IRVING -- Jason Garrett preaches to his players about the need to live in the moment.
Here's the dilemma: When the moment finds you mired in a six-game losing streak that threatens to submarine your aspirations, when fight and resilience and character become hollow catchphrases that fail to yield success, it's human nature to doubt.
What then?
"That's the challenge,'' the Cowboys' head coach said. "Oftentimes this happens in your professional life, but sometimes it happens in your personal life when you feel like you're doing things the right way and you don't get the result that you need.
"You can call it whatever you want to call -- if it's faith -- but you've just got to keep going. You've got to keep banging away. You've got to keep doing things the right way.''
The right way so far has left the Cowboys with the NFL's longest active losing streak. They are one of only six teams saddled with two or fewer wins and are planted at the bottom of the NFC East.
Garrett will address the state of the Cowboys when the players return to work Tuesday morning at Valley Ranch. But he won't dwell on where they are or what else is taking place in the division.
The focus will be on the details that need to be cleaned up on offense, on defense and in the kicking game. An emphasis is placed on learning and correction.
That's all by the book. But again, other than the troubles that face others in the division, what gives the Cowboys hope?
"How we play,'' Garrett said. "How matters. How we practice and how we play matters.
"We emphasize that to our team a lot. We believe if you play the right way over time, you're going to get the results you want.''
This is not the start anyone in the organization envisioned. Defensive tackle Tyrone Crawford concedes the frustration level is "about as high as you think it is.''
Fight is something Garrett comes back to time and time again. But there's more to success. The coaching staff must give the players the game plan to excel. The players must execute and rise to the occasion when there is an opportunity to make a game-altering play.
When a losing streak extends this long, all sides are at fault.
"We've got a lot of work to do,'' tight end Jason Witten said. "Our focus has to be that we have to get a win. Take it one week at a time and get a win.
"We're behind the 8-ball a little bit. We've just got to make the plays that allow us to win. It's a total team effort.''
Cornerback Brandon Carr pointed out the team is "still clocking in every day,'' retains a positive attitude and has half the season to play.
Backup quarterback Matt Cassel, expected to make his final start in place of the injured Tony Romo this weekend at Tampa Bay, echoes that opinion.
"Adversity brings out character in everybody,'' Cassel said. "I think the way that these guys respond and continue to come out and play, there is not one person who is sitting out there feeling sorry for themselves.
"We do have eight games left. The season is not over by any means. As a professional you get paid to go out and do a job, and our job is to go out and compete at the highest level each and every week and figure out a way to win.
"There is half a season left. I hate standing up here every week and saying that, but it's the truth.''
Here's one more truth: Cincinnati made the playoffs in 1970 after starting the season 2-6. It's the only time since the AFL-NFL merger in that season that a team has climbed out of that hole to make the postseason.
You can call that whatever you want as Garrett strives to prevent a "woe is me'' attitude to grip this team.
"Yeah, that doesn't exist here with the Dallas Cowboys,'' Garrett said. "It really doesn't exist in the National Football League. Nobody feels sorry for you.
"We have to learn from this tape. We have got to get our eyes forward and get ready for the next challenge."
Catch David Moore on The Ticket (KTCK-AM 1310 and 96.7 FM) with The Musers at 9:35 a.m. every Monday and Friday and The Hardline at 4:10 p.m. every Tuesday and Friday during the season.
Here's the dilemma: When the moment finds you mired in a six-game losing streak that threatens to submarine your aspirations, when fight and resilience and character become hollow catchphrases that fail to yield success, it's human nature to doubt.
What then?
"That's the challenge,'' the Cowboys' head coach said. "Oftentimes this happens in your professional life, but sometimes it happens in your personal life when you feel like you're doing things the right way and you don't get the result that you need.
"You can call it whatever you want to call -- if it's faith -- but you've just got to keep going. You've got to keep banging away. You've got to keep doing things the right way.''
The right way so far has left the Cowboys with the NFL's longest active losing streak. They are one of only six teams saddled with two or fewer wins and are planted at the bottom of the NFC East.
Garrett will address the state of the Cowboys when the players return to work Tuesday morning at Valley Ranch. But he won't dwell on where they are or what else is taking place in the division.
The focus will be on the details that need to be cleaned up on offense, on defense and in the kicking game. An emphasis is placed on learning and correction.
That's all by the book. But again, other than the troubles that face others in the division, what gives the Cowboys hope?
"How we play,'' Garrett said. "How matters. How we practice and how we play matters.
"We emphasize that to our team a lot. We believe if you play the right way over time, you're going to get the results you want.''
This is not the start anyone in the organization envisioned. Defensive tackle Tyrone Crawford concedes the frustration level is "about as high as you think it is.''
Fight is something Garrett comes back to time and time again. But there's more to success. The coaching staff must give the players the game plan to excel. The players must execute and rise to the occasion when there is an opportunity to make a game-altering play.
When a losing streak extends this long, all sides are at fault.
"We've got a lot of work to do,'' tight end Jason Witten said. "Our focus has to be that we have to get a win. Take it one week at a time and get a win.
"We're behind the 8-ball a little bit. We've just got to make the plays that allow us to win. It's a total team effort.''
Cornerback Brandon Carr pointed out the team is "still clocking in every day,'' retains a positive attitude and has half the season to play.
Backup quarterback Matt Cassel, expected to make his final start in place of the injured Tony Romo this weekend at Tampa Bay, echoes that opinion.
"Adversity brings out character in everybody,'' Cassel said. "I think the way that these guys respond and continue to come out and play, there is not one person who is sitting out there feeling sorry for themselves.
"We do have eight games left. The season is not over by any means. As a professional you get paid to go out and do a job, and our job is to go out and compete at the highest level each and every week and figure out a way to win.
"There is half a season left. I hate standing up here every week and saying that, but it's the truth.''
Here's one more truth: Cincinnati made the playoffs in 1970 after starting the season 2-6. It's the only time since the AFL-NFL merger in that season that a team has climbed out of that hole to make the postseason.
You can call that whatever you want as Garrett strives to prevent a "woe is me'' attitude to grip this team.
"Yeah, that doesn't exist here with the Dallas Cowboys,'' Garrett said. "It really doesn't exist in the National Football League. Nobody feels sorry for you.
"We have to learn from this tape. We have got to get our eyes forward and get ready for the next challenge."
Catch David Moore on The Ticket (KTCK-AM 1310 and 96.7 FM) with The Musers at 9:35 a.m. every Monday and Friday and The Hardline at 4:10 p.m. every Tuesday and Friday during the season.
