A blessing in disguise

[Aven8]

It's Linehans base offense, defenses take away the short stuff, and force us to hold the ball. We did not run this offense for the first half of the season, but we've been morphing back to it every week. Did it not look like the same team that played last year? Every QB failed in this offense last year, and please don't give me the Romo won three out of four games, well so did Dak. Linehan was forced to adapt his offense, and we looked awesome for the first part of the season, but where are the screens, miss- direction, sweeps, slants, Beasely using his uncanny skills to shake defenders, and get open quickly? No we are back to predictable runs, forcing the ball to Dez, and not using Witten who is unstoppable 10 yds over the middle. This is where Garrett needs to drag Linehan into his office and lock Jerry out. How can you gain 100 yds in the first half and lose a game? Unbelievable.

 

[thekavorka]

I hope you're right but I have a hard time seeing it happen.

Cowboy fans have gone through all this before in 2007. Here's a very similar thread made back then: http://cowboyszone.com/threads/i-think-in-the-long-run-a-loss-now-helps.106806/

Obviously it's different personnel but let's hope Garrett learns from the past.

 

[DenCWBY]

I have been fighting this notion all second half of the season. Why? Because I like Ws... But I firmly believe we needed something like this to force kick everyone back in gear. That includes Linehan, Dak, and DEZ.

We were getting a little too full of ourselves and a game like that is just the medicine to help reestablish that focus in practice.

I have really been fighting this thought but I believe there's a lot of legs to it. Last night may be the game that propels us further than we think we will go into the playoffs.

I think some of the veteran fans have been feeling the same way and I know I have as well. Let's see how we look at home against a hot Buc team. If we struggle and lose, better button down the hatches because this will be quite a s&#@ storm.

 

[Risen Star]

Seems like we might have been thrice blessed over the past 3 weeks.

Yeah, that's the thing. They've been out played for 3 weeks. This theory doesn't fly. They peaked too early. They are stumbling down the stretch.

 

[Eddie]

Yeah, that's the thing. They've been out played for 3 weeks. This theory doesn't fly. They peaked too early. They are stumbling down the stretch.

This has happened a lot in recent Cowboy history. December has been brutal on us ... regardless of who's QB.

 

[fifaguy]

Is there ever a good time for a second loss? I mean seriously.. Would you have rather that second loss have come in our 1st playoff game?

A better regular season time would have been after we beat the Giants, and clinch HFA.

 

[BlueStar22]

I hate being swept by this team. Their fans are obnoxious right now.

This is the worst. I didn't want to get swept, i'm ok with another loss. Just not the Giants.

 

[BlueStar22]

It's great to see some fan optimism after last night though. People call us the worse fan base and while I don't agree, I can see it, it can be close.

 

[kramskoi]

Yeah, that's the thing. They've been out played for 3 weeks. This theory doesn't fly. They peaked too early. They are stumbling down the stretch.

It's not about peaking too early. It's about teams adjusting to Prescott and whether or not Linehan, Prescott and the offense overall makes adjustments to those adjustments.

 

[kramskoi]

This has happened a lot in recent Cowboy history. December has been brutal on us ... regardless of who's QB.

Dude...Romo and the Cowboys went 4-0 in December of the 2014 season.

 

[Eddie]

Dude...Romo and the Cowboys went 4-0 in December of the 2014 season.

We've seen some bad December swoons. 2014 was nice, but didn't amount to much in the end.

 

[BigBlacKahuna]

The sky is NOT falling people.

 

[bigdnlaca]

This thing is looking all too similar to 2007, win a bunch of games early, struggle late and post a losing record in December, one and done in playoffs.

I have seen this movie before and I don't like the ending very much.

Yep and then in the next few years they will talk about how Dak is great in the month of Oct and Nov at home.

 

[theebs]

I don't think its a blessing because the games are going to get harder not easier but I do agree with the overall sentiment.

Irvin kind of referenced it a few weeks ago, like the game at rfk in december of 92 where irvin and aikmans fumbles setup two late scores for washington, kept them in the playoff hunt and we took a loss. Dallas never lost again and jimmy let the team have it.

I think this is what most people are meaning when they say a loss is good for us, to help refocus. I hope this is what happens but I honestly think the giants are our worst matchup and have been saying it all along, they built a defense of free agents to stop Dallas offense and they have done it twice. Credit them.

Dallas played really well on Defense against Tampa last year and I imagine they will sunday also. I think the weather coupled with the giants personnel and scheme beat Dak and the passing game last night.

