CHFF does Dallas: do 'Boys have a shot at perfection?

Gryphon

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CHFF does Dallas: do 'Boys have a shot at perfection?
By Jonathan Comey
Cold, Hard Football Facts oil baron
http://www.coldhardfootballfacts.co...;3A_do_'Boys_have_a_shot_at_perfection?_.html

Hey, what about Dallas?

If New England-Indianapolis is the game of the millennium, what does that make New England-Dallas? Why aren’t we talking about the Cowboys going 16-0? They’re outscoring the Patriots, you know.
OK, OK, calm down.

We haven’t forgotten about those high-flying Cowboys. But if you’re asking if we think they have the same chance New England or Indy has at an all-time great season, we’ve got the answer.

Yes. No. Maybe.

Look, if we knew how things would turn out, we’d be richer than Bill Gates’ gardener. But we can at least put history and the present under the pigskin microscope and see what we find.

Why Dallas can go 16-0:

1. The schedule is smooth as a baby's bottom. Not only do the Cowboys play in the still-supbar NFC, but their AFC opponents are from the East, a.k.a. New England and the Three Dwarfs. They do have to face New England, but that game's in Dallas, as is their showdown with Green Bay in Week 13.

2. Big winners sometimes emerge from mediocrity. Dallas was 9-7 in 2006, not exactly the setup you’d expect from an all-time great team. But when the 1998 Vikings (Randy Moss’ rookie season) went 15-1, they were coming off of a 9-7 campaign. The 1985 Bears were 15-1 after a 10-6 season, and so were the 1984 49ers. So it can happen.

3. Great teams have great offenses. When we compiled the top scoring teams of the Super Bowl era, we found the list included some of the best teams in modern NFL history. And as of right now, Dallas (37.8 PPG) would be No. 1 . Of those 27 teams on the list of greatest offenses, 13 lost two or fewer games.

Why Dallas can’t go 16-0:

1. Nobody goes 16-0. It’s a pretty remarkable fact that, since the NFL expanded the schedule to 16 games back in 1978, 879 teams have started the season 0-0 and zero have finished 16-0. That’s a lot of teams, and the list tops 1,000 when you include the 14-game seasons following the Miami's 1972 perfection.

2. Being perfect in the NFC East is no breeze. The Redskings, Giants and Eagles are all part of the NFL’s middle class (they chime in at 13, 14 and 21, respectively, in our most recent Power Rankings). Of this group, only the 2004 Eagles have gone undefeated in the division since the realignment of 2002.

3. They have a brand-new coach. With the exception of the 2002 Buccaneers, all of the great teams in NFL history had coaches who were well-entrenched in the job or the teams had experienced spectacular recent success (George Seifert, Barry Switzer). So, while Wade Phillips has an impressive 52-39 (.571) lifetime record, he’s also been fired twice and never kept a head job for more than three seasons. Is he the man to lead a team to an undefeated season?

4. Weak conferences don't produce top teams. The NFC hasn't produced a 14-win team since 2001, when the Rams went 14-2. Similarly, when the NFC was en fuego from the mid-1980s to the mid-90s, the AFC didn't have any great teams – from 1984 to 1996, when the NFC won 13 straight Super Bowls, only the 1984 Dolphins went 14-2 in the AFC.
 

03EBZ06

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Way too early to even think about 16-0. We have several tough games ahead of us. If We are 10-0 then it is something to talk about but at 4-0, that record is bit too far for me to see it.
 

Hypnotoad

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It will take a miracle for us to go to 16-0 being in the NFC East. Dallas doesn't struggles against the AFC, I do believe we have the best standing record VS AFC (anyone wants to fact check me go ahead).

The patriots have to play our division and at minimum, one of the four will get an upset on them. I am actually more worried about playing the Eagles, Commanders, and Giants than I am the Patriots we can easily get the upset. But going 3 weeks in a row vs our division rivals is going to be rough.
 

dogberry

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If we are 15-0 going into the final game, do we try for 16 or do we bench the starters and look to the playoffs?
 

Freyguy

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If we talk about 16-0, every game from here on out could be considered a trap game. Let's take this thing one game at a time.
 

utrunner07

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Freyguy;1685720 said:
If we talk about 16-0, every game from here on out could be considered a trap game. Let's take this thing one game at a time.

oh good...i had not read anything about a trap game or taking it one game at a time in about 10 minutes....

when are you people going to get it...we are fans...we can think about 16-0 if we want...our thinking about 16-0 has no effect on the team...just like thinking about the Patriots game does not mean the team isnt getting ready for Buffalo.

:bang2::bang2::bang2:
 

SultanOfSix

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The worst thing about going 16-0 (if it is done), is you ABSOLUTELY HAVE to go 3-0 in the following games.

Otherwise, it's like a double humiliation.
 

AsthmaField

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utrunner07;1685726 said:
...just like thinking about the Patriots game does not mean the team isnt getting ready for Buffalo.

:bang2::bang2::bang2:

Wha..???

You mean if we talk about a future game the team can still be practicing for Buffalo? Wh... when did this happen???:confused:


Seriously, thank you for saying that. So many people act like we're the team and if we're confident it means the team is over confident.

Hard to believe I know... but the team thinks independently of the fans.

Pet peeve, I suppose. Thanks for mentioning it. :cool:
 

DallasCowboysRule!

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You guys are scaring me with this 16-0 talk. If we can get past Buffalo, New England and Minnesota and go into the bye with a spotless record then I will entertain the idea of it being possible. But still, in the second half of the season we still have five division games left to play and any of those division teams can beat us. They know us pretty well.
 

FLcowboy

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dogberry;1685712 said:
If we are 15-0 going into the final game, do we try for 16 or do we bench the starters and look to the playoffs?

And lose at Washington? No thanks, go for the jugular.
 

PullMyFinger

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I doubt it, but 14-2 is a possibility. Wouldnt that be the best record the Cowboys ever had?
 

DallasEast

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I try not to speak in absolutes, but no team will ever go undefeated during a 16-game regular season. The CBA/salary cap structure practically guarantees that it will never happen. There is just too much league-enforced parity for any team to overcome, no matter how strong or talent the team might be. The luck factor (and every team needs it from time to time) for creating wins during tight games has been minimized to the extreme.

If the '85 Bears couldn't do it before the cap, there's no chance of it happening during the 21st century. Good dream, though.
 

Rackat

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Give me 5-0 this week, then I'll hope for 6-0 next week, 7-0 following that, and so on.
 

LittleBoyBlue

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I dont believe we have a chance to go 16-0... 19-0.... reason being... this defense will get burned bad atleast ONE game this year.... and after that game they will get better... a reality check for all.... so to speak....

I dont care about any other victory except for the SB.... of course enough victories to get us there... :D
 
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