The cost of winning: What the Cowboys stand to lose by finishing the season on a winning streak

[SteveTheCowboy]

this team is 6-9

these players already know how to lose

That's why I said we gotta teach em to win.

 

[Xeven]

Unless taking a QB, does picking in the top ten make all that much of a difference? Heck, even if taking a QB does it really matter? There is plenty of talent in college to go around.

You are making me Wentz.

 

[Xeven]

Just use what we get for OL and DL. We got everything else.

 

[Diehardblues]

While it feels good to enter the regular-season finale with a chance for bonus football, there is another side of that coin that weighs heavily on the mind of many Cowboys fans - botching up their draft position. For a while now, there has been a line drawn in the sand between “Team Tank” and “Team Just Win Baby.”

As you can see, the Cowboys currently hold the no. 11 overall spot in the upcoming 2021 NFL Draft. Of course, that’s likely to change after Sunday. There are three likely outcomes that will move the Cowboys draft pick around, and they are as follows:

• 7th-10th = if they lose against the Giants
• 11th-15th = if they beat the Giants, but Washington wins and takes down the NFC East
• 19th = if they win the NFC East

Now, this is helpful in preparing our minds for what’s coming. While most fans are pulling for a division crown and playoff football, a loss guarantees a the Cowboys a top 10 draft pick. There are silver linings in both of those scenarios.

As far as the playoffs go, this team is playing its best football at the right time. Nobody is expecting it to amount to anything special, but if Andy Dalton continues to play well and the defense keeps taking the ball away, this team can end the year with something to build off. They’re not likely going to go on some miraculous run and strike down all of games top quarterbacks as that’s nothing more than a pipe dream.

https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/202...e-by-finishing-the-season-on-a-winning-streak

Basically this argument would be for every team each year to tank if they don’t believe they can win the Super Bowl for a higher slot in the draft.

A higher slot in the draft is a benefit from losing not an objective. And why the league will punish teams taking draft picks away if they pursue.

Teams will continue attempting to win games while ultimately having some comfort losing will place them in a better position in the draft. But losing will never be an objective simply for the benefit of higher draft slots.

 

[Diehardblues]

It’s easy for fans rooting to lose to have a better draft slot but if you’re a coach or player how do you prepare yourself to go out and intentionally lose games?

 

[gjkoeppen]

It makes a difference when you consider all seven rounds of the draft.

If it doesn't make that big of a difference in the 1st round, it's not going to make that big of a difference in ANY round.
.
.

 

[gjkoeppen]

While it feels good to enter the regular-season finale with a chance for bonus football, there is another side of that coin that weighs heavily on the mind of many Cowboys fans - botching up their draft position. For a while now, there has been a line drawn in the sand between “Team Tank” and “Team Just Win Baby.”

As you can see, the Cowboys currently hold the no. 11 overall spot in the upcoming 2021 NFL Draft. Of course, that’s likely to change after Sunday. There are three likely outcomes that will move the Cowboys draft pick around, and they are as follows:

• 7th-10th = if they lose against the Giants
• 11th-15th = if they beat the Giants, but Washington wins and takes down the NFC East
• 19th = if they win the NFC East

Now, this is helpful in preparing our minds for what’s coming. While most fans are pulling for a division crown and playoff football, a loss guarantees a the Cowboys a top 10 draft pick. There are silver linings in both of those scenarios.

As far as the playoffs go, this team is playing its best football at the right time. Nobody is expecting it to amount to anything special, but if Andy Dalton continues to play well and the defense keeps taking the ball away, this team can end the year with something to build off. They’re not likely going to go on some miraculous run and strike down all of games top quarterbacks as that’s nothing more than a pipe dream.

https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/202...e-by-finishing-the-season-on-a-winning-streak

There has never been and there will never be a Cowboys game that I don't want the Cowboys to win. I've always hoped for every single game they have played for them to win and always will.
.
.

 

[CATCH17]

Here's the thing. We probably are NOT "in the hunt" for a super bowl. BUT...we are in the hunt to teach the team to WIN. It's more important than a phantom fairy dust draft pick.

The phrase worst to first exists for a reason.

You can teach a team to win the next season and draft a guy like Nick Bosa by being terrible.

Even if you don’t like this draft we could still trade down and acquire picks.

