13-3 Possibilities

[cowboys1981]

Things changed some after the Washington loss. Heading into that game the Cowboys were riding a 6 game winning streak and were considered the best team in football. Since losing that game they've come down some and several teams including one in their own division look better. Since winning 6 straight games the Cowboys are 1-2 and the defense is starting to give up a few more plays. Washington exposed the Cowboys with the blitz. If this season ends up going sour the Washington game might be the one we all look back on because the Cowboys were playing at a championship level heading into that game.

When you look back on the 07 season the game I look back on that changed what had been such a great season for the Cowboys was a game they won vs Green Bay. The Cowboys and Packers were both 10-1 and the Cowboys came out ready to play and looked as if they would blow the Packers out. When Favre got injured and Aaron Rodgers came in everything changed. The Cowboys relaxed allowing Rodgers to get the Packers back in the game. Although the Cowboys escaped with a win they didn't look good after Rodgers took over. They had an opportunity to finish the Packers off but allowed them to stay in the game.

The Cowboys were never the same team after that game. They struggled the following week vs a bad Detroit team just barely squeaking out a win on a last ditch drive and looked awful the next week against Philly losing at home. They ended up limping into the playoffs and were one and done. The Cowboys may have peaked too soon this season and Dec is when they've had a trend of tailing off. If they don't play better than they have the past 3 games they're going to have a difficult time winning 11 games. As for Bortles and McCoy one is a rookie and the other is a 5 year veteran who's played with 3 teams. The Cowboys were just as aggressive against Bortles as they were against McCoy at least in the first half but he's a rookie on a real bad team. McCoy had 21 starts in his career heading into the Cowboys game. He was a pretty highly touted QB coming out of college who flamed out in Cleveland.

Sometimes when you give a QB like that another opportunity to possibly resurrect their career they step up and McCoy did. The Cowboys had issues with his mobility and couldn't get him on the ground when they had sack opportunities. The Cowboys weren't focused heading into the game and McCoy shredded them. The Cowboys have not completely gotten over that loss and if they don't get back to the level of play we saw prior to the Washington game they won't get very far this season. This is the time of year when the contenders start playing their best football and the pretenders start to fall we just have to hope that the Cowboys best football in 2014 hasn't already come and gone.

2007 is irrelevant to 2014. That is reaching pretty far. The team hung in there vs Arizona and put up 31 vs JAX in a win. I'll enjoy the wins. You can stay stuck in the past.

 

[KJJ]

2007 is irrelevant to 2014. That is reaching pretty far. The team hung in there vs Arizona and put up 31 vs JAX in a win. I'll enjoy the wins. You can stay stuck in the past.

I'm not stuck in the past just pointing out certain trends the team has developed over the past several years that seem to carry over from one year to the next. Prior to every season predictions are based a lot on what a team did the previous season so the past has some relevance. Any knowledgeable football expert who makes prognostications looks for trends/patterns teams have developed to gage where they might be headed. It's not an exact science but it gives you an idea to base your predictions on.

The Cowboys have lost 3 straight season finale elimination games it's become a trend. The past 3 seasons have been virtually identical. The last 3 Dec/Jan's the Cowboys are 5-9. Since 06 the Cowboys are 16-23 in Dec/Jan. The Cowboys have only had 2 winning Dec/Jan's since 06 so the past 8 seasons Dec/Jan has been a struggle for the Cowboys. Not saying this trend will continue we'll just have to wait and see.

 

[cowboys1981]

I'm not stuck in the past just pointing out certain trends the team has developed over the past several years that seem to carry over from one year to the next. Prior to every season predictions are based a lot on what a team did the previous season so the past has some relevance. Any knowledgeable football expert who makes prognostications looks for trends/patterns teams have developed to gage where they might be headed. It's not an exact science but it gives you an idea to base your predictions on.

The Cowboys have lost 3 straight season finale elimination games it's become a trend. The past 3 seasons have been virtually identical. The last 3 Dec/Jan's the Cowboys are 5-9. Since 06 the Cowboys are 16-23 in Dec/Jan. The Cowboys have only had 2 winning Dec/Jan's since 06 so the past 8 seasons Dec/Jan has been a struggle for the Cowboys. Not saying this trend will continue we'll just have to wait and see.

Well I see a good trend in '14. Denver loses in Seattle and STL while we won both matchups. GB couldn't move the ball and was dominated in Seattle while we went over there and dominated. That wasn't the case for us last time we went to Seattle. Last year we were embarrassed by NO and this year we reversed that outcome. They're positive trends to look at too for reasons to be optimistic.

 

[Brooksey]

We COULD go 13-3 but we are also 1 play away (Romo gets hit. Out for the season) from going 7-9.

How so? Please explain.

