IRVING — The Dallas Cowboys are no strangers to winner-take-all finales.
But if Sunday night's NFC East title game against the New York Giants is anything like their last playoffs-or-bust game, the Cowboys are in for a long, miserable offseason.
Needing a win at Philadelphia in Week 17 of the 2008 season to secure a trip to the playoffs, Dallas absorbed a 44-6 evisceration that ranks as one of the club's most embarrassing moments.
“That's a lot of lifetimes ago,” coach Jason Garrett said. “Our team has really changed a lot since then.”
While the 2008 team was plagued by locker-room turmoil stemming from Terrell Owens' feud with Tony Romo and Jason Witten, the 2011 Cowboys are tight-knit and to a man believe in Garrett's “be great today” philosophy.
“I'd like to think we've all grown as players, coaches and certainly as a team,” Garrett said. “If you go about it the right way every day and approach it the right way and learn from the different experiences, you certainly will do that.”
The Cowboys made amends for the 44-6 loss with a division title in 2009. Dallas punched its playoff ticket that season with a 17-0 win over Washington on Dec. 27. In the finale the next week, they clinched the East by blanking Philadelphia 24-0.
“We have been in some situations where we had to win, and we won,” defensive end Marcus Spears said. “But to use the historical record, I can't do that, because that absolutely has nothing to do with what we are doing now. It would kill us to have that mindset.”
So what makes the Cowboys (8-7) believe they can travel to New Jersey and win a pressure-packed game? After all, Tony Romo's right hand is bruised, the defense is struggling to stop big plays, and Dallas has lost three of its last four. On top of all that, the Cowboys have blown fourth-quarter leads in five of their seven losses, including a 12-point advantage in losing 37-34 to the Giants on Dec. 11.
The answer? Chemistry and a willingness to give it all they've got, Spears said.
“We've always played hard,” he said. “We've always given max effort. And anytime things looked grim, everyone was positive. In the NFL, you have to be resilient. Bad things are going to happen. You are going to have ups and downs. ... We just have to continue to play hard, fight and believe in what we are doing.
“... That gives us the best chance to do what we want to do in the end.”
Indeed, the Cowboys showed grit in recovering from tough losses to the New York Jets in the opener, back-to-back losses to Detroit and New England in October and a 34-7 pounding at Philadelphia in Week 8. They answered the loss to the Giants with a win at Tampa Bay.
Spears credited Garrett's steady hand.
“He understands because he played the game,” Spears said. “He understands this business is up and down and some Mondays are a lot better than others. But, at the end of the day, when you got a game coming up, that needs to be your central focus.
“I said this time and time again: If you let outside elements invade what you're trying to do and accomplish, it will cause a cancer, and you will struggle. That's something (Garrett) believes in, committing each day to doing the right things to put us in the best position to succeed. And we are playing for the NFC East (title), so it has worked up to this point.”
Garrett is optimistic it will continue.
“It's a great opportunity,” he said. “Not many teams have an opportunity to play for the division title the last week of the season. We're excited.”
Read more: http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/...-t-frighten-Cowboys-2427909.php#ixzz1hq6tYBao
But if Sunday night's NFC East title game against the New York Giants is anything like their last playoffs-or-bust game, the Cowboys are in for a long, miserable offseason.
Needing a win at Philadelphia in Week 17 of the 2008 season to secure a trip to the playoffs, Dallas absorbed a 44-6 evisceration that ranks as one of the club's most embarrassing moments.
“That's a lot of lifetimes ago,” coach Jason Garrett said. “Our team has really changed a lot since then.”
While the 2008 team was plagued by locker-room turmoil stemming from Terrell Owens' feud with Tony Romo and Jason Witten, the 2011 Cowboys are tight-knit and to a man believe in Garrett's “be great today” philosophy.
“I'd like to think we've all grown as players, coaches and certainly as a team,” Garrett said. “If you go about it the right way every day and approach it the right way and learn from the different experiences, you certainly will do that.”
The Cowboys made amends for the 44-6 loss with a division title in 2009. Dallas punched its playoff ticket that season with a 17-0 win over Washington on Dec. 27. In the finale the next week, they clinched the East by blanking Philadelphia 24-0.
“We have been in some situations where we had to win, and we won,” defensive end Marcus Spears said. “But to use the historical record, I can't do that, because that absolutely has nothing to do with what we are doing now. It would kill us to have that mindset.”
So what makes the Cowboys (8-7) believe they can travel to New Jersey and win a pressure-packed game? After all, Tony Romo's right hand is bruised, the defense is struggling to stop big plays, and Dallas has lost three of its last four. On top of all that, the Cowboys have blown fourth-quarter leads in five of their seven losses, including a 12-point advantage in losing 37-34 to the Giants on Dec. 11.
The answer? Chemistry and a willingness to give it all they've got, Spears said.
“We've always played hard,” he said. “We've always given max effort. And anytime things looked grim, everyone was positive. In the NFL, you have to be resilient. Bad things are going to happen. You are going to have ups and downs. ... We just have to continue to play hard, fight and believe in what we are doing.
“... That gives us the best chance to do what we want to do in the end.”
Indeed, the Cowboys showed grit in recovering from tough losses to the New York Jets in the opener, back-to-back losses to Detroit and New England in October and a 34-7 pounding at Philadelphia in Week 8. They answered the loss to the Giants with a win at Tampa Bay.
Spears credited Garrett's steady hand.
“He understands because he played the game,” Spears said. “He understands this business is up and down and some Mondays are a lot better than others. But, at the end of the day, when you got a game coming up, that needs to be your central focus.
“I said this time and time again: If you let outside elements invade what you're trying to do and accomplish, it will cause a cancer, and you will struggle. That's something (Garrett) believes in, committing each day to doing the right things to put us in the best position to succeed. And we are playing for the NFC East (title), so it has worked up to this point.”
Garrett is optimistic it will continue.
“It's a great opportunity,” he said. “Not many teams have an opportunity to play for the division title the last week of the season. We're excited.”
Read more: http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/...-t-frighten-Cowboys-2427909.php#ixzz1hq6tYBao
