Did Dallas really need to make the playoffs? - Dallas Cowboys Forum

nathanlt · 01-01-2013

C'mon, only one wr, ogletree.
Only 5 healthy starters on defense.
Let's face it some of the players were bagging groceries a month ago.

Dallas simply didn't have the pieces to make a run this year.

Let those sports experts blame this all on Romo, it's going to be a big year in 2013. Dallas will have DEPTH with their backups.

UncFelix28 · 01-01-2013

Fans would've been excited about a playoff birth for a week and then come back down to reality when they finally faced an all around team in the 1st round. With the exception of the Bengals, we beat all non playoff teams in the mini run the Cowboys had. All it did was prove the critics right about Romo & his play in big games... I guess he could've shut them up for a week, but there was no way this team was going to get out of the 1st round, especially losing Dez/Miles/Spencer in that game & having an invisible banged up Demarcus Ware

Lazyking · 01-01-2013

Need to? Maybe not, but Romo needed to play well in a win or go home game, he didn't. Furthermore, The Cowboys likely were not winning the Superbowl but getting to the playoffs with a shot is better for team confidence going into next year if nothing else.

Now it's just a battered team that finished 8-8 for second year in a row. Things could actually get worse next season.

UncFelix28 · 01-01-2013

At least 25 of those guys won't be on the active roster next season, so I am not even sure how much of a confidence booster & how much the team moral would've been improved..

Lazyking · 01-01-2013

Maybe.. but it would be something to build on with coaches and esp. with Romo say he drove the team down the field on the skins, won the game, played well against Seattle but lost.. The pressure for Romo would be a little less and the healthy players that were coming back would be like.. "we made it undermanned, no excuses this year.."

Playoffs help..The experience helps.

cowboyschmps3 · 01-01-2013

I think it'll be big cause we evaluated who can step in and play and despite all the injuries and late signings we still had a chance at the end, Go Cowboys!!!

Vanilla2 · 01-01-2013

It would've been nice and it would've held off the CZ poster meltdown for at least one more week.

Beast_from_East · 01-01-2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by nathanlt

C'mon, only one wr, ogletree.
Only 5 healthy starters on defense.
Let's face it some of the players were bagging groceries a month ago.

Dallas simply didn't have the pieces to make a run this year.

Let those sports experts blame this all on Romo, it's going to be a big year in 2013. Dallas will have DEPTH with their backups.

Playoffs? Since when is playoffs important around here?

If playoffs were important to Jerry, Garrett would have been on the unemployment line this morning.

LifetimeBoysFan · 01-01-2013

I think the original poster nailed it for me. At the end of the game our team was so depleted with injuries it was almost laughable. The Seahawks roasted us with a much healthier squad earlier this year too. Granted maybe we don't have Felix fumble the opening kickoff again but that is beside the point.

I think the best thing for this team is a higher Draft pick. Clearly our depth needs to be addressed especially with the fragile bodies we have. Miles and Dez (though you kinda expect it from Miles anymore) both out would basically make our passing game useless against anyone much less a playoff team.

Our Defense is barely able to defend the run period but I see zero possibility to contain Russell Wilson or Lynch. Our Offense certainly wouldn't generate one on them with a 1 dimensional passing game and a cruddy OL.

I am sick of missing the playoffs as much as the next guy. I grew up in an era where it was the norm with Landry and Jimmy. However this team if healthy and gelling might have been a win the division and win a game or two type team. With the injuries we have endured I'm quite surprised we won 8 honestly and figure we are much closer to 5-6 win team that somehow over achieved to get where they got.

As per the norm lately the offseason will be critical but will only be a success if they address the glaring needs at DL and OL. I wouldn't complain if that's the only areas they drafted just to try insure their picks were successful to some degree. Protect Romo better, generate a running attack and have a defense that pressures the QB up front and stops the run. Then and only then a playoff team will we be.

fifaguy · 01-01-2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by nathanlt

C'mon, only one wr, ogletree.
Only 5 healthy starters on defense.
Let's face it some of the players were bagging groceries a month ago.

Dallas simply didn't have the pieces to make a run this year.

Let those sports experts blame this all on Romo, it's going to be a big year in 2013. Dallas will have DEPTH with their backups.

Beating the Skins to win the division would have been a big boost for the team and the fans.

BIGDen · 01-01-2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by nathanlt

C'mon, only one wr, ogletree.
Only 5 healthy starters on defense.
Let's face it some of the players were bagging groceries a month ago.

Dallas simply didn't have the pieces to make a run this year.

Let those sports experts blame this all on Romo, it's going to be a big year in 2013. Dallas will have DEPTH with their backups.

I agree. Romo playing poorly in that game has left a bitter taste in everyone's mouth, but this team just would've gotten killed in the playoffs. QB with a broken rib, no healthy WRs, a bunch of nobodies replacing half of the defensive starters. At least we have a higher draft position. Winning the East would've been a nice accomplishment considering all this team endured this year, but this team would almost certainly have made a quick exit in the playoffs (they simply didn't have the players to compete at this point). Sometimes failure leads Jerry and co. to make more changes than when we've had some success. We stood pat after a good '09 season and the weaknesses (OL and safety) were not addressed. I'm hoping that perhaps this ending leads to a more active offseason. I have no doubt that a healthier D and an improved OL would get this team a few more wins and make them contenders. We shall see.

BIGDen · 01-01-2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by LifetimeBoysFan

I think the original poster nailed it for me. At the end of the game our team was so depleted with injuries it was almost laughable. The Seahawks roasted us with a much healthier squad earlier this year too. Granted maybe we don't have Felix fumble the opening kickoff again but that is beside the point.

I think the best thing for this team is a higher Draft pick. Clearly our depth needs to be addressed especially with the fragile bodies we have. Miles and Dez (though you kinda expect it from Miles anymore) both out would basically make our passing game useless against anyone much less a playoff team.

Our Defense is barely able to defend the run period but I see zero possibility to contain Russell Wilson or Lynch. Our Offense certainly wouldn't generate one on them with a 1 dimensional passing game and a cruddy OL.

[View Full Quote]

Great post. I couldn't agree more.

Irving Cowboy · 01-01-2013

Although a win against the Skins would have been nice, that win would have told Jerry, regardless of what would happen next week, that this team is thisclose to the Super Bowl and that he was doing everything right, which he is not. This team had no business in the playoffs, it would have been a waste of their time. Go ahead and throw the Giants of 07 and last year at me, but you know as well as I do that those were exceptions, not the norm.

kevm3 · 01-01-2013

there was no excuse for us not to make it. the ball is in romo's hand with 3 minutes to go and he had the opportunity to tie or win the game. That's a moment when you have to show up. Green Bay shouldn't have won the superbowl the year when they had all the injuries. The giants shouldn't have won when they went 9 and 7 in regular season. I say enough with the excuses. We didn't get it done when it mattered most.

fifaguy · 01-01-2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by kevm3

there was no excuse for us not to make it. the ball is in romo's hand with 3 minutes to go and he had the opportunity to tie or win the game. That's a moment when you have to show up. Green Bay shouldn't have won the superbowl the year when they had all the injuries. The giants shouldn't have won when they went 9 and 7 in regular season. I say enough with the excuses. We didn't get it done when it mattered most.

the players certainly wanted to get in and consequently took the loss hard.