Championship windows and how dynasties are beyond difficult: The Morning After

 One game is left. The entire NFL show now travels two weekends in a row. The ambitious types head to Mobile, Ala., this morning for the Senior Bowl week which gives us the full approval to begin wall-to-wall draft preparations immediately. Because you have kindly asked, this week will be my first week of 12 Draft Digests to get you to late April with a fair appreciation for the top prospects who will be factors as soon as this fall. Just ask Micah Parsons about how quickly you can go from a prospect to a Defensive Player of the Year candidate.

Others will also go prepare for the Pro Bowl — which apparently still exists, despite the indifference of everyone but those playing in the game and their families — before a much larger portion of the traveling show emerges in Los Angeles in one week’s time for Super Bowl 56.

https://theathletic.com/3102610/2022/01/31/championship-windows-and-how-dynasties-are-beyond-difficult-the-morning-after/

It comes with the dinner: Why Sean Payton and working for the Cowboys always brings the noise

 None of us had a hard time seeing this one coming.

Our playlet begins as it always does …

It starts with “Jerry is really mad this time” as the townsfolk scurry and fan themselves with shock because the great king and owner of the entire land, King Jerry Jones, was seen to be red-faced with rage after his hand-appointed charges allowed another defeat in front of him a few weeks back.

The entire kingdom is in a fit of unrest, awaiting the next public execution in the town square. You do not anger the great king and live to tell about it.

https://theathletic.com/3096336/2022/01/27/it-comes-with-the-dinner-why-sean-payton-and-working-for-the-cowboys-always-brings-the-noise/

The Cowboys definitely had a chance — which is the key to ultimately getting there

 I had some other ideas today, but after witnessing the most incredible weekend of playoff football I could remember, it definitely seemed an audible was in order. We have plenty of things to get to in the weeks and months to come before April 28 brings the 2022 NFL Draft, but I will continue to look for relevant moments to discuss what we have just seen.

And we have just seen something worth discussing.

https://theathletic.com/3088619/2022/01/24/the-cowboys-definitely-had-a-chance-which-is-the-key-to-ultimately-getting-there/

Five days later, thoughts on Mike McCarthy and where I went wrong again: Cowboys riffing

It’s been a long week around here.

Cowboys fans are either sad, numb or just mad that they fell for it again. Some have sworn — like their current head coach who they might like gone — that they have very little interest in watching this weekend’s playoff games because it will remind them of another underachievement of a season. It was two weeks ago when we hashed out the definition of a successful season. I said that the wild-card game is the definition of a “must-win” from more than the obvious idea of keeping a season going, but rather to keep hope alive that the Cowboys are even in the right galaxy. 

https://theathletic.com/3084104/2022/01/21/five-days-later-thoughts-on-mike-mccarthy-and-where-i-went-wrong-again-cowboys-riffing/

The ground and pound of the Kyle Shanahan attack wins the day and likely ends the Cowboys’ Dan Quinn era

 As I stated Tueday, I would absolutely assign the “loss” for this gutting playoff defeat with San Francisco on the offense. The lion’s share of blame must go to that side of the football and it rightfully will in this space. There is no question where the Cowboys have prioritized their budget and expectation level. The offense was given plenty and on Sunday delivered little.

https://theathletic.com/3079694/2022/01/19/the-ground-and-pound-of-the-kyle-shanahan-attack-wins-the-day-and-likely-ends-the-cowboys-dan-quinn-era/

At the moment of truth, the Cowboys offense fails to produce against pressure: Decoding Kellen Moore

 It is the conclusion of this media voice that the lion’s share of disappointment for 2021 must fall on the shoulders of this offense. Despite delightful statistical accumulation, the Cowboys demonstrated again that they did not have the ability to score and accumulate when it counted most. We have seen this before, but in these win-or-go-home moments, it should fall to the offense to demonstrate what it has done with the assets from this organization. In a salary-capped league with a finite amount of resources, almost everything is constantly being given to the offense. Compensation along the offensive line, skill positions, and, lest we forget, quarterback, is among the highest in the sport. They have dedicated resource after resource to build an unstoppable attack.

https://theathletic.com/3076740/2022/01/18/at-the-moment-of-truth-the-cowboys-offense-fails-to-produce-against-pressure-decoding-kellen-moore/

The Cowboys come out flat and fall short again in familiar plot line: The Morning After

 He doesn’t always make sense when he’s talking in various pitches of excitement, but there was definitely a moment when Tony Romo said something that hit everything precisely right on the head of the nail.

He said, “Wow! That was actually a brilliant play (idea), but you kind of look silly now.”

Now, tell me, what do you think he was talking about?

Because in Sunday’s end to the Cowboys season, we could put that in so many places in the script.

https://theathletic.com/3074975/2022/01/17/the-cowboys-come-out-flat-and-fall-short-again-in-familiar-plot-line-the-morning-after/

Preparing for an epic battle against a familiar foe with plenty on the line: Cowboys playoff riffing

 The playoffs are one big ice-cream headache of glorious anxiety. Not knowing if you are about to enjoy the ride of a lifetime or another trip to the heartbreak hotel. It can be the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat.

