Red Dragon
Well-Known Member
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2006: One more yard. That's all.
If Witten had gained just one more yard on 3rd down against Seattle, the Cowboys would have had a 1st-and-goal. Victory would have been almost certain in such a situation.
Analysis: This season actually didn't have that much potential. Even if the Cowboys had won in Seattle, they almost certainly would have lost in the divisional or conference playoff round, in my opinion. HOWEVER.....winning the franchise's first true road playoff game since 1992 would have been nice. (As it is, it's the year 2014 now and the Cowboys still haven't won a true road playoff game since that 1992 NFC title game.)
2007: Two more yards. That's it.
If Crayton had simply run his route two yards deeper on that fateful play near the end of that game, he would have been in excellent position to make the game-winning touchdown catch for a 24-21 Cowboys victory. But he didn't, and Dallas lost 21-17.
Analysis: The defeat to the Giants was crushing on so many different levels. First of all, it propelled the Giants to the first of two Super Bowls that they would win within the span of half a decade. Second, it extended the Cowboys' playoff drought. Third, it truly gave credence to the "Romo chokes in the playoffs" narrative - prior to this game, I don't think Romo really had the playoff choker label really assigned to him yet despite that Seattle field goal bobbled snap.
Fourth, a victory here would very possibly have sent the Cowboys to the Super Bowl - they'd have faced the Packers at home in the NFC title game, and Favre had been 0-9 against the Cowboys at Texas Stadium in his career up to that point. Now let me say that I don't think the Cowboys would have beaten the Patriots in Super Bowl XLII - I think they would have been overwhelmed by the Brady-led New England offense and lost by 17 points or more, due to the lack of a strong pass rush - but appearing in a Super Bowl - or at least winning that divisional playoff game against the Giants - could have been an enormous psychological boost that could have given the Cowboys much greater confidence over the next few seasons to come. With such a boost of confidence, I don't think the Giants would have become the Cowboys' Achilles' heel over the next 3-4 seasons that they were.
2008: The Cowboys allowed a 13-3 lead over the Steelers to slip away. Romo was injured. The Cowboys allowed back-to-back long TD runs to the Ravens. Were crushed 44-6 by the Eagles.
Analysis: Why this season is disappointing is because if the Cowboys had indeed made the playoffs, this was a year in which an underdog wild card team could really have run the table all the way to the Super Bowl, as evidenced by the way the 9-7 Cardinals did actually make it to Super Bowl XLIII. The Panthers were a very flawed playoff team. The only team I think the Cowboys would have had a very difficult time facing in the playoffs would have been the 12-4 Giants.
2009: This is the year where the Cowboys actually capitalized on potential almost as much as you could ask for. They went 11-5, won a playoff game and looked like a very realistic pick as a wild card contender for the Super Bowl...........before losing 34-3 to the Vikings.
Analysis: Knowing that Romo was the starting QB for years to come, the following offseason should have been entirely centered on assembling a superb offensive line. Drafting Dez Bryant in 2010 was a great choice, but the Cowboys should have followed up in the subsequent rounds by drafting high-quality offensive linemen.
2010: Cowboys started 1-7, Romo was injured, Phillips was fired. A lost season.
Analysis: The Cowboys drafted Tyron Smith the next year. A very good choice.
2011: Two more yards. That's it.
If Miles Austin had simply been two yards closer to the football on that crucial 3rd-and-5 against the Giants, the Cowboys would almost certainly have won the NFC East division title. But it was an incomplete pass, and Dallas lost.
This is the second time in which if a Cowboys WR had simply been two yards closer to the football on a 3rd down, it would have almost certainly denied the Giants a Super Bowl title. First Crayton in the 2007 playoff game, then Austin in the 2011 game. Four yards could have denied the Giants two Super Bowl championships.
Analysis: Even if the Cowboys had made the playoffs, I don't think they would have defeated the Packers or 49ers.
In the draft, the Cowboys should have focused all their attention on safety and the offensive line.
2012: This season was a reversal of 2011. In 2011, the Cowboys had the lead in many games, but allowed them to slip away. In 2012, the Cowboys were continually falling behind and trying to come back from deficits to win.
But the end result was the same, as the Cowboys again lost the season finale and went 8-8 with no playoffs.
Analysis: This season had more to do with the Commanders' success than the Cowboys' failure. Although, if Dez Bryant had managed to catch the ball in bounds against the Giants, and if Bailey's kick against the Ravens were just a few yards further right...... and the eventual Super Bowl champion Ravens had managed to beat the Commanders.............well, yeah. If this, if that.
The Cowboys should have focused their attention on drafting a good safety, and good offensive linemen.
2013: This year goes down as the year of the terrible defense. It's remarkable that with one of the league's worst defenses, the Cowboys were still just one game-winning drive away from a division title in Week 17.
The defense wasted another year of opportunity for Romo.
The Cowboys got a 30-24 lead over the Lions..............only for the defense to let it slip away.
The Cowboys got a 26-3 lead over the Packers...........only for the defense to let it slip away.
The Cowboys allowed 51 points to the Broncos, 45 points to the Bears, 49 points to the Saints......................
............. With such a terrible defense, how could the Cowboys have won much in the playoffs anyway?
