True Contenders vs Contenders

[CouchCoach]

Instead of a power ranking, I am grouping NFC teams into one of these two groups. What's this true contender you speak of? Glad you asked.

It isn't about the record as much as having seen them play. A true contender looks like one of the playoff teams right now. Operative words there are "right now" because as these teams play each other, this is going to be fluid. For instance, SF was a contender because of the record until I saw them play last night and they look for real to me, true contender. For a contender to step up, they need to beat a true contender or several of their co contenders but the true contender is based on the playoff system of only 6 teams.

My true contenders are: SF, SEA, LAR, NO, GB and PHL.

My contenders are: CAR, CHI, DET, MIN and DAL.

BTW, I relayed the wrong information about tie breakers in a previous post. The division record only comes into play in the case where 3 or more teams tie. If 2 tie, it's head to head and then the conference record and then common games.

The upcoming games against PHL are obviously critical but almost as critical are the games against those fellow contenders in the North. Right now, the Cowboys need for GB and NO to win their divisions to take them out of the tiebreaker scenario and if the Cowboys should tie with PHL and they split, all of these NFC games come into play.

This week's contenders' face off: PHL v MIN, SF v LAR and DET v GB. If you are wondering which team we should root for, we need PHL to get more losses, LAR to win since we play them and GB because we need for them to win their division.

Too early to talk playoffs? No, I don't think so because this takes us out of the ongoing dragging the last loss over the concrete until it's bled out and focuses our attention back on the season. There are a lot of big games yet to be played to set the playoff stage.

 

[Playmaker247]

I mean I know everyone wants to rag on the cowboys right now but how are PHI and LA true contenders over Dallas? They’ve looked awful at times just like us.

 

[perrykemp]

Cowboys, Saints, Packers, Rams, Seattle, Phildadelphia, Niners.

Surprisingly strong a the top of the NFC this season. There will be some good teams that won't make the playoffs.

 

[Sarge]

Instead of a power ranking, I am grouping NFC teams into one of these two groups. What's this true contender you speak of? Glad you asked.

It isn't about the record as much as having seen them play. A true contender looks like one of the playoff teams right now. Operative words there are "right now" because as these teams play each other, this is going to be fluid. For instance, SF was a contender because of the record until I saw them play last night and they look for real to me, true contender. For a contender to step up, they need to beat a true contender or several of their co contenders but the true contender is based on the playoff system of only 6 teams.

My true contenders are: SF, SEA, LAR, NO, GB and PHL.

My contenders are: CAR, CHI, DET, MIN and DAL.

BTW, I relayed the wrong information about tie breakers in a previous post. The division record only comes into play in the case where 3 or more teams tie. If 2 tie, it's head to head and then the conference record and then common games.

The upcoming games against PHL are obviously critical but almost as critical are the games against those fellow contenders in the North. Right now, the Cowboys need for GB and NO to win their divisions to take them out of the tiebreaker scenario and if the Cowboys should tie with PHL and they split, all of these NFC games come into play.

This week's contenders' face off: PHL v MIN, SF v LAR and DET v GB. If you are wondering which team we should root for, we need PHL to get more losses, LAR to win since we play them and GB because we need for them to win their division.

Too early to talk playoffs? No, I don't think so because this takes us out of the ongoing dragging the last loss over the concrete until it's bled out and focuses our attention back on the season. There are a lot of big games yet to be played to set the playoff stage.

Philadelphia??? They have like the worst pass defense in the league. Atrocious.

 

[Diehardblues]

Instead of a power ranking, I am grouping NFC teams into one of these two groups. What's this true contender you speak of? Glad you asked.

It isn't about the record as much as having seen them play. A true contender looks like one of the playoff teams right now. Operative words there are "right now" because as these teams play each other, this is going to be fluid. For instance, SF was a contender because of the record until I saw them play last night and they look for real to me, true contender. For a contender to step up, they need to beat a true contender or several of their co contenders but the true contender is based on the playoff system of only 6 teams.

My true contenders are: SF, SEA, LAR, NO, GB and PHL.

My contenders are: CAR, CHI, DET, MIN and DAL.

BTW, I relayed the wrong information about tie breakers in a previous post. The division record only comes into play in the case where 3 or more teams tie. If 2 tie, it's head to head and then the conference record and then common games.

The upcoming games against PHL are obviously critical but almost as critical are the games against those fellow contenders in the North. Right now, the Cowboys need for GB and NO to win their divisions to take them out of the tiebreaker scenario and if the Cowboys should tie with PHL and they split, all of these NFC games come into play.

This week's contenders' face off: PHL v MIN, SF v LAR and DET v GB. If you are wondering which team we should root for, we need PHL to get more losses, LAR to win since we play them and GB because we need for them to win their division.

Too early to talk playoffs? No, I don't think so because this takes us out of the ongoing dragging the last loss over the concrete until it's bled out and focuses our attention back on the season. There are a lot of big games yet to be played to set the playoff stage.

That Egirls game is looking like our 1st Must WIn of the season. Coach , don’t wait too long to get out in front

 

[cowboy_ron]

Philadelphia??? They have like the worst pass defense in the league. Atrocious.

I was going to say the same thing.

 

[CouchCoach]

I mean I know everyone wants to rag on the cowboys right now but how are PHI and LA true contenders over Dallas? They’ve looked awful at times just like us.

IMO, they're better teams but that is subject to change as the season continues to unfold.

