An unsolved mystery wrapped in an improbably glorious season

[windjc]

Yep, and the Cowboys have a loss, a gifted win, and an overtime win in those three. The second pass through the division will tell us a lot.

A GIFTED ********* WIN??? We gifted the Giants a win. We should be 3-0. Go home.

 

[windjc]

9-2 vs 8-3 is not a virtual tie. They still have to gain another game on us. They could beat the Cowboys to gain a game, but it sounds like you're presuming they win out. I don't see that happening.

EROD is constantly presuming ridiculous things.

 

[big dog cowboy]

Not if they don't beat the Giants.

New York has the Browns this week, so pencil them in at 8-3 right now. If the Cowboys lose to Washington, you have a virtual tie in the division this week.

I'm confused. Unless you consider a 1 game lead virtual.

Dallas 9-1
NY Giants 7-3
Wash 6-3-1

 

[waving monkey]

Nine-wins streaks are crazy talk. They just don't happen around here, even in the best of seasons lore.

This has been a fun and unexpected ride with a defense made of duct tape and super glue and a QB we're watching evolve from embryo to the larval stage, past pupa and into a full-grown NFL quarterback right before our eyes. It's like time-lapse photography.

But there's still this gnawing curiosity surrounding this team and this season, which wasn't supposed to be this, but suddenly is. Is this team really a 9-1 caliber team, or is the other shoe going to drop soon?

Wins in September and October are cute and all, but seasons are decided and remembered from Thanksgiving forward. That's where legendary seasons are forged. And while this team has important ingredients to that measure, there are some still major blemishes to cover.

Yes, a forceful running game with a great line is valuable as the elements turn wintery. Yes, a quarterback and offense that possesses the ball and doesn't turn it over is tremendously critical as well. A defense that doesn't give up big plays is vital, and a kicker like Bailey is gold in a bottle, too.

But this remains a flawed roster in key areas. The pass rush is anemic. The run defense is exposed. And an opponent with a talented receiving corps can run free and easy through this secondary, especially with Claiborne and Church out and Scandrick playing with no confidence.

The Dallas offense is incredibly efficient, but is it capable of outscoring high-caliber teams? That's the only ticket to the show.

You can only play the teams on your schedule, but this Cowboys schedule is looking weaker by the minute. Only two teams that Dallas has played have a winning record right now, and Dallas only beat one of them. Even that came with an asterisk as Kirk Cousins missed easy touchdown passes that would have given the Commanders a semi-blowout win in Washington. Cousins isn't doing that these days.

Sure, had some of these teams beaten Dallas, they'd have winning records, so the Cowboys are partly responsible for those records, but I only see three teams that Dallas has played that might make the playoffs. The Giants, Commanders, and either the Steelers or Ravens.

The combined record of the teams Dallas has beaten is 31-67-1. It gets tougher from here.

New York 7-3 Loss
Washington 6-3-1 Win
Chicago 2-8 Win
San Francisco 1-9 Win
Cincinnati 3-6 Win
Green Bay 4-6 Win
Philadelphia 5-5 Win
Cleveland 0-11 Win
Pittsburgh 5-5 Win
Baltimore 5-5 Win
Washington 6-3-1
Minnesota 6-4
New York 7-3
Tampa 5-5
Detroit 6-4
Philadelphia 5-5

We're going to know a lot about this team in the next three weeks. An expected shootout with Washington this Thursday, followed by back-to-back road games capped by a what could be a first-place shootout with the Giants in their stadium.

A defensive offseason should prime this team for many years to come, but the here and now is very much a mystery.

Wow. 9-1. That's crazy. But what will it mean come playoff time? I think we all share in that curiosity.

Just what have we here?

It's always the next week will tell who they are.They are what their record is. I thought that was Parcell gospel?

 

[links18]

Egads, just start Romo then. Sounds like we need a boost in the arm, what with that 9 game winning streak and all.

 

[erod]

9-2 vs 8-3 is not a virtual tie. They still have to gain another game on us. They could beat the Cowboys to gain a game, but it sounds like you're presuming they win out. I don't see that happening.

And if they beat us, they're in first place. That's the point. The winner of that game is in first place, hence a virtual tie. They'd be 2-0 against us.

 

[links18]

And if they beat us, they're in first place. That's the point. The winner of that game is in first place, hence a virtual tie. They'd be 2-0 against us.

