DMN: 2011 New York Giants have allowed Cowboys owner Jerry Jones to peddle false hope

[Irving Cowboy]

2011 New York Giants have allowed Cowboys owner Jerry Jones to peddle false hope
By Rainer Sabin / Reporter
1:38 pm on October 16, 2012

One of the worst things to happen to the Cowboys in recent times is the New York Giants’ unexpected march to a championship last season.

But it’s not just because the Giants pushed the Cowboys aside to claim the playoff berth that launched their Super Bowl run. While that was bad, New York’s sudden rise from mediocrity to the top of the NFL did the Cowboys an even greater disservice by providing Cowboys owner Jerry Jones a parable he could use in his ongoing effort to peddle false hope.

Since February, Jones has said these Cowboys could duplicate what the Giants did – Go 9-7 in the regular season and then take out four quality opponents in the playoffs to collect the Vince Lombardi Trophy. But here’s the thing: The Giants are the only team ever to finish with that record and win a title. They also had a quarterback, a coach and a core group of defensive players who won a Super Bowl four years earlier.

But because the Giants of 2011 defied the odds Jones insists the Cowboys can, too. On Tuesday, he declared on KRLD-FM (105.3) the Cowboys are a contender despite the fact the team he owns is 2-3, is nestled at the bottom of the NFC East standings and has managed one playoff victory in the previous 15 seasons.

It’s a ridiculous assertion. Perhaps more disturbing than the comment is that Jones holds that particular Giants team in such high esteem and uses it as a model example. The Cowboys should have greater aspirations than finishing 9-7, sneaking into the playoffs and making a miraculous run to the Super Bowl.

But it’s hard not come to the conclusion Jones would be content with that scenario unfolding. Then again, it’s easy to see why a man who peddles false hope would be.

 

[Irving Cowboy]

Jerry Jones Believes Cowboys Can Go All The Way To The Super Bowl This Year
by Tom Ryle

You may love Jerry Jones. You may hate him. You may feel a bit of both emotions when you think about the extremely outspoken and frequently outrageous owner of the Dallas Cowboys.

But you are very seldom going to be bored by him.

On his weekly radio show on KRLD following the Dallas loss to the Baltimore Ravens, JJ made a typically bold statement.

"All of those things give us a chance to take a team that is evolving into, if you look at the pluses yesterday (Sunday), evolving into a team that can be a team that can compete for the championship. Not next year, this year."

Just to make sure, the host asked him to clarify, and Jones repeated that he meant this year. As in 2012. He feels that way about the team that gets flagged like 47 times a game and doesn't seem to understand the usefulness of hurrying up with less than half a minute to go while trying to get into position for a game winning field goal.

Now, the second thing you probably ask (the first being "Why do you just keep talking?") is whether the owner/GM of the Cowboys is watching the same team the rest of us are. This team has been up and down more than a hyperactive nine year old on a trampoline. With the exception of the season opener against the New York Giants, they have been struggling against their own mistakes as much as against the opponent. Even in that impressive victory to start things, Dallas had to overcome 13 penalties. I'm not going to recount the tragedy of errors that led to the three losses this year, since we have already talked about them at length here.

Surely, he can't be serious.

Well, actually, I think he is, no matter who you call Shirley. So, is he just totally out of touch with where the team really is? Is he being a cheerleader for the team, despite the reality? Or is he talking about something that could actually happen?

Rainer Sabin at DallasNews.com blames it all on the Giants. Last year, not this year. He reminds us that JJ has been talking about how the G-men struggled to get into the playoffs at 9-7 and then went on a run. He also brings up the fact that they had a core of players who had been there and done that four years before, and is, shall we say, frank in his evaluation of Jones' statements.

It's a ridiculous assertion. Perhaps more disturbing than the comment is that Jones holds that particular Giants team in such high esteem and uses it as a model example. The Cowboys should have greater aspirations than finishing 9-7, sneaking into the playoffs and making a miraculous run to the Super Bowl.

