Cowboys Best Team in NFC

[plasticman]

Cincy was supposed to be the big run stoppers, no rushing TD's

The Packers werent gonna let it happen in their house.

There just isn't a defense built to defend Elliott running behind this Cowboy offensive line. They are almost all built with smaller faster DE's to rush pass happy offenses.

The Cowboy front line averages 312 pounds bur they are extremely athletic.

The Eagles DE's are 253 and 263. They are great pass rushers, so what? Can they stop the run because that is what they are going to have to do. By the third quarter, they will have nothing left, just like the previous teams.

 

[AsthmaField]

Cincy was supposed to be the big run stoppers, no rushing TD's

The Packers werent gonna let it happen in their house.

There just isn't a defense built to defend Elliott running behind this Cowboy offensive line. They are almost all built with smaller faster DE's to rush pass happy offenses.

The Cowboy front line averages 312 pounds bur they are extremely athletic.

The Eagles DE's are 253 and 263. They are great pass rushers, so what? Can they stop the run because that is what they are going to have to do. By the third quarter, they will have nothing left, just like the previous teams.

I don't always agree with your takes but I agree with this. The league is such a passing league right now that the defenses are all built to stop that aspect of an offense. The punishing run game that Dallas brings just wears them down as the game goes on.

I mean, teams can stop the run but they have to commit so many resources to actually do it that the passing game kills them and backs them off of the line of scrimmage... opening up lanes for EZE to gash them.

Not many teams can stop a really good run game with their front 7 anymore. They can scheme all they like but the Dallas run game just comes right at them and forces them to either lose by the run or attempt to play coverage with just a couple/three guys and hope they hold up.

It is a huge catch-22 that the Dallas offense puts teams in.

 

[jobberone]

Be careful about laughing about Carolina.

If they were to make a trade for Staley or Thomas they could shore up that o-line as Oher will also return. Panthers aren't the same dominant team as last season but they could still make noise...make a run...and reach the playoffs.

We've seen it before...where a good team looks dead 1/3 of the way through season...and rises.

Carolina has about a 1% chance of making the playoffs.

 

[jobberone]

Cincy was supposed to be the big run stoppers, no rushing TD's

The Packers werent gonna let it happen in their house.

There just isn't a defense built to defend Elliott running behind this Cowboy offensive line. They are almost all built with smaller faster DE's to rush pass happy offenses.

The Cowboy front line averages 312 pounds bur they are extremely athletic.

The Eagles DE's are 253 and 263. They are great pass rushers, so what? Can they stop the run because that is what they are going to have to do. By the third quarter, they will have nothing left, just like the previous teams.

I don't always agree with your takes but I agree with this. The league is such a passing league right now that the defenses are all built to stop that aspect of an offense. The punishing run game that Dallas brings just wears them down as the game goes on.

I mean, teams can stop the run but they have to commit so many resources to actually do it that the passing game kills them and backs them off of the line of scrimmage... opening up lanes for EZE to gash them.

Not many teams can stop a really good run game with their front 7 anymore. They can scheme all they like but the Dallas run game just comes right at them and forces them to either lose by the run or attempt to play coverage with just a couple/three guys and hope they hold up.

It is a huge catch-22 that the Dallas offense puts teams in.

Agreed. Teams need to get a lead on us. We came back from a 14 point deficit once but that was a poor team. Turnovers and playing from behind from behind will be difficult for us against better teams.

 

[T-RO]

Carolina has about a 1% chance of making the playoffs.

Your odds are wrong. They are wrong because your data incomplete.

The odds historically of any team starting 1-5 and making the playoffs are certainly less than 5%. Perhaps even 1% as you suggest. I don't contest that. But most 1-5 teams are not only woefully behind in the standings they are also hopelessly bad.

Is Carolina hopelessly bad?

Return to DeepMind and re-run the simulations with a more refined question:

What are the odds a 1-5 team makes the playoffs when they are coming off a 15-1 season, and feature many of the same players?

I don't know the details of what is going on with the team. I do know that you don't underestimate the heart of a champion...nor the talent of a champion.

Until dethroned they are NFC champions and should be viewed as a dangerous, cornered and wounded animal....fighting for its life.

 

[jobberone]

Your odds are wrong. They are wrong because your data incomplete.

The odds historically of any team starting 1-5 and making the playoffs are certainly less than 5%. Perhaps even 1% as you suggest. I don't contest that. But most 1-5 teams are not only woefully behind in the standings they are also hopelessly bad.

Is Carolina hopelessly bad?

Return to DeepMind and re-run the simulations with a more refined question:

What are the odds a 1-5 team makes the playoffs when they are coming off a 15-1 season, and feature many of the same players?

I don't know the details of what is going on with the team. I do know that you don't underestimate the heart of a champion...nor the talent of a champion.

Until dethroned they are NFC champions and should be viewed as a dangerous, cornered and wounded animal....fighting for its life.

Only one team has started the season at 1-5 or worse and make the playoffs..... The 1970 Bengals started 1-6.

Carolina has lost three NFC South games already and has three left with Atlanta, New Orleans and Tampa Bay. They need to win all three plus a lot of their other games. They are two and a half games back of Atlanta.