There is a fine line right now between true contenders and contenders. I have a hard time putting a team in my true contender status that has lost back to back games against true contenders. The Cowboys have been weighed and measured and came up lacking in the true contender area.

 

[MysteryIceGuro]

Here is my NFC Rankings:
Superbowl Contenders: Seahawks, 49ers, Packers, Saints.
Teams that have a few things to fix, but can very well still make it: Eagles, Rams, Lions, Panthers, Bears, Bucs
Borderline garbage (flashes of greatness, and flashes of terribleness): Vikings, Giants, Falcons.
Teams that just suck or are tanking: Commanders, Cowboys, Cardinals.

 

[CouchCoach]

Philadelphia??? They have like the worst pass defense in the league. Atrocious.

Let's wait and see if the Coiwboys can exploit that pass defense.

 

[Diehardblues]

IMO, they're better teams but that is subject to change as the season continues to unfold.

There is a fine line right now between true contenders and contenders. I have a hard time putting a team in my true contender status that has lost back to back games against true contenders. The Cowboys have been weighed and measured and came up lacking in the true contender area.

Yep

Need to beat a contender to be considered a contender.

 

[Aerolithe_Lion]

I mean I know everyone wants to rag on the cowboys right now but how are PHI and LA true contenders over Dallas? They’ve looked awful at times just like us.

injuries. We’ll be alright in a few weeks. Against Atlanta we didn’t have 2 of our top 3 cornerbacks, starting MLB, pro bowl DT, Desean Jackson, Or Alshon Jeffrey and still only lost when Nelson Agholor dropped game winning touchdown. Lions are 2-1-1 and almost beat KC for their only loss, and we lost to them on a last second drive too, without those same players AND our best CB.

So if we’ve looked bad despite our only losses being mistakes on final drives, imagine when we clean it up. By your definition we’d be unstoppable, because we never got spanked at home.

 

[gimmesix]

Instead of a power ranking, I am grouping NFC teams into one of these two groups. What's this true contender you speak of? Glad you asked.

It isn't about the record as much as having seen them play. A true contender looks like one of the playoff teams right now. Operative words there are "right now" because as these teams play each other, this is going to be fluid. For instance, SF was a contender because of the record until I saw them play last night and they look for real to me, true contender. For a contender to step up, they need to beat a true contender or several of their co contenders but the true contender is based on the playoff system of only 6 teams.

My true contenders are: SF, SEA, LAR, NO, GB and PHL.

My contenders are: CAR, CHI, DET, MIN and DAL.

I'm not sure we could say we've had a true contender in Dallas since Garrett became coach as attested by our first- or second-round flameouts in the playoffs. Maybe the closest we came was 2014 ... but some of the same problems were on display then. This team is the same fraud — good enough to beat bad and subpar teams and spring an occasional surprise, but not good enough, primarily because of coaching IMO, to do more than that — until it proves otherwise.

BTW, while I know you are basing your "true contender" status on making the playoffs, I don't consider every team to make the playoffs to be a true contender. Some teams make it but are not on the same level as those who really have a shot at making the Super Bowl for whatever reasons. And that's been us.

It's one of the reasons we fluctuate from season to season, not able to put together back-to-back 10-victory seasons. We "feast" on weaker schedules, then struggle to stay above .500 when more "true contenders" are added in after we finish first in the East.

 

[JJHLH1]

Every team in the NFC is a pretender, because they are going to be lambs to the slaughter at the hands of New England.

Although San Francisco is intriguing.

 

[Pessimist_cowboy]

Cowboys, Saints, Packers, Rams, Seattle, Phildadelphia, Niners.

Surprisingly strong a the top of the NFC this season. There will be some good teams that won't make the playoffs.

The cowboys ? Really !

 

[CouchCoach]

That Egirls game is looking like our 1st Must WIn of the season. Coach , don’t wait too long to get out in front

Waiting to see how that MIN-PHL comes out, Greg.

 

[JayFord]

We complain about our defense the rams defense looks absolutely non existent

 

[CouchCoach]

Here is my NFC Rankings:
Superbowl Contenders: Seahawks, 49ers, Packers, Saints.
Teams that have a few things to fix, but can very well still make it: Eagles, Rams, Lions, Panthers, Bears, Bucs
Borderline garbage (flashes of greatness, and flashes of terribleness): Vikings, Giants, Falcons.
Teams that just suck or are tanking: Commanders, Cowboys, Cardinals.

Hootchie mama, you are really down on the Cowboys. That's some pretty miserable company you've got them with but I still think they're a contender but they do have to beat a team with a winning record.

 

[Diehardblues]

Waiting to see how that MIN-PHL comes out, Greg.

It’s a Must WIn either way.

4-3 and the season is in jeopardy with brutal final stretch.

We’d be 4-0 against 3 winless teams. Oh wait, Miami and Wash play this week . Lol

 

[CouchCoach]

We complain about our defense the rams defense looks absolutely non existent

Agree but we are looking at the still photo instead of the movie that has yet to play out.

And the injuries will have a lot to say about those last 6 standing true contenders. It is possible that the Cowboys and the Rams have true contender teams without true contender QB's.

 

[CouchCoach]

It’s a Must WIn either way.

4-3 and the season is in jeopardy with brutal final stretch.

We’d be 4-0 against 3 winless teams. Oh wait, Miami and Wash play this week . Lol

Yep, they play in the Toilet Tank Bowl. Heard Miami was thinking of starting their cheerleaders on the DL but they're fearful the Skins will get too many holding calls and negate the advantage.