Since the holiday is season is here once again I thought I would dust off one of my favorite articles that I wrote back in 2011. I got the idea after Cowboys rookie place kicker Dan Bailey kicked the game winning field goal against the Miami Dolphins on Thanksgiving in 2011. This story is all based on how Bailey’s rookie season started out when he missed a 21 yard field goal against the 49ers in Week 2. For those of you who don’t remember Dan Bailey won quite a few games as a rookie for the Cowboys back in 2011.
For those who know my writing also know that I like to have some fun with articles and this is one of them. So allow me to share a story with you. It’s a story that will make you laugh and make you cry. For those who have seen the Christmas classic “It’s a Wonderful Life”, you will understand the story that is about to be told.
It was September 18, 2011 and the Dallas Cowboys were visiting the San Francisco 49ers. After a bad loss to the NY Jets 27-24 in the season opener the Cowboys were looking to even their record at 1-1. The Cowboys did not want to go 0-2 simply because it might have been too deep of a hole to dig out of.
The Cowboys took the opening kickoff and drove down to the 49ers four yard line. Rookie kicker Dan Bailey came out to attempt a 21 yard field goal. The kick sailed wide right and Bailey walked to the sideline devastated because of the miss. He sat down on the bench thinking that this was not the place for him. He knew he could never be a successful kicker in the NFL and just wanted to walk off the field and never come back. Bailey wished that he had never been a kicker. He wanted out of football and felt dead inside. He wished he could be anywhere except for where he was. As he sat on the Cowboys bench feeling lost and alone, he looked up to the sky with his eyes filled with tears and whispered "show me the way... show me the way".
At that moment Bailey found himself in the stands of Candlestick Park. Confused as to how he got there he began looking around. He noticed an older gentleman sitting next to him staring at him. It was as if no one else could see Bailey except the gentleman who continued to stare at Bailey. The crowd around both of them cheered as the game continued on. The older gentleman introduced himself as Clarence and began to explain to Bailey that he was his guardian angel sent down from the football gods to show Bailey the way just as he had asked. Bailey, only half listening to Clarence because he was so confused, got up to head back down to the field. Clarence explained to Bailey that he couldn’t go because he was not a part of the Cowboys team and never was. As Clarence reminded Bailey about his wish that he had never been a kicker, he handed Bailey a game program. As Bailey looked at the Cowboys team roster he noticed that he was not listed as the team kicker. Looking confused Bailey got up and decided to make his way to the tunnel where the Cowboys were running towards for halftime. He yelled and screamed for his teammates to help him. But it was if Bailey wasn’t even standing there as the Cowboys ran past him never acknowledging him in any way. Clarence placed his hand on Bailey's shoulder and said..."You've been given a great gift, Dan. A chance to see what football would be like without you". At that point Bailey felt the only thing he could do was just leave so he could sort out what was happening to him. Bailey made his way out of Candlestick Park with Clarence following closely behind.
Sitting home that night Bailey wanted to watch highlights of the Cowboys game against the 49ers to see how things turned out. He was disappointed to find out that the 49ers had beaten the Cowboys 24-21 and dropped the Cowboys to a 0-2 record. Feeling upset, Bailey kept telling Clarence that he could have helped his teammates win. Clarence kept reminding Bailey he could not have helped because he was not a kicker and the Cowboys had no idea who he was. Over and over again Clarence tried to explain the situation that Bailey was never a kicker, but Bailey was obviously still having a hard time believing what was happening to him.
As the season continued on Dan Bailey sat and watched the Cowboys play each game. Every time Bailey would talk about being a kicker and helping the Cowboys, Clarence would remind him of his wish never to be a kicker. Bailey pleaded with Clarence to bring him back to the Cowboys, but Clarence would just put his head down and tell Bailey that it wasn’t possible.
With the Cowboys record at 0-2 things just got worse as they lost their next three games to the Redskins 16-15, the Lions 34-30 and the Patriots 20-16. Bailey just couldn’t believe what he was watching as the Cowboys started the season 0-5. He wanted to help the Cowboys, but he just didn’t know how he could get back to them. With the Cowboys record at 0-5 they finally got a win over the Rams 34-7, but then followed that up with a horrible loss to the Eagles 34-7. Things seemed to be getting better after the loss to the Eagles as the Cowboys beat the Seahawks 23-13 and the Bills 44-7. With each passing game Bailey regretted saying he never wanted to be a kicker that day at Candlestick Park. He wanted to be a kicker again more than anything in the world. He wanted to help the Cowboys win games. After two wins in a row and the Cowboys record at 3-6, there seemed to be some hope that the Cowboys could save their season. Then before Bailey’s eyes the Cowboys lost their rematch against the Redskins in overtime 27-24 and then lost again four days later on Thanksgiving to the Dolphins 19-17. The Cowboys were now 3-8 and their season was all but over. Bailey felt helpless and lost and could only blame himself for the horrible season the Cowboys were having.
Dan Bailey argued with Clarence that he should have been there to help the Cowboys win games and that it was his fault they were 3-8. Clarence reminded Bailey about his own comments that he could never be a successful kicker and not wanting to be a kicker anymore. Clarence also reminded Bailey that he said he wanted out of football. They argued for a long time until Bailey couldn’t take it anymore and ran out of his house. Bailey wanted to get as far away from Clarence as he could. He didn’t want to hear any more of what Clarence had to say. Bailey had regretted everything he had said that day and wished he could take it all back. He ran until he was exhausted and couldn’t run anymore. He sat down on a park bench to rest and think things through. He put his head in his hands and sat there wondering how he ended up there and how things got so bad. He wanted so much to help the Cowboys and he missed being around all his teammates. With his head still resting in his hands he said out loud…
"Clarence! Clarence! Help me, Clarence! Get me back! Get me back; I want to be a kicker again. I want to help the Cowboys win. Get me back to my teammates! Help me Clarence, please! Please! I wanna live again. I wanna live again. Please, Clarence, let me live again".
At that moment Bailey heard his name being yelled by many different people. He looked up and found himself sitting on the Cowboys bench in Candlestick Park. He was back in uniform and players and coaches were yelling at him to get ready. He couldn’t believe it and began smiling. Clarence had sent him back to where he wanted to be. To the place where he knew he belonged, as the kicker for the Dallas Cowboys. Bailey looked up at the scoreboard and saw that the Cowboys were behind 24-21 to the 49ers with only seconds remaining in the game. Feeling an overwhelming sense of relief and happiness that he was once again back where he belonged, Bailey grabbed his helmet and ran onto the field. He kicked the game tying field goal to send the game into overtime. Then in overtime Bailey was called on again to help his team. This time Bailey kicked the game winning field goal to beat the 49ers 27-24 and evened the Cowboys record at 1-1. Bailey had never felt better kicking a football in his life and could not have been happier to be part of the Cowboys and to help them win. He was thankful that Clarence had shown him what life was like without football. Bailey also realized what was important in life and that just because something goes wrong he should never wish it all away. But most importantly Bailey was thankful that Clarence was able to return him to where he belonged.
