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IRVING — There’s no fall special in the NFL. The first team to six victories doesn’t win a playoff spot.
But for a few days, at least, it allows the Cowboys to sit alone atop the league standings and sparks comparisons to bygone eras.
Is it premature to find similarities between this 6-1 bunch and those dominant teams of the 1990s with Troy Aikman, Emmitt Smith and Michael Irvin? Sure. But with only one playoff victory in 18 years — and no playoff appearances in the last four — do you really expect a dehydrated fan base to drink success responsibly?
At this formative stage, coming off three consecutive seasons of 8-8, a link to those teams in ’07 and ’03 appears more appropriate. It’s up to the owner to tap the brakes on this runaway enthusiasm.
Owner and general manager Jerry Jones does proceed cautiously. But owner/promoter/marketer Jerry Jones can’t help himself when asked if Tony Romo, DeMarco Murray and Dez Bryant form this generation’s version of the Triplets.
“They’re making great plays at significant times for us,’’ Jones said after Sunday’s victory over the New York Giants. “That certainly was what Michael, Emmitt and Troy did.
“In that sense, that’s got everything to do with why we’re 6-1. They would be the first to tell you they had an outstanding team around them. They had an outstanding offensive line.’’
Oh yeah, the offensive line. That’s another comparison some will draw.
But back to the Triplets.
“Got to let Mr. Jones have his fun,’’ said Bryant, who wears the same No. 88 that Irvin and Drew Pearson wore before him.
“What we do is we try to stay grounded. That’s exactly what we do. I feel like that’s one of my biggest jobs going forward.’’
The last Cowboys team to reel off six consecutive victories was in ’07. That group also got off to a 6-1 start on its way to a 13-3 record and a division title before losing to the Giants in the playoffs. Romo, Jason Witten, Anthony Spencer, Doug Free and L.P. Ladouceur are the only players from that roster who remain.
Romo can’t tell you if what he feels now is similar to the optimism he had that season, or any other season, after Week 7. But he can speak to the two teams.
“I think we’re playing the game a little bit different,’’ Romo said. “I think I’m a little different, a little bit better at this point, and that would be an understatement.
“I think we’re just a different team, but our records are obviously the same.’’
Witten and Romo are the only players left from Bill Parcells’ first Cowboys team in ’03. That group emerged from three consecutive seasons of 5-11 to win 10 games and make the playoffs.
That season was more surprising than what transpired in ’07.
“I don’t know,’’ Witten said. “In ’07, we were pretty dominant in the way we attacked.
“But in ’03, no one thought we were any good either. I remember back to how we played and that formula we played with. This probably reminds me of that, personally.’’
Jason Garrett has consistently pointed out the franchise’s rich history to his players. But he doesn’t do it to burden them with expectations or draw comparisons.
“The context in which we bring up history is to talk about standards, standards for approach and standards for performance,’’ Garrett said. “You embrace that. You strive to do your best in everything that you do, individually and collectively. That’s what you do every day.
“It’s not for us to compare. There’s no reason for us to compare. That’s a different time, that’s a different era, that’s a different whatever. But I do believe there are common things in football.’’
Enter William “Pudge’’ Heffelfinger. He never played for the Cowboys. But this group has heard about him from Garrett.
Heffelfinger is acknowledged as the first person to play professional football. Garrett has told his players that the successful principles Heffelfinger employed in his first game in November 1892 still apply.
“There are some themes here; there are some values I think still exist in football from way back when,’’ Garrett said. “Anybody who is focused on that kind of stuff [comparisons] is thinking about the wrong stuff.
“We need to think about being our best each and every day. That’s what this whole thing is about.’’
That doesn’t mean comparisons won’t be drawn.
Just don’t expect Garrett to join the chorus.
“The standards are approach and performance,’’ Garrett said of the Cowboys’ successful past. “It’s about approach, how you do stuff, what is your approach, how do you practice, how do you play. It’s the spirit with which you play, how do you work in the offseason.
