MacMahon - Jerry: 'Bottom line is we can compete'

[boozeman]

Jerry: 'Bottom line is we can compete'

August, 20, 2013


By Tim MacMahon | ESPNDallas.com


Jerry Jones says he has to be guarded about setting expectations for the Cowboys this season.

That makes sense, considering the somewhat tenuous situation with head coach Jason Garrett, whose seat is relatively warm after the revamping of his coaching staff followed consecutive 8-8 campaigns. Jones doesn’t want to publicly set a minimum that Garrett’s team must hit for the head coach to continue to be employed by the Cowboys.

There will be some wiggle room for circumstances such as injuries. However, Jones is clearly sick of coming close after having the last two seasons end with losses with the NFC East title and a playoff berth at stake.

“The bottom line is we can compete,” Jones said during a Tuesday appearance on KRLD-FM. “We’ve competed with a lot of the players that we have right now. Over the last two years, a lot of people would say, ‘I don’t call 8-8 competing,’ and they’d be justified in saying that.

“We were real close to getting down there at the end of the year. We were very close to getting in the tournament and doing some good things.

“Now, ‘maybe,’ ‘close,’ ‘hopes,’ all those things, they’re hard to chew after you sit back and look back on it after the season’s over. That’s what we’re trying to reverse.”

 

[Smitty]

The problem is, being able to say "We CAN compete" implies "can compete, if things break our way." "Can" makes it sound like its possible, not probable. Why is that good enough?

Why don't we have a team that we KNOW will compete, in the absence of something extraordinarily bad occuring (like losing your starting QB for the year).

I don't see why a team that is "in the mix" is the goal. Why don't you have a team that's a favorite?

 

[Texas Ace]

“We were real close to getting down there at the end of the year. We were very close to getting in the tournament and doing some good things.

“Now, ‘maybe,’ ‘close,’ ‘hopes,’ all those things, they’re hard to chew after you sit back and look back on it after the season’s over. That’s what we’re trying to reverse.”

That's what this idiot keeps saying, and that's why going 8-8 or anything close to that is the worse thing that can happen to us. It allows him to think that we're close and only because of bad luck do we keep missing out.

 

[UncleMilti]

That's what this idiot keeps saying, and that's why going 8-8 or anything close to that is the worse thing that can happen to us. It allows him to think that we're close and only because of bad luck do we keep missing out.

Its so damn laughable that Jones has set the "success" bar at "getting in the tournament".

 

[Cowboysrock55]

"Can" makes it sound like its possible, not probable. Why is that good enough?

Why don't we have a team that we KNOW will compete

Because we are coming off an 8-8 season and missed the playoffs. I don't think any team coming off that type of season could say they know they will compete, unless they are totally full of shit.

I don't think this article leaves much to really bitch about.

 

[Texas Ace]

Because we are coming off an 8-8 season and missed the playoffs. I don't think any team coming off that type of season could say they know they will compete, unless they are totally full of shit.

I don't think this article leaves much to really bitch about.

He said the same thing last year too.

The problem with going 8-8 with Jones in control is that it allows him to think we're so very close......and not just close to making the playoffs, but from going on a deep run as well - he has said as much.

This is why the team continuously ignores areas of need like the trenches and safety positions because he doesn't view this team as being flawed. He sees it as just being unlucky for various reasons. That's why I've said time and time again that I'd rather go like 4-12 than 8-8 because at least the former presents a chance that maybe he might make a change worth a damn.

Consistently flirting with .500 only guarantees more of the same crap.

 

[UncleMilti]

He said the same thing last year too.

The problem with going 8-8 with Jones in control is that it allows him to think we're so very close......and not just close to making the playoffs, but from going on a deep run as well - he has said as much.

This is why the team continuously ignores areas of need like the trenches and safety positions because he doesn't view this team as being flawed. He sees it as just being unlucky for various reasons. That's why I've said time and time again that I'd rather go like 4-12 than 8-8 because at least the former presents a chance that maybe he might make a change worth a damn.