The following week with Bailey still feeling good and knowing there was no other place he wanted to be, he was called on again to win the game for the Cowboys. The Cowboys were losing to the Redskins 16-15 at Cowboys Stadium with only 1:47 left in the game. Bailey kicked what ended up being the game winning field goal as the Cowboys beat the Redskins 18-16 and improved to 2-1.
Dan Bailey now understood that missing field goals were part of the game and that they would happen from time to time. But as a kicker he couldn’t dwell on the misses. He just needed to continue to improve each and every week. With the right kind preparation and conditioning he knew that when called on he would always be ready to help his team.
As the 2011 season continued, Dan Bailey started to convert every field goal he attempted. It was almost as though every kick was being guided by someone as it was in the air. With every kick, Bailey thought about Clarence and remembered how he showed him how unhappy he was when he wasn’t the kicker for the Cowboys. He never ever wanted to feel that way again. He knew he was a professional kicker and even more important was that he was the kicker for the Dallas Cowboys. Bailey thought about Clarence every day and wondered what ever happened to him. He had not seen Clarence since that day he ran out of the house and ended up in the park.
With the Cowboys record at 5-4 they found themselves in another fight against the Redskins in their rematch. Only this time the game had gone into overtime and Bailey was called on again to win the game. Bailey, for the third time that season had won a game for the Cowboys. The win also helped the Cowboys into a first place tie with the Giants with a 6-4 record. The Cowboys once again congratulated Bailey on another game winning kick and Bailey being beyond happy could not remove the smile from his face.
Four days after beating the Redskins was the Cowboys annual Thanksgiving Day game. That season they were scheduled to play the Miami Dolphins. With so many people being thankful for so many things on Thanksgiving, it was Dan Bailey who felt even more thankful for everything he had. He had gone through so much as he learned from Clarence what life would be like if he wasn’t the kicker for the Cowboys, He felt the pain of not being able to help his team and he saw the pain his teammates were going through as the losses piled up.
It was a hard fought game against the Dolphins and the Cowboys found themselves losing 19-17 with only three seconds left in the game. The offense had moved into field goal range for Bailey. Once gain Bailey grabbed his helmet and ran out onto the field to help his team. Bailey’s 28 yard field goal was good as he won another game for the Cowboys and they improved to 7-4. The Cowboys attacked Bailey and congratulated each other on a tough victory. Bailey could just tell how much his teammates appreciated him and how glad they were that he was their kicker.
Always remembering that Clarence showed him the way after his field goal miss against the 49ers early in the season; Bailey knew just how lucky he was to be a kicker and was beyond thankful for everything. From the time Bailey found himself back on the 49ers bench in Week 2 as he won the game, through the winning kick against the Dolphins, Bailey had converted 26 straight field goals for the Cowboys. Bailey was also responsible for winning four out of the Cowboys seven games to that point during the 2011 season.
As Dan Bailey walked to his car after the Dolphins victory he heard the cheers of the fans that had waited for him. It made him smile because he felt so appreciated by the Cowboys fans. He loved being able to kick for the Cowboys and especially win games for the Cowboys and their fans. As Bailey got to his car he felt a cool breeze behind him. As he turned around he saw Clarence standing there smiling at him. For a moment they both looked at each other and said nothing. They knew what the other one was thinking. Finally Clarence reached out to Bailey and gave him a hug. Clarence told Bailey that he had been watching him how proud of him he was.
Clarence continued saying…
"You’ve been given a great gift, Dan: A chance to see what football would be like without you. You’ve really had a wonderful life. You have seen what a mistake it would have been to just throw it away. Strange, isn’t it? Each man’s life touches so many other lives. When he isn’t around he leaves an awful hole, doesn’t he? Always remember, Dan, no man is a failure who has teammates".
Bailey couldn't help crying over what Clarence had just said to him. He hugged Clarence again and thanked him from the bottom of his heart for everything. As Bailey got into his car and shut the door, he looked over towards Clarence and he was gone. Bailey looked all around, but Clarence was nowhere to be seen. Bailey shouted towards the sky, “THANK YOU CLARENCE”. He smiled, started his car and started to drive home. Thanks to Clarence, Bailey knew what he was meant to do with his life. That was being the kicker for the Dallas Cowboys. As Bailey drove home that night smiling he knew he wouldn’t have it any other way.
Monday, December 1, 2014
Wednesday, June 18, 2014
A classic Cowboys-Giants game from 1985 when Sunday Night Football was rare
In today's NFL Sunday Night Football has become the norm. To some fans that's how it's always been. But in a time long ago and far away it was completely different. Sunday Night Football was once considered a treat for fans. In the 1980's there might have been two or three Sunday night games a season and it was exciting. It was even more exciting if it was your team playing in the game.
Back in Week 5 of the 1985 season one such game was played on Sunday night and it ended up being a classic division match-up between the Cowboys and Giants.
It was October 6, 1985 and this primetime game would be played at Giants Stadium. Both the Cowboys and Giants entered the game with 3-1 records and the NFC East lead on the line. It was also a time when many teams, including the Giants would make the Cowboys wear their blue jerseys and this game was no different.
With darkness covering the Garden State, the bright lights of Giants Stadium stood out as the Cowboys kicked off to the Giants.
On the second play of the game Giants running back Joe Morris never got control of a handoff from quarterback Phil Simms and he fumbled. The ball landed right in front of Cowboys linebacker Mike Hegman who recovered it. The Cowboys took over at the Giants 43 yard line.
Cowboys quarterback Danny White led the Cowboys to the Giants 18 yard line. From there White got flushed from the pocket by the Giants pass rush. He ran towards the right sideline and a second before he stepped out of bounds he threw across his body into the back of the end zone where he found wide receiver Tony Hill for the score. The ABC cameras must have been convinced that White was going to run out of bounds because once he threw the ball the cameras never followed the ball into the end zone to the show the touchdown. It was only after the commercial break that the end zone camera showed Tony Hill scoring the touchdown. The Cowboys went ahead early in the first quarter 7-0.
