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Cowboys not acting as if mission accomplished
January, 2, 2015
By Todd Archer | ESPNDallas.com
IRVING, Texas -- When the Dallas Cowboys clinched a playoff spot in Week 16, coach Jason Garrett told his players to give the NFC East championship hats to somebody they love.
"We’re playing for bigger things," Garrett said in the locker room after the game.
It was met with a collective 'yeah.'
Bigger things start in Sunday’s wild-card matchup against the Detroit Lion at AT&T Stadium.
There is a sign posted on a wall outside the locker room that says, 'The only thing that matters is what we do now.' Garrett made reference to it this week.
The Cowboys have a young team. Just six players remain from the last time the Cowboys made the postseason in 2009. The veterans have made sure to tell the younger players that there is not any mission-accomplished feeling just yet.
"I think as veteran players it started out that was something we wanted," tight end Jason Witten said. "That was our first goal. So was it a sense of accomplishment? Yeah, but it was quick to move forward to 'We're playing for something much bigger than that.' So I think our players understand, especially those young ones that you mentioned, that you don’t just play to make the playoffs. You do all of that work to get to this point, to when it gets really exciting. This is what you're playing for. And I think our players understand what an opportunity this is."
Quarterback Tony Romo believes the younger players are following the veteran leadership.
"A lot of the young guys are doing a great job putting their head down and going to play, and giving 100 percent effort week in and week out," Romo said. "You’re seeing their ability to, just more than anything, just kind of play and let it all go. Sometimes it’s not as easy as it sounds. But they’ve done a great job of, 'Where are we playing? What time? Who’s it against? OK, we’ll be there and go as hard as we can.' Been a great trait for our football team."
January, 2, 2015
By Todd Archer | ESPNDallas.com
IRVING, Texas -- When the Dallas Cowboys clinched a playoff spot in Week 16, coach Jason Garrett told his players to give the NFC East championship hats to somebody they love.
"We’re playing for bigger things," Garrett said in the locker room after the game.
It was met with a collective 'yeah.'
Bigger things start in Sunday’s wild-card matchup against the Detroit Lion at AT&T Stadium.
There is a sign posted on a wall outside the locker room that says, 'The only thing that matters is what we do now.' Garrett made reference to it this week.
The Cowboys have a young team. Just six players remain from the last time the Cowboys made the postseason in 2009. The veterans have made sure to tell the younger players that there is not any mission-accomplished feeling just yet.
"I think as veteran players it started out that was something we wanted," tight end Jason Witten said. "That was our first goal. So was it a sense of accomplishment? Yeah, but it was quick to move forward to 'We're playing for something much bigger than that.' So I think our players understand, especially those young ones that you mentioned, that you don’t just play to make the playoffs. You do all of that work to get to this point, to when it gets really exciting. This is what you're playing for. And I think our players understand what an opportunity this is."
Quarterback Tony Romo believes the younger players are following the veteran leadership.
"A lot of the young guys are doing a great job putting their head down and going to play, and giving 100 percent effort week in and week out," Romo said. "You’re seeing their ability to, just more than anything, just kind of play and let it all go. Sometimes it’s not as easy as it sounds. But they’ve done a great job of, 'Where are we playing? What time? Who’s it against? OK, we’ll be there and go as hard as we can.' Been a great trait for our football team."