 

[Brooksey]

A possible 13-3 season went out the window when the Cowboys lost to Washington. That loss took some steam out of the Cowboys and the Cowboys team we've seen the past 3 weeks doesn't look like the same team that beat Seattle in week 6. Murray's rushing yards have come down the past 2 weeks and are the lowest we've seen from him all season. He was held to under 100 vs AZ and just barely reached 100 last week vs a bad JAX team. Wasn't really impressed with the win over JAX. The Cowboys looked pretty good in the first half but decided to take the second half off by simply going through the motions. That game was very reminiscent of the Tampa game in week 15 of the 2011 season. The Bucs had a similar team to JAX having only 4 wins that season.

The Cowboys built a 28-0 halftime lead and decided to take the 2nd half off winning the game 31-15. The Cowboys ended up dropping their final 2 games in 2011 and missed the playoffs. I'm not saying the Cowboys look like they're about to fall apart but some cracks are starting to form and the team still lacks a killer instinct. Had they gone out and got after JAX in the 2nd half the Cowboys would have been able to take Romo out much sooner than they did. Right now I'm just hoping for an 11-5 finish. If the Cowboys can split with Philly and only drop one more game they should be safe for a playoff spot. This is a tough 6 game schedule they have coming up with Philly twice in 3 weeks and the Colts and Andrew Luck so the Cowboys better be sharp coming off their bye or things could start going sour real quick.

Different team. All is not on Romo this time around. This running game should make a big make a difference in December.

 

[KJJ]

Different team. All is not on Romo this time around. This running game should make a big make a difference in December.

We'll have to see.

 

[Gaede]

Our schedule is not as bad as I thought it would be.

Eagles don't scare me at all.

Our type of football will beat theirs, by slowing the game down and punishing them.

The Bears are awful as are the Giants and Skins. And now we're well rested

Colts have had some pretty poor performances this year as well.

 

[remdak]

It will be hard to win 6 in a row again. It's just the nature of the NFL. That's why the supposedly awesome teams have 2-3 losses right now. Cutler will probably be "good Cutler" against the Cowboys. Eagles special teams could get some easy points against the recently weak Cowboys special teams. Eli will be "good Eli" Sunday night.

 

[atlantacowboy]

I'll take fewer regular season wins and more playoff wins. 2007 was hardly a satisfying 13-3 season.

 

[Doomsday101]

Not thinking 13-3 right now just 8-3

 

[LittleBoyBlue]

13-3 is possible, but it's improbable. I'm thinking 10-6 or 11-5.

Yeah. After that 13-3 Crayton ending season.

After watching wild card teams win supe bowl. I won't mention any names..

I don't care about regular season record.

 

[casmith07]

Yeah. After that 13-3 Crayton ending season.

After watching wild card teams win supe bowl. I won't mention any names..

I don't care about regular season record.

I don't care either. With the way this offense is constructed, I think we are built for the playoffs. I just want to get in. We're pretty damn good on the road too so home field doesn't even matter. In fact, it might be better for us to be road warriors.

 

[LittleBoyBlue]

I don't care either. With the way this offense is constructed, I think we are built for the playoffs. I just want to get in. We're pretty damn good on the road too so home field doesn't even matter. In fact, it might be better for us to be road warriors.

I think we are built to have a shot.
I don't trust certain elements of the structure.

I thin road warrior is our only shot!

 

[Red Dragon]

13-3 is as unlikely as 7-9.


The Cowboys are highly unlikely to go 6-0, just like they're highly unlikely to go 0-6.

 

[KJJ]

I don't care either. With the way this offense is constructed, I think we are built for the playoffs. I just want to get in. We're pretty damn good on the road too so home field doesn't even matter. In fact, it might be better for us to be road warriors.

Winning on the road during the regular season is a lot different than trying to win on the road during the playoffs. Home crowds are a lot more amped up for playoff games which creates a more hostile environment. Winning on the road in the playoffs has worked for the Giants but not for the Cowboys. The Cowboys playoff/elimination game road record since 06 is 0-5. Of Romo's 12 playoff/elimination game turnovers 11 have come on the road. The Cowboys have had no luck on the road beating Green Bay, Detroit, AZ during the regular so good luck trying to beat any of those teams on the road during the playoffs especially Green Bay the way they're playing. Would you really like the Cowboys chances as road warriors at Lambeau in January? The Cowboys have never beaten the Packers in Green Bay in a playoff game. I'm not sure the Cowboys have ever beaten Philly on the road in a playoff/elimination game.

The last 2 playoff/elimination games I remember the Cowboys facing Philly on the road they got toasted during the 1980 season in a conference title game and in a season finale elimination game during the 08 season. Of the potential teams the Cowboys may have to face in the playoffs 3 of those teams are undefeated at home this season AZ, Philly and Green Bay. The weather conditions could be brutal in Philly and Green Bay during the playoffs and you won't find too many if any games under Romo where the Cowboys have won in sub freezing temps. The last playoff game the Cowboys won in 09 was at home. The last playoff game they appeared in on the road at Minn they got smoked. Although all 3 of the Cowboys losses this season have come at home their best chance of advancing in the playoffs assuming they make the playoffs is at home based on the teams they could potentially have to face.

 

[Wayne02]

How so? Please explain.

2 words. Brandon Weeden.