Sticky: Poll: How confident are you about this team going into 2026?

[morat1959]

I voted D. There were some positives on the defensive side of the ball this offseason. At the end of the day, the elephant is still in the room. I know….Jerrys the biggest problem but I think he’s backed off some on the decision making. That’s leads to door number 2.

 

[lukin1966]

I always start the season off positive thinking they’re going to make the playoffs. Often get frustrated very early on. But for the first time in a long time, I feel like they went and had a really good off-season and really improved this roster… I mean the offence was good didn’t need much improvement. But they really concentrated on improving the defense. If this defence can be in around the top 20, and if the offence picks up from where it left off last year, the playoffs will happen…

 

[Diehardblues]

As of 9:58 AM:

B and C still command nearly 70% of total votes combined, BUT only eight votes separate the two opinions. That's freaking tight. I would have never guessed it would be that close. It may come down to a wire finish tomorrow afternoon. In my best Mr. Spock impression, "Fascinating..."

What blows my mind is we have what , over20,000 members and only 311 have voted. Shoot we have over 8,000 visitors right now.

We hear from a very very small percentage of our members.

And what the hell are all these guest looking at. Lol

 

[DallasEast]

What blows my mind is we have what , over20,000 members and only 311 have voted. Shoot we have over 8,000 visitors right now.

We hear from a very very small percentage of our members.

And what the hell are all these guest looking at. Lol

Your observations are exactly what I try to convey in conversations from time to time. It may really seem that many members are talking about a given subject. AND that this side or that side represents all of CowboysZone. The fact is, practically all discussions, every day, are by participants representing a small fraction of total membership.

A small number of voices 'yell' a lot. Some people think it is a bunch of noise when it never really is.

 

[kskboys]

I voted D. There were some positives on the defensive side of the ball this offseason. At the end of the day, the elephant is still in the room. I know….Jerrys the biggest problem but I think he’s backed off some on the decision making. That’s leads to door number 2.

You mean the guy that was the QB for 3 consecutive 12-5 seasons? Strange.

 

[zrinkill]

You mean the guy that was the QB for 3 consecutive 12-5 seasons? Strange.

Then what did he do in the playoffs on those seasons? Strange.

 

[Gangsta Spanksta]

Then what did he do in the playoffs on those seasons? Strange.

That's the thing, some people on here credit the supporting cast for the 12-5 and others credit the Quarterback. Then those guys whose mantra it is that it is the team and not the quarterback, suddenly go silent when someone credits the QB for the regular season record. Neutrality and levelheadedness they pride themselves on -- out the window.

 

[Diehardblues]

That's the thing, some people on here credit the supporting cast for the 12-5 and others credit the Quarterback. Then those guys whose mantra it is that it is the team and not the quarterback, suddenly go silent when someone credits the QB for the regular season record. Neutrality and levelheadedness they pride themselves on -- out the window.

It was a combination of factors . And which cost us in playoffs. It’s usually never just one thing.

I’d argue the third 12-5 season playoff loss to Packers was worst. The first two to SF I didn’t think we were best team while having an opportunity to win both.

The Packers our weaknesses were blatantly exposed along with bone head turnovers . A team clusterfruk .

 

[Diehardblues]

Then what did he do in the playoffs on those seasons? Strange.

Those losses weren’t all about our QB. The point I think KS was making is we aren’t a 12-5 team without him. Could he have done more in playoffs , probably but so could rest of team And sometimes like against SF not a good matchup or simply beat by better team. GB was a different story. Total clusterfruk and team loss. Awful!!

 

[zrinkill]

Those losses weren’t all about our QB. The point I think KS was making is we aren’t a 12-5 team without him. Could he have done more in playoffs , probably but so could rest of team And sometimes like against SF not a good matchup or simply beat by better team. GB was a different story. Total clusterfruk and team loss. Awful!!

Its never all about 1 player

In the 5 games he and the team has lost he had 9 TD's and 6 INT's while scoring an average of 22.8 points (with most of those coming in the late 3rd and 4th)

2017 vs Packers 18 out of 31 points scored in the 4th Quarter after being down by 3 scores

2022 vs 49'rs 10 out of 17 points scored in the 4th Quarter after being down by 3 scores

2023 vs 49'rs 6 out of 12 points coming in last play of third and 4th Quarter after being down by 2 scores

2024 vs Packers 25 points out of 32 coming in the 3rd and 4th Quarters after being down by by 41 points

Dak's offense and the Defense are both very much to blame for the loses.

