The Modern NFL: anyone can win it all - Dallas Cowboys Forum

EMMITTnROY · 01-21-2013

That's the truth. This isn't the 90's, the 80's, the 70's or 60's. A last place team can win their division the very next year. A team can be a #6 team that squeaks into the playoffs and then win it all. A team with a backup QB can make it to the Super Bowl. A team with Joe Flacco can make it to the Super Bowl. This is parity, my friends.

That's why all this "how close are we?" talk is almost useless. Truth is, this Cowboys team as assembled is good enough to win it all. Had we been healthy this year, we are as good as the Ravens or 49ers. With today's parity, teams are so close in talent level, a lot of winning comes down to health, luck, getting ref's calls, and whether your kicker makes a field goal or not. The Giants weren't the best team in football last year, and the Ravens and 49ers are not the best teams in football this year. But there aren't really "best teams" anymore.

All the best teams have flaws or are ridiculously inconsistent. The Patriots and Packers have no defense, yet they very well could have made it to the big game. The Texans looked like the best team in football for half a season, then they completely fell apart and forgot how to play defense or run the ball. The Ravens fired their offensive coordinator in the middle of the season, have only an average defense and have the less than mediocre Joe Flacco as their QB, yet they beat the Broncos and Patriots and are headed to the Super Bowl. The 49ers changed their QB midseason and line up Michael underachieving Crabtree and Randy senior citizen Moss at WR, yet they are going to the Super Bowl.

There isn't much rhyme or reason to who gets to the Super Bowl anymore, and it's been that way for a few years now. The Patriots are the only constant, but they have plenty of flaws as well and get beat by the "hot" team of that year consistently. Teams are just too close in talent. I don't like it. I miss the days of building dominant teams and dynasties. I don't like this random worst to first, first to worst stuff we see nowadays.

If Cowboys fans are looking for our next Super Bowl run, look no further than hoping to be the team that gets hot at the right team or gets a few lucky bounces or calls or health to go their way.

HoustonFrog · 01-21-2013

Here is the issue:

What you're saying SHOULD be true. Yet since we have hit this 16 year dry spell we are one of 6 teams with one playoff win or less. Let that sink in. 26 other teams have made more noise than us. Yet we always end up, in average, in the same place. Whether we are healthy, hurt, etc we have been .500 ish with some outliers. To me that's sad and an indictment on the franchise.

I also disagree that we are as good as the teams out there. There is a reason 3 if the 4 teams in the conference championship games were the same. Consistency and coaching.

burmafrd · 01-21-2013

you look at the final 4 each year and its usually the same suspects with a new one now and then.

There is a reason they are there and the other teams like us are not

bkight13 · 01-21-2013

The Pats play in a weak Division and it usually allows them to get Home Field Advantage. SF made a quick turn around, but Singletary laid the groundwork before Harbaugh took over and are also in a weak division. Baltimore is solid, but not spectacular. We had them beat at Home this year.

Dallas has never been that far away and that has been the most frustrating part. We play the top teams very well, so we know we could be good, but the lack of discipline, coaching and the killer instinct have killed us. NYG won 2 Super Bowls by gelling at the right time, they were not a "great" team.

HowAboutThemCowboys · 01-21-2013

Difference is that those teams usually have pretty good coaching. We don't.

I was real cool on the Kiffin hiring, but have warmed to the idea now that the shock has worn off.

Rynie · 01-21-2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by HoustonFrog

Here is the issue:

What you're saying SHOULD be true. Yet since we have hit this 16 year dry spell we are one of 6 teams with one playoff win or less. Let that sink in. 26 other teams have made more noise than us. Yet we always end up, in average, in the same place. Whether we are healthy, hurt, etc we have been .500 ish with some outliers. To me that's sad and an indictment on the franchise.

I also disagree that we are as good as the teams out there. There is a reason 3 if the 4 teams in the conference championship games were the same. Consistency and coaching.

Good post, Houston. I call it "stuck in hell". I'd almost rather be absolutely terrible for a few years and build a great team through good draft picks then just average year after year.

links18 · 01-21-2013

Anyone can win it all and yet we are remarkably consistent for just missing the playoffs or being one and done therein. Something is rotten in Big D and it ain't just the injuries......

dupree89 · 01-21-2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by bkight13

SF made a quick turn around, but Singletary laid the groundwork before Harbaugh took over and are also in a weak division

The days of the NFC West being weak are gone. The NFC West teams were 23-17 out of division. Including 3-1 against the NFC East.

OklahomaCowboy88 · 01-21-2013

I call BS. It takes years to build to compete in todays NFL. It's a really long, drawn out process. A lot of fans get frustrated, but thats because they're not good fans because they don't see what is being built.

obidiah · 01-21-2013

I understand your point, but I don't think the NFL really has parity as the word is defined. It's unfortunate, this word is overused and seems to be misunderstood. The NFL does not have what is described as parity. Has it improved in that direction? yes. But like economics, families, etc. there will never be true parity.

perrykemp · 01-21-2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by OklahomaCowboy88

I call BS. It takes years to build to compete in todays NFL. It's a really long, drawn out process. A lot of fans get frustrated, but thats because they're not good fans because they don't see what is being built.

This.

Look at the 49ers -- that roster was a long time in the making. It's take a lot of fortitude by a NFL front-office to invest that much in a OL -- taking three guys in the 1st round in, what, the past 5 years?

junk · 01-21-2013

Winning in this league is hard. I agree parity makes widens the field, but it isn't a coincidence that you see the same teams consistently competing year in and year out.

Solid front office, solid coaching and a talented roster are trademarks of the final four teams.

I think all four are significantly ahead of Dallas when you look at all three areas.

links18 · 01-21-2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by perrykemp

This.

Look at the 49ers -- that roster was a long time in the making. It's take a lot of fortitude by a NFL front-office to invest that much in a OL -- taking three guys in the 1st round in, what, the past 5 years?

This is a team that changed starting QBs midway through the season. There was a lot of hand wringing and second guessing on that one, I bet.

OklahomaCowboy88 · 01-21-2013

To be a contender in todays NFL, you basically need only two things:

1. Solid coaching

2. A top flight QB

What we have is

1. Horrid coaching

2. A top flight QB wasting his career under horrid coaching

I know, I know, it's a process.

cowboys1981 · 01-21-2013

The reason we have our problem is because we have failed to address our trenches on both sides of the ball. The end result is our QB on his back and opposing QB's on their feet marching down to the end zone.

Instead of trading multiple picks for trench players who can contribute we go for WR's instead. Oftentimes people lose sight on where the games are won and lost. The 90's Cowboys were disruptive on both sides of the line and its what led us to our success.

Between last offseason and now we added 4 players to our secondary that I believe will contribute to our club in '13. This offseason we need to over load on both sides of the ball.