Giants kickoff returner Phil McConkey returned the ensuing kickoff to midfield. That seemed to jump start the Giants offense as they drove to the Cowboys six yard line. But the drive came to a stop there as the Cowboys blitzed Phil Simms on third down and forced him to throw the ball away through the back of the end zone. Giants kicker Jess Atkinson converted a 23 yard field goal to close the gap to 7-3.
After exchanging punts on each of their next possessions, the Cowboys took over at their 17 yard line as the first quarter came to an end. On the arm of Danny White he led the Cowboys offense to the Giants eight yard line. From there he would throw his second touchdown pass of the game. White stepped up in the pocked and rolled to his left where he pulled up and fired into the end zone to wide receiver Mike Renfro for the touchdown and a 14-3 lead.
On the Giants next possession they were once again able to drive deep into Cowboys territory. On second down from the 15 yard line Simms over threw wide receiver Bobby Johnson in the end zone. On third down Simms was sacked. Once again the Giants had to settle for a field goal from Atkinson as he connected from 37 yards to make the score 14-6.
After the kickoff Danny White began moving the offense down the field again. It would be a common theme for this game as rushing yards would be hard to come by, especially in the first half for Tony Dorsett. At the two minute warning and sitting at the Giants 15 yard line, Danny White went looking for Mike Renfro again. White threw into the end zone, but did not see Giants safety Kenny Hill standing there and he intercepted White's pass for the touchback.
The Giants offense could not move the ball after the interception and was forced to punt to the Cowboys with 1:14 left in the first half.
After the Giants punt the Cowboys took over on their 32 yard line with 1:06 left. Danny White threw deep to Tony Hill, but the pass went off his finger tips and fell incomplete. White then connected on his next three passes to get the Cowboys to the Giants 23 yard line with just 28 seconds left.
Danny White was sacked by the Giants ferocious pass rush which pushed the Cowboys back to the 33 yard line. White then threw into the end zone looking for Mike Renfro again. White's pass would have been intercepted again, but Renfro reached up to knock the ball away from Giants cornerback Ted Watts. On the next play White threw incomplete towards tight end Doug Cosbie with 10 seconds remaining, but there was a holding penalty on the Cowboys. That pushed the ball back to the Giants 43 yard line. On third down White was once again sacked and this time fumbled the ball, but the Cowboys recovered at their 48 yard line with six seconds left. On fourth down Danny White threw deep, but his pass was intercepted by Giants cornerback Elvis Patterson as time expired in the first half. The Cowboys went into halftime leading the Giants 14-6.
Some Cowboys fans might remember the name Elvis Patterson. It was Patterson who joined the Cowboys in 1993 and won a ring with them in Super Bowl XXVIII.
The Cowboys dominated the Giants in the first half on the arm of Danny White and if not for their two turnovers they might have led by a lot more than eight points. What the Cowboys were not aware of was the third quarter storm that was headed their way.
The second half started off with a missed opportunity for the Cowboys. Danny White threw deep to a wide open Tony Hill on third down, but White's pass sailed over Hill's head and for the first time in the game the Cowboys went three and out and had to punt.
The Giants took over at their 38 yard line and began to unleash a third quarter from hell onto the Cowboys that they couldn't stop. On the third play of the drive from their 49 yard line Simms connected with wide receiver Lionel Manuel, who beat cornerback Everson Walls at the Cowboys 32 yard line. Manuel then spun away from two other Cowboys defenders at the 26 yard line and broke free for a 51 yard touchdown. Jess Atkinson missed the extra point and that would become very important in the outcome of the game. The Cowboys now led 14-12.
On the Cowboys next possession they drove to midfield, but Danny White threw his third interception of the game. White never saw Elvis Patterson standing in front of Mike Renfro at the Giants 45 yard line and he came away with the easy pick and returned it to the Cowboys 49 yard line.
The Giants offense quickly went back to work and drove to the Cowboys 23 yard line after the turnover. On third and 15 Phil Simms rolled out to his left and fired the ball towards the end zone. Cowboys safety Dexter Clinkscale reached up and tipped the ball at the three yard line, but the ball ended up going into the hands of Lionel Manuel in the end zone for the score. The Giants took their first lead of the game, 19-14.
Next Cowboys possession. Next Cowboys turnover. Sitting at the Giants 45 yard line, White threw deep to rookie wide receiver Karl Powe. Giants cornerback Terry Kinard came down with the interception at the four yard line and returned it to the 30 yard line.
On the Giants third play from their 30 yard line, Simms threw a short pass to running back George Adams at the 38 yard line who was wide open in the middle of the field. Adams exploded up field and raced untouched for a 70 yard touchdown. It was the Giants third touchdown of the third quarter and increased their lead to 26-14 over the Cowboys.
What was once a 14-6 halftime lead for the Cowboys had very quickly turned into a 26-14 deficit. The Cowboys were in trouble and they had to find a way to stop the bleeding before it was too late.
If the Cowboys were to get back into the game they would have to forget about the turnovers and get back to playing like they did in the first half. And they did just that after the kickoff. Mixing a few passes from Danny White and Tony Dorsett's longest run of the game for 24 yards, the Cowboys found themselves at the Giants 24 yard line. Danny White was feeling the pressure from the Giants pass rush and threw off his back foot towards the end zone. Mike Renfro jumped up to grab the ball at the two yard line and scored his second touchdown of the game. The Cowboys finally got on the scoreboard in the second half and pulled closer at 26-21.
On the Giants next possession it was Phil Simms who turned the ball over. Cowboys cornerback Dennis Thurman stepped in front of Phil McConkey who fell down on his route and he intercepted the pass at the Giants 45 yard line.
After Tony Dorsett's 24 yard run during the previous possession the Cowboys continued to feed him the ball on the first two plays. Dorsett gained 10 yards and then 6 yards, which put the Cowboys at the Giants 29 yard line. Danny White then connected with tony Hill at the 16 yard line, but Hill fumbled. The ball rolled out of bounds at the 22 yard line before the Giants could recover and the Cowboys maintained possession as the third quarter ended.
The Cowboys were able to drive to the Giants five yard line before settling for a Rafael Septien field goal from 22 yards to make the score 26-24.
On the next Giants possession Phil Simms once again turned the ball over. Sitting at their 23 yard line Simms dropped back to pass and was slammed to the turf by Ed "Too Tall" Jones causing him to fumble. Jim Jeffcoat recovered the fumble at the Giants 16 yard line and once again the Cowboys offense was in great position.
The Cowboys could only gain four yards after the turnover and once again had to settle for a Septien field goal from 29 yards. The Cowboys had battled their way back and took the lead again 27-26.
