IRVING —
Disappointment is something that has become a standard description for the Dallas Cowboys the past two decades.
They had a four-year stretch in the mid-1990s when they hoisted the Lombardi Trophy three times as world champions. But those days were a lifetime ago to some, a championship drought that has now lasted 20 seasons.
The Cowboys have been a model of mediocrity in that stretch. With a loss to the Washington Redskins on Sunday, the Cowboys would have a 152-152 record with only two playoff wins since their Super Bowl winning team to end the 1995 season.
The problems have run the gamut from poor personnel decisions (Ryan Leaf started three games during the 2001 season) to bad breaks (Tony Romo’s injuries).
Don’t feel bad for owner Jerry Jones, though. He understands how fickle this sport can be.
Just a year ago he was named the NFL Executive of the Year and this year is taking heat for getting rid of DeMarco Murray, banking on Joseph Randle, bringing in Greg Hardy and then starting the season with Brandon Weeden as the backup quarterback.
“I just understand that having a team that ultimately gets in position to win a championship is like holding two handfuls of Jell-O,” Jones said on KRLD radio 105.3 The Fan earlier this week. “And just about the time you think you got it stable, it starts oozing out your little finger slot or it comes out the thumb. But it’s just constant. Everybody deals with the very same thing.
“So, I really do, when I look back, I can see three different times where we had the opportunity, a lot closer than it looked, we had the opportunity to be sitting there playing for a championship over these last, let’s say 10 years. And, so, that isn’t solace. That isn’t some type of excuse. That’s just the fact.”
Here’s a look at the most disappointing seasons in the Jerry Jones era:
2015 season
Why the optimism: The Cowboys made a surprise playoff run in the 2014 season, as Tony Romo played the best football of his career. A controversial non-catch call on Dez Bryant in the divisional round ended the season, but spurred excitement that the Cowboys were on the verge of being a legitimate Super Bowl contender.
The Cowboys signed controversial defensive end Greg Hardy and added what many believed were three first-round talents over draft weekend. But they let DeMarco Murray, who had set the franchise’s single-season rushing record in 2014, go in free agency, believing their offensive line was good enough that most running backs would have success.
What went wrong: Romo fractured his collarbone in Week 2, missing seven games, and then refractured it on Thanksgiving. The Cowboys whiffed on finding a suitable backup QB, going from Brandon Weeden to Matt Cassel to Kellen Moore.
Orlando Scandrick had a season-ending injury in training camp, plus Dez Bryant injured himself in the season opener.
Along with that, Joseph Randle wasn’t the answer at running back and the Cowboys never had the chemistry or continuity of the 2014 team.
2010 season
Why the optimism: The Cowboys had gone 11-5 in 2009, and won their first playoff game in 14 years. With Cowboys Stadium hosting the Super Bowl that season, there were some visions of the team becoming the first to play at their “home stadium.” The Cowboys used their first-round pick on Dez Bryant, and there had been a feeling that no team had more talent.
What went wrong: Romo suffered a season-ending collarbone injury. Sounds familiar, right? Marion Barber and Felix Jones also weren’t the 1-2 punch out of the backfield most people thought they’d be, and the defense didn’t play well. Opponents averaged 27.3 points a game, which ranked 31st in the league. The 436 points allowed were the most in franchise history.
Jones, for the first time in his tenure, fired a coach midseason. He gave Wade Phillips walking papers after a 1-7 start, beginning the Jason Garrett era.
2008 season
Why the optimism: They were coming off a 13-3 season in which they secured a bye in the playoffs before falling in the divisional round. Romo was establishing himself as an elite quarterback, and the offense had weapons such as Terrell Owens and Jason Witten. Defensively, DeMarcus Ware was entering his prime, and Terence Newman remained a solid corner. And, hey, it would’ve been fitting for the Cowboys to close out the final year of Texas Stadium with a strong season.
What went wrong: Another forgettable December. The Cowboys went 1-3 in the final month, and missed the playoffs altogether. The Eagles delivered the knockout punch in the final week of the season, handing the Cowboys a 44-6 loss in Philly. That ranked as the Cowboys’ worst loss since 1985 when the Chicago Bears whipped them 44-0.