We get it; the division is tight this year. I'd rather be us right now though than the the Giants, Commanders or Eagles.

 

[erod]

We get it; the division is tight this year. I'd rather be us right now though than the the Giants, Commanders or Eagles.

Me, too. But this defense is ripe for the picking. Why do teams stop running against us after ripping us to shreds?

 

[links18]

Me, too. But this defense is ripe for the picking. Why do teams stop running against us after ripping us to shreds?

Should the Commanders be favored on Thursday?

 

[KJJ]

Every team has players who do not pan out. Cowboys did draft Zeke despite the fact some said it was stupid to select a RB that high. Dak being a later pick to an extent was a lucky pick but Dallas was still working him out, interviewing him and when he was there where they projected him at they selected him. Luck but also a lot of homework put in on Dak. Thing is it is not just the drafting part it is the coaching an entire team and keeping them focused. As I said these players are not putting in the long hours and putting the game plan together the coaches are. Dak deserves a lot of credit but then so do the coaches for how they have worked with him and brought him long. Garrett staff and himself deserve a lot of credit, god knows they have been blamed for everything else but they have this team playing beyond any expectations.

The only ones I saw say drafting Zeke was stupid were on this board. It made sense to most of us and to all the experts I listened to. We saw in 2014 what having a dynamic back did for our offense and how much it helped Romo. We found out the back matters and wanted to get back to what we did in 2014 with the running game. The Dak pick was a stroke of luck because he may have been our 4th choice at QB. Everything was pointing to the Cowboys taking Wentz at #4 had he been on the board and that would have changed everything. Although Wentz has looked good, he hasn't played as efficiently as Dak and there would have been no Zeke had we taken Wentz.

The Cowboys offered two picks to move back into the first round for Paxton Lynch, thank goodness that didn't go through. We waited until the 4th round to take Dak and struck gold. We liked him but not good enough to take him higher. I'm certainly not going to bash Garrett with the great season we're having, we have to give him some credit but without a real good QB we're where were last season. He's gotten better as a coach, we don't see as many coaching mistakes and he's taking more chances but until we win consistently year after year I'll never consider him a good head coach.

 

[Doomsday101]

The only ones I saw say drafting Zeke was stupid were on this board. It made sense to most of us and to all the experts I listened to. We saw in 2014 what having a dynamic back did for our offense and how much it helped Romo. We found out the back matters and wanted to get back to what we did in 2014 with the running game. The Dak pick was a stroke of luck because he may have been our 4th choice at QB. Everything was pointing to the Cowboys taking Wentz at #4 had he been on the board and that would have changed everything. Although Wentz has looked good, he hasn't played as efficiently as Dak and there would have been no Zeke had we taken Wentz.

The Cowboys offered two picks to move back into the first round for Paxton Lynch, thank goodness that didn't go through. We waited until the 4th round to take Dak and struck gold. We liked him but not good enough to take him higher. I'm certainly not going to bash Garrett with the great season we're having, we have to give him some credit but without a real good QB we're where were last season. He's gotten better as a coach, we don't see as many coaching mistakes and he's taking more chances but until we win consistently year after year I'll never consider him a good head coach.

Again yes there is luck involved in the draft not just for Dallas but every team out there. No one had Dak rated higher. Dallas had him on their board slated in the area they took him instead of reaching. In the end Dallas did draft him no one else did that is why he is in Dallas. As for past QB there was a reason Weeden and Cassell were out there they were not very good which is why teams they were with had no problem getting rid of them. Neither guy is starting anywhere in the NFL why again they are not very good. So yes last season with poor QB play Dallas suffered. Unlike Houston where Weeden did go he could rely a lot of a very good defense to get him the ball back in Dallas we pretty much had to score all the time since the defense could not stop anyone. I have no issue casting blame on Garrett it comes with the job but as far as understanding the game yeah I think a former player a man who has been around the game his entire life he has a good clue about this game.

 

[KJJ]

Again yes there is luck involved in the draft not just for Dallas but every team out there. No one had Dak rated higher. Dallas had him on their board slated in the area they took him instead of reaching. In the end Dallas did draft him no one else did that is why he is in Dallas. As for past QB there was a reason Weeden and Cassell were out there they were not very good which is why teams they were with had no problem getting rid of them. Neither guy is starting anywhere in the NFL why again they are not very good. So yes last season with poor QB play Dallas suffered. Unlike Houston where Weeden did go he could rely a lot of a very good defense to get him the ball back in Dallas we pretty much had to score all the time since the defense could not stop anyone. I have no issue casting blame on Garrett it comes with the job but as far as understanding the game yeah I think a former player a man who has been around the game his entire life he has a good clue about this game.