 

[morat1959]

You mean the guy that was the QB for 3 consecutive 12-5 seasons? Strange.

2-5

 

[DallasEast]

B and C are in the final stretch...

 

[DandyDon52]

Arizona Cardinals
Atlanta Falcons
Baltimore Ravens
Buffalo Bills
Carolina Panthers
Chicago Bears
Cincinnati Bengals
Denver Broncos
Detroit Lions
Green Bay Packers
Indianapolis Colts
Jacksonville Jaguars
Kansas City Chiefs
Minnesota Vikings
New England Patriots
New Orleans Saints
New York Giants
New York Jets
Oakland Raiders
Philadelphia Eagles
Pittsburgh Steelers
San Diego Chargers
San Francisco 49ers
Seattle Seahawks
St. Louis/Los Angeles Rams
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tennessee Titans
Washington


Since 1996, all those teams above were different each year. They experienced coaching (both young and old) turnover. They drafted and signed free agent players. During the past three decades, at least one of the 30 different teams belonging to those 28 franchises fielded, adapted, and won one or more playoff divisional round games.

On the other hand, the Miami Dolphins, Cleveland Browns, Houston Texans, and Dallas Cowboys have fielded 30 different teams during that same stretch. Those four teams have been the same in one aspect: none of their 30 different teams have gotten within a stone throw's way of even trying for a chance at a championship.

There is another difference between Miami, Cleveland, Houston, and Dallas. Three franchises hired and fired general managers over the past three decades during their playoff futility, while one of the franchises has not.

Arizona Cardinals
Atlanta Falcons
Baltimore Ravens
Buffalo Bills
Carolina Panthers
Chicago Bears
Cincinnati Bengals
Denver Broncos
Detroit Lions
Green Bay Packers
Indianapolis Colts
Jacksonville Jaguars
Kansas City Chiefs
Minnesota Vikings
New England Patriots
New Orleans Saints
New York Giants
New York Jets
Oakland Raiders
Philadelphia Eagles
Pittsburgh Steelers
San Diego Chargers
San Francisco 49ers
Seattle Seahawks
St. Louis/Los Angeles Rams
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tennessee Titans
Washington


Since 1996, all those teams above were different each year. They experienced coaching (both young and old) turnover. They drafted and signed free agent players. During the past three decades, at least one of the 30 different teams belonging to those 28 franchises fielded, adapted, and won one or more playoff divisional round games.

On the other hand, the Miami Dolphins, Cleveland Browns, Houston Texans, and Dallas Cowboys have fielded 30 different teams during that same stretch. Those four teams have been the same in one aspect: none of their 30 different teams have gotten within a stone throw's way of even trying for a chance at a championship.

There is another difference between Miami, Cleveland, Houston, and Dallas. Three franchises hired and fired general managers over the past three decades during their playoff futility, while one of the franchises has not.

My point was it is not accurate to say the cowboys always lose to packers in playoffs,because the teams that lost in the past are at best only partially here, with different coaches and HC.
No one knows how shotty will do in playoffs or this particular team.
Lets at least give shotty and parker and this team a chance to succeed and do good this season.

 

[DallasEast]

My point was it is not accurate to say the cowboys always lose to packers in playoffs,because the teams that lost in the past are at best only partially here, with different coaches and HC.
No one knows how shotty will do in playoffs or this particular team.
Lets at least give shotty and parker and this team a chance to succeed and do good this season.

Understood, but your pre-assumption of what may happen does not counter @PA Cowboy Fan skepticism based on what he has witnessed in the past. Every team in every season is different from the next. That is true.

Every team must prove they will not similarly end their seasons like their previous seasons. That is also true, given the last Dallas Cowboys team that finished its season in a now atypical way was the 1995 team. Allow this 2026 team to assuage or remove anyone's doubt by proving they are better than those who preceded them.

 

[DallasEast]

It's over! Kick it Queen!

C Voters We are the champions of an itty-bitty poll, my friends!
And we'll keep on fighting 'til the end that never comes on CowboysZone!
We are the champions of an itty-bitty poll!
We are the champions of an itty-bitty poll!
No time for losers by only a microscopic 9 votes!
'Cause we are the champions of an itty-bitty poll!
Of Fan Zone the world!

 

[zrinkill]

I hope this stays stickied ...... I am looking forward for the A's reaction.