The Dallas Cowboys are one of the most historic franchise’s in all of sports but with no Super Bowl titles in over 20 years, it’s time for America’s Team to return to its winning ways.
When the New England Patriots defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC championship game, they had surpassed the Dallas Cowboys in an important category.
The Pats had broken a four-way tie with Dallas, the Steelers, and the Denver Broncos as the only NFL teams with 8 Super Bowl appearances.
It was a hard pill to swallow because the winner of that game would now wear the badge of honor of having appeared in more SB’s than any other NFL franchise. Literally, it felt like someone had poured salt into my heart.
For years, Cowboys Nation bragged about how America’s most hated/loved team had appeared in more Super Bowls than any other NFL team. But slowly, year by year, the other three aforementioned teams kept making SB appearances until they tied us.
Wow! How did that happen? I asked myself repeatedly.
I knew the answer already. It’s an easy answer, really. The Pats, Steelers, and Broncos have been winning on a consistent basis, whereas the Cowboys have been inconsistent.
The sad reality is that since future Hall of Famer Tom Brady joined the Pats, he’ll have the privilege of leading his team to its 7th Super Bowl! That’s unbelievable on so many levels.
Since the 2001 season, the Pats will have appeared in almost half of the SB’s.
They did it by winning. That simple.
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And if Dallas wants to make its 9th SB appearance, and win it, America’s Team has to get back to its winning tradition. That tradition means winning games like legendary head coach Tom Landry.
It equates to setting a high standard that only the best organizations can do. I don’t expect head coach Jason Garrett to be the next Landry (he’s proven that he can’t do it). But I do expect Garrett to do his best and win 10 or more games a year and put the Cowboys in the playoffs.
For Dallas to get back to its winning tradition, it starts at the top with owner and general manager Jerry Jones. The egotistical Jones is the only person who can lay down the blueprint for Dallas to be successful.
Or at least follow the blueprint used by former Cowboys general manager Tex Schramm, the brain-trust behind the Cowboys brand.
Under the Landry regime, this historic franchise set an NFL record for having 20 straight winning seasons. It found ways to seek and develop talent, like drafting a track star (Bob Hayes) and visiting colleges to test football players’ speed in the 40-yard dash, agility, and other skill sets (modern day Pro Day).
Further, Dallas had the foresight and patience to wait on service academy football players like Roger Staubach. Combine all of these elements and Dallas participated in 5 Super Bowls, winning two of them under Landry.
Landry led Dallas to five Super Bowls appearances in an eight year span, winning 105 games during the 70’s, more than any other coach during that decade.
That was the Cowboys way, winning NFC championships and winning Super Bowl titles.
Let’s put this into perspective. When the Cowboys last won the Lombardi trophy, it had more Super Bowl appearances (8) and playoff wins (31) than any other team. It was tied with the San Franciso 49ers for Super Bowl titles (5).
Those records no longer hold as the Pats and Steelers have either more SB appearances, playoff wins, and/or more SB titles.
The good news is that Dallas is on the right track, having won one playoff game, with 12 and 13 regular season victories within a three year span.
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But if America’s Team wants to win its 9th Lombardi trophy, it has to get back to its winning tradition, sooner than later.
Or they can sit back and watch the Patriots and Steelers do it.