After turnovers on each of their last two possessions, the Giants finally started moving the ball again. On third down from their 34 yard line Simms connected with McConkey for a 29 yard gain to the Cowboys 37 yard line. The drive stalled at the 30 yard line and Atkinson kicked a 47 yard field goal to put the Giants back in the lead 29-27 with 4:57 left in the game.
The Cowboys received the kickoff and hoped to put a drive together to run down the clock as well as position themselves for the win. But they could get no further than midfield and had to punt.
The Giants took over at their 20 yard line with just 2:58 left and they knew with just a few first downs the victory would be there's and so would the lead in the NFC East. But not so fast. This had been an unusual game from the start with big plays and many turnovers from both teams.
On the Giants second play Simms fumbled the ball from center. Cowboys linebacker Eugene Lockhart recovered the ball at the Giants 20 yard line with 2:40 left in the game.
The Cowboys moved the ball to the Giants 14 yard line as the Giants used their remaining timeouts. Septien was called on again to kick his third field goal of the second half. The kick was good from 31 yards and the Cowboys regained the lead 30-29 with 2:19 left.
The missed extra point by the Giants in the third quarter became even more important now considering the game could have been tied 30-30 with 2:19 left to play.
The Giants returned the kickoff to their 23 yard line, but a holding penalty pushed them back to the 13 yard line. On first down Simms found McConkey for a 19 yard completion to the 32 yard line. On the next play Simms was forced to throw the ball out of bounds as the 2:00 warning came.
Simms then threw incomplete passes on second and third downs. That brought up fourth down and the Giants were not about to go down easy as Simms connected with Bobby Johnson at midfield for a first down with 1:45 left.
For some reason the Giants decided to run Rob Carpenter on first down for no gain as the clock was running. Yes, Rob Carpenter is the father of former Cowboys linebacker Bobby Carpenter. Simms second down pass fell incomplete due to the fact he was being hit as he attempted to pass. On third down Simms pass came out of his hand a little wobbly for lack of a better word. Everson Walls came down with the interception and immediately stepped out of bounds.
The Cowboys ran out the final 1:16 and came away with a wild division victory over the NY Giants 30-29. The Cowboys improved to 4-1 and took the lead in the NFC East, which they would eventually win in 1985 with a 10-6 record.
Both offenses combined for 896 yards. 423 by the Cowboys and 473 by the Giants.
Both teams combined for nine turnovers. Four by the Cowboys and five by the Giants.
Danny White threw for 342 yards, three touchdowns and four inceptions.
Tony Dorsett rushed for 86 yards.
Mike Renfro caught 10 passes for 141 yards and two TDs and Tony Hill caught eight passes for 100 yards.
Phil Simms threw for 432 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions. He also fumbled twice.
Lionel Manuel caught six passes for 129 yards and two TDs and Bobby Johnson caught 5 passes for 104 yards.
Back in Week 5 of the 1985 season one such game was played on Sunday night and it ended up being a classic division match-up between the Cowboys and Giants.
It was October 6, 1985 and this primetime game would be played at Giants Stadium. Both the Cowboys and Giants entered the game with 3-1 records and the NFC East lead on the line. It was also a time when many teams, including the Giants would make the Cowboys wear their blue jerseys and this game was no different.
With darkness covering the Garden State, the bright lights of Giants Stadium stood out as the Cowboys kicked off to the Giants.
On the second play of the game Giants running back Joe Morris never got control of a handoff from quarterback Phil Simms and he fumbled. The ball landed right in front of Cowboys linebacker Mike Hegman who recovered it. The Cowboys took over at the Giants 43 yard line.
Cowboys quarterback Danny White led the Cowboys to the Giants 18 yard line. From there White got flushed from the pocket by the Giants pass rush. He ran towards the right sideline and a second before he stepped out of bounds he threw across his body into the back of the end zone where he found wide receiver Tony Hill for the score. The ABC cameras must have been convinced that White was going to run out of bounds because once he threw the ball the cameras never followed the ball into the end zone to the show the touchdown. It was only after the commercial break that the end zone camera showed Tony Hill scoring the touchdown. The Cowboys went ahead early in the first quarter 7-0.
Giants kickoff returner Phil McConkey returned the ensuing kickoff to midfield. That seemed to jump start the Giants offense as they drove to the Cowboys six yard line. But the drive came to a stop there as the Cowboys blitzed Phil Simms on third down and forced him to throw the ball away through the back of the end zone. Giants kicker Jess Atkinson converted a 23 yard field goal to close the gap to 7-3.
After exchanging punts on each of their next possessions, the Cowboys took over at their 17 yard line as the first quarter came to an end. On the arm of Danny White he led the Cowboys offense to the Giants eight yard line. From there he would throw his second touchdown pass of the game. White stepped up in the pocked and rolled to his left where he pulled up and fired into the end zone to wide receiver Mike Renfro for the touchdown and a 14-3 lead.
On the Giants next possession they were once again able to drive deep into Cowboys territory. On second down from the 15 yard line Simms over threw wide receiver Bobby Johnson in the end zone. On third down Simms was sacked. Once again the Giants had to settle for a field goal from Atkinson as he connected from 37 yards to make the score 14-6.
After the kickoff Danny White began moving the offense down the field again. It would be a common theme for this game as rushing yards would be hard to come by, especially in the first half for Tony Dorsett. At the two minute warning and sitting at the Giants 15 yard line, Danny White went looking for Mike Renfro again. White threw into the end zone, but did not see Giants safety Kenny Hill standing there and he intercepted White's pass for the touchback.
The Giants offense could not move the ball after the interception and was forced to punt to the Cowboys with 1:14 left in the first half.
After the Giants punt the Cowboys took over on their 32 yard line with 1:06 left. Danny White threw deep to Tony Hill, but the pass went off his finger tips and fell incomplete. White then connected on his next three passes to get the Cowboys to the Giants 23 yard line with just 28 seconds left.
Danny White was sacked by the Giants ferocious pass rush which pushed the Cowboys back to the 33 yard line. White then threw into the end zone looking for Mike Renfro again. White's pass would have been intercepted again, but Renfro reached up to knock the ball away from Giants cornerback Ted Watts. On the next play White threw incomplete towards tight end Doug Cosbie with 10 seconds remaining, but there was a holding penalty on the Cowboys. That pushed the ball back to the Giants 43 yard line. On third down White was once again sacked and this time fumbled the ball, but the Cowboys recovered at their 48 yard line with six seconds left. On fourth down Danny White threw deep, but his pass was intercepted by Giants cornerback Elvis Patterson as time expired in the first half. The Cowboys went into halftime leading the Giants 14-6.
