We are less than 90 days from the start of the 2022 NFL season and this year shapes up to be another crossroads moment for this organization.
As a team/organization, the Cowboys have been at this place 7 times in the last 22 seasons. Can they follow up a playoff season with another? They have only done it once in the last 22 seasons. 2006 and 2007- that’s it.
Why is having back to back playoff seasons important? There are multiple reasons:
- It would break the bad habit of killing organizational momentum. Back to back playoff seasons show your organization is capable of staying competitive for more than just once in a while. It also shows your organization can build something that lasts longer than a season.
- It would establish Mike McCarthy as capable of leading this team beyond what Garrett or Phillips could. If the Cowboys don’t make the playoffs in 2022, Big Mac will have only made the playoffs 1 of 3 seasons. And I’m almost certain he would be fired.
- Failure to make the playoffs in 2022 would once again reinforce that JJ is incapable of hiring a HC who is able to building a winning culture. I don’t think Jerry has ever valued the importance of having a HC that can command the room AND the organization. He’s only hired two that could do this- Jimmy Johnson and Bill Parcells. The first brought us SB winning rosters and culture; the latter was the last to provide a culture capable of having back to back playoff seasons. (Yes I know Phillips was the coach in 2007, but those were Parcells’ players)
IMO, the culture is what’s killing this organization. The unaccountable culture the Jones boys have created is by far the biggest challenge for this team to overcome. Making the playoffs in back to back seasons would be a huge step toward this team being playoff relevant again.
None of us know whether or not they will. But it will sure tell us a lot about whether or not we are an organization that can ever be more than occasionally relevant. Here’s hoping 2022 will be different.