Drafting high presents so many better options.

Being mediocre just keeps you mediocre and that’s what Dallas is.

 

[SteveTheCowboy]

The phrase worst to first exists for a reason.

You can teach a team to win the next season and draft a guy like Nick Bosa by being terrible.

Even if you don’t like this draft we could still trade down and acquire picks.

Drafting high presents so many better options.

Being mediocre just keeps you mediocre and that’s what Dallas is.

Okay great!

I am still cheering for a win and a playoff game. {shrug}

 

[Shake_Tiller]

Winning is important for what it takes to win. Players in the NFL are the best in the world. Peyton Manning once said it was a more difficult transition to adjust to the speed of the NFL than it was to go from high school to college. That is a big statement.

People say, "Oh, the beat up 49ers couldn't beat Alabama." Yeah, they would drill Alabama. For all the Tide's stars, much more than half the players are on the road to being stock brokers, or school teachers, or bank tellers.

Dallas has won against weak opponents. But winning in the NFL is always hard. Always.

So the progress shown by about half of a starting lineup consisting of backup players is important. The fact of winning demonstrates that such progress is substantial.

Whether any fan is on Team Tank or Team Go For It is inconsequential. We don't have an iota of influence on the game's outcome. The fact the players competed to win and have done so is encouraging and important.

 

[Aviano90]

Look on the bright side...the 2021 rookie class will cost a little less money and everyone loves saving money on the cap.

 

[blueblood70]

While it feels good to enter the regular-season finale with a chance for bonus football, there is another side of that coin that weighs heavily on the mind of many Cowboys fans - botching up their draft position. For a while now, there has been a line drawn in the sand between “Team Tank” and “Team Just Win Baby.”

As you can see, the Cowboys currently hold the no. 11 overall spot in the upcoming 2021 NFL Draft. Of course, that’s likely to change after Sunday. There are three likely outcomes that will move the Cowboys draft pick around, and they are as follows:

• 7th-10th = if they lose against the Giants
• 11th-15th = if they beat the Giants, but Washington wins and takes down the NFC East
• 19th = if they win the NFC East

Now, this is helpful in preparing our minds for what’s coming. While most fans are pulling for a division crown and playoff football, a loss guarantees a the Cowboys a top 10 draft pick. There are silver linings in both of those scenarios.

As far as the playoffs go, this team is playing its best football at the right time. Nobody is expecting it to amount to anything special, but if Andy Dalton continues to play well and the defense keeps taking the ball away, this team can end the year with something to build off. They’re not likely going to go on some miraculous run and strike down all of games top quarterbacks as that’s nothing more than a pipe dream.

https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/202...e-by-finishing-the-season-on-a-winning-streak

good players at 19 i'm not worried..lets win baby!!

 

[kskboys]

Basically this argument would be for every team each year to tank if they don’t believe they can win the Super Bowl for a higher slot in the draft.

A higher slot in the draft is a benefit from losing not an objective. And why the league will punish teams taking draft picks away if they pursue.

Teams will continue attempting to win games while ultimately having some comfort losing will place them in a better position in the draft. But losing will never be an objective simply for the benefit of higher draft slots.

BS. As long as you tank by trading away talent, it is legal. Several teams have had losing as an objective. MIA just got done playing it very well. They are good already, and have a top 5 pick in the draft as well as an extra early 2nd rounder.

 

[kskboys]

Winning is important for what it takes to win. Players in the NFL are the best in the world. Peyton Manning once said it was a more difficult transition to adjust to the speed of the NFL than it was to go from high school to college. That is a big statement.

People say, "Oh, the beat up 49ers couldn't beat Alabama." Yeah, they would drill Alabama. For all the Tide's stars, much more than half the players are on the road to being stock brokers, or school teachers, or bank tellers.

Dallas has won against weak opponents. But winning in the NFL is always hard. Always.

So the progress shown by about half of a starting lineup consisting of backup players is important. The fact of winning demonstrates that such progress is substantial.

Whether any fan is on Team Tank or Team Go For It is inconsequential. We don't have an iota of influence on the game's outcome. The fact the players competed to win and have done so is encouraging and important.

No, it's not winning that demonstrates improvement. It's the details that demonstrate improvement on a bad team.