2006 season
Why the optimism: The Cowboys went all-in in the off-season. They signed star receiver Owens, as well as kicker Mike Vanderjagt. Bill Parcells was the head coach. Everything, it seemed, had lined up for the Cowboys to take the next step. And even a midseason quarterback change from Drew Bledsoe to Romo was paying off.
What went wrong: They fell apart down the stretch, losing three of their final four regular-season games. The gut punch came in the finale when they couldn’t beat the 3-12 Detroit Lions in a 39-31 home loss. The Cowboys still had a playoff berth for the first time since 2003, though. It ended, however, when Romo botched the hold on a go-ahead field-goal attempt with 1:19 left.
1997 season
Why the optimism: The Cowboys had made six consecutive postseason appearances, including their three Super Bowls in four years (1992-95). The ’96 season ended with a divisional-round loss at Carolina, but the Triplets were still together and poised to make another title run.
What went wrong: Troy Aikman posted his worst passer rating since his second year in the league; Emmitt Smith rushed for the fewest yards since his rookie season; and Michael Irvin averaged his fewest receiving yards per game since the ’91 season. The offense ranked 20th in the league, a big-time disappointment considering that year they had the second-best defense. This marked the end of the Barry Switzer era.
1994 season
Why the optimism: The Cowboys had won the previous two Super Bowls, and expectations were at an all-time high for the dynasty to continue. But Jerry Jones made his second controversial coaching decision in his short tenure up to that point — getting rid of Jimmy Johnson after two consecutive Super Bowls rivaled Jones’ decision to fire the legendary Tom Landry once he acquired the team. Still, the pieces were in place for Barry Switzer and the Cowboys to continue their dominance.
What went wrong: It’s hard to say a team that went 12-4 and won a playoff game underachieved. But from the Super Bowl standard the previous two teams had set, this ranked as one of the most disappointing seasons in franchise history. A 38-28 road loss to the eventual champs, the San Francisco 49ers, in the NFC Championship Game still stings Cowboys fans.
Disappointment is something that has become a standard description for the Dallas Cowboys the past two decades.
They had a four-year stretch in the mid-1990s when they hoisted the Lombardi Trophy three times as world champions. But those days were a lifetime ago to some, a championship drought that has now lasted 20 seasons.
The Cowboys have been a model of mediocrity in that stretch. With a loss to the Washington Redskins on Sunday, the Cowboys would have a 152-152 record with only two playoff wins since their Super Bowl winning team to end the 1995 season.
The problems have run the gamut from poor personnel decisions (Ryan Leaf started three games during the 2001 season) to bad breaks (Tony Romo’s injuries).
Don’t feel bad for owner Jerry Jones, though. He understands how fickle this sport can be.
Just a year ago he was named the NFL Executive of the Year and this year is taking heat for getting rid of DeMarco Murray, banking on Joseph Randle, bringing in Greg Hardy and then starting the season with Brandon Weeden as the backup quarterback.
“I just understand that having a team that ultimately gets in position to win a championship is like holding two handfuls of Jell-O,” Jones said on KRLD radio 105.3 The Fan earlier this week. “And just about the time you think you got it stable, it starts oozing out your little finger slot or it comes out the thumb. But it’s just constant. Everybody deals with the very same thing.
“So, I really do, when I look back, I can see three different times where we had the opportunity, a lot closer than it looked, we had the opportunity to be sitting there playing for a championship over these last, let’s say 10 years. And, so, that isn’t solace. That isn’t some type of excuse. That’s just the fact.”
Here’s a look at the most disappointing seasons in the Jerry Jones era:
2015 season
Why the optimism: The Cowboys made a surprise playoff run in the 2014 season, as Tony Romo played the best football of his career. A controversial non-catch call on Dez Bryant in the divisional round ended the season, but spurred excitement that the Cowboys were on the verge of being a legitimate Super Bowl contender.
The Cowboys signed controversial defensive end Greg Hardy and added what many believed were three first-round talents over draft weekend. But they let DeMarco Murray, who had set the franchise’s single-season rushing record in 2014, go in free agency, believing their offensive line was good enough that most running backs would have success.
What went wrong: Romo fractured his collarbone in Week 2, missing seven games, and then refractured it on Thanksgiving. The Cowboys whiffed on finding a suitable backup QB, going from Brandon Weeden to Matt Cassel to Kellen Moore.
Orlando Scandrick had a season-ending injury in training camp, plus Dez Bryant injured himself in the season opener.
Along with that, Joseph Randle wasn’t the answer at running back and the Cowboys never had the chemistry or continuity of the 2014 team.
2010 season
Why the optimism: The Cowboys had gone 11-5 in 2009, and won their first playoff game in 14 years. With Cowboys Stadium hosting the Super Bowl that season, there were some visions of the team becoming the first to play at their “home stadium.” The Cowboys used their first-round pick on Dez Bryant, and there had been a feeling that no team had more talent.
What went wrong: Romo suffered a season-ending collarbone injury. Sounds familiar, right? Marion Barber and Felix Jones also weren’t the 1-2 punch out of the backfield most people thought they’d be, and the defense didn’t play well. Opponents averaged 27.3 points a game, which ranked 31st in the league. The 436 points allowed were the most in franchise history.
Jones, for the first time in his tenure, fired a coach midseason. He gave Wade Phillips walking papers after a 1-7 start, beginning the Jason Garrett era.
2008 season
Why the optimism: They were coming off a 13-3 season in which they secured a bye in the playoffs before falling in the divisional round. Romo was establishing himself as an elite quarterback, and the offense had weapons such as Terrell Owens and Jason Witten. Defensively, DeMarcus Ware was entering his prime, and Terence Newman remained a solid corner. And, hey, it would’ve been fitting for the Cowboys to close out the final year of Texas Stadium with a strong season.
What went wrong: Another forgettable December. The Cowboys went 1-3 in the final month, and missed the playoffs altogether. The Eagles delivered the knockout punch in the final week of the season, handing the Cowboys a 44-6 loss in Philly. That ranked as the Cowboys’ worst loss since 1985 when the Chicago Bears whipped them 44-0.
2006 season
Why the optimism: The Cowboys went all-in in the off-season. They signed star receiver Owens, as well as kicker Mike Vanderjagt. Bill Parcells was the head coach. Everything, it seemed, had lined up for the Cowboys to take the next step. And even a midseason quarterback change from Drew Bledsoe to Romo was paying off.
What went wrong: They fell apart down the stretch, losing three of their final four regular-season games. The gut punch came in the finale when they couldn’t beat the 3-12 Detroit Lions in a 39-31 home loss. The Cowboys still had a playoff berth for the first time since 2003, though. It ended, however, when Romo botched the hold on a go-ahead field-goal attempt with 1:19 left.
1997 season
Why the optimism: The Cowboys had made six consecutive postseason appearances, including their three Super Bowls in four years (1992-95). The ’96 season ended with a divisional-round loss at Carolina, but the Triplets were still together and poised to make another title run.
What went wrong: Troy Aikman posted his worst passer rating since his second year in the league; Emmitt Smith rushed for the fewest yards since his rookie season; and Michael Irvin averaged his fewest receiving yards per game since the ’91 season. The offense ranked 20th in the league, a big-time disappointment considering that year they had the second-best defense. This marked the end of the Barry Switzer era.
1994 season
Why the optimism: The Cowboys had won the previous two Super Bowls, and expectations were at an all-time high for the dynasty to continue. But Jerry Jones made his second controversial coaching decision in his short tenure up to that point — getting rid of Jimmy Johnson after two consecutive Super Bowls rivaled Jones’ decision to fire the legendary Tom Landry once he acquired the team. Still, the pieces were in place for Barry Switzer and the Cowboys to continue their dominance.
What went wrong: It’s hard to say a team that went 12-4 and won a playoff game underachieved. But from the Super Bowl standard the previous two teams had set, this ranked as one of the most disappointing seasons in franchise history. A 38-28 road loss to the eventual champs, the San Francisco 49ers, in the NFC Championship Game still stings Cowboys fans.