The mental toughness of this team has been questioned, and not without reason.

There's a lot of talk about a team taking on it's coaches personality. I'd say in the Cowboys case it's true. Except lately, it's not Wade Philips...

Rather, I say we're seeing that Special Teams Coach Joe DeCamillis is the heart of this team, and it is taking on his tough character.

Critics and fans talk about the team's identity or lack thereof, and in general I think that whole idea is overrated. The identity of the offense, for example, is really a chameleon, unpredictable, able to take whatever the defense gives and adapt, not be stuck in winning games with only a certain template. Which is good. 

But when you think about this team's identity, you have to think about the story of this season, and the facility collapse is a very unusual event for a team to go through. It was a nearly tragic but actually heroic event they all went through together that imposed by crisis the necessity of working together as team, literally to save each other's lives. a very profound event that must have deepened their bonds with each other and their commitment to the team.

And coach joe d is the personification of the character and toughness  they showed that day, and the daily reminder of a tough mental attitude fighting through adversity as a team.

before that happened, the team had already made special teams a priority. 

and the tough attitude is inherent in special teams itself. special teams is the most hard hitting, chaotic and dangerous phase of the game. it takes a very tough attitude to be good special teams player. 

then with the team having stated a priority focus on special teams, you add coach joe d being areally good special teams coach, and you even draft with special teams as a priority. 

then after all that they go thru the collapse together, and then have coach joe d standing out there in his neck brace kicking their arses first thing every day in special teams practice as a reminder of what they went through together and the level of responding to adversity with teamwork and determination. 

and the results we've seen on the field, where st has been the most consistent phase overall, in all aspects, and is one of the best in the league. i mean, they've been really good. not many miscues, and lots of guys making lots of great plays, giving the team a consistent advantage. a pleasure to watch. and you can see it in how coach joe d responds when his teams make a play, like Crayton TD returns, and how his players respond to him.

and now the tough, hard hitting confident attitude of special teams is showing up in the other phases. DeCamillis' personality and leadership by example have infused out through the special teams into the team as a whole. These attributes seem to be getting stronger and stronger with each game. We can really see the fire in their attitudes, the hard hitting, flying to the ball, talking trash, etc. evident in the Atlanta and Seattle games. 

coach joe d and the special teams would have been good anyway, but beyond all the specific technique and tactical teaching he's doing with the special teams which is evident in itself, with the experience of the facility collapse and what he went thru I think joe d really is the heart and inspiration of this team, and from him and the  special teams coaching and playing, the tough character of the team is maturing and becoming more evident with every game.

Here's to special teams play and the coach joe d toughness throughout the team tipping the balance sunday night!