But it's hard not come to the conclusion Jones would be content with that scenario unfolding. Then again, it's easy to see why a man who peddles false hope would be.

This fits into the meme of how horrible a general manager Jones is and how he keeps putting a crappy product on the field and trying to convince everyone that the glory holes - er, days are just around the corner. It also makes the assumption that the team is not going to improve significantly this year, and that the 9-7 miracle run is the only possible path open to the team.

Dallas does face a daunting challenge. They have a road game coming up against a struggling Carolina Panthers team, and then they have to face the surging New York Giants and a currently undefeated Atlanta Falcons team in the next two weeks. For the Cowboys to get out of that stretch of games without at least two losses will take a lot more of the positives we saw against the Ravens, like improved offensive line play and the continued resurgence of Felix Jones, and a loss less of the mistakes, particularly mental, that ultimately cost them the victory.

There is, of course, the argument that Jerry Jones can hardly say anything else at this point. Well, he could just keep quiet about the team's prospects, but we know that is about as likely as Lady Gaga giving up makeup and high heels. He can't very well say he has given up on the team at this point. Although they have slumped to last place in the NFC East, they are only one game behind the Giants in the loss column. IF (and I can't make that IF big enough) they can find some consistency and eliminate the maddening mistakes, the Cowboys can be competitive with anyone. Besides, as we saw in 2010, Jerry Jones now has to have futility knock him down and jump up and down on his chest before he will acknowledge it.

Dan Graziano at his NFC East blog took a much more detailed and thoughtful look at Jerry's remarks. He mentions something head coach Jason Garrett told him back in Oxnard.

"We're trying to build our football team for 2012, but we're also trying to build a football program. To put a program in place that's going to have sustained winning for years to come. 'Build' is an important word for us."
That sentence looms even larger at this point of the season. Garrett is very much trying to put a winning team on the field, but not at the expense of having an even better team in coming years. This team often looks like a bunch of pieces, some really good and some not so much, that just haven't been properly fit together yet. If all the various parts that have worked well at different times during the season get on the field and moving in unison, this could be a very good team. The question, outside of that IF I mentioned above, is when.

Jerry Jones is just saying that he thinks it is going to be sooner rather than later. And Graziano, while he may not think it is likely, does not see it as totally outside the realm of possibility.

Meantime, though, he's not insane to think the Cowboys could improve over the final 11 games and make a run. We've all seen teams whose rebuilds have borne fruit earlier than expected. The chance is excellent that whichever team wins this year's Super Bowl will be a flawed one that many people failed to see coming. Off of a game like the one his team played in Baltimore, you can understand why Jones would dare to hope his could be such a team. Off a game like the one his team played against the Bears before the bye week, it would have been tougher to understand.

Frankly, I would not expect JJ to ever be much of a realist or pessimist. If I had taken a huge risk on a floundering sports team and built a billion-dollar sports empire and the glitziest sports/entertainment venue in the solar system, I might tend a little strongly towards the glass half full perspective myself. Jones is a true believer, in himself and, by extension, in the people he hires, like Jason Garrett and all those guys who wear the Star on their helmets.

He really thinks this can happen. And there is a chance, however remote, he is right. But it is all up to the team now, because it can only happen on the field.

 

[Irving Cowboy]

While Cowboys Owner Jerry Jones Shoots For The Stars, Jason Garrett Stay Firmly Grounded
by Tom Ryle

Point-counterpoint. Yin and yang. Unfiltered emotional response versus controlled, rational comments.

Jerry Jones and Jason Garrett are, in some ways, a study in opposites. This is never more evident than when you look at their differing approaches to talking about the Dallas Cowboys. This week, Jones made some very oprimistic statements about the Cowboys and how he thought they were capable of making it to the Super Bowl, after the strong effort they put up in the loss to the Baltimore Ravens. As you might expect, that was one of the first things Garrett was asked about by the press the next time they talked to him.

"We are not focused on that," Garrett said at his Wednesday press conference. "We are focused on meeting Wednesday and preparing for Carolina on Sunday. That is where our emphasis is as players and coaches."