Like I said 1%.

 

[drawandstrike]

Cincy was supposed to be the big run stoppers, no rushing TD's

The Packers werent gonna let it happen in their house.

There just isn't a defense built to defend Elliott running behind this Cowboy offensive line. They are almost all built with smaller faster DE's to rush pass happy offenses.

The Cowboy front line averages 312 pounds bur they are extremely athletic.

The Eagles DE's are 253 and 263. They are great pass rushers, so what? Can they stop the run because that is what they are going to have to do. By the third quarter, they will have nothing left, just like the previous teams.

Bingo. That's why we wore down Green Bay and Cincy. Cincy had a top 10 D and the Packers had that ballyhooed #1 Rush defense until they played US. They are good for stopping the run from other teams with average sized lines. When they ran into the Great Wall 2.0 they were quickly overwhelmed. They simply don't have the size to match up. If your stats are correct, the Eagles DE's are giving away 40+ pounds to our offensive lineman.

 

[T-RO]

Only one team has started the season at 1-5 or worse and make the playoffs..... The 1970 Bengals started 1-6.

Carolina has lost three NFC South games already and has three left with Atlanta, New Orleans and Tampa Bay. They need to win all three plus a lot of their other games. They are two and a half games back of Atlanta.

Like I said 1%.

Noted. Put me down for $10. That bakes you in for $1,000.

 

[plasticman]

Agreed. Teams need to get a lead on us. We came back from a 14 point deficit once but that was a poor team. Turnovers and playing from behind from behind will be difficult for us against better teams.

Exactly, it's the same "pick your poison" type of offense of the 90's. And even if a great defense can hold their own against the rush and the outside receivers, the RB's turn into receivers...with an escort.

You are also correct that the way to beat the Cowboys wohld be to make them one dimensional with an early commanding lead....theoretically.

What I mean by that is we are astonished by Dak's poise now. However, he is getting more and more of the offense each week. I think he is even better than we think. I truly think he has "it", the ability to perform at a high level in the most pressure situations, even in the 4th quarter of a playoff game down by 3.

The Cowboys dont have playoff experience, maybe they wont do it this year. However I see a 5 to 7 year window.....Super Bowl.

 

[Risen Star]

They deserve the top ranking today. For whatever that's worth.

Could easily change this time next week.

 

[romothesavior]

What is that theory based on? I am curious.

Although they have two losses, their dismantling of Pittsburgh and their win over the undefeated Vikings makes me respect them. I totally understand why people would put Dallas ahead of them though, so I won't argue the point too much.

And in any event, it's all academic, because whoever wins this weekend will be the team to beat.

 

[Diehardblues]

Ok, so the 'mighty' Vikings got crushed by the Eagles yesterday and the other 'powerhouse' team (Seattle) could only score 2 field goals given 5 quarters of play. Where does that leave the Cowboys? As the best team in the NFC if they can do the following two things:

1) Confirm that assessment by beating the Eagles this coming Sunday

2) Not doing anything stupid like putting Romo back in as quarterback

In my office pool before the season started, I picked a Cowboys/Patriots Super Bowl and so I'm having fun so far (while most of my colleagues had picked Carolina to represent the NFC...ha, ha, ha...)

I wouldn't hoist the George Halas trophy just yet. I'll refrain from bragging rights until late January.

We're a handful of plays from 6-0 to 3-3. Typical of the parity in the league. No one in NFC is really impressing me.

I am surprised with our start but not overly impressed. Our last 2 wins were more impressive but we could have lost to SF or Wash easily.

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

You can't be serious?

He had to take a cheap shot at Romo with a drive-by comment that isn't called for and he had every right to call him out on it. We all want Dak to succeed and we should all respect and appreciate what Romo has given the franchise.

There's no need for that and makes the poster look bad - but then again it's a message board and some people will always bury themselves no matter that Romo cawhat.

I understand. I don't think his comment is fhsf disrespectful though and it is a concern. There's no proof that Romo can take this team further than Dak can.

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

Be careful about laughing about Carolina.

If they were to make a trade for Staley or Thomas they could shore up that o-line as Oher will also return. Panthers aren't the same dominant team as last season but they could still make noise...make a run...and reach the playoffs.

We've seen it before...where a good team looks dead 1/3 of the way through season...and rises.

Panthers were a fluke last year. They got exposed in the Super Bowl and are continuing to do it. Their defense isn't as good and their secondary is struggling. They are more than s linemen or two away.

 

[DallasDW00ds0n]

Seattle is still playing very hard

 

[Ring Leader]

So it looks like by the number of posts you have no clue on how many times we have gone over that in here and most everybody gets it but every once in a while a new poster writes it and we have to catch everybody up so here's the Readers Digest version--

NOBODY - was going to win a ring in Dallas with the talent surrounding Romo in his career. The only team that had a chance couldn't put the Giants away because of two dropped TD passes. Romo ran for his life against the Vikings and had no shot in that one either.

Those 8-8 years were really 4-12 without Romo and just go back and look at the offensive lines and defense on those teams. It's a testament to Tