1971 - Today

[DragonCowboy]

The Giants were only the third team to reach the Super Bowl by winning three straight road games. By any definition, that makes their feat rare.

And yet, the 2nd team since 2005. By golly! that's the second time it's happened in 3 years! exceedingly rare.

Today's NFL isn't the NFL of yesterday.

 

[bbgun]

And yet, the 2nd team since 2005. By golly! that's the second time it's happened in 3 years! exceedingly rare..

And some people win the lottery two years in a row. That doesn't make it a trend.

Today's NFL isn't the NFL of yesterday

It isn't? How has the game changed in such a way that would make it easier for a team to win three games on the road?

 

[bootsy]

Did they win three playoff games on the road? Because that's what we're (potentially) staring at if we even get in.

"But the Giants did it!"

What they accomplished is exceedingly rare.

Pittsburgh did it in 05. Not that rare.

The last 3 SB champions came out of Wild Card weekend. It is very possible for this team to do it.

 

[bbgun]

Pittsburgh did it in 05. Not that rare.

Yes, I know. Too bad the NFL wasn't founded in 2005.

 

[bbgun]

The last 3 SB champions came out of Wild Card weekend. It is very possible for this team to do it.

The Colts played two of those games at home.

 

[DragonCowboy]

Yes, I know. Too bad the NFL wasn't founded in 2005.

So many more things have changed since then. There's more parity now, teams are more equal than they were in say 1993. In 1993, was there really a chance of a wild card team beating teams like Dallas and San Francisco?

It's really tough to say that there's a team that dominates the league today like it did before.

If we somehow (probably won't happen) go 12-4 and get the 5th seed (assuming the Giants go 12-4 or better), wouldn't you say the difference between a 12-4 Dallas team and a (let's just say) 14-2 Giants team is much less than the difference between the 1993 Vikings and the 1993 Cowboys?

I think that since the advent of the salary cap and free agency, teams have become more and more equal, making it easier for teams to go on the road against teams with superior records and win.

Again, this is all assuming we make the playoffs, which, sadly, at this moment, is questionable.

 

[Manster68]

Ok I know this is going to upset a few, and others will smile, but I'm simply bringing this up cause it sort of made me smile and made me think about how sometimes history repeats itself.

In 1971 we were the heavy favorite to win the Superbowl, much like we were this year. In that year we had some injuries early, and a QB issue (This being not having legit starter cause Landry was rotating Stauback and Morton), much like we've had this year in a little different form.

At that time the team played 14 game seasons and at the mid point they were 4-3 and they weren't a healthy 4-3. They had the QB controvery, the defense not playing up to it's potential, and what not. Much like we're now 5-4 at just after our midpoint.

The Commanders at that time were running away with the division at 6-1, much like the Giants are running away with the division this year at 8-1.

They had seven games left in the regular season...we've got 7 games left in the regular season.

What did the Cowboys do that year? They never lost again after the midpoint of the season. They got their QB situation fixed (We hope we have now that Romo is back and hopefully won't be hurt again), the defense got their stuff together (we can hope this years version will finally get it together as well), and they went on to win their final 7 regular season games, run through the playoffs, and won the Superbowl that they were favored to win before the start of the season.


Here's to hoping that history in fact does repeat itself and we're able to do the same type of thing this year.

Well, the foundation is certainly there for a similar ending.

The reason I don't think it will have the same happy ending is that Landry's team were much more disciplined. Today, Wade Phillips is at the helm.

Maybe Wade can prove me wrong.

 

[BHendri5]

If the NFL began in 2005, then yes, we'd be looking at a trend. In terms of the overall modern era, it's not a sound route to the Super Bowl.

Doc, it has been done before, and if it has been done before, that means it can and will be done again , and again and again.

It is not a big deal, all we need to do is to get in the playoffs and win that first game, once that monkey is bucked, all bets against the Boys are off.

 

[vta]

*Rolls eyes*

Oh good Lord. I wasn't saying this was the exact same thing or that they would do it. Friggen whiners.

I'm glad I had a week off from stressing over my team.
I still have a good feeling about this team and don't think they're done. I think they can definitely make a good run from here on out.

