Hostile;3195278 said:
Now can we celebrate and be happy?
Actually, not yet. Goal number one has been accomplished. The Dallas Cowboys won the NFC East for the 17th time, and their 21st Division crown overall.
Goal number two has been accomplished too, we won after Thanksgiving and put aside the can't win in December and January myths that have haunted this team since 1997.
Just one note, if it was myths, then how did it haunt us since '97?
Now, we have got to end the playoff drought and beat the Eagles back to back. You had to know that before the game this was a big game and after the game it wouldn't matter until we win in the post season. Please don't tell me you didn't realize that would be the case. You had to know. It has been the story all year.
Atlanta, @ Philly, not even beating the unbeaten Saints was proof. All of them were big games until we won them. Once we won, there has always been a caveat. Why would today be any different?
The criticism and cynicism is valid. We have not won a playoff game since December 28, 1996. That is 13 years, 6 days and counting. In that period of time we have lost 6 straight post season games. Of course there will be doubts.
It was always a big game that would change minds until we won it. Then it wasn't a big game because it wasn't in December. Then a win in December wasn't enough because nothing was on the line. Today a lot was on the line. What sound do you hear behind the cheering? If you say grinding gears you are right. Today's win, even though it was a dominant shut out that delivered an NFC East Crown and at least one home game in the post season was not a post season game already, so gears will strip.
The Eagles didn't even try today. Next week will be a different Eagles team. Dallas has to prove it in the post season, winning the NFC East doesn't mean anything. You're going to hear all of that and more. The thing is, it isn't wrong.
On the positive side, the Cowboys know it more than any of us. It is time to stop saying "these Cowboys say all the right things." Yeah they do, but they are backing it up too. It is time to acknowledge that.
The wheels could come off and we could lose next week. If that happens you will not be able to stop the howling. It is inevitable. The entire season will no longer matter. That is what I am going to disagree with. It will end up getting me labeled a homer all over again. That is fine. I really don't care. I say the regular season always matters. .
Actually some of us said these were big games but it ultimately mattered what we did in the playoffs.
Even this past week, prior to todays game, a thread asked what a win today would mean. I said it'd mean we'd have to win our next game or we go home.
So yes, it is good to win and get the late-in-the-regular-season monkey off our back (and hopefully for good). But I've consistently said it's about winning in the playoffs.
And if by some chance we do lose next week, then sorry, but it'll still be a major disappointment. Making the playoffs is good. Winning the division is very good. But if we yet again fail to win even one playoff game, then that will be huge, as would having the season end at the hands of not only the Eagles but also another divisional team we swept in the regular season.
Now hopefully that will all be a moot issue and we will beat the Eagles again next week and finally get that elusive postseason win and then hope to move on even farther. But if we do lose next week then some can take all the good they want out of this season, but ultimately we'll be in the same place as we were going in - still looking for some postseason success.
They have the chance now to do something about it. We've finally finished strong down the stretch for the first time in over a dozen years. Now we need to finish it and break down the door.