Some Cowboys fans might remember the name Elvis Patterson. It was Patterson who joined the Cowboys in 1993 and won a ring with them in Super Bowl XXVIII.
The Cowboys dominated the Giants in the first half on the arm of Danny White and if not for their two turnovers they might have led by a lot more than eight points. What the Cowboys were not aware of was the third quarter storm that was headed their way.
The second half started off with a missed opportunity for the Cowboys. Danny White threw deep to a wide open Tony Hill on third down, but White's pass sailed over Hill's head and for the first time in the game the Cowboys went three and out and had to punt.
The Giants took over at their 38 yard line and began to unleash a third quarter from hell onto the Cowboys that they couldn't stop. On the third play of the drive from their 49 yard line Simms connected with wide receiver Lionel Manuel, who beat cornerback Everson Walls at the Cowboys 32 yard line. Manuel then spun away from two other Cowboys defenders at the 26 yard line and broke free for a 51 yard touchdown. Jess Atkinson missed the extra point and that would become very important in the outcome of the game. The Cowboys now led 14-12.
On the Cowboys next possession they drove to midfield, but Danny White threw his third interception of the game. White never saw Elvis Patterson standing in front of Mike Renfro at the Giants 45 yard line and he came away with the easy pick and returned it to the Cowboys 49 yard line.
The Giants offense quickly went back to work and drove to the Cowboys 23 yard line after the turnover. On third and 15 Phil Simms rolled out to his left and fired the ball towards the end zone. Cowboys safety Dexter Clinkscale reached up and tipped the ball at the three yard line, but the ball ended up going into the hands of Lionel Manuel in the end zone for the score. The Giants took their first lead of the game, 19-14.
Next Cowboys possession. Next Cowboys turnover. Sitting at the Giants 45 yard line, White threw deep to rookie wide receiver Karl Powe. Giants cornerback Terry Kinard came down with the interception at the four yard line and returned it to the 30 yard line.
On the Giants third play from their 30 yard line, Simms threw a short pass to running back George Adams at the 38 yard line who was wide open in the middle of the field. Adams exploded up field and raced untouched for a 70 yard touchdown. It was the Giants third touchdown of the third quarter and increased their lead to 26-14 over the Cowboys.
What was once a 14-6 halftime lead for the Cowboys had very quickly turned into a 26-14 deficit. The Cowboys were in trouble and they had to find a way to stop the bleeding before it was too late.
If the Cowboys were to get back into the game they would have to forget about the turnovers and get back to playing like they did in the first half. And they did just that after the kickoff. Mixing a few passes from Danny White and Tony Dorsett's longest run of the game for 24 yards, the Cowboys found themselves at the Giants 24 yard line. Danny White was feeling the pressure from the Giants pass rush and threw off his back foot towards the end zone. Mike Renfro jumped up to grab the ball at the two yard line and scored his second touchdown of the game. The Cowboys finally got on the scoreboard in the second half and pulled closer at 26-21.
On the Giants next possession it was Phil Simms who turned the ball over. Cowboys cornerback Dennis Thurman stepped in front of Phil McConkey who fell down on his route and he intercepted the pass at the Giants 45 yard line.
After Tony Dorsett's 24 yard run during the previous possession the Cowboys continued to feed him the ball on the first two plays. Dorsett gained 10 yards and then 6 yards, which put the Cowboys at the Giants 29 yard line. Danny White then connected with tony Hill at the 16 yard line, but Hill fumbled. The ball rolled out of bounds at the 22 yard line before the Giants could recover and the Cowboys maintained possession as the third quarter ended.
The Cowboys were able to drive to the Giants five yard line before settling for a Rafael Septien field goal from 22 yards to make the score 26-24.
On the next Giants possession Phil Simms once again turned the ball over. Sitting at their 23 yard line Simms dropped back to pass and was slammed to the turf by Ed "Too Tall" Jones causing him to fumble. Jim Jeffcoat recovered the fumble at the Giants 16 yard line and once again the Cowboys offense was in great position.
The Cowboys could only gain four yards after the turnover and once again had to settle for a Septien field goal from 29 yards. The Cowboys had battled their way back and took the lead again 27-26.
After turnovers on each of their last two possessions, the Giants finally started moving the ball again. On third down from their 34 yard line Simms connected with McConkey for a 29 yard gain to the Cowboys 37 yard line. The drive stalled at the 30 yard line and Atkinson kicked a 47 yard field goal to put the Giants back in the lead 29-27 with 4:57 left in the game.
The Cowboys received the kickoff and hoped to put a drive together to run down the clock as well as position themselves for the win. But they could get no further than midfield and had to punt.
The Giants took over at their 20 yard line with just 2:58 left and they knew with just a few first downs the victory would be there's and so would the lead in the NFC East. But not so fast. This had been an unusual game from the start with big plays and many turnovers from both teams.
On the Giants second play Simms fumbled the ball from center. Cowboys linebacker Eugene Lockhart recovered the ball at the Giants 20 yard line with 2:40 left in the game.
The Cowboys moved the ball to the Giants 14 yard line as the Giants used their remaining timeouts. Septien was called on again to kick his third field goal of the second half. The kick was good from 31 yards and the Cowboys regained the lead 30-29 with 2:19 left.
The missed extra point by the Giants in the third quarter became even more important now considering the game could have been tied 30-30 with 2:19 left to play.
The Giants returned the kickoff to their 23 yard line, but a holding penalty pushed them back to the 13 yard line. On first down Simms found McConkey for a 19 yard completion to the 32 yard line. On the next play Simms was forced to throw the ball out of bounds as the 2:00 warning came.
Simms then threw incomplete passes on second and third downs. That brought up fourth down and the Giants were not about to go down easy as Simms connected with Bobby Johnson at midfield for a first down with 1:45 left.
For some reason the Giants decided to run Rob Carpenter on first down for no gain as the clock was running. Yes, Rob Carpenter is the father of former Cowboys linebacker Bobby Carpenter. Simms second down pass fell incomplete due to the fact he was being hit as he attempted to pass. On third down Simms pass came out of his hand a little wobbly for lack of a better word. Everson Walls came down with the interception and immediately stepped out of bounds.
The Cowboys ran out the final 1:16 and came away with a wild division victory over the NY Giants 30-29. The Cowboys improved to 4-1 and took the lead in the NFC East, which they would eventually win in 1985 with a 10-6 record.
Both offenses combined for 896 yards. 423 by the Cowboys and 473 by the Giants.