No one got luckier than the Cowboys during the draft. As great as Zeke and Dak have been along with the potential Anthony Brown has shown, this may go down as the greatest draft in Cowboys history. Had the trade offer for Paxton Lynch gone through there would have been no Dak. If you go back to last season Weeden didn't play bad until the NE game and that's the one that got him cut. Statistically he was very good and played well enough to beat the Falcons and Saints had our defense not folded but he had limitations and the team didn't believe in him. Danny White pointed out in an article that the team had him running plays designed for Romo. We didn't adjust to the QBs we had which added to the problem.

Although none of them are starting for anyone else, Weeden did save an important game for Houston last season and got a win in another game. Both Cassel and Weeden won some games for other teams but had no success with the Cowboys and you have to blame the coaching some. As for our defense it's only looked better this season due to our offense controlling the ball but our defensive ranking has dropped 3 spots the past 2 weeks. We still don't have a very good defense and our lack of a pass rush is likely to catch up with us unless it improves.

 

[DFWJC]

This week schedule talk is seriously flawed. Who have the Patriots played? Who have the Seahawks played? You play who is on your schedule and we are deserving of that record. Also we play in the NFC east possibly the toughest division in the NFL.

He was just showing the facts, that's all.
9-1 is still 9-1.
The fact is that Dallas has beaten one team all season that currently has a winning record. It's a just a bit quirky, nothing more.
It doesn't mean Dallas couldn't have beaten New England, Atlanta, Oakland, Seattle, KC, Denver, etc...if those teams were in front of them.
But they weren't.
And as it turns out, not a single one of them will be in the last 6 games either.
Not Dallas' fault.
Going forward, on paper, it looks interesting. But really, other than the division games, none of those games look all that rough either.

 

[DFWJC]

Everyone was saying before we played the Eagles, Pittsburgh and Ravens that it would be a test for us. We went through that with no problem. The schedule will be tougher but I think we will be fine, if we can put away the Commanders this game we will be on our way.

Wouldn't you agree that those people were proven right in saying the Eagles and Pittsburgh would be challenging?
I mean, those games were as close as close gets. The Ravens--losers of 5 of their last 7-- could only hold up for one half though.

The great thing is that Dallas DID beat them. That's all we can ask them to do.

But really, none of those teams even have a winning record right now.

I really don't care how they got to 9-1. It's still a great accomplishment.

 

[Doomsday101]

No one got luckier than the Cowboys during the draft. As great as Zeke and Dak have been along with the potential Anthony Brown has shown, this may go down as the greatest draft in Cowboys history. Had the trade offer for Paxton Lynch gone through there would have been no Dak. If you go back to last season Weeden didn't play bad until the NE game and that's the one that got him cut. Statistically he was very good and played well enough to beat the Falcons and Saints had our defense not folded but he had limitations and the team didn't believe in him. Danny White pointed out in an article that the team had him running plays designed for Romo. We didn't adjust to the QBs we had which added to the problem.

Although none of them are starting for anyone else, Weeden did save an important game for Houston last season and got a win in another game. Both Cassel and Weeden won some games for other teams but had no success with the Cowboys and you have to blame the coaching some. As for our defense it's only looked better this season due to our offense controlling the ball but our defensive ranking has dropped 3 spots the past 2 weeks. We still don't have a very good defense and our lack of a pass rush is likely to catch up with us unless it improves.

Ok then the draft is nothing more than luck for all 32 teams. Outside of the 1st rd picks it is nothing but luck. All I can say is Dallas placed players on their draft board as to where they would likely go in the draft, they went out and worked out Dak and did their home work on him just as they do with all picks. 31 other teams had the chance to take him they didn't. As for Weeden? he put up points in the games he played in Dallas difference was our defense gave up more. You put up 28 points as Dallas did vs Alt with Weeden I kind of expect a win but when the defense turns around and give up 39 kind of hard to blame the offense. Outside of that he just was not a very good QB he sits 3rd in Houston right now that should tell you what they see in him

 

[THEHEREAFTER]

To the OP... yes there are concerns... but I think a lot of the angst is just not believing what you're seeing yet. This defense is not "great" but they're greater than the sum of their parts which describes the entire team. What your analysis fails to dissect is the heart this team plays with.

