Jerry Jones on optimism: 'I have to believe one and one is three'

It is time once again for what is consistently the most unpredictable moment of the NFL week: When Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones goes on the radio and says something completely wild when talking about his team. 

This week the focus turns to his level of optimism for the Cowboys' 2022 season and if it is similar to where it was a year ago.

That is where things got weird.

"Well, let me just address the first way you stated the question without any issue on it. I have to believe one and one is three," said Jones on 105.3 The Fan.

"I can't operate where one and one is two. We all know it is, physically, but the three is where you have to go. Now you have to have optimism to operate out in that world, and commit, and do things when you've got to count on one and one being three. I'm not trying to play games, but that's where the biggest payoffs are, is out there. It's there for everybody to grab if one and one is two. So here you go. You gotta look for the best or the best outcome. What you have to do though, is be ready every time that if you don't get that outcome that you hoped might be there, or were optimistic about being there, then what do you have to do. You have to create some kind of net. I have been fortunate in my life, I have operated at times without a net and it did not get me. But I have had close calls."

Follow along with that? Good. 

Jones has used that one and one equals three comment in the past, but it still never really makes much sense. 

He then went on to talk about what those safety nets are for this season, specifically pointing to running back Ezekiel Elliott and quarterback Dak Prescott being able to get the ball to the right receivers. 

Dallas underwent some big changes this offseason, trading Amari Cooper and La’el Collins before losing starting left tackle Tyron Smith to injury. The result is one of the youngest teams in the league with some pretty big question marks across the board.

The Cowboys won the NFC East a year ago before losing to the San Francisco 49ers in the Wild Card round. Dallas has made the playoffs just five times over the past 14 years, winning only three playoff games during that stretch.