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Cowboys reflect on what went wrong

(China Daily)
Updated: 2008-12-31 14:22

HOUSTON: Change was the operative word for Dallas Cowboys head coach Wade Phillips on Monday as he reflected on a campaign that came to a shuddering halt at the weekend.

After starting the season as one of the favourites to make the Super Bowl, the Cowboys were eliminated from playoff contention with a 44-6 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday.

For the third time in four seasons, Dallas finished with a win-loss record of 9-7 and Phillips, who has been retained by team owner Jerry Jones, has pledged to overhaul his strategy.

"We've got to get better results and I think the only way to do that is to change some things," Phillips told a news conference at Valley Ranch in Irving.

"We're going to go into the off-season and I'm going to analyze everything, but it starts with me. If you're not going to change the coach and you don't get the results you want, then the coach needs to change some things.

"I have to look at myself first from how I deal with things, from how we have training camp, how we have practices, whatever.

"To get to the standard that we want and our fans want, I don't see another way."

Known for his laid-back reputation as a players' coach, Phillips said he was prepared to become tougher if required.

"Certainly if it means being more demanding or whatever, I've got to get it done," he added. "We fell short of our goals, we fell short of everybody's expectations - our fans certainly and our players and our organization.

"It was a bad year...I'm going to get a plan together and we need to start it as quickly as possible. The next season starts right now for us.

"Jerry and I have talked," Phillips added.

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"We've got to get this to the point where we're contenders for the Super Bowl. That's what I was asked to do when I came here and that's what I'm going to try and do."

A particular concern for Phillips was the amount of turnovers piled up by the Cowboys this season.

"That hurt us throughout the year," he said. "There were only two teams in the league that made the playoffs with minus turnovers and we were second in the NFL in turnovers ourselves so we've got to get that changed."

Agencies