What the second half of the season will require

Bobhaze

Bobhaze

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Going into this season, I felt this team had a great chance to make a deep playoff run as much as any team they’ve had in a long time. I picked the Cowboys to go 11-5 this year. That’s certainly still possible but it will require them to go 7-2 the rest of the way. Possible, but difficult to say the least.

Recent NFL History makes it clear that being a #1 through #4 seed in the playoffs gives you the most realistic chance to make at least the conference championship. Especially the #1 or #2 seed because of getting that first round bye. Bottom Line: We must get a 1-4 seed to have a realistic chance to go deep in the playoffs.

Here’s what I mean:
Since the NFL expanded the playoffs to six teams in each conference in 1990, sixth seeds have only won 37.5 percent of the time in the playoffs. Sixth seeds have won multiple games in the same playoffs only four times (2005, ’08, ’10, ’13).

Only 5 times in the last 17 seasons has the AFC championship matchup not featured the No. 1 seed, most recently in 2012 when No. 4 Baltimore defeated the No. 2 Patriots before winning the Super Bowl. It’s happened 5 times in the NFC as well, most recently in 2016 with No. 2 Atlanta taking down No. 4 Green Bay. As for wild-card teams, (#5 or #6 seeds) only the Steelers, Giants and Packers have advanced all the way from sixth seed to Super Bowl champ.

None of those runs have been done since 2010, and only one wild card- the 2013 49ers, appeared in a conference championship game since then. And they were a 12-4 wild card.

It’s probably still too early to predict how this team will finish. The NFC is looking very strong this year with the Niners, Saints, Pack, Seahawks, Vikings and Panthers all ahead of us currently. Winning the NFC East would at least clinch having a home game in the wild card, but we’ve been in this spot before in 2014 and 2018. Sure would be nice to get at least a 2 seed.

If this team has serious plans on a playoff run, I think it’s gonna take going at minimum going 7-2 the rest of the way. There’s a lot of football left to play, but if our Cowboys want to have a special season, there is little room for error.
 
We crapped the bed big time not being prepared for GB, and just plain looking lethargic against the Jets. We knew the Saints were going to be tough at there place, and they have looked good each week since.

Having said that, JG must get out of his own way and let the coaches coach. Let Moore figure this thing out. Anyone that says JG’s influence wasn’t harped on him those three weeks is full of crap. We went conservative on the road in both NO, and just came out flat against the Jets and GB. The play close to the vest won’t work. We must attack.
 
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I agree with the OP that seeds matter. But I wouldn't look back historically. I mean you could, but isn't that just chance you're looking at? Especially with 4 seeds. A 4 seed basically has to make the playoffs because they won the division. You can get anything. Historically we've seen 8-8 4 seeds and 8-8 3 seeds before 1990. We've also seen the 4th seeded 2000 Ravens. But the 1 and 2 seeds do have a real advantage. They get a bye and play the two lowest seeds. One win and you're in the championship game.

Looking at the Cowboys alone historically paints an ugly picture. Since 1975 when Dallas made the Super Bowl as a wildcard, only 1 other time did Dallas reach the NFC Championship game when they weren't a 1st or 2nd seed.
 
I agree with this as well.

Hindsight is an absolute killer, and these guys are going to want that Jets game back badly at the end of the season.
 
Like Parcell would say, whose playing the best ball after T'giving, minus major injuries. History has shown time and time again the healthiest best playing teams are final four left standing in the end. Think about it, you can't hide your weakness in the playoff and further you advance the harder it gets.......min margin.
 
Bobhaze said:
Going into this season, I felt this team had a great chance to make a deep playoff run as much as any team they’ve had in a long time. I picked the Cowboys to go 11-5 this year. That’s certainly still possible but it will require them to go 7-2 the rest of the way. Possible, but difficult to say the least.

Recent NFL History makes it clear that being a #1 through #4 seed in the playoffs gives you the most realistic chance to make at least the conference championship. Especially the #1 or #2 seed because of getting that first round bye. Bottom Line: We must get a 1-4 seed to have a realistic chance to go deep in the playoffs.

Here’s what I mean:
Since the NFL expanded the playoffs to six teams in each conference in 1990, sixth seeds have only won 37.5 percent of the time in the playoffs. Sixth seeds have won multiple games in the same playoffs only four times (2005, ’08, ’10, ’13).