Now, you almost wonder why they bothered asking the question, since the answer was pure, unadulterated Garretspeak. But it also reflects the very different approaches the owner and head coach take to the game.

Actually, the reason for the question is pretty obvious. They would love to stir up a Jerry-Jason conflict. But, folks, it ain't gonna happen. When questioned further about the effect Jones' comments had on the team, Garrett shut that down in a hurry.

"We think Jerry Jones is an outstanding owner. We appreciate everything he does for our football team. But our focus is practicing well today."

No one is going to drive a wedge between the two, especially over something as trivial and expected as some JJ bombast. Both parties here understand just how inextricably their fates are interwoven at this point, and they also understand that they are highly unlikely to find a better deal. Jerry Jones turned to Jason Garrett at a moment of crisis and asked him to rebuild a team that was falling apart before everyone's eyes. No matter how overly confident Jones may be in the Cowboys at any given time, it is certain that he finally realized that his team needed a lot more than a couple of tweaks to return to competitiveness. And even though he wants it right now, I am confident he also knows that it may take a few seasons to really get the franchise restored.

And he believes in Jason Garrett and his approach. I know that we plunge into the depths of despair every time the Cowboys lose, whether in a particularly inept beatdown or by falling just short, but you can still see more than a few hints of a brighter future. The line finally had a good game, Felix Jones looked like a real, live NFL running back, and Dez Bryant looked excellent on all but one throw. The defense has already looked more capable this season despite some uncharacteristic miscues against the Ravens. Remember, this has been done with two drafts and one real offseason. Garrett wants to win every game he can - but he is not going to sacrifice the future for one or two more wins now. He works hard to balance playing the next game and putting together a team that will succeed for years to come. And right now, I think he is doing a pretty good job.

While Jerry Jones looks towards the next round of playoffs every single day, Jason Garrett is properly focused on the next opponent. It is part of the nature of their two roles, on any team, and each of them seems to respect the difference.

Garrett's approach is especially important with a game coming up that everyone expects the Cowboys to win. If there is one thing that is blatantly evident this season, it is that there are no gimmes in the NFL. Only one team is undefeated, the Atlanta Falcons (who are on the schedule for the Cowboys), and every team has notched at least one win. One thing that it is easy to lose perspective on is that anyone who makes an NFL roster is far better at playing football than all but a miniscule number of men on this planet. Even "bad" NFL players have strength, speed, and agility that most of us can only dream about, and in players like Cam Newton, Steve Smith and Luke Kuechly, the Carolina Panthers have some weapons that have to be taken seriously. Any NFL coach has to keep the players focused on the task at hand and not worrying about the maybes and what ifs down the road.

While there are times that Garrett's game decisions and play selection can be questioned, it is very hard to find anything to criticize about the day to day approach he takes and tries to instill in his players. One thing that I have noticed for months now is how the players parrot Garrettspeak. There was another example on Twitter today.

Mackenzy Bernadeau: ‘It was a better game. ... We don’t want to peak right now. ... We don’t want to be a one-game deal.’ — Carlos A. Mendez (@calexmendez) October 17, 2012

Bernadeau and the rest of the offensive line, especially Phil Costa, were perhaps the best news to come out of the Ravens game. And his tone, at least, is exactly right, as well as being right out of Garrett's Rules of Football Order. Don't rest on the laurels of a good showing, but look to build on it and carry it forward.

Writers, like the ones asking JG about what his boss said, are just looking for headlines and articles to write. (Yes, so am I.) A rift between owner/general manager and head coach would certainly be a story that would get lots of eyes. Just go Google "Andy Reid" to get an example of what I mean. But they are looking for it here in vain. Jerry Jones will always be making big, sweeping and frequently ill-considered pronouncements. But Jason Garrett will just keep saying as little as possible, no matter how much he talks, and prepare for the next game.

And the next decade.