Analysis: The Cowboys need to draft a safety and pass rushers.
If Witten had gained just one more yard on 3rd down against Seattle, the Cowboys would have had a 1st-and-goal. Victory would have been almost certain in such a situation.
Analysis: This season actually didn't have that much potential. Even if the Cowboys had won in Seattle, they almost certainly would have lost in the divisional or conference playoff round, in my opinion. HOWEVER.....winning the franchise's first true road playoff game since 1992 would have been nice. (As it is, it's the year 2014 now and the Cowboys still haven't won a true road playoff game since that 1992 NFC title game.)
2007: Two more yards. That's it.
If Crayton had simply run his route two yards deeper on that fateful play near the end of that game, he would have been in excellent position to make the game-winning touchdown catch for a 24-21 Cowboys victory. But he didn't, and Dallas lost 21-17.
Analysis: The defeat to the Giants was crushing on so many different levels. First of all, it propelled the Giants to the first of two Super Bowls that they would win within the span of half a decade. Second, it extended the Cowboys' playoff drought. Third, it truly gave credence to the "Romo chokes in the playoffs" narrative - prior to this game, I don't think Romo really had the playoff choker label really assigned to him yet despite that Seattle field goal bobbled snap.
Fourth, a victory here would very possibly have sent the Cowboys to the Super Bowl - they'd have faced the Packers at home in the NFC title game, and Favre had been 0-9 against the Cowboys at Texas Stadium in his career up to that point. Now let me say that I don't think the Cowboys would have beaten the Patriots in Super Bowl XLII - I think they would have been overwhelmed by the Brady-led New England offense and lost by 17 points or more, due to the lack of a strong pass rush - but appearing in a Super Bowl - or at least winning that divisional playoff game against the Giants - could have been an enormous psychological boost that could have given the Cowboys much greater confidence over the next few seasons to come. With such a boost of confidence, I don't think the Giants would have become the Cowboys' Achilles' heel over the next 3-4 seasons that they were.
2008: The Cowboys allowed a 13-3 lead over the Steelers to slip away. Romo was injured. The Cowboys allowed back-to-back long TD runs to the Ravens. Were crushed 44-6 by the Eagles.
Analysis: Why this season is disappointing is because if the Cowboys had indeed made the playoffs, this was a year in which an underdog wild card team could really have run the table all the way to the Super Bowl, as evidenced by the way the 9-7 Cardinals did actually make it to Super Bowl XLIII. The Panthers were a very flawed playoff team. The only team I think the Cowboys would have had a very difficult time facing in the playoffs would have been the 12-4 Giants.
2009: This is the year where the Cowboys actually capitalized on potential almost as much as you could ask for. They went 11-5, won a playoff game and looked like a very realistic pick as a wild card contender for the Super Bowl...........before losing 34-3 to the Vikings.
Analysis: Knowing that Romo was the starting QB for years to come, the following offseason should have been entirely centered on assembling a superb offensive line. Drafting Dez Bryant in 2010 was a great choice, but the Cowboys should have followed up in the subsequent rounds by drafting high-quality offensive linemen.
2010: Cowboys started 1-7, Romo was injured, Phillips was fired. A lost season.
Analysis: The Cowboys drafted Tyron Smith the next year. A very good choice.
2011: Two more yards. That's it.
If Miles Austin had simply been two yards closer to the football on that crucial 3rd-and-5 against the Giants, the Cowboys would almost certainly have won the NFC East division title. But it was an incomplete pass, and Dallas lost.
This is the second time in which if a Cowboys WR had simply been two yards closer to the football on a 3rd down, it would have almost certainly denied the Giants a Super Bowl title. First Crayton in the 2007 playoff game, then Austin in the 2011 game. Four yards could have denied the Giants two Super Bowl championships.
Analysis: Even if the Cowboys had made the playoffs, I don't think they would have defeated the Packers or 49ers.
In the draft, the Cowboys should have focused all their attention on safety and the offensive line.
2012: This season was a reversal of 2011. In 2011, the Cowboys had the lead in many games, but allowed them to slip away. In 2012, the Cowboys were continually falling behind and trying to come back from deficits to win.
But the end result was the same, as the Cowboys again lost the season finale and went 8-8 with no playoffs.
Analysis: This season had more to do with the Commanders' success than the Cowboys' failure. Although, if Dez Bryant had managed to catch the ball in bounds against the Giants, and if Bailey's kick against the Ravens were just a few yards further right...... and the eventual Super Bowl champion Ravens had managed to beat the Commanders.............well, yeah. If this, if that.
The Cowboys should have focused their attention on drafting a good safety, and good offensive linemen.
2013: This year goes down as the year of the terrible defense. It's remarkable that with one of the league's worst defenses, the Cowboys were still just one game-winning drive away from a division title in Week 17.
The defense wasted another year of opportunity for Romo.
The Cowboys got a 30-24 lead over the Lions..............only for the defense to let it slip away.
The Cowboys got a 26-3 lead over the Packers...........only for the defense to let it slip away.
The Cowboys allowed 51 points to the Broncos, 45 points to the Bears, 49 points to the Saints......................
............. With such a terrible defense, how could the Cowboys have won much in the playoffs anyway?
Analysis: The Cowboys need to draft a safety and pass rushers.
