired. Cowboys fans, I’m afraid that nothing will change as long as Jerry Jones remains. He is the final boss. He is the biggest road block. He is the number one thing keeping this team from returning to the promise land.
The start of a new year is always time for goals, resolutions, whatever you want to call it. I am adding a new resolution for 2024, and I suggest you do the same. Here it is: Until proven otherwise, have ZERO expectations for the Cowboys. Don’t let them fool you. Don’t get tricked when they rattle off a few wins against lousy opponents. Don’t be convinced that “this year’s team is different.” Just don’t do it. For my entire life on this earth, the Cowboys have tried to tell me exactly who they are. For the first time, I think I’m finally listening.
I’ll end with this. If you are a Cowboys fan and sick of this feeling, might I suggest you pour your fandom into a team that plays next door to the Cowboys. A team that climbed the mountaintop only a few months ago. Out with the Cowboys, in with the Rangers.
