Emmitt Smith: Dallas Cowboys Problem is 'Mental'

Smith says, "the game of football is more than just talent. As we would say, the game is 10 percent physical and 90 percent mental.''

FRISCO - The Dallas Cowboys' problem, Emmitt Smith says, has nothing to do with talent.

“The thing that’s missing is not a talent thing with the Dallas Cowboys. It’s never been a talent thing with the Dallas Cowboys,” said Smith, the Hall of Fame superstar and all-time NFL rushing champ. “It’s always been an execution thing — execution from the standpoint of making the plays when you need to and not beating yourself.

"And I think our Dallas Cowboys — we keep beating ourselves.''

Smith's Exhibit A is of course Dallas' most recent failure, following up a 12-5 regular-season success by losing at home in the first round of the NFL Playoffs despite being favored.

But it's not just about 2021. In a sense - and a number of former Cowboys, including Deion Sanders (see here) echo this concept - it's sort of an "America's Team'' thing.

Sanders told CowboysSI.com that Dallas "chokes'' because its players are not "built for the moment'' ... despite all the hype.

Emmitt?

“Sometimes, we have the tendency to take things for granted because we’re so talented,'' Emmitt said in a Q&A with Sportscasting.com. "When you’re talented, you think your talent can overcome a lot of different things.

"But,'' Smith continued, "the game of football is more than just talent. As we would say, the game is 10 percent physical and 90 percent mental.

"I’m going to say that again: 10 percent physical and 90 percent mental.”

In the case of the 2022 Cowboys? To this point, they are moving forward without talents like Amari Cooper, Randy Gregory and La’el Collins. So maybe the talent isn't what it seems, either.