Archer: Like Pats, Cowboys have to do more with less

Cotton

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Like Pats, Cowboys have to do more with less

January, 13, 2014

By Todd Archer | ESPNDallas.com


IRVING, Texas -- The Dallas Cowboys have had a familiar refrain the last two seasons when it has come to injuries.

You have heard Jason Garrett spout off his “next man up” philosophy time and time again. You’ve heard Jerry Jones and others say injuries are not an excuse, while sure making them sound like an excuse for another 8-8 season.

Do you know a team that had more injuries than the Cowboys? The New England Patriots. And they are one win away from playing in another Super Bowl.

The Patriots lost defensive tackle Vince Wilfork for 12 games with a torn Achilles. They lost linebacker Jerod Mayo for 10 games with a torn pectoral muscle. Tight end Rob Gronkowskimissed nine games as he recovered from offseason back surgery and had a gruesome knee injury during the year. That does not count the departure of Aaron Hernandez in the offseason after he was charged with murder.

Who would be the Cowboy equivalents for missing 47 games in a season?

How about DeMarcus Ware, Sean Lee, Jason Witten and pick somebody that played 600 snaps or more. And how would the Cowboys look without those guys?

The Cowboys had injuries in 2013. They lost defensive end Anthony Spencer for 15 games with a knee injury. Cornerback Morris Claiborne and linebacker Justin Durant missed six games apiece. Right guard Brian Waters missed the final seven games. Miles Austin missed five. Lee missed five. Ware missed three.

The Patriots were able to overcome and adapt. The Cowboys could not overcome or adapt.

As Jones examines the roster and where the Cowboys need the most help he can’t bank on the return of health of Lee or Claiborne. If they make it through 2014 healthy, somebody else of consequence will get hurt.

Garrett has kept the brave face when it has come to injuries. He has said the right thing. He has attempted to do the right thing as well. It just hasn’t worked for him.

This might be Bill Belichick’s best year coaching because he has done so much with less. Somehow Garrett and the Cowboys have to figure out to do more with less.
 
BipolarFuk

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We hear the "next man up" spiel from this team, yet you always seem to hear the injury excuse mixed in also.

You NEVER hear the Patriots make excuses.
 
NoDak

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Genghis Khan said:
It would be nice to have something even remotely close to that.
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Hell, I'd be happy with a guy that could adjust his headset, clap, spit, and walk the sideline all at one time without confusing himself.
 
NoDak

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mschmidt64 said:
HA HA HA
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:lol

You claim not to, but defend and/or are offended by every little thing regarding him. Do you even see it, or has sucking red dick become that much of an ingrained habit for you?
 
Smitty

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NoDak said:
:lol

You claim not to, but defend and/or are offended by every little thing regarding him. Do you even see it, or has sucking red dick become that much of an ingrained habit for you?
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I'm not offended, I was just mocking your dumb joke.

And I'll stop "sucking his dick" just as soon as there are legit options to replace him not named Jay Gruden and Mike Zimmer.
 
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mschmidt64 said:
I'm not offended, I was just mocking your dumb joke.

And I'll stop "sucking his dick" just as soon as there are legit options to replace him not named Jay Gruden and Mike Zimmer.
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Last offseason Mike McCoy "wasn't a real option" for you and he managed to turn that team around in year one and win a playoff game. Hell, his halftime adjustments yesterday put them in position to possibly upset the #1 seed.

Maybe you shouldn't be knocking the unknown candidates in favor of a proven failure.
 
jsmith6919

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mschmidt64 said:
I'm not offended, I was just mocking your dumb joke.

And I'll stop "sucking his dick" just as soon as there are legit options to replace him not named Jay Gruden and Mike Zimmer.
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As much as I don't like Jay Gruden saying he wouldn't be an improvement over gingerfuck is idiotic.
 
jsmith6919

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Deuce said:
He has a better resume than Garrett did when handed the job.
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Yea, mschmidt is just suffering from battered wives syndrome "sure Jason abandons the run and has no sense of situational football but I can change him"
 
Smitty

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Deuce said:
Last offseason Mike McCoy "wasn't a real option" for you and he managed to turn that team around in year one and win a playoff game. Hell, his halftime adjustments yesterday put them in position to possibly upset the #1 seed.

Maybe you shouldn't be knocking the unknown candidates in favor of a proven failure.
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I have said many times that there are definitely good coaches out there and it is Jones' job to find them. Perhaps McCoy is one, though I certainly did not predict it.

However, I have zero faith in Jones taking coordinators and turning them into good head coaches given his proven track record of failure in that regard. There are ones worth pursuing -- but they generally come with a label of "can't miss" attached to them, like Rex Ryan did. In fact, I would say the same applies to potential head coaches from any venue, for us, ie, Jim Harbaugh was another "can't miss" head coaching prospect, though he came from college not from an NFL coordinator spot.