Only 5 times in the last 17 seasons has the AFC championship matchup not featured the No. 1 seed, most recently in 2012 when No. 4 Baltimore defeated the No. 2 Patriots before winning the Super Bowl. It’s happened 5 times in the NFC as well, most recently in 2016 with No. 2 Atlanta taking down No. 4 Green Bay. As for wild-card teams, (#5 or #6 seeds) only the Steelers, Giants and Packers have advanced all the way from sixth seed to Super Bowl champ.

None of those runs have been done since 2010, and only one wild card- the 2013 49ers, appeared in a conference championship game since then. And they were a 12-4 wild card.

It’s probably still too early to predict how this team will finish. The NFC is looking very strong this year with the Niners, Saints, Pack, Seahawks, Vikings and Panthers all ahead of us currently. Winning the NFC East would at least clinch having a home game in the wild card, but we’ve been in this spot before in 2014 and 2018. Sure would be nice to get at least a 2 seed.

If this team has serious plans on a playoff run, I think it’s gonna take going at minimum going 7-2 the rest of the way. There’s a lot of football left to play, but if our Cowboys want to have a special season, there is little room for error.
Click to expand...

Scoring POINTS and our Red-Zone production will determine this season's success or failure!!!!
 
Bobhaze said:
Going into this season, I felt this team had a great chance to make a deep playoff run as much as any team they’ve had in a long time. I picked the Cowboys to go 11-5 this year. That’s certainly still possible but it will require them to go 7-2 the rest of the way. Possible, but difficult to say the least.

Recent NFL History makes it clear that being a #1 through #4 seed in the playoffs gives you the most realistic chance to make at least the conference championship. Especially the #1 or #2 seed because of getting that first round bye. Bottom Line: We must get a 1-4 seed to have a realistic chance to go deep in the playoffs.

Here’s what I mean:
Since the NFL expanded the playoffs to six teams in each conference in 1990, sixth seeds have only won 37.5 percent of the time in the playoffs. Sixth seeds have won multiple games in the same playoffs only four times (2005, ’08, ’10, ’13).

Only 5 times in the last 17 seasons has the AFC championship matchup not featured the No. 1 seed, most recently in 2012 when No. 4 Baltimore defeated the No. 2 Patriots before winning the Super Bowl. It’s happened 5 times in the NFC as well, most recently in 2016 with No. 2 Atlanta taking down No. 4 Green Bay. As for wild-card teams, (#5 or #6 seeds) only the Steelers, Giants and Packers have advanced all the way from sixth seed to Super Bowl champ.

None of those runs have been done since 2010, and only one wild card- the 2013 49ers, appeared in a conference championship game since then. And they were a 12-4 wild card.

It’s probably still too early to predict how this team will finish. The NFC is looking very strong this year with the Niners, Saints, Pack, Seahawks, Vikings and Panthers all ahead of us currently. Winning the NFC East would at least clinch having a home game in the wild card, but we’ve been in this spot before in 2014 and 2018. Sure would be nice to get at least a 2 seed.

If this team has serious plans on a playoff run, I think it’s gonna take going at minimum going 7-2 the rest of the way. There’s a lot of football left to play, but if our Cowboys want to have a special season, there is little room for error.
Click to expand...

Great post as always Bullett and I believe after that Eagles game we have the juice to take our division almost worried more about us taking the Giants lightly they are an improved team over our first game .
 
Aven8 said:
We crapped the bed big time not being prepared for GB, and just plain looking lethargic against the Jets. We knew the Saints were going to be tough at there place, and they have looked good each week since.

Having said that, JG must get out of his own way and let the coaches coach. Let Moore figure this thing out. Anyone that says JG’s influence wasn’t harped on him those three weeks is full of crap. We went conservative on the road in both NO, and just came out flat against the Jets and GB. The play close to the vest won’t work. We must attack.
Click to expand...

Against GB, we came out on fire. We stopped the Pack and forced a punt. Got the ball and was driving. Then came the interception and the wheels came off.

Looking at our 3 losses, there seems to have been a bad play or 2 that sent the offense, defense or both into a long funk.

This falls on the entire coaching staff for allowing the team to let one bad play take away their focus. Plays like that will happen again. If we're going to have a SB season, our coaches cannot allow bad plays to send our players into a 3 quarter funk.
 