Consistently flirting with .500 only guarantees more of the same crap.

We owe a lot of this retarded thinking to the fuckin' Giants. Jones thinks because the Giants had a mid-season meltdown, but turned it around and went on a SB run -that somehow the Cowboys can do it.

Problem is, the Giants have better coaching, better personnel, a better QB, and most of all, a FO that doesn't overvalue underperforming talent. They have invested in their defensive line, and made sure theres a decent OL up front to keep Manning upright.

Are they perfect? Hell no...but they are a step above the Cowboys in just about every category.

 

[ravidubey]

His role as head-bullshit spin-artist marketer is in direct conflict with his role as GM.

Are they perfect? Hell no...but they are a step above the Cowboys in just about every category.

Their OL and WR's looked seriously pathetic vs Indianapolis the other night. Indy's own OL is so bad that if it wasn't for Andrew Luck they might go 0-16.

This shit is a god-damned league-wide epidemic.

The Giants have a well-established pattern of Coughlin's coaching taking the whole year to finally sink in, so they finish strong but struggle to make up for bad early losses.

But now they have talent problems at RB, LB, TE, and OL and the DL lacks the depth it's had in years past. Without room to step up, Manning looks really average.

 

[Smitty]

I wonder if the new hitting rules that fagdell put into place regarding practice are taking a toll on OL play league wide.

 

[UncleMilti]

His role as head-bullshit spin-artist marketer is in direct conflict with his role as GM.



Their OL and WR's looked seriously pathetic vs Indianapolis the other night. Indy's own OL is so bad that if it wasn't for Andrew Luck they might go 0-16.

This shit is a god-damned league-wide epidemic.

The Giants have a well-established pattern of Coughlin's coaching taking the whole year to finally sink in, so they finish strong but struggle to make up for bad early losses.

But now they have talent problems at RB, LB, TE, and OL and the DL lacks the depth it's had in years past. Without room to step up, Manning looks really average.

I agree...but they have looked that way every preseason as far back as I can remember. Bottom line, they will be competitive when it counts and you know you won't be able to count them out except for a major injury.

Can't say the same for the Cowboys. They always seem to be a player, a play, or a coach away from making the "tournament".

 

[Cotton]

He said the same thing last year too.

He says this same thing every year.

 

[1bigfan13]

I agree...but they have looked that way every preseason as far back as I can remember. Bottom line, they will be competitive when it counts and you know you won't be able to count them out except for a major injury.

Can't say the same for the Cowboys. They always seem to be a player, a play, or a coach away from making the "tournament".

QB and coaching are the two areas that are the difference between winning 8 games or winning 11 games.

The Cowboys have a lot of holes but if we had better coaching in place on both sides of the ball, I think we'd have probably won at least 2 more games each of the past two seasons.

Think about it, Garrett's had some very bad moments that directly led to his team losing. A better head coach probably doesn't make those silly mistakes.

 

[VA Cowboy]

His role as head-bullshit spin-artist marketer is in direct conflict with his role as GM.

Yep and always has been. And long gone are the days of competing for a Super Bowl. Now he just has to try and convince the masses that we can compete for a playoff spot and then "anything can happen.". The best we can do is try and sneak in as a wildcard and then hope we have an over the top lucky run.

The fact the Giants and GB have done just that in recent history has only emboldened this type of thinking despite the fact we don't have the makeup of those teams when they went from wildcard to champions. But really, even a wildcard is about out of reach for this gutless, choking bunch. But Jerry still wins if they are in the "hunt" up until the final weekend. Keep the interest level high the entire season selling tickets and merchandise and then sell all offseason how we are so close to making the tournament where anything can happen, all the while though squandering the free agency period and the draft, but that's just minor details when marketing reigns.

