The cost of winning: What the Cowboys stand to lose by finishing the season on a winning streak

While it feels good to enter the regular-season finale with a chance for bonus football, there is another side of that coin that weighs heavily on the mind of many Cowboys fans - botching up their draft position. For a while now, there has been a line drawn in the sand between “Team Tank” and “Team Just Win Baby.”

As you can see, the Cowboys currently hold the no. 11 overall spot in the upcoming 2021 NFL Draft. Of course, that’s likely to change after Sunday. There are three likely outcomes that will move the Cowboys draft pick around, and they are as follows:

• 7th-10th = if they lose against the Giants
• 11th-15th = if they beat the Giants, but Washington wins and takes down the NFC East
• 19th = if they win the NFC East

Now, this is helpful in preparing our minds for what’s coming. While most fans are pulling for a division crown and playoff football, a loss guarantees a the Cowboys a top 10 draft pick. There are silver linings in both of those scenarios.

As far as the playoffs go, this team is playing its best football at the right time. Nobody is expecting it to amount to anything special, but if Andy Dalton continues to play well and the defense keeps taking the ball away, this team can end the year with something to build off. They’re not likely going to go on some miraculous run and strike down all of games top quarterbacks as that’s nothing more than a pipe dream.

https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/202...e-by-finishing-the-season-on-a-winning-streak

I'm fine with picking later, we have gotten a lot of really good players later in the first round, Martin, Fredrick, and Lamb to name a few.

Keep playing to win.

WIN

Unless taking a QB, does picking in the top ten make all that much of a difference? Heck, even if taking a QB does it really matter? There is plenty of talent in college to go around.

sunalsorises said:

Unless taking a QB, does picking in the top ten make all that much of a difference? Heck, even if taking a QB does it really matter? There is plenty of talent in college to go around.

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It makes a difference when you consider all seven rounds of the draft.

I would root for the Cowboys to win even if they were already eliminated.

Throw in a small chance at the playoffs and it's a no brainer for me.

I am glad they are at least looking like an NFL team now even if they have no real chance at a Super Bowl this year.

I want to win, I don't care. This is the worst draft in YEARS to pick high and pay possibly average players top $$ on rookie contracts. Winning after a tumultuous season may do wonders for the younger players going forward also. To me I feel there is more benefit to winning. I was team-tank but going out not being a bunch of losers would be nice....

Reality said:

I would root for the Cowboys to win even if they were already eliminated.

Throw in a small chance at the playoffs and it's a no brainer for me.

I am glad they are at least looking like an NFL team now even if they have no real chance at a Super Bowl this year.

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Only three teams have the shot at the SB this year IMO, KC, Buffalo, and GB. The rest are just chasing for scraps. But I hope we are one of those indeed!

I've discussed winning vs losing with several others. Tanking, not tanking and even the most Cowboys thing post of winning out but WFT winning also.

My opinion is that there will be more than a standard offseason's defensive turnover with a possibility to include its coordinator and assistants.

Presently, the return of the OC is up in the air as well with a strong likelihood that he may be gone as well.

So with all that to consider, what best benefits the teams future success?

A fleeting temporary feel good story of supposed team chemistry and confidence of wins over poor teams?
Keeping in mind the roster and staff turnover already mentioned, this so called temporary momentum/chemistry would not even apply to this team after all these offseason changes.

Someone else said it even shorter and more effectively.

"You don't build on an unstable foundation."

The probable losses of Moore/Nolan and many current defenders makes this current foundation extremely unreliable to depend on this temporary equity that this HC is supposedly building for now.

For these reasons I view all of these as empty wins.

I would have preferred a 3-13 and the corresponding draft picks in each round.

Not a popular decision to some but that's how I see it.

My version of the greater good.

It's just gonna suck when Dallas beats the Giants only to see Washington beat the breaks off of the Eagles.

Aven8 said:

Only three teams have the shot at the SB this year IMO, KC, Buffalo, and GB. The rest are just chasing for scraps. But I hope we are one of those indeed!

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I think Seattle and NO are both dark horses. Seattle can play with anyone when they're on.

zekecowboy said:

It makes a difference when you consider all seven rounds of the draft.

