Signs this team is a contender

[Bobhaze]

To be a real contender for a deep playoff run that can include the SB, there are several very obvious signs that must be present:

• A high powered offense that can score. (Check)
• The mental toughness to comeback from late game deficits to win (check)
• A defense that can get TOs and pressure the opponents’ QB (check)
• The ability to win on the road while dominating at home (we’re 2-1 on the road, 3-0 at home- Check)

But there are also some lesser known signs that can also be indicators of a contender we have exhibited:

• The ability to switch offensive tendencies depending on the opponent- this means one week you can throw it 50 times and win and the next week run it 40 times and win- all depending on the opponent. Under Garrett we were rarely ever able to do this. (Check)
• Win a game or two where your team didn’t play that well- we played better against TB in a loss than against the chargers or the pats, yet we won both of the latter. Good teams find a way to win no matter how they’ve played. (Check)
• Have a sizable point differential that places your team in the top 5 - Every SB team the last 6 years has finished in the top 5 of point differential. (So far, check)
  
• The ability to overcome some key injuries- this team has a 5 game winning streak happening with 4-5 starters out with injuries. Another good sign that this team is mentally tough. (Check)
• The ability to overcome unforeseen adversity- every year, some unforeseen adversity hits a good team. A suspension, an injury, a bad call, an unexpected loss, etc, etc…It takes the collective team will to overcome those adversities (To be determined)

So far through 35% of the season, there are many good signs that this team is a contender. But there’s a ton of football left to play. Can this team keep its mental edge and toughness? Can’t wait to find out what this team is really made of.

 

[maryquality]

Like I just posted in another thread regarding winning a Super Bowl......I think our defense still needs some improvement for us to WIN a Super Bowl. But, we'll see. I would love nothing better than to see my boys get back and WIN the Super Bowl.

 

[Bobhaze]

Like I just posted in another thread regarding winning a Super Bowl......I think our defense still needs some improvement for us to WIN a Super Bowl. But, we'll see. I would love nothing better than to see my boys get back and WIN the Super Bowl.

I think all contenders also keep developing. There are some teams right now that have a mediocre record that are still developing and getting better each week. What teams are now after 35% of the season is not always what they will become.

 

[fivetwos]

To be a real contender for a deep playoff run that can include the SB, there are several very obvious signs that must be present:

• A high powered offense that can score. (Check)
• The mental toughness to comeback from late game deficits to win (check)
• A defense that can get TOs and pressure the opponents’ QB (check)
• The ability to win on the road while dominating at home (we’re 2-1 on the road, 3-0 at home- Check)

But there are also some lesser known signs that can also be indicators of a contender we have exhibited:

• The ability to switch offensive tendencies depending on the opponent- this means one week you can throw it 50 times and win and the next week run it 40 times and win- all depending on the opponent. Under Garrett we were rarely ever able to do this. (Check)
• Win a game or two where your team didn’t play that well- we played better against TB in a loss than against the chargers or the pats, yet we won both of the latter. Good teams find a way to win no matter how they’ve played. (Check)
• Have a sizable point differential that places your team in the top 5 - Every SB team the last 6 years has finished in the top 5 of point differential. (So far, check)
  
• The ability to overcome some key injuries- this team has a 5 game winning streak happening with 4-5 starters out with injuries. Another good sign that this team is mentally tough. (Check)
• The ability to overcome unforeseen adversity- every year, some unforeseen adversity hits a good team. A suspension, an injury, a bad call, an unexpected loss, etc, etc…It takes the collective team will to overcome those adversities (To be determined)

So far through 35% of the season, there are many good signs that this team is a contender. But there’s a ton of football left to play. Can this team keep its mental edge and toughness? Can’t wait to find out what this team is really made of.

All great points, if you're trying to point out the difference between this team and what we have seen around here in recent years. If we are being honest, it also probably includes the better years.

I think we already know this team is good enough to make a very deep playoff run, but it boils down to the same thing.....injuries and the fact that anything can happen in any one particular game.

They are going to offer up a clunker or two somewhere along the way. Every great team has. Will that be at the very worst time?

And, #4 needs to be on the field or nothing else really matters.

 

[maryquality]

My dream playoff scenario is playing against Green Bay and #1 - knocking the snot out of that SOB Rodgers, perhaps having him not return to the game and #2 - winning the game in a blowout!!!!!
A girl can dream, right?

 

[fivetwos]

I think all contenders also keep developing. There are some teams right now that have a mediocre record that are still developing and getting better each week. What teams are now after 35% of the season is not always what they will become.

This team reminds me of the 92 team.

They were good from the start, but got better each week. No game was a gimme going in, nor were they considered the best team in the league at any stage of the regular season.

They were playing their very best football in January....and they stayed healthy at key spots all season.

 

[Bobhaze]

This team reminds me of the 92 team.

They were good from the start, but got better each week. No game was a gimme going in, nor were they considered the best team in the league at any stage of the regular season.

They were playing their very best football in January....and they stayed healthy at key spots all season.

I like the comparison as well. Although this year’s team doesn’t (yet) have the defensive dominance the ‘92 team did. That team had the #1 defense in the league that year. Hopefully our young D keeps developing.