 

[Irving Cowboy]

Jason Garrett: ‘We’re not real focused’ on Jerry Jones saying Cowboys can compete for title this year
By Jon Machota / Special Contributor
10:34 am on October 17, 2012

IRVING – Jerry Jones said Tuesday that the Cowboys were evolving into a team that can compete for a championship this year.

A somewhat surprising statement considering the team is 2-3 and not resembling a playoff contender. The Cowboys are in last place in the NFC East and 20 NFL teams have a better record.

So what does Cowboys coach Jason Garrett think about the team’s owner and general manager making such a projection?

“We’re not real focused on that right now,” Garrett said Wednesday. “We’re focused on meeting well on Wednesday and preparing for Carolina on Sunday, so that’s where our emphasis is as players and coaches.”

Does that put any added pressure on the team when the boss says that?

“Again, we’re not focused on that,” Garrett responded. “We think Jerry Jones is an outstanding owner and we appreciate everything he does for our football team. But our focus is on practicing well today.”

 

[Irving Cowboy]

Cowboys players “evolving into a team” that must respond to Jerry Jones’ comments
By David Moore / Reporter
5:23 pm on October 18, 2012

As the Cowboys sit at Valley Ranch with a 2-3 record, as they prepare to face one of only two teams in the NFC with a worse record, the players continue to talk about a championship.

It’s not arrogance.

It’s their owner.

Jerry Jones said earlier this week that he believes the Cowboys are “evolving into a team that can compete for the championship’’ this season. Several key players have been asked about that comment.

First up is linebacker Sean Lee.

“If we can execute the way we want on the field, I think we have the ability to play with anybody and beat anybody in this league and play for a championship, absolutely, this year,’’ Lee said. “But we have to do it.

“I’m not going to say we’ve shown in these first five games that we’re a championship team, but we believe we’re a championship team if we can continue to improve and get rid of mistakes.’’

The Cowboys carry a two-game losing streak into its road game against Carolina this weekend. The team has lost seven of its last 10 games, leading critics to shake their head and roll their eyes over Jones’ proclamation.

“We’re trying to get ready for Carolina,’’ quarterback Tony Romo said, sidestepping his owner’s bravado.

“It is what it is,’’ tight end Jason Witten said. “I think he’s trying to be optimistic. I think he watches the tape and sees that we’re doing a lot of good thing.

“I don’t think it’s more than that. I don’t think he’s trying to build us up or anything like that.’’

Does that mean Witten agrees with Jones?

“Every man in this room should believe that,’’ Witten said. “If you don’t, get out of here.

“But you have to go prove it every week.’’

 

[Irving Cowboy]

Witten: Cowboys players should ‘get out of here’ if they don’t believe we’re a title contender
By Jon Machota / Special Contributor
4:00 pm on October 18, 2012

IRVING – Jerry Jones said Tuesday during his weekly radio interview that the Cowboys are evolving into a championship contender. That statement came only two days after a 31-29 loss in Baltimore that dropped Dallas to 2-3.

Jones continues to reference the New York Giants’ run to a Super Bowl last season after starting 6-6 and winning the NFC East with a 9-7 record.

Although Cowboys coach Jason Garrett said Wednesday that his team wasn’t concerned with looking past Sunday’s game at Carolina, tight end Jason Witten said Thursday that every player in the Cowboys locker room should feel the same way as Jones.

“If you don’t, get out of here,” Witten said. “But you have to go prove it every week. A lot of games we’ve done good things and a lot of things we have to improve on. Absolutely. Did the Giants think it at 7-7? That’s the way this league goes. I’m not saying that’s the formula for doing it. You have to still win games. Let’s get it corrected. We feel we have the men in this room who can do it. Now you have to go show it.”

Witten said the Cowboys owner and general manager was just “trying to be optimistic.”

“I think he watches the tape and sees that we’re doing a lot of good things,” Witten said. “I don’t think it’s more than that. I don’t think he’s trying to build us up or anything like that. I think he’s going with how it is in his mind and obviously being optimistic, as we all are.”