Both teams combined for nine turnovers. Four by the Cowboys and five by the Giants.
Danny White threw for 342 yards, three touchdowns and four inceptions.
Tony Dorsett rushed for 86 yards.
Mike Renfro caught 10 passes for 141 yards and two TDs and Tony Hill caught eight passes for 100 yards.
Phil Simms threw for 432 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions. He also fumbled twice.
Lionel Manuel caught six passes for 129 yards and two TDs and Bobby Johnson caught 5 passes for 104 yards.
Sunday, February 2, 2014
Super Bowl Boulevard NYC
It's finally here. Super Bowl Sunday is ready to be played between the Broncos and Seahawks. I know there are plenty of Cowboys fans who can't get excited for the game, but as far as myself I still get excited for the big game. Unless of course the Giants are playing, then I'm anything but excited. After so many years of watching the Super Bowl there is still that excitement that goes with it. It's all about the pregame, the unveiling of the field, the player introductions and everything that goes with it.
This year has been a little different because the Super Bowl is being played in my area, kind of. I'm actually in New York, but not very far from Met-Life Stadium as well as New York City. Since there is no way I can ever afford tickets to the Super Bowl I decided to do the next best thing and drive down to Super Bowl Boulevard in Manhattan with my wife and kids.
New York City got lucky on Saturday with the weather. For most of the week were in the teens and then got into the 20s by the end of the week. On Saturday, which was the last day to enjoy everything in NYC the temps got into the low 40s and the sun came out from time to time.
The scene down in Times Square on Saturday compared to New Year's Eve. We had our Super Bowl badge that would allow us into the attractions, but as the day got going more and more people started to show up. For those who know NYC the party started down on 34th Street and went all the way up to 47th Street. Thirteen blocks of nothing but NFL football. It was beyond awesome to be there, but at the same time the crowds were incredible. It was as close as I'll ever get to a Super Bowl so it was a great experience.
With so many people it was hard to actually do anything unless you wanted to spend hours on line. There must have been at least a three hour wait to get in and take your picture with the Vince Lombardi Trophy. It was the same story for those looking to get an autograph from players like Jim Brown, Derrick Books and Cam Newton. Not wanting to wait on line that long for any of it we decided to just walk around, take pictures and enjoy everything. At one point it took us about 30 minutes to walk one block when it would normally take about a minute because no one was moving in either direction. But I guess it was to be expected. Like I said, the weather was beautiful and it was the last day.
Here are some of the things we came across.
The ESPN studios were there and they were on the air.
Cleatus the robot looking over the Fox Studios.
I was able to get a close shot of the Vince Lombardi Trophy.
The toboggan run was six floors high and looked like a fun ride.
The NYPD had every block covered and was also over looking things from above.
Macy's was ready with the NFL Shop.
Like I said, the crowds were crazy and it seemed like the further I walked the more people flowed into Times Square.
Although it's hard to really explain how great it was to experience Super Bowl Boulevard, I'm hoping that I was able to capture some of it through my pictures.
It might be hard to believe, but everything on the Boulevard was not the favorite part of my day in NYC yesterday. You see, I found out on Friday that someone I've wanted to meet for a long time was going to be in NYC Saturday morning representing UGG boots and other accessories. When we first got down to the Boulevard Saturday morning we got our badges and then walked from 48th Street all the way down to 31st Street to meet this person. I couldn't wait to get down there. I was like a little kid filled with excitement as we walked the 17 blocks. And then we arrived and there she was. I was able to meet her finally, talk for a few minutes and get my picture taken with her. The person was Maria Menounos and she could not have been nicer and I was glad I got the chance to meet her. I'm sure there are some who don't even know who Maria is and that is alright. Look her up and just know that she is a really nice person who took the time to meet some of her fans.
Wednesday, January 29, 2014
Which Super Bowl had the most exciting ending?
With all the talk about the best Super Bowls of all time this week, I thought I would take a look at some of the most exciting endings to Super Bowls. It's almost impossible to agree on which Super Bowl is the best ever. The same can be said when it comes to the best ending ever.
1970 - Super Bowl V. With the game tied 13-13, the Cowboys had the ball at their own 27 yard line with less than two minutes to play. Craig Morton attempted a pass that was tipped by Dan Reeves. The Colts intercepted the pass and went on to kick the game winning field goal with 5 seconds left in the game. The Colts won 16-13.
1975 - Super Bowl X. With just 3 seconds left to play Roger Staubach’s throw into the end zone from the Steelers 38 yard line was intercepted and the Steelers won 21-17.
1978 - Super Bowl XIII. The Cowboys scored two touchdowns late in the game to get to within 35-31 of the Steelers. Then with just 22 seconds left to play the Cowboys attempted an onside kick that they failed to recover and the Steelers held on to win 35-31.
1988 - Super Bowl XXIII. With the 49ers losing to the Bengals 16-13 late in the game, Joe Montana led the offense on a 92 yard drive that ended with a touchdown pass to John Taylor with just 34 seconds left to play. The 49ers went on to win 20-16.
1990 - Super Bowl XXV. Scott Norwood missed what would have been a game winning 47 yard field goal with just 7 seconds left to play and the Giants won 20-19.
1997 - Super Bowl XXXII. With the game tied 24-24, the Packers let the Broncos score from the one yard line to take the lead 31-24 with 1:45 left to play. The Packers wanted the ball back in hopes of forcing overtime. Brett Favre drove the Packers to the Broncos 32 yard line. Then with just 32 seconds left in the game the Packers failed to convert on fourth down and the Broncos won 31-24.
1999 - Super Bowl XXXIV. Losing to the Rams 23-16 with 1:54 left in the game, the Titans drove to the Rams 10 yard line. Then with just 6 seconds left to play Steve McNair connected with Kevin Dyson who was tackled at the 1 yard line as time expired and the Rams held onto a 23-16 victory.
2001 - Super Bowl XXXVI. With the game tied 17-17 and just 1:30 left in the game, Tom Brady with no timeouts drove the Patriots to the Rams 29 yard line. With only 7 seconds left to play Adam Vinatieri kicked a 48 yard field goal as time expired and the Patriots beat the Rams 20-17.
2003 - Super Bowl XXXVIII. The Panthers tied the game 29-29 with only 1:08 left to play. Then Tom Brady drove the Patriots to the Panthers 24 yard line. And with only 9 seconds left in the game Adam Vinatieri kicked a 41 yard field goal to win the game 32-29.
2007 - Super Bowl XLII. With the Giants losing 14-10, Eli Manning connected with Plaxico Burress for the game winning touchdown with just 39 seconds left in the game. The Giants beat the Patriots 17-14.