 

[erod]

Just use what we get for OL and DL. We got everything else.

You don't have linebackers, corners, or safeties either.

 

[Diehardblues]

BS. As long as you tank by trading away talent, it is legal. Several teams have had losing as an objective. MIA just got done playing it very well. They are good already, and have a top 5 pick in the draft as well as an extra early 2nd rounder.

We’ve already had this discussion.

And I agree if a planned “Tank” with trading players for picks as in Miami last year and or the Cowboys in 1989.

 

[zekecowboy]

Basically this argument would be for every team each year to tank if they don’t believe they can win the Super Bowl for a higher slot in the draft.

A higher slot in the draft is a benefit from losing not an objective. And why the league will punish teams taking draft picks away if they pursue.

Teams will continue attempting to win games while ultimately having some comfort losing will place them in a better position in the draft. But losing will never be an objective simply for the benefit of higher draft slots.

How to tank
Move on from unnecessary veterans but try to retain enough of an infrastructure to evaluate the young talent on the roster. Tanking teams have no need for luxury. They don't need shutdown cornerbacks, flashy wide receivers or running backs who keep opposing defensive coordinators awake at night. If anything, bleary-eyed defensive coordinators should be thanking tanking teams for giving them hours of blessed sleep during a long season.

At the same time, though, it's naive and short-sighted for organizations to dump all of their talent in a way that makes it impossible to evaluate players at key positions. It's easy for even a talented quarterback prospect to develop bad pass rush-related habits if he doesn't have a competent offensive line protecting him. It's no surprise that teams like the Oakland Raiders and Cleveland Browns have rebuilt their respective rosters while investing heavily along their front five, although Cleveland did make the misstep of allowing Mitchell Schwartz to leave for Kansas City in free agency last offseason.

Acquire additional draft picks by trading down and amassing compensatory selections. As tempting as it can be for subpar teams to move up to grab a player they feel extremely confident about, we know those trades have a pretty low batting average. Teams like the Green Bay Packers and New England Patriots have rebuilt and repeatedly restocked their rosters by trading down. Those are good organizations from which to steal ideas.

Likewise, losing organizations should generally avoid the temptation of free agency given how far they are from contention. If they do have veteran free agents whom other teams will want to steal, they're probably better off recouping compensatory picks and targeting players released by other teams (or waiting until the compensatory formula freezes in the spring). If they don't have many veterans likely to attract serious free-agent attention, teams should be more aggressive in free agency. It's no surprise the Browns mostly stayed out of free agency after the 2015 season before investing more heavily this spring.

Take a shot (or don't) on a quarterback. Rebuilds hinge on identifying and acquiring a franchise passer, a move which may not (and perhaps should not) be the first decision a team makes. It doesn't do a team going nowhere much good to go after a decent quarterback like Jay Cutler, given Cutler won't be enough to push it toward the two poles at the top and bottom of the standings that NFL teams want to target.

Instead, bottoming-out teams should think about their quarterback situation differently. They can look for a veteran who they can pretend will develop the hopeless quarterback prospects on the back of their roster, as the Jets have done with Josh McCown. Smarter teams will target options with higher ceilings and lower floors, as the Browns did with Robert Griffin III last year. RG III didn't work out, as he was alternately injured and ineffective, but the Browns ended up with the first overall pick in part as a result.

 

[fivetwos]

How to tank
Move on from unnecessary veterans but try to retain enough of an infrastructure to evaluate the young talent on the roster. Tanking teams have no need for luxury. They don't need shutdown cornerbacks, flashy wide receivers or running backs who keep opposing defensive coordinators awake at night. If anything, bleary-eyed defensive coordinators should be thanking tanking teams for giving them hours of blessed sleep during a long season.

At the same time, though, it's naive and short-sighted for organizations to dump all of their talent in a way that makes it impossible to evaluate players at key positions. It's easy for even a talented quarterback prospect to develop bad pass rush-related habits if he doesn't have a competent offensive line protecting him. It's no surprise that teams like the Oakland Raiders and Cleveland Browns have rebuilt their respective rosters while investing heavily along their front five, although Cleveland did make the misstep of allowing Mitchell Schwartz to leave for Kansas City in free agency last offseason.

