Kurt: When asked after the loss at Detroit if his team was worn down, head coach Brian Schottenheimer responded, “I don’t think so. … I just think we didn’t execute very well.”
But as Vince Lombardi once famously said, “Fatigue makes cowards of us all.” Meaning, when players get tired, things like resolve, technique and discipline become that much more difficult. In other words, teams don’t execute as well.
Still, it can’t really be used as an excuse for their loss to Detroit. After all, the Lions just endured a similar schedule. They played four games in 19 days that included matchups against Philadelphia and Green Bay, which were both losses. Perhaps the only real advantage was Detroit got to host the fourth game of this gauntlet. When both teams were at their weakest, so to speak, the Cowboys still had to travel.
Of course, Schottenheimer and his players probably aren’t going to admit that fatigue was a factor. It’s something every team must deal with in some form or fashion, and the Cowboys have gone through this before in past years.
One thing is for certain, though … playing four games in 18 days definitely didn’t help.