What caused Tom Landry's three losing seasons at the end of his coaching career?

[saturdaysarebetter]

After making the playoffs in 1985 with a 10-6 record, Tom Landry's Dallas Cowboys went 7-9, 7-9 and 3-13 the next three seasons. What caused Tom Landry's three losing seasons at the end of his coaching career?

[JohnTurney]

bad drafting in mid-1980s, sticking to his flex defense on run downs, more or less outdated--that was one criticism, poor QBing--

[Brian wolf]

The downfall of Dallas started when Danny White injured his wrist in 1986 against the Giants. He was never the same QB, though he had occasional good games. Steve Pelluer was athletic but mentally out-matched. Only 8-19 as the starter from 86-88. The defense was also slow and either aging or too inexperienced with the younger players. The coaching was no longer there.

[CSKreager]

Philly's ascent under Buddy Ryan didn't help matters as instead of just WSH/NYG now there was another interloper that turned the tables on DAL

[slats7]

1986 was a dumpster fire after White got hurt (who was surprisingly playing ok), 87 was bad, 88 was a train wreck. They waited several yrs too long on Landry and kept Gil Brandt in his role far too long as well. He had a nearly 10 yr run of picking losers like Larry Bethea, Rod Hill and Kevin Brooks. His last draft (88) was by far his best in a decade.

[7DnBrnc53]

His last draft (88) was by far his best in a decade.

After Irvin, their second best pick may have been Chad Hennings, an eleventh-round pick that went to the Air Force until 1992 (when he joined the Cowboys.

Ken Norton, their second-round pick, was overrated (could have had LB Vincent Brown or DT Michael Dean Perry).

Mark Hutson, their third-round pick, was a big G from Oklahoma who didn't pan out.

Other notable selections include C-G Dave Widell (who would play until 1998, starting 81 games for Denver and the Jaguars), Scott Secules (he played until 1993 as a backup QB with the Pats), and RB Mark Higgs (who had his most success with the Dolphins from 1991-93 before finishing his career in Arizona in 1995).

[JohnTurney]

His last draft (88) was by far his best in a decade.

And he was going to draft Aikman, but was already fired; the issue is what might have happened in other rounds.

[74_75_78_79_]

Despite not making it to a Super Bowl, I was quickly sick of Dallas winning in the early-'80s; especially their comeback wins - 'Dixie'-miracle and vs Miami in '81 in-particular; yes, at Philly in Wk#9 as well. I remember on the neighborhood sandlot asking one of the neighborhood kids, a Cowboys-fan, while throwing a football back-and-forth with him if he thinks that Dallas will ever be bad (something I annoyingly thought would...never happen). He said "no".

Fast-forward, a tad, to the '85 pre-season, I remember him predicting that Big D would ('get over' their 9-7 downer from the year before and) beat Seattle in the SB. I think I do remember that year, even when they went 5-1 by finally beating Pittsburgh, not being too impressed with them. Two long years earlier they were 7-0 and still seen as SB-win-capable. I guess it was that bad finish in '83 followed by '84 which acclimated me into not seeing them as championship-caliber anymore. And did 44-0 and 50 in Cincy ever nail it on home!

But, hey, FWIW they did sweep both Wash & NYG to earn Landry's final division title hence final playoff berth. The exciting acquisition of Herschell Walker, paired with Dorsett, beating NYG opening MNF game and starting 6-2 in '86 would serve as the last breath of hope to return to glory in the Landry Era.

His last draft (88) was by far his best in a decade.

And he was going to draft Aikman, but was already fired; the issue is what might have happened in other rounds.

I'm curious to know more of what exactly was Michael Irvin's relationship with Landry. Many forget they were together for one year. I know that #88, growing up a Cowboy-fan, was excited to be there and have Him as his HC. But despite still likely respecting him to the very end saw first-hand the game passing him by along with strongly feeling the paycheck-collector dynamic in the locker room which truly bothered the very competitive rookie to tears. Beating Washington at RFK late, he scoring three TDs, had to serve as Landry's last (Babe Ruth's last game with Braves-like) hurrah and a sign of things to come. I'm sure he was a bit sad to see Landry go but had to be more-than cheered up with Jimmy's arrival.

End of Landry Era intriguing though sad as with the end of any great era. That '88 'Under Fire' SI cover story with he and Noll (and Shula) which, I believe, is still stored in a box in my mother's basement is sad 'oh-how-the-Mighty-have-fallen' stuff.

[7DnBrnc53]

And did 44-0 and 50 in Cincy ever nail it on home!

44-0 was really a seminal moment. It was a clear cut statement. Dallas wasn't what they used to be, and it was Chicago's league now.

As for the Cincy game, I remember watching that. What a butt-kicking. I remember a play where James Brooks lined up right behind Esiason and ran for a TD.

[Gary Najman]

And did 44-0 and 50 in Cincy ever nail it on home!

44-0 was really a seminal moment. It was a clear cut statement. Dallas wasn't what they used to be, and it was Chicago's league now.

As for the Cincy game, I remember watching that. What a butt-kicking. I remember a play where James Brooks lined up right behind Esiason and ran for a TD.

Of those two games I recall that in the Chicago game Dallas mantained a scoreless tie late in the first quarter before Richard Dent had a pick-six when Dallas was pinned near their endzone. The same in Cincinnati, but that time resulted in a safety, and not so long afterwards, the Cowboys were down 22-0. It was the first time I have seen the Cowboys giving up a safety, it was not common seeing Landry's Cowboys pinned inside their own five yard line (other that Tony Dorsett 99-yard TD run in Minnesota).