The Cowboys could surprise a lot of people after that awful run bad games.

 

[DWhite Fan]

Thirty years ago, the 1978 Cowboys were 6-4 after ten games (& on a two game losing streak) and still managed to reach SB XIII.

It will be a rough road, but by all means, it is not an impossible one to travel

 

[Established1971]

Actually 71 was my all time favorite season . Does anybody remember Ike Thomas returning the opening kickoff back for tds in two consecutive games?
2 big wins came in November at Washington and against the Rams on Thanksgiving day. After that the boys outscored every one 183-54.
The defense really did turn into Doomsday by holding the Dolphins to 3 points in the super bowl.

Thanksgiving 71 is the day I became a DC fan. I live in New York. After that Ram win the Boys dominated the Jets and Giants so any notion of being a fan of a local team was put to rest. The Boys were the coolest thing.

 

[ZeroClub]

Ok I know this is going to upset a few, and others will smile, but I'm simply bringing this up cause it sort of made me smile and made me think about how sometimes history repeats itself.

In 1971 we were the heavy favorite to win the Superbowl, much like we were this year. In that year we had some injuries early, and a QB issue (This being not having legit starter cause Landry was rotating Stauback and Morton), much like we've had this year in a little different form.

At that time the team played 14 game seasons and at the mid point they were 4-3 and they weren't a healthy 4-3. They had the QB controvery, the defense not playing up to it's potential, and what not. Much like we're now 5-4 at just after our midpoint.

The Commanders at that time were running away with the division at 6-1, much like the Giants are running away with the division this year at 8-1.

They had seven games left in the regular season...we've got 7 games left in the regular season.

What did the Cowboys do that year? They never lost again after the midpoint of the season. They got their QB situation fixed (We hope we have now that Romo is back and hopefully won't be hurt again), the defense got their stuff together (we can hope this years version will finally get it together as well), and they went on to win their final 7 regular season games, run through the playoffs, and won the Superbowl that they were favored to win before the start of the season.


Here's to hoping that history in fact does repeat itself and we're able to do the same type of thing this year.

Yup, 1971 (and 1978) are the best case scenerio comparison years for the 2008 team.

It can happen again.

(There's a good chance it won't happen again, but it certainly could happen again. No doubt).

 

[Seven]

Did they win three playoff games on the road? Because that's what we're (potentially) staring at if we even get in.
"But the Giants did it!"

What they accomplished is exceedingly rare.

That's just it. All I hear is "We still have a chance to make it to the playoffs".

Yeah? Then what? We had the playoffs handed to us last year. On a silver platter, in our very own home.


BTW BraveHeart - I thought that was a pretty clever comparison for the sake of a comparison. It took some effort on your part, appreciate that.

 

[notherbob]

The 1971 team had heart, no doubt about it; so far this group of disorganized superstars masquerading as a team has shown little or no evidence of having heart.

If Romo can bring these guys together and inject some spirit, courage, enthusiasm, determination and heart into them then they can win but if they don't pick up their game a lot then they're just going to get embarrassed again.

In important games where so much is on the line, recent history is not on the Cowboys' side. I hope this alleged team comes together tonight and triumphs, but at this point they're going to have to prove themselves worthy of the pre-season accolades. Washington isn't going to roll over for them.

 

[bootsy]

The Colts played two of those games at home.

Yes but they still had to win 3 games to get to the Super Bowl.

 

[bootsy]

Yes, I know. Too bad the NFL wasn't founded in 2005.

The point I and others are trying to make is that for the last 3 years teams have come out of the wild card weekend to win the Super Bowl(2 of them played all games on the road). You made the point that it rarely happens but 3 years in a row is not some fluke. Face it your point got blown up in your face as usual.

 

[MONT17]

Thanx 4 this post! Now let's beat the fn skins!!!!!!

 

[Chief]

Landry was rotating Stauback ....

You lost me there.

 

[Apefist]

*Rolls eyes*

Oh good Lord. I wasn't saying this was the exact same thing or that they would do it. Friggen whiners.

I'm with ya, bruthah! GO COWBOYS!!!



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[Established1971]

You lost me there.

staubach and morton alternated starts and in the final game before their winning streak actually alternated plays