Cowboys 4 Lessons To Learn From Washington In Playoffs
FRISCO - The Washington Football Team, having just experienced more than a 7-9 record's share of success, just caught up and surpassed the other teams in the NFC East.
How do the Dallas Cowboys catch back up themselves? By observing, learning and borrowing from WFT.
There are four areas, specific to the WFT loss to Tampa Bay in Round 1 of the NFL Playoffs, and more generally about the direction of the WFT, that merit noting:
1) QB INSPIRATION Tampa Bay 31, WFT 23 turned out to be less about Patriots-turned-Bucs QB Tom Brady and more about the other QB, unknown journeyman Taylor Heinicke. Entering the game, Brady has thrown for 581 TDs in his career and Heinicke, subbing for an injured Alex Smith, 579 fewer than that.
But then Heinicke (26 of 44 for 306 yards and an assortment of Bucs-induced ailments) inspired - as Smith did before him.
READ MORE: Do Heinicke Heroics Give QB A WFT Future?
Said receiver Terry McLaurin: "I'd take No. 4 on my team any day of the week and twice on Sundays. I hope we can be teammates in the future.
"That dude plays with no fear.''
Washington had to, and might have to again in 2021, employ a QB who is more "inspirational'' than "talented.''
READ MORE: Cowboys Contracts: Jerry Jones Says Dak Prescott 'Has The Leverage'
Dallas doesn't have to choose a category. Dak Prescott, to the Cowboys locker room, may be the NFL's most inspirational leader at QB.
If WFT can make the playoffs and make a game of it by using four different starting QBs in 2020 ... think what Dallas can accomplished with a financially-secured Dak Prescott leading his roster of true believers?
2) DEFENSIVE ANCHOR What Washington cannot do is score points in droves. It's Dallas that can do that.
What WFT can do is play shut-down defense, led by Chase Young and all those premium picks upfront. The Cowboys' roster is build to score; that's where much of the money and the assets have been spent. There is huge value in being able to score 40 points in a game, and here's betting the Cowboys do that in the 2021 regular season.
But once teams get to the playoffs? Suddenly, the high-flying scoring teams like the Saints (21), the Bills (27), the Rams (30) and Bucs (31) don't always get to 40.
READ MORE: 'Brotherhood': What Dan Quinn's 'Last Words' Mean As Dallas Hires Him As Coordinator
The Cowboys' defense needs personnel help. Oh, and coaches who can teach would be nice, too.
New coordinator Dan Quinn is, hopefully, a start.
3) CULTURE In most NFL organizations, it's just a word.
Not in Washington.
The coach, Ron Rivera, beat cancer. The first-round QB, Dwayne Haskins, misbehaved and got cut. The injured players somehow played, anyway.
The Cowboys locker room thinks it is a "brotherhood.'' But there is no way - not even if you're inside it - to know that for certain. The Washington locker room is accomplishing that not with talk, but with results.
Measurable results ... and only after the results do they talk much about it.
Listen to WFT's Kevin Pierre-Louis.
"I can tell my grandkids one day when they hear 'the Washington Football Team,' that I was part of that. I saw the magic that was happening in the beginning."
Think about the buy-in: This comment came after a playoff loss.
Do the Cowboys players buy in like this?
4) ORGANIZATIONAL DIRECTION The reality of the path to greatness—and coach Rivera's team might very well be on that path—is that it is occupied by road blocks and potholes and pain, and teams that develop scar tissue from losing ...
That leads to winning.
But there also much be a vision. The organizational chart must be organized. Over the last 16 years, there has never been a repeat champion in the NFC East and WFT wasn't much involved. Maybe the reason why is the dysfunction in the building, the lack of leadership, the lack of organization.
Owner Dan Snyder still has his issues. But they are legal issues. They are, suddenly, no longer football issues. That's Rivera's job, so much so that it is Rivera who will choose the team's next GM and it is Rivera who will choose the team's next QB.
READ MORE: 'Rivera Strong' Is Right; Washington Boss To 'Inform' Snyder Of Plan
Consider Rivera's Sunday quote about "the plan'': "What’ll happen is we will get together tomorrow as coaches and we’ll talk about doing our evaluations I will visit with the owner at some point ... and basically talk to him about my intent going forward.''
The coach is going to inform the owner about "the plan.''
Not the other way around!?
READ MORE: Whitt's End: If Broncos' John Elway Can 'Fire Himself,' Why Can't Jerry?
No, this isn't a suggestion that Cowboys owner Jerry Jones abdicate his throne. But organizational decision-making is worthy of review and self-analysis (ask John Elway in Denver). That can mean coach Mike McCarthy not having unilateral power to hire his new defensive coordinator (which is newly the case) or it can mean Will McClay building his draft board without coaching staff interference (which was newly the case a year ago).
But however it manifests itself in Dallas, the Cowboys would be wise to look above them in the standings for inspiration.
"I told the guys,'' Rivera said, 'We're headed up. We're on our way up.'"
We're about to see if the Dallas Cowboys are smart enough to envision that same path "up.''