2008 - Super Bowl XLIII. The Cardinals took a 23-20 lead with 2:37 left in the game. Ben Roethlisberger drove the Steelers to the Cardinals 6 yard line. Then with only 43 seconds left to play Santonio Holmes caught an amazing touchdown pass to win the game 27-23.
1970 - Super Bowl V. With the game tied 13-13, the Cowboys had the ball at their own 27 yard line with less than two minutes to play. Craig Morton attempted a pass that was tipped by Dan Reeves. The Colts intercepted the pass and went on to kick the game winning field goal with 5 seconds left in the game. The Colts won 16-13.
1975 - Super Bowl X. With just 3 seconds left to play Roger Staubach’s throw into the end zone from the Steelers 38 yard line was intercepted and the Steelers won 21-17.
1978 - Super Bowl XIII. The Cowboys scored two touchdowns late in the game to get to within 35-31 of the Steelers. Then with just 22 seconds left to play the Cowboys attempted an onside kick that they failed to recover and the Steelers held on to win 35-31.
1988 - Super Bowl XXIII. With the 49ers losing to the Bengals 16-13 late in the game, Joe Montana led the offense on a 92 yard drive that ended with a touchdown pass to John Taylor with just 34 seconds left to play. The 49ers went on to win 20-16.
1990 - Super Bowl XXV. Scott Norwood missed what would have been a game winning 47 yard field goal with just 7 seconds left to play and the Giants won 20-19.
1997 - Super Bowl XXXII. With the game tied 24-24, the Packers let the Broncos score from the one yard line to take the lead 31-24 with 1:45 left to play. The Packers wanted the ball back in hopes of forcing overtime. Brett Favre drove the Packers to the Broncos 32 yard line. Then with just 32 seconds left in the game the Packers failed to convert on fourth down and the Broncos won 31-24.
1999 - Super Bowl XXXIV. Losing to the Rams 23-16 with 1:54 left in the game, the Titans drove to the Rams 10 yard line. Then with just 6 seconds left to play Steve McNair connected with Kevin Dyson who was tackled at the 1 yard line as time expired and the Rams held onto a 23-16 victory.
2001 - Super Bowl XXXVI. With the game tied 17-17 and just 1:30 left in the game, Tom Brady with no timeouts drove the Patriots to the Rams 29 yard line. With only 7 seconds left to play Adam Vinatieri kicked a 48 yard field goal as time expired and the Patriots beat the Rams 20-17.
2003 - Super Bowl XXXVIII. The Panthers tied the game 29-29 with only 1:08 left to play. Then Tom Brady drove the Patriots to the Panthers 24 yard line. And with only 9 seconds left in the game Adam Vinatieri kicked a 41 yard field goal to win the game 32-29.
2007 - Super Bowl XLII. With the Giants losing 14-10, Eli Manning connected with Plaxico Burress for the game winning touchdown with just 39 seconds left in the game. The Giants beat the Patriots 17-14.
2008 - Super Bowl XLIII. The Cardinals took a 23-20 lead with 2:37 left in the game. Ben Roethlisberger drove the Steelers to the Cardinals 6 yard line. Then with only 43 seconds left to play Santonio Holmes caught an amazing touchdown pass to win the game 27-23.
Tuesday, January 7, 2014
Anyone else tired of this whole Process thing that Jason Garrett keeps talking about?
Another Cowboys season has come to an end with the same results from the past few seasons. It's beyond difficult being a Cowboys fan recently. Always hoping something will change, only to be let down at the end of the season. Can anyone really say the Cowboys are closer to a championship or even a deep run in the playoffs that they were two, three, four, five or even six years ago?
Back in 1989 when Jimmy Johnson became the head coach the Cowboys finished 1-15, but even back then fans could see progress. They could see the team moving in the right direction. They improved in 1990 and then again in 1991 and of course becoming the team of the 90s with three Super Bowl titles. To me those are key words...PROGRESS AND IMPROVEMENT. I just don't see it with current Cowboys.
Progress - growth or development; continuous improvement
Improvement - a change or addition by which a thing is improved
With the current Cowboys I've seen no progress or improvement. So what is the problem with the Cowboys? Is it the talent level of the players? Is it the coaching? Is it the ownership/GM of Jerry Jones? As fans there are many different opinions. Most blame Jerry Jones simply because everything has changed with the team since the mid-90s except one thing and that one thing is Jerry Jones. Others believe the blame should go to Jason Garrett since he is only 29-27 since becoming the coach in 2010 and has yet to make the playoffs. Maybe the Cowboys just don't have the talent that most fans believe they do? Some also say that injuries have held that Cowboys back recently. But when it comes to injuries I don't really buy into it that much. Why? Just look at a team like the Patriots who had many key season ending injuries in 2013, but yet they still won 12 games and a division championship. So with that said does it bring everything back to coaching?
Since Jason Garrett has been the head coach of the Cowboys all we have heard about is getting the right kind of players and that it's a process. Well, I'm one Cowboys fan who is tired of hearing the word process. How long does this process take for the Cowboys to take the next step? I would say this team needs a complete rebuild from top to bottom, but once again as each layer is fired or let go the one thing that will remain is Jerry Jones. Do I believe that an experienced head coach can come into Dallas and lead them back to greatness? Yes, I do, but only if Jerry Jones stops being involved like he currently is, but of course no one believes that will happen.
When you look around the league there are so many teams over the last few seasons that have made progress and have improved and continue to improve even more. There is never a word about a process with these teams. They hire coaches to teach and players to play. They put it all together and good things happen. Yes, I understand that this is not always the case, but take a look at some of the examples listed below and then tell me if you see anything you can compare to the Jason Garrett led Cowboys.
1. The Saints finished the 2012 season with a 7-9 record without their head coach Sean Payton. In 2013 with Sean Payton back as head coach the Saints finished with an 11-5 record and got back into the playoffs. Payton has also led the Saints to the playoffs five of his seven seasons as head coach, which includes a Super Bowl title in 2009.
2. Since hiring Pete Carroll as head coach in 2010 the Seahawks have improved and have made the playoffs three of the last four seasons. In 2013 they finished with a 13-3 record and earned the number one seed in the NFC.
3. The 49ers from 2003 to 2010 never won more than 8 games in a season and never made the playoffs. Since hiring Jim Harbaugh as head coach in 2011 the 49ers have made the playoffs every season and have become one of the league’s best teams, which includes a trip to Super Bowl XLVII last season where they lost 34-31 to the Ravens.
