Preseason Isn't About Winning...

Since the Cowboy loss in their first outing against the Chargers on Saturday night, I have received some notes from other fans wondering what happened. They were disappointed over the final score and are now concerned about the future for the Boys. Likewise, I have seen many other fans express their disappointment in comments on other websites and articles as well. And, of course, there are always the Cowboy haters who love gloating any time we lose.

Well, take heart Cowboy fans……………Here's my response to our first loss: The final score doesn't matter. You see, preseason isn't about winning. Sure, we always want to win every time we take the field, but in preseason, the final score really isn't the important thing.

What is the important thing? It's seeing who's going to fit into our team and where they're going to fit. Who's going to move up the roster and who will move down. Who will stay and who will go home. What areas need more work and what areas are we satisfied with. Sure, you always want to win, and I am not suggesting that we weren't trying. However, the point of any preseason game is to find out how your second and third team players are doing. You don't risk your first team players just for a win that is meaningless in the long term scheme of things.

Our first team looked good in my opinion. Romo, Witten, Barber, and the rest of the first team got a series, proved they were up to the task by marching down the field and scoring. Then we took them out to save them and keep them healthy for the regular season. Same thing with the first team defense: they proved that they are game ready. Things look pretty good for the starters and for the Cowboys overall.

Now, when our second and third team players were in there, we had both bright spots and some troubling areas, but this is what preseason is all about. It's about getting your team in order. Don't push the panic button just yet. The Boys are fine. Yes, we have some work to do, but overall, at this point, there is no reason to be anything but confident in the play of the Cowboys during the upcoming season.

So, if you're a new fan or you're just not sure what to make of preseason - don't lose heart. Just remember, it's not about the final score. It's not about winning – at least not now. It's about getting your team in order so you can win later – and hopefully, win the whole shebang.

Originally posted at *Lone*Star*Struck*