The Cowboys didn't win up front on either side in the playoff loss to the 49ers

 One thing I make a point in doing every July is to rewatch the end of the previous year. I stole this idea from watching "Breaking Bad," "Better Call Saul" or even when "Game of Thrones" would finally give us a new season after being away for far too long. I have to remember where we left things. Where were the main characters? What pickle did the bad guys put us in as the screen froze and we faded away into the offseason? In TV shows, we often don't have anything occur.

https://theathletic.com/3417552/2022/07/14/cowboys-49ers-wild-card-playoff-game-review/

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/

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/

The Cowboys defense now faces the difficult Kyler Murray test: Pregame riffing

 We have been waiting on this one for quite a while. This was billed as potentially a game of the year for the Cowboys where they might need to get it to secure a spot in the playoffs or a chance to win the NFC East.

https://theathletic.com/3044298/2021/12/31/the-cowboys-defense-now-faces-the-difficult-kyler-murray-test-pregame-riffing/

The Cowboys dial up more pressure as the sacks and turnovers continue to stack up: Dan Quinn report

 The Cowboys defense is currently in uncharted waters. We don’t know how to process this.

As we head into Week 17 with a mighty challenge lurking — and obviously many bigger ones on the horizon — Dallas welcomes the new year with the unthinkable No. 1 ranking in the NFL in takeaways.

https://theathletic.com/3040577/2021/12/30/the-cowboys-dial-up-more-pressure-as-the-sacks-and-turnovers-continue-to-stack-up-dan-quinn-report/

The Cowboys get right on offense by strong strategic mauling of Washington: Decoding Kellen Moore

 Since the start of November, the journey for this Cowboys offense has been a bit of a struggle. We have evaluated a number of elements that range from the health of a calf muscle, the relative blocking prowess of a tight end who doesn’t really ever block, a debate whether a marginal roster player is actually better than a $50 million right tackle, thoughts that the TCU job might be distracting the offensive coordinator and about a thousand other half-baked premises.

https://theathletic.com/3039020/2021/12/29/the-cowboys-get-right-on-offense-by-strong-strategic-mauling-of-washington-decoding-kellen-moore/

Cowboys get their full groove back in easy rout of old rival: Sturm’s Morning After

 There used to be times around here when the local football team would ruin the holidays with incredible consistency. It was obviously unintentional, but usually from Thanksgiving until New Year’s Day, the optimism train would derail and run into the side of a tunnel at such speeds that there would be no recovery. A season that built promise would then crush it in what most would claim was “the hap-happiest season of all.”

https://theathletic.com/3037145/2021/12/27/cowboys-get-their-full-groove-back-in-easy-rout-of-old-rival-sturms-morning-after/

DeMarcus Lawrence is back and as dangerous as ever. Dan Quinn’s defense has leveled up

 “Y’all know me, still the same O.G. but I been low-key” — Dr. Dre

To steal a lyric that plays in my head just about every time I see DeMarcus Lawrence doing what he does since his return, I suspect some of you have forgotten about Tank.

Lawrence is back and he is wrecking things. There was a play early in this game in New Jersey on Sunday that demonstrates what this all means. You see, Lawrence is one of the most productive defensive edges in the NFL in the past five years even though his own fan base often questions his quality. This, of course, is all the more remarkable when you consider that he has never really had much help with him.

https://theathletic.com/3030601/2021/12/22/demarcus-lawrence-is-back-and-as-dangerous-as-ever-dan-quinns-defense-has-leveled-up/

Cowboys’ win in New York is nice, but the offense needs to be much better: Decoding Kellen Moore

 The object of this Tuesday series which we have been doing for more than a decade is to break down the offense in such a way where we can define what the Cowboys are trying to accomplish and evaluate how well they are doing that. Basically to establish what the offense alone is doing to help or hurt the team.

Often, we can go in different directions each week and break things down from a 30,000-foot view of it all.

https://theathletic.com/3029230/2021/12/21/cowboys-win-in-new-york-is-nice-but-the-offense-needs-to-be-much-better-decoding-kellen-moore/

The Cowboys get the job done, while a few teams above them did not: The Morning After

 At the risk of being a broken record, allow me to take you down an important road that is required after Week 15 in the NFL’s Sunday slate came to a close.

For many years, I have also covered the National Hockey League. In fact, there is a pretty good chance that I covered the NHL for a longer amount of time than the NFL — even though I am old enough that both span a few decades now.

https://theathletic.com/3026524/2021/12/20/the-cowboys-get-the-job-done-while-a-few-teams-above-them-did-not-the-morning-after/