4. The Colts finished 2011 with a 2-14 record without Peyton Manning who was injured. The Colts went out and hired new head coach Chuck Pagano in 2012 and also decided to part ways with Peyton Manning after 14 seasons. With the number one pick the Colts selected new quarterback Andrew Luck. As a rookie in 2012 Luck led the Colts to an 11-5 record and the playoffs. Then again in 2013 the Colts finished 11-5 and won the division.
5. The Chiefs finished 2012 with a 2-14 record. They hired new head coach Any Reid in 2013 and also brought in their new franchise quarterback Alex Smith. The Chiefs were one of the best teams in the league in 2013 and finished with an 11-5 record and made the playoffs.
6. With new head coach John Fox, the Broncos made the playoffs and won a playoff game in 2011 with Tim Tebow at quarterback. Then the Broncos brought in Peyton Manning in 2012 to be their quarterback and they have become one of the best teams in the league since then, winning 13 games in 2012 and 2013, which also included being the number one seed in the AFC both seasons.
Those are just a few examples of teams progressing and showing improvement in a short amount of time. So WHAT is so different with those teams compared to the Cowboys? And WHY have these franchises been able to turn things around and do so much in a short amount of time?
I just don't know any more to be honest with you. But what I do know is that whatever the Cowboys are doing is not working and I'm tired of it.
Blame Jerry Jones
Blame Jason Garrett
Blame the players
Blame all the above if you want
But just keep this in mind while you are choosing who to blame. Nothing is changing with the Cowboys. They are who they are. Same owner, same coach, same players for the most part and then add in the fact that they are in salary cap hell does not do a whole lot as far as confidence in this team. While Garrett continues to talk about the process, other teams are making the playoffs, getting to the Super Bowl and winning the Super Bowl.
Looking at things as they stand today tells me that the 2014 Cowboys will be lucky to win those eight games that they have won each of the last three seasons.
Back in 1989 when Jimmy Johnson became the head coach the Cowboys finished 1-15, but even back then fans could see progress. They could see the team moving in the right direction. They improved in 1990 and then again in 1991 and of course becoming the team of the 90s with three Super Bowl titles. To me those are key words...PROGRESS AND IMPROVEMENT. I just don't see it with current Cowboys.
Progress - growth or development; continuous improvement
Improvement - a change or addition by which a thing is improved
With the current Cowboys I've seen no progress or improvement. So what is the problem with the Cowboys? Is it the talent level of the players? Is it the coaching? Is it the ownership/GM of Jerry Jones? As fans there are many different opinions. Most blame Jerry Jones simply because everything has changed with the team since the mid-90s except one thing and that one thing is Jerry Jones. Others believe the blame should go to Jason Garrett since he is only 29-27 since becoming the coach in 2010 and has yet to make the playoffs. Maybe the Cowboys just don't have the talent that most fans believe they do? Some also say that injuries have held that Cowboys back recently. But when it comes to injuries I don't really buy into it that much. Why? Just look at a team like the Patriots who had many key season ending injuries in 2013, but yet they still won 12 games and a division championship. So with that said does it bring everything back to coaching?
Since Jason Garrett has been the head coach of the Cowboys all we have heard about is getting the right kind of players and that it's a process. Well, I'm one Cowboys fan who is tired of hearing the word process. How long does this process take for the Cowboys to take the next step? I would say this team needs a complete rebuild from top to bottom, but once again as each layer is fired or let go the one thing that will remain is Jerry Jones. Do I believe that an experienced head coach can come into Dallas and lead them back to greatness? Yes, I do, but only if Jerry Jones stops being involved like he currently is, but of course no one believes that will happen.
When you look around the league there are so many teams over the last few seasons that have made progress and have improved and continue to improve even more. There is never a word about a process with these teams. They hire coaches to teach and players to play. They put it all together and good things happen. Yes, I understand that this is not always the case, but take a look at some of the examples listed below and then tell me if you see anything you can compare to the Jason Garrett led Cowboys.
1. The Saints finished the 2012 season with a 7-9 record without their head coach Sean Payton. In 2013 with Sean Payton back as head coach the Saints finished with an 11-5 record and got back into the playoffs. Payton has also led the Saints to the playoffs five of his seven seasons as head coach, which includes a Super Bowl title in 2009.
2. Since hiring Pete Carroll as head coach in 2010 the Seahawks have improved and have made the playoffs three of the last four seasons. In 2013 they finished with a 13-3 record and earned the number one seed in the NFC.
3. The 49ers from 2003 to 2010 never won more than 8 games in a season and never made the playoffs. Since hiring Jim Harbaugh as head coach in 2011 the 49ers have made the playoffs every season and have become one of the league’s best teams, which includes a trip to Super Bowl XLVII last season where they lost 34-31 to the Ravens.
4. The Colts finished 2011 with a 2-14 record without Peyton Manning who was injured. The Colts went out and hired new head coach Chuck Pagano in 2012 and also decided to part ways with Peyton Manning after 14 seasons. With the number one pick the Colts selected new quarterback Andrew Luck. As a rookie in 2012 Luck led the Colts to an 11-5 record and the playoffs. Then again in 2013 the Colts finished 11-5 and won the division.
5. The Chiefs finished 2012 with a 2-14 record. They hired new head coach Any Reid in 2013 and also brought in their new franchise quarterback Alex Smith. The Chiefs were one of the best teams in the league in 2013 and finished with an 11-5 record and made the playoffs.
6. With new head coach John Fox, the Broncos made the playoffs and won a playoff game in 2011 with Tim Tebow at quarterback. Then the Broncos brought in Peyton Manning in 2012 to be their quarterback and they have become one of the best teams in the league since then, winning 13 games in 2012 and 2013, which also included being the number one seed in the AFC both seasons.
Those are just a few examples of teams progressing and showing improvement in a short amount of time. So WHAT is so different with those teams compared to the Cowboys? And WHY have these franchises been able to turn things around and do so much in a short amount of time?
I just don't know any more to be honest with you. But what I do know is that whatever the Cowboys are doing is not working and I'm tired of it.
Blame Jerry Jones
Blame Jason Garrett
Blame the players
Blame all the above if you want
But just keep this in mind while you are choosing who to blame. Nothing is changing with the Cowboys. They are who they are. Same owner, same coach, same players for the most part and then add in the fact that they are in salary cap hell does not do a whole lot as far as confidence in this team. While Garrett continues to talk about the process, other teams are making the playoffs, getting to the Super Bowl and winning the Super Bowl.
Looking at things as they stand today tells me that the 2014 Cowboys will be lucky to win those eight games that they have won each of the last three seasons.
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