Unfortunately, for anyone involved with Dallas Cowboys football, it is the feeling that it will never be their year again. We doubt that dubious fatalism is productive, but just like Rome wasn’t built in a day, we can safely tell you neither was Cowboys cynicism.

You know the story. They have gone way too long.

https://theathletic.com/3070190/2022/01/14/preparing-for-an-epic-battle-against-a-familiar-foe-with-plenty-on-the-line-cowboys-playoff-riffing/

Dan Quinn is with the Cowboys (for now) and he definitely wants another Super Bowl run before he goes

 This is the end, my friend.

Sunday starts the end. That end could take either a month or a few hours. We certainly don’t know which, but we also know what we would all prefer.

And whether the season ends this Sunday or in one month in the Super Bowl, we are getting a pretty clear message that Dan Quinn’s era as the architect of this defense will come to an end. Who could have imagined that the year he spent here would have gone so well?

https://theathletic.com/3066555/2022/01/12/dan-quinn-is-with-the-cowboys-for-now-and-he-definitely-wants-another-super-bowl-run-before-he-goes/

Cowboys offense reveals tactical wrinkles as they head to the playoffs: Decoding Kellen Moore

 The regular season has been completed. There is very little that the Cowboys can now say about this 2021 season that they haven’t had every opportunity to say. Narratives have been written and opinions have been heard. But the only thing that can change where they have been stuck for years upon years will happen in the days and (possibly) weeks to come.

https://theathletic.com/3061918/2022/01/11/cowboys-offense-reveals-tactical-wrinkles-as-they-head-to-the-playoffs-decoding-kellen-moore/

Cowboys beat Eagles reserves like a drum — the playoffs have begun: The Morning After

 On Saturday night, the Cowboys played their final scrimmage before their playoff opener. They tried to simulate a real game with actual NFL players assembled to play against inside a real and hostile NFL stadium that was filled with real fans cheering against them. To make the simulation even more realistic, they had television cameras there for a broadcast and tried to play it in freezing weather.

https://theathletic.com/3058917/2022/01/09/cowboys-beat-eagles-reserves-like-a-drum-the-playoffs-have-begun-the-morning-after/

In pursuit of that very rare successful Cowboys season: Pregame riffing

 Let’s have a dialogue.

In this spot you no doubt expect a thorough game preview and I am honored to normally provide one. However, this week, we find a game where neither team seems terribly compelled to risk much in terms of personnel or tactics, and they also have very little to gain. The Cowboys and their hated rivals from Philadelphia will meet on the field and for some reason will be featured as the best game for Saturday night, despite neither team promising much more than a brisk run-through in which they try not to get anyone hurt. In what will serve as a small dress rehearsal, Dallas will try to find its groove, but in the end, there is nothing that can be accomplished on Saturday night that can be defined as meaningful or terribly important.

https://theathletic.com/3056034/2022/01/07/in-pursuit-of-that-very-rare-successful-cowboys-season-pregame-riffing/

Very few challenges are like the Kyler Murray challenge: Dan Quinn’s Cowboys defense needs work

There are many ways to evaluate Sunday and most of the pointed questions were asked of the failed offensive performance Tuesday. Unlike their mates who handle business across the line of scrimmage, the Cowboys defense put up a fight that we can probably point toward as “potentially capable of beating Arizona in a rematch.” The bar is not the highest ever, but it should be meaningful. 

https://theathletic.com/3051999/2022/01/05/very-few-challenges-are-like-the-kyler-murray-challenge-dan-quinns-cowboys-defense-needs-work/

Cowboys saved their worst offensive performance for Week 17: Decoding Kellen Moore

 We certainly hoped that the undefeated month of December and the laugher vs. Washington for Christmas dinner was a sign that the Cowboys were emerging from their prolonged offensive slump. They have (had) almost all of their pieces in place and now the simple hopes of taking a beat-up Arizona defense to task on Sunday seemed a reasonable goal.

But, now we know better.

Their first offensive performance of 2022 was putrid. There is simply no other nice way to say it.

https://theathletic.com/3050552/2022/01/04/cowboys-saved-their-worst-offensive-performance-for-week-17-decoding-kellen-moore/

Cowboys miss opportunity to change their narrative and lose big test: The Morning After

 It all seemed too familiar.

Despite an undefeated December against teams (and more importantly, QBs) that don’t belong on the same field, Dallas still has many skeptics about its prospects this postseason due to its rather historic propensity to not deliver in the biggest of moments in this “not so new anymore” millennium.

https://theathletic.com/3048492/2022/01/03/cowboys-miss-opportunity-to-change-their-narrative-and-lose-big-test-the-morning-after/