We have a lot of big games coming and we always get up for those. I do wish we would have picked up a few of the loses earlier this year.
 
Bobhaze said:
Going into this season, I felt this team had a great chance to make a deep playoff run as much as any team they’ve had in a long time. I picked the Cowboys to go 11-5 this year. That’s certainly still possible but it will require them to go 7-2 the rest of the way. Possible, but difficult to say the least.

Recent NFL History makes it clear that being a #1 through #4 seed in the playoffs gives you the most realistic chance to make at least the conference championship. Especially the #1 or #2 seed because of getting that first round bye. Bottom Line: We must get a 1-4 seed to have a realistic chance to go deep in the playoffs.

Here’s what I mean:
Since the NFL expanded the playoffs to six teams in each conference in 1990, sixth seeds have only won 37.5 percent of the time in the playoffs. Sixth seeds have won multiple games in the same playoffs only four times (2005, ’08, ’10, ’13).

Only 5 times in the last 17 seasons has the AFC championship matchup not featured the No. 1 seed, most recently in 2012 when No. 4 Baltimore defeated the No. 2 Patriots before winning the Super Bowl. It’s happened 5 times in the NFC as well, most recently in 2016 with No. 2 Atlanta taking down No. 4 Green Bay. As for wild-card teams, (#5 or #6 seeds) only the Steelers, Giants and Packers have advanced all the way from sixth seed to Super Bowl champ.

None of those runs have been done since 2010, and only one wild card- the 2013 49ers, appeared in a conference championship game since then. And they were a 12-4 wild card.

It’s probably still too early to predict how this team will finish. The NFC is looking very strong this year with the Niners, Saints, Pack, Seahawks, Vikings and Panthers all ahead of us currently. Winning the NFC East would at least clinch having a home game in the wild card, but we’ve been in this spot before in 2014 and 2018. Sure would be nice to get at least a 2 seed.

If this team has serious plans on a playoff run, I think it’s gonna take going at minimum going 7-2 the rest of the way. There’s a lot of football left to play, but if our Cowboys want to have a special season, there is little room for error.
Click to expand...
they have already spit the bit on a couple of games that they should of won they have to win most of their last nine games to have any chance at a bye week
 
10-6 certainly and maybe 9-7 will win division and get 4th seed. 5-4 and surely 6-3 rest of way will be enough to win division.

The top 3 seeds pretty well out of reach being behind 3 games to 49ers and basically 3 to Packers and Saints since we lose tie breaker with them.

And a good possibility the Wild Card team we host will have a better record than us.
 
Almost anything can happen- it’s the NFL. Lots of football left to be played. But because of that stupid loss to the Jets, the margin of error for the Cowboys is thin.

If they win the East, they will at least be a 4 seed. But to really have the best chance to make some noise, it would sure be great to at least get the 2 seed. We will need some help though. Like the Niners and Packers collapsing, which isn’t out of the question. I think the saints will be a lock on the #1 seed. We will see.
 
Basically going 11-5 means we’d need to go 7-1 rest of way besides a loss at New England.

That seems an unreasonable expectation based on what we’ve seen thus far along with our brutal upcoming schedule.
 
Diehardblues said:
Basically going 11-5 means we’d need to go 7-1 rest of way besides a loss at New England.

That seems an unreasonable expectation based on what we’ve seen thus far along with our brutal upcoming schedule.
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I don’t disagree Greggo. But looking at the schedule and making predictions is always fools gold in this league. The NFL is the most difficult league in sports to predict.

The most frustrating thing about the first half of the season is the stupid losses to the Jets and the pack.
 
Bobhaze said:
Almost anything can happen- it’s the NFL. Lots of football left to be played. But because of that stupid loss to the Jets, the margin of error for the Cowboys is thin.

If they win the East, they will at least be a 4 seed. But to really have the best chance to make some noise, it would sure be great to at least get the 2 seed. We will need some help though. Like the Niners and Packers collapsing, which isn’t out of the question. I think the saints will be a lock on the #1 seed. We will see.
Click to expand...
The loss to Packers and Saints were more critical as we’d lose any tiebreakers. Which means we’re actually 3 games behind both.

Assuming we did finish 7-2 we’d need them to finish 4-5. Neither scenarios very likely . In other words a bye for us is not probably happening.

Even if one of them did collapse down the stretch you’d need 49ers to finish 4-6.
 
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