I've been WAITING for some of these concerns to come into fruition but we've been able to simply beat teams up on offense and play above our heads on defense. Games vs wash, nyg, pitt, GB all scared the hell out of me. Fast shifty receivers, multiple weapons running all over the place... no pass rush etc.. but we've beaten these teams. It gets no scarier than Ben at home.. AB, Bell & Co... but guess what... all these teams gotta play D also... nyg... looks extremely avg. although I know that game will be a dogfight. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't concerned about the skins and that game where we get "exposed" somewhat... Call me naive but I'm starting to actually believe what this team is selling me week after week. It's Dak and Zeke.. it's this crazy Romo dynamic that's somehow inspiring Dak and everyone else indirectly. We just played a team with a defense 10X better than what we'll see Thurs.. so for all their offensive weapons, their D isn't much to speak of. We're also much better than we were week 2.

 

[haleyrules]

People can say what they want about opponents and schedules. The Cowboys are 9-1. That feels good. For the first time in years there is real hope in Dallas. This club is on the cusp of great things and will win a SB in the very near future.

 

[KJJ]

Ok then the draft is nothing more than luck for all 32 teams. Outside of the 1st rd picks it is nothing but luck. All I can say is Dallas placed players on their draft board as to where they would likely go in the draft, they went out and worked out Dak and did their home work on him just as they do with all picks. 31 other teams had the chance to take him they didn't. As for Weeden? he put up points in the games he played in Dallas difference was our defense gave up more. You put up 28 points as Dallas did vs Alt with Weeden I kind of expect a win but when the defense turns around and give up 39 kind of hard to blame the offense. Outside of that he just was not a very good QB he sits 3rd in Houston right now that should tell you what they see in him

The draft is a crapshoot for every team regardless where you're picking but how many teams come up with a franchise QB in the 4th round? We drafted a QB who wasn't even our second choice and maybe not even our third choice at the position and he's been so good it cost Romo his job and will have him playing for another team next season. Luck like that doesn't come around very often for any team and the selection of Dak in the 4th round could go down as one of the top 10 luckiest picks ever. As for Weeden he's not a good QB but we ended up dumping him and trading a 7th rounder for a QB who was even worse. We gave up two 7th round picks last season for players we ended up cutting.

 

[Doomsday101]

The draft is a crapshoot for every team regardless where you're picking but how many teams come up with a franchise QB in the 4th round? We drafted a QB who wasn't even our second choice and maybe not even our third choice at the position and he's been so good it cost Romo his job and will have him playing for another team next season. Luck like that doesn't come around very often for any team and the selection of Dak in the 4th round could go down as one of the top 10 luckiest picks ever. As for Weeden he's not a good QB but we ended up dumping him and trading a 7th rounder for a QB who was even worse. We gave up two 7th round picks last season for players we ended up cutting.

Again I'm not saying there is no luck involved but it is not just luck if it where teams would not bother to even interview and work guys out whom they know will be late rd picks. No one in the NFL had Dak any lower than the 4th rd of the draft. The fact that he is showing himself to be more than that is credit to him and yes credit to the staff of working with him and helping him during this phase of his career. I don't think anyone including the Cowboys felt Dak would be able to handle what he has thus far. So is there luck? sure but it is not all luck there was still a lot of time and effort put into this by the organization. Yep we gave up to late rd picks because that is how desperate the Cowboys were, heck I have seen teams give up higher picks for a QB who did not pan out and had to pay a boat load of money as well.

 

[slomoxn]

From what I'm seeing you can only play who is on your schedule, how many of those teams started their losing slide AFTER facing this offense and came out so brutalized and demorarlized that their season started sliding? It seems we have a very very young team that is not mentally or physically tired just yet, Dak and Zeke tare having fun, they have just both finished their college careers where every week was do or die and are not so far removed from it that each week they get pumped up to beat the other team. They and this oline don't want another team talking smack to or about them and go out each week to make sure it doesn't happen. Unlike our past teams they no longer seem to accept the dirty shot without pummeling the other team legally on the next few plays, for once they get mad back. I like it and win or lose tomorrow we go deep in the playoffs.