What makes the divisional playoffs such a tough nut to crack?

[Red Dragon]

Since 1996, Dallas, Detroit and Washington are the only three NFC teams to have not appeared in the conference title game.

In particular, the Cowboys have lost 6 straight divisional playoff games.

What makes this particular hurdle so hard to climb over?

 

[Jake]

What makes this particular hurdle so hard to climb over?

Not having a good enough team to beat your opponent.

We can make excuses all day, and some fans will, but you either win or lose. The Cowboys have not been good enough to win. That's why they lose.

Cue the excuses.

 

[Hagman]

Because the nut is the owner and general manager.

 

[Risen Star]

Because at that point you have to start competing against the really good teams?

That's what I got.

 

[DB_Cooper]

Not having a good enough team to beat your opponent.

We can make excuses all day, and some fans will, but you either win or lose. The Cowboys have not been good enough to win. That's why they lose.

Cue the excuses.

Agree. Because we have to beat one pretty good team to advance and we haven’t had the mental toughness to do that in the last 25 years…

 

[Cowpolk]

losing the game

 

[Bobhaze]

Since 1996, Dallas, Detroit and Washington are the only three NFC teams to have not appeared in the conference title game.

In particular, the Cowboys have lost 6 straight divisional playoff games.

What makes this particular hurdle so hard to climb over?

The biggest hurdle? Jerral Wayne Jones and the culture he has infused into this entire organization.

Every single year, it’s the toughest teams- mentally and physically- that win in the playoffs. Sadly, our Cowboys have been Charmin soft for far too long. Talent alone is never enough. If we can ever build a talented and tough roster we will have a chance.

 

[lostar2009]

Coaching, scheme, dumb mistakes by players and some bogus calls by referees in my book (last two playoff games with GB). But the Rams been beating us down for a while now and that's due to coaching and scheme.

 

[Tangle_Foot]

I can't believe my gutless colleagues
Everybody knows it's Dak
Show some backbone why don't you

 

[Hoofbite]

Because the nut is the owner and general manager.

Is that really supposed to be Jerry? If not, you had me fooled.

 

[Hagman]

Is that really supposed to be Jerry? If not, you had me fooled.

It’s from the parody of him on South Park.

 

[Hoofbite]

Because at that point you have to start competing against the really good teams?

That's what I got.

I think you're onto something.

 

[Diehardblues]

In most cases we haven’t had the better team. And in one or two we were upset. It happens.

 

[TheDude]

Since 1996, Dallas, Detroit and Washington are the only three NFC teams to have not appeared in the conference title game.

In particular, the Cowboys have lost 6 straight divisional playoff games.

What makes this particular hurdle so hard to climb over?

Talent

 

[Vanilla2]

Sometimes it’s all of the above and sometimes it’s luck of the draw

 

[JD_KaPow]

In ‘96, we were on the downswing. The dynasty was over. It had to happen eventually.
In ‘09 and ‘18, we had a big flaw and happened to run into teams that could maximally exploit that flaw (collapsing OL in ‘09, run D in ‘18).
In ‘07, ‘14 and ‘16, we lost to good teams (the Giants in particular were peaking) by less than a TD. Those games could easily have gone either way and we can and do point to individual plays that we wish we had back. Lots of luck involved there…but we also weren’t significantly better than those opponents, at that point of the season.

 

[GimmeTheBall!]

The biggest hurdle? Jerral Wayne Jones and the culture he has infused into this entire organization.

Every single year, it’s the toughest teams- mentally and physically- that win in the playoffs. Sadly, our Cowboys have been Charmin soft for far too long. Talent alone is never enough. If we can ever build a talented and tough roster we will have a chance.

Bloody good, but blimey what you forgot is the culture of little accountability.

 

[CowboyRoy]

Since 1996, Dallas, Detroit and Washington are the only three NFC teams to have not appeared in the conference title game.

In particular, the Cowboys have lost 6 straight divisional playoff games.

What makes this particular hurdle so hard to climb over?

Other teams have much better coaching and defense than we do. Simple as that. Oh, and Aaron Rogers.

 

[CowboyRoy]

In most cases we haven’t had the better team. And in one or two we were upset. It happens.

Still cant admit we didnt have good coaching? If we were upset in one or two, doesnt that mean we had the better team and just go out coached by a coach with a worse team?

 

[Jipper]

Not having a defense....this teams identity for the last few decades has been offensive centric....in the playoffs, defenses edge offenses if the teams are evenly matched.

Honestly I think if we put a focus on defense this team would have a much better chance