 

[boozeman]

Jerry Jones gives reasons why this season will be different than the last few for the Dallas Cowboys




By Jon Machota
jmachota@dallasnews.com
10:09 am on August 20, 2013 |

When Jones was asked that question Tuesday morning on the New School show on 105.3 The Fan [KRLD-FM], the Cowboys owner and general manager gave his longest response of the 12-minute interview, breaking down each phase of the team.

Here is a summary of Jones’ comments.

On the coaching changes:

“I like the way we’ve changed our coaching staff and I like the way they’ve come together. Talking about the staff, led of course by Jason, who in my mind, has just had an outstanding off-season and training camp. That staff has undergone quite a change, more than meets the eye. We’ve not only got some very experienced coaches, but some that are also technically adapting not only their scheme to our personnel but the personnel to the scheme as well. Daylight and dark in the difference we’ll be playing the game both from the standpoint of just an enthusiasm for it, plus physically, technique-wise what we’re asking them to do.”

On the special teams:

“Rich Bisaccia is our special teams coach and he fits like a glove, especially with our defensive coaches because they’ve had so much time on the job together. And they really know how to work through a player at a defensive position and really come up with the best answer as to whether or not he’s more important to us as a special teams player, a little bit on the come as a defensive player, but gives us a better chance at making the right decision personnel-wise to help our special teams. I know early we’ve looked a little lacking on special teams but that shouldn’t be a concern. It shouldn’t be an overall concern all the time for every football team. I think we’re going to be better there.”

On the offense:

“We have made significant changes there, by using the four tight ends, by coming up with ways to move our quarterback around, to boot leg him, to play-action him. It will make it easier blocking for the offensive linemen. Overall, I like what we’re doing.”

On the defense:

“We played a lot of four-man front or the equivalent of it [in the 3-4 alignment]. And we aren’t going to just completely go to what they call the Cover-Two, which is terminology that they usually identify with Monte Kiffin. You’ll see us doing a lot more things that aren’t exactly Cover-Two, similar to the way that Seattle, because those are proteges of Monte Kiffin out in Seattle. Having said that, there are certainly people who believe defensively the way he does. I think we’re going to adapt really well because we’ve been there in so much of this.”
--------

I hate to agree with him, but he may have a point.

I always thought that Neck Brace was a guy that downplayed real position viability (see Hamilton, Adrian) in favor of guys who could just play roles on ST. The fact he had a strong personality and had a lot more stroke than previous ST coaches.

These three guys have composed rosters together before, so hopefully that works out.

 

[ravidubey]

I agree...but they have looked that way every preseason as far back as I can remember. Bottom line, they will be competitive when it counts and you know you won't be able to count them out except for a major injury.

Can't say the same for the Cowboys. They always seem to be a player, a play, or a coach away from making the "tournament".

I remember Victor Cruz' first preseason when he just pwned the Jets over and over again. This was an out and out debacle. New York was 3 for 15 on 3rd down and QBs were sacked 6 times-- vs Indianapolis!

Andrew Luck is one of the best QB prospects I've seen in a long. long time. No gimmick offense, just him out there making tough throws despite getting killed by his OL. His taking the Colts to the playoffs as aa rookie was a minor miracle and maybe the gutsiest QB'ing performance of last season

 

[Genghis Khan]

I am very wary of our special teams this season. I know everyone was eager to see neck-brace leave, but Bisaccia hasn't impressed me so far either.

 

[ravidubey]

I am very wary of our special teams this season. I know everyone was eager to see neck-brace leave, but Bisaccia hasn't impressed me so far either.

You know who's kicking ass is the Bears' former ST coach who's now in Kansas City. It's like every other kick return has been huge. What a difference that would make for a QB like Romo.

 

[boozeman]

You know who's kicking ass is the Bears' former ST coach who's now in Kansas City. It's like every other kick return has been huge. What a difference that would make for a QB like Romo.

I don't understand why there was no attempt to go after Dave Toub.

He was available. Hell Neck Brace took his place in Chicago.