All great points, if you're trying to point out the difference between this team and what we have seen around here in recent years. If we are being honest, it also probably includes the better years.

I think we already know this team is good enough to make a very deep playoff run, but it boils down to the same thing.....injuries and the fact that anything can happen in any one particular game.

They are going to offer up a clunker or two somewhere along the way. Every great team has. Will that be at the very worst time?

And, #4 needs to be on the field or nothing else really matters.

Great stuff. And I agree, all good teams have a clunker or two in a long season.

 

[Zordon]

The point differential is the big thing for me.

 

[Bullflop]

I am and have been, very encouraged by the overall makeup of this team this year. I think the marked improvement of the C'boys defense should serve them well in the days and weeks to come. It's a distinctly obvious step-up in our performances on the field. They're clearly outstanding.

 

[Joe Realist]

NFC is stacked this year. Cards are best team. Pack has Cowboys number in playoffs. Bucs and Rams have good offenses. One or two of these teams (Cowboys included), will have a good regular season and get then get bounced in playoff game 1.

 

[charron]

Winning despite injuries, flaws.

Do we have a long way to go? Yes
Do we need to compete vs other teams thought Tobe in the playoffs? Also yes

But this team has shown the ability to overcome injuries to starting level players.

 

[Bobhaze]

NFC is stacked this year. Cards are best team. Pack has Cowboys number in playoffs. Bucs and Rams have good offenses. One or two of these teams (Cowboys included), will have a good regular season and get then get bounced in playoff game 1.

Agreed- the NFC is loaded this year- Cards are the (CURRENT) best team. We’ve only played 35% of the season, so the “best team” will change several times this season. It’s what makes this so fun!

 

[fivetwos]

I like the comparison as well. Although this year’s team doesn’t (yet) have the defensive dominance the ‘92 team did. That team had the #1 defense in the league that year. Hopefully our young D keeps developing.
Great stuff. And I agree, all good teams have a clunker or two in a long season.

Disagree a little on the 92 defense Bob.

They were a very good unit that got better as they went along. That top ranking was based on yards allowed, which we know is worthless anymore.

They were never dominant, and Super Bowl aside, weren't as adept at creating turnovers as the current team.

The offense was next to unstoppable and controlled games. That helped that defense seem a little better than it actually was. See 2016.

That's a splitting hairs types of debate though, an I wouldn't say I'm disagreeing overall.

The team as a whole reminds me of that year in the regard that they were very good and getting better as they went along, yet were still able to sort of sneak up on people by never being considered the best in the league until we had our hand on the throat of that trophy.

 

[viman96]

This team reminds me of the 92 team.

They were good from the start, but got better each week. No game was a gimme going in, nor were they considered the best team in the league at any stage of the regular season.

They were playing their very best football in January....and they stayed healthy at key spots all season.

I do not quite remember it that way. They were coming off a 11-5 season and winning a playoff game. People knew the Cowboys were good but no one knew just how good they would be. I'd say by mid season everyone knew they were legit. By the end of the season everyone knew they were elite and a team that could make a deep run in the post season.

 

[fivetwos]

I do not quite remember it that way. They were coming off a 11-5 season and winning a playoff game. People knew the Cowboys were good but no one knew just how good they would be. I'd say by mid season everyone knew they were legit. By the end of the season everyone knew they were elite and a team that could make a deep run in the post season.

Yep, but SF was considered better than us, and we didn't have home field.

I didn't expect to win that game going into it.

 

[Batman1980]

I like the comparison as well. Although this year’s team doesn’t (yet) have the defensive dominance the ‘92 team did. That team had the #1 defense in the league that year. Hopefully our young D keeps developing.
Great stuff. And I agree, all good teams have a clunker or two in a long season.

Yeah we crapped the bed in a lot of ways against New England but did just enough right to come away with a tough win.

 

[viman96]

Disagree a little on the 92 defense Bob.

They were a very good unit that got better as they went along. That top ranking was based on yards allowed, which we know is worthless anymore.

You only mention yards allowed.1992 Dallas was top 5 in points allowed which we know is the most important stat.

 

[fivetwos]

You only mention yards allowed.1992 Dallas was top 5 in points allowed which we know is the most important stat.

Definitely, but the whole team works together on that.

They were never at any point in that season considered a dominant defense.

They were very good....with a dominant offense.

All I'm saying is this team reminds me of that team in not only that sense, but they got better each week, and didn't spend the whole season as the overall favorite.

 

[SDCowboy]

The defense still scares me. Outside of Diggs getting turnovers, they've been complete garbage.

 

[JoeKing]

We will make the playoffs so the question is who are we playing once we get there? Beating the Cardinals in week 17 will go a long way into determining who we play in the playoffs. Likely NFC playoff opponents include Green Bay, Los Angeles, Tampa Bay, Arizona, New Orleans, Minnesota. The only one we've faced so far(Bucs) we proved could have been anyone's game. So I'm looking forward to next week's game on the road in Minnesota. We can make another statement to the whole league that we are a contender.