“I mean, that’s the thing you try to instill because that’s what we can control.’’
But for a few days, at least, it allows the Cowboys to sit alone atop the league standings and sparks comparisons to bygone eras.
Is it premature to find similarities between this 6-1 bunch and those dominant teams of the 1990s with Troy Aikman, Emmitt Smith and Michael Irvin? Sure. But with only one playoff victory in 18 years — and no playoff appearances in the last four — do you really expect a dehydrated fan base to drink success responsibly?
At this formative stage, coming off three consecutive seasons of 8-8, a link to those teams in ’07 and ’03 appears more appropriate. It’s up to the owner to tap the brakes on this runaway enthusiasm.
Owner and general manager Jerry Jones does proceed cautiously. But owner/promoter/marketer Jerry Jones can’t help himself when asked if Tony Romo, DeMarco Murray and Dez Bryant form this generation’s version of the Triplets.
“They’re making great plays at significant times for us,’’ Jones said after Sunday’s victory over the New York Giants. “That certainly was what Michael, Emmitt and Troy did.
“In that sense, that’s got everything to do with why we’re 6-1. They would be the first to tell you they had an outstanding team around them. They had an outstanding offensive line.’’
Oh yeah, the offensive line. That’s another comparison some will draw.
But back to the Triplets.
“Got to let Mr. Jones have his fun,’’ said Bryant, who wears the same No. 88 that Irvin and Drew Pearson wore before him.
“What we do is we try to stay grounded. That’s exactly what we do. I feel like that’s one of my biggest jobs going forward.’’
The last Cowboys team to reel off six consecutive victories was in ’07. That group also got off to a 6-1 start on its way to a 13-3 record and a division title before losing to the Giants in the playoffs. Romo, Jason Witten, Anthony Spencer, Doug Free and L.P. Ladouceur are the only players from that roster who remain.
Romo can’t tell you if what he feels now is similar to the optimism he had that season, or any other season, after Week 7. But he can speak to the two teams.
“I think we’re playing the game a little bit different,’’ Romo said. “I think I’m a little different, a little bit better at this point, and that would be an understatement.
“I think we’re just a different team, but our records are obviously the same.’’
Witten and Romo are the only players left from Bill Parcells’ first Cowboys team in ’03. That group emerged from three consecutive seasons of 5-11 to win 10 games and make the playoffs.
That season was more surprising than what transpired in ’07.
“I don’t know,’’ Witten said. “In ’07, we were pretty dominant in the way we attacked.
“But in ’03, no one thought we were any good either. I remember back to how we played and that formula we played with. This probably reminds me of that, personally.’’
Jason Garrett has consistently pointed out the franchise’s rich history to his players. But he doesn’t do it to burden them with expectations or draw comparisons.
“The context in which we bring up history is to talk about standards, standards for approach and standards for performance,’’ Garrett said. “You embrace that. You strive to do your best in everything that you do, individually and collectively. That’s what you do every day.
“It’s not for us to compare. There’s no reason for us to compare. That’s a different time, that’s a different era, that’s a different whatever. But I do believe there are common things in football.’’
Enter William “Pudge’’ Heffelfinger. He never played for the Cowboys. But this group has heard about him from Garrett.
Heffelfinger is acknowledged as the first person to play professional football. Garrett has told his players that the successful principles Heffelfinger employed in his first game in November 1892 still apply.
“There are some themes here; there are some values I think still exist in football from way back when,’’ Garrett said. “Anybody who is focused on that kind of stuff [comparisons] is thinking about the wrong stuff.
“We need to think about being our best each and every day. That’s what this whole thing is about.’’
That doesn’t mean comparisons won’t be drawn.
Just don’t expect Garrett to join the chorus.
“The standards are approach and performance,’’ Garrett said of the Cowboys’ successful past. “It’s about approach, how you do stuff, what is your approach, how do you practice, how do you play. It’s the spirit with which you play, how do you work in the offseason.
“I mean, that’s the thing you try to instill because that’s what we can control.’’