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I guess but if Dallas’ hopes of getting better are pinned to picking 10 spots higher in the 5th round then something is very wrong.

zekecowboy said:

While it feels good to enter the regular-season finale with a chance for bonus football, there is another side of that coin that weighs heavily on the mind of many Cowboys fans - botching up their draft position. For a while now, there has been a line drawn in the sand between “Team Tank” and “Team Just Win Baby.”

As you can see, the Cowboys currently hold the no. 11 overall spot in the upcoming 2021 NFL Draft. Of course, that’s likely to change after Sunday. There are three likely outcomes that will move the Cowboys draft pick around, and they are as follows:

• 7th-10th = if they lose against the Giants
• 11th-15th = if they beat the Giants, but Washington wins and takes down the NFC East
• 19th = if they win the NFC East

Now, this is helpful in preparing our minds for what’s coming. While most fans are pulling for a division crown and playoff football, a loss guarantees a the Cowboys a top 10 draft pick. There are silver linings in both of those scenarios.

As far as the playoffs go, this team is playing its best football at the right time. Nobody is expecting it to amount to anything special, but if Andy Dalton continues to play well and the defense keeps taking the ball away, this team can end the year with something to build off. They’re not likely going to go on some miraculous run and strike down all of games top quarterbacks as that’s nothing more than a pipe dream.

https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/202...e-by-finishing-the-season-on-a-winning-streak

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So what is the cost of teaching player to lose?

Aven8 said:

Only three teams have the shot at the SB this year IMO, KC, Buffalo, and GB. The rest are just chasing for scraps. But I hope we are one of those indeed!

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Here's the thing. We probably are NOT "in the hunt" for a super bowl. BUT...we are in the hunt to teach the team to WIN. It's more important than a phantom fairy dust draft pick.

I can see both sides. But if we weren't going to go tank-tastic starting with the Cincy game and end up with the No. 3 pick with everything else being equal then what does it matter now, really? The 3 pick was the best position for trading down to get more picks, possibly to a QB-desperate team who wanted one of the best of the rest QBs or one of the top 2 inexplicably falling. That's a real good opportunity to fill the multiple holes we have with good talent, and maybe picks next year too. At the same time, starting as bad as we did, trying hard does reveal team character and who is or is not giving their all when faced with adversity, which you are going to get with a team whether you're a high flyer or marginal a marginal team. Just hope the new coaches were paying attention to stuff like that or that too was for naught.

morasp said:

I'm fine with picking later, we have gotten a lot of really good players later in the first round, Martin, Fredrick, and Lamb to name a few.

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Good point, good players slip every year. If we are looking at a Safety for example we might be in just the right spot.

I want the best draft pick possible.
I know you can get good players anywhere in the first round but the odds go up at the top of each round.
The Eagles aren't beating the Commanders. Did you see the Eagles inactive list?

I wish the Eagles-Commanders played before our game.

Ill take the loss over a meaningless win.
You will be happier about it next draft when the Cowboys are on the clock.
Trust me. I know what I'm talking about.

texbumthelife said:

It's just gonna suck when Dallas beats the Giants only to see Washington beat the breaks off of the Eagles.

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It’s no guarantee we beat the Giants. It’s supposed to be raining and miserable Sunday and unlike the Eagles the Giants will play to win. If Big Blue loses coaches, general manager, and players will be fired. It’s gonna be a tough game for our boys.

MarcusRock said:

I can see both sides. But if we weren't going to go tank-tastic starting with the Cincy game and end up with the No. 3 pick with everything else being equal then what does it matter now, really? The 3 pick was the best position for trading down to get more picks, possibly to a QB-desperate team who wanted one of the best of the rest QBs or one of the top 2 inexplicably falling. That's a real good opportunity to fill the multiple holes we have with good talent, and maybe picks next year too. At the same time, starting as bad as we did, trying hard does reveal team character and who is or is not giving their all when faced with adversity, which you are going to get with a team whether you're a high flyer or marginal a marginal team. Just hope the new coaches were paying attention to stuff like that or that too was for naught.

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Outstanding post. I can definitely relate to your perspective on this year's higher picks' impact and the likelihood that slightly lower choices having an overall negligible effect since many are calling this draft top heavy.

Your perspective and logic behind it is very reasonable imo. Great post again.