I don't think we will play a meaningful road game again and I don't think anyone else has the personnel on defense to do what the giants did except them. So if we are the 1 seed and the giants are the 5 seed I could see the giants beating the falcons and going to Seattle and Detroit beating Tampa and coming to Dallas.

I am scared of Detroit but not like I fear the Giants defense.

I think Dak and the offense are going to be fine and expect a motivated and focused group at the stadium sunday night.

 

[kramskoi]

I hope you're right but I have a hard time seeing it happen.

Cowboy fans have gone through all this before in 2007. Here's a very similar thread made back then: http://cowboyszone.com/threads/i-think-in-the-long-run-a-loss-now-helps.106806/

Obviously it's different personnel but let's hope Garrett learns from the past.

The Cowboys needed to borrow a page from the Titan's game plan against the Broncos. 42 rushes for 180 yds (4.2) ypc...ironically the same average the Cowboys had versus the Giants. The Giants had 8 more rushes than a team with a MUCH better ground game. Where Dak contributed 6 rushes for 37 yds versus Minnesota, he was 1 for 1 yd against New York. 25 rushes versus 37 passes...on a night where Prescott couldn't hit the broadside of a barn.

 

[Dracula]

Sometimes, it's just not your night. Defense looked damn good smacking Eli around. The Cowboys are ok. R---E---L---A---X.

 

[kramskoi]

I don't think its a blessing because the games are going to get harder not easier but I do agree with the overall sentiment.

Irvin kind of referenced it a few weeks ago, like the game at rfk in december of 92 where irvin and aikmans fumbles setup two late scores for washington, kept them in the playoff hunt and we took a loss. Dallas never lost again and jimmy let the team have it.

I think this is what most people are meaning when they say a loss is good for us, to help refocus. I hope this is what happens but I honestly think the giants are our worst matchup and have been saying it all along, they built a defense of free agents to stop Dallas offense and they have done it twice. Credit them.

Dallas played really well on Defense against Tampa last year and I imagine they will sunday also. I think the weather coupled with the giants personnel and scheme beat Dak and the passing game last night.

I don't think we will play a meaningful road game again and I don't think anyone else has the personnel on defense to do what the giants did except them. So if we are the 1 seed and the giants are the 5 seed I could see the giants beating the falcons and going to Seattle and Detroit beating Tampa and coming to Dallas.

I am scared of Detroit but not like I fear the Giants defense.

I think Dak and the offense are going to be fine and expect a motivated and focused group at the stadium sunday night.

I don't fear Detroit, not when Stafford has a dislocated finger (with torn ligaments) to the middle finger of his throwing hand...and the worse defense that Dallas will face down the stretch.

I believe that other defenses can indeed copy what the last two teams have done and Tampa has the NFL's best defensive passer rating over the last three games, forcing Brees into 3 INTs with 0 TDs. The Bucs could end up providing yet another stiff test to an offense that has stumbled over the last eight quarters.

 

[ThrowuptheXDez88]

It did piss me off that Dak & Zeke are out partying, spraying champagne in the crowd like they've already accomplished the ultimate goal. Romo got destroyed for going to Cabo on a bye week, Dak is out there partying at a huge point in the season and poppin bottles-throwing $ in the air. They shouldn't be robots, but come on man.

 

[theebs]

I don't fear Detroit, not when Stafford has a dislocated finger (with ligament damage) to the middle finger of his throwing hand...and the worse defense that Dallas will face down the stretch.

I believe that other defenses can indeed copy what the last two teams have done and Tampa has the NFL's best defensive passer rating over the last three games, forcing Brees into 3 INTs with 0 TDs. The Bucs could end up providing yet another stiff test to an offense that has stumbled over the last eight quarters.

tampa game is going to be a late game grinder for sure. I think this team will be ready for that and playing at home is huge. They are comfortable and loose at home. I think after the last two road games and odd schedule this team will exhale and refocus.

I do not think personally the tampa secondary can do what the giants and vikings did to dallas for four quarters. there front 7 is good but I don't fear a team pushing our offense around at home.

 

[kramskoi]

tampa game is going to be a late game grinder for sure. I think this team will be ready for that and playing at home is huge. They are comfortable and loose at home. I think after the last two road games and odd schedule this team will exhale and refocus.

I do not think personally the tampa secondary can do what the giants and vikings did to dallas for four quarters. there front 7 is good but I don't fear a team pushing our offense around at home.

Yes...I think they should be better at home...but that Bucs defense has certainly been salty over the last three games. Brees looked horrible.

I think the Cowboys need to make sure that they stay focused and committed to running the football. Linehan can get off the reservation in games like Sunday night. I still don't fully trust him when things bog down.