Those are the guys who will have the pedigree (and the pull) to prevent themselves from being complete flops here. I would also point out that just because McCoy succeeded in San Diego doesn't mean he'd succeed with the circus in Dallas. McCoy was not that type of HC prospect and there just aren't any of those types available this year, unlike last year when an Andy Reid was available (frankly, Garrett was once actually a hot name, though not a can't miss one.... our failure in that regard developing Garrett here when Baltimore, a team who continues to churn out quality staff again and again, wanted him.... kinda indicates that the environment is at least partially at fault).

I'm not willing to pull the trigger on a complete unknown here. I either want someone who comes with a quality guarantee or I want an established guy who I know can get us over the hump. I don't believe that the difference between Garrett's mediocrity and some other coach's slightly better mediocrity (or slightly worse, though everyone's anger right now doesn't allow them to acknowledge that possibility) is enough to justify the coaching change as I do actually think having the stability in place is good for the team.

And last but very much not least, I especially do not want to lock myself into the next Chan Gailey, when convention and Jerry Jones' personality will mandate that he MUST BE GIVEN TWO OR THREE SEASONS, and then miss out when Rex Ryan gets fired next year or Sean Payton decides that he wants to move home to Dallas or the next big name from the college scene indicates his willingness to come to the pros, because hey.... we have to give our Jay Gruden clone a chance to succeed.

Nope. Sorry. For all of those reasons, it's not a good idea to fire Garrett right now. And the fact that Jay Gruden, Mike Munchak, and Mike Zimmer are the names on everyone's short list right now should make you guys stop and think.

All the options right now are likely not good enough to turn a Jerry Jones owned team into a Super Bowl contender. When I find someone who is likely good enough to do that, then I'll make the move. Obvious names like that come along every season or two, it's not rare.

I will be more than willing to fire Garrett when I hear a name I like. The difference between our positions is frankly not as wide as it seems and most of the arguing is due to obvious hyperbole on the part of the anti-Garrett crowd and my inability to let it go uncontested.
 
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jsmith6919

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mschmidt64 said:
I have said many times that there are definitely good coaches out there and it is Jones' job to find them. Perhaps McCoy is one, though I certainly did not predict it.

However, I have zero faith in Jones taking coordinators and turning them into good head coaches given his proven track record of failure in that regard. There are ones worth pursuing -- but they generally come with a label of "can't miss" attached to them, like Rex Ryan did. In fact, I would say the same applies to potential head coaches from any venue, for us, ie, Jim Harbaugh was another "can't miss" head coaching prospect, though he came from college not from an NFL coordinator spot.

Those are the guys who will have the pedigree (and the pull) to prevent themselves from being complete flops here. I would also point out that just because McCoy succeeded in San Diego doesn't mean he'd succeed with the circus in Dallas. McCoy was not that type of HC prospect and there just aren't any of those types available this year, unlike last year when an Andy Reid was available (frankly, Garrett was once actually a hot name, though not a can't miss one.... our failure in that regard developing Garrett here when Baltimore, a team who continues to churn out quality staff again and again, wanted him.... kinda indicates that the environment is at least partially at fault).

I'm not willing to pull the trigger on a complete unknown here. I either want someone who comes with a quality guarantee or I want an established guy who I know can get us over the hump. I don't believe that the difference between Garrett's mediocrity and some other coach's slightly better mediocrity (or slightly worse, though everyone's anger right now doesn't allow them to acknowledge that possibility) is enough to justify the coaching change as I do actually think having the stability in place is good for the team.

And last but very much not least, I especially do not want to lock myself into the next Chan Gailey, when convention and Jerry Jones' personality will mandate that he MUST BE GIVEN TWO OR THREE SEASONS, and then miss out when Rex Ryan gets fired next year or Sean Payton decides that he wants to move home to Dallas or the next big name from the college scene indicates his willingness to come to the pros, because hey.... we have to give our Jay Gruden clone a chance to succeed.

Nope. Sorry. For all of those reasons, it's not a good idea to fire Garrett right now. And the fact that Jay Gruden, Mike Munchak, and Mike Zimmer are the names on everyone's short list right now should make you guys stop and think.

All the options right now are likely not good enough to turn a Jerry Jones owned team into a Super Bowl contender. When I find someone who is likely good enough to do that, then I'll make the move. Obvious names like that come along every season or two, it's not rare.

I will be more than willing to fire Garrett when I hear a name I like. The difference between our positions is frankly not as wide as it seems and most of the arguing is due to obvious hyperbole on the part of the anti-Garrett crowd and my inability to let it go uncontested.
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