Acquire additional draft picks by trading down and amassing compensatory selections. As tempting as it can be for subpar teams to move up to grab a player they feel extremely confident about, we know those trades have a pretty low batting average. Teams like the Green Bay Packers and New England Patriots have rebuilt and repeatedly restocked their rosters by trading down. Those are good organizations from which to steal ideas.

Likewise, losing organizations should generally avoid the temptation of free agency given how far they are from contention. If they do have veteran free agents whom other teams will want to steal, they're probably better off recouping compensatory picks and targeting players released by other teams (or waiting until the compensatory formula freezes in the spring). If they don't have many veterans likely to attract serious free-agent attention, teams should be more aggressive in free agency. It's no surprise the Browns mostly stayed out of free agency after the 2015 season before investing more heavily this spring.

Take a shot (or don't) on a quarterback. Rebuilds hinge on identifying and acquiring a franchise passer, a move which may not (and perhaps should not) be the first decision a team makes. It doesn't do a team going nowhere much good to go after a decent quarterback like Jay Cutler, given Cutler won't be enough to push it toward the two poles at the top and bottom of the standings that NFL teams want to target.

Instead, bottoming-out teams should think about their quarterback situation differently. They can look for a veteran who they can pretend will develop the hopeless quarterback prospects on the back of their roster, as the Jets have done with Josh McCown. Smarter teams will target options with higher ceilings and lower floors, as the Browns did with Robert Griffin III last year. RG III didn't work out, as he was alternately injured and ineffective, but the Browns ended up with the first overall pick in part as a result.

And when you dont do ANY of that, you end up 8-8 most of the time.

 

[Diehardblues]

How to tank
Move on from unnecessary veterans but try to retain enough of an infrastructure to evaluate the young talent on the roster. Tanking teams have no need for luxury. They don't need shutdown cornerbacks, flashy wide receivers or running backs who keep opposing defensive coordinators awake at night. If anything, bleary-eyed defensive coordinators should be thanking tanking teams for giving them hours of blessed sleep during a long season.

At the same time, though, it's naive and short-sighted for organizations to dump all of their talent in a way that makes it impossible to evaluate players at key positions. It's easy for even a talented quarterback prospect to develop bad pass rush-related habits if he doesn't have a competent offensive line protecting him. It's no surprise that teams like the Oakland Raiders and Cleveland Browns have rebuilt their respective rosters while investing heavily along their front five, although Cleveland did make the misstep of allowing Mitchell Schwartz to leave for Kansas City in free agency last offseason.

Acquire additional draft picks by trading down and amassing compensatory selections. As tempting as it can be for subpar teams to move up to grab a player they feel extremely confident about, we know those trades have a pretty low batting average. Teams like the Green Bay Packers and New England Patriots have rebuilt and repeatedly restocked their rosters by trading down. Those are good organizations from which to steal ideas.

Likewise, losing organizations should generally avoid the temptation of free agency given how far they are from contention. If they do have veteran free agents whom other teams will want to steal, they're probably better off recouping compensatory picks and targeting players released by other teams (or waiting until the compensatory formula freezes in the spring). If they don't have many veterans likely to attract serious free-agent attention, teams should be more aggressive in free agency. It's no surprise the Browns mostly stayed out of free agency after the 2015 season before investing more heavily this spring.

Take a shot (or don't) on a quarterback. Rebuilds hinge on identifying and acquiring a franchise passer, a move which may not (and perhaps should not) be the first decision a team makes. It doesn't do a team going nowhere much good to go after a decent quarterback like Jay Cutler, given Cutler won't be enough to push it toward the two poles at the top and bottom of the standings that NFL teams want to target.

Instead, bottoming-out teams should think about their quarterback situation differently. They can look for a veteran who they can pretend will develop the hopeless quarterback prospects on the back of their roster, as the Jets have done with Josh McCown. Smarter teams will target options with higher ceilings and lower floors, as the Browns did with Robert Griffin III last year. RG III didn't work out, as he was alternately injured and ineffective, but the Browns ended up with the first overall pick in part as a result.

I’m all in in a planned tank season. But that’s not we have this season.

 

[aikemirv]

Well this game should help. Dalton proves he can't be relied on and we save 5-6 spots in the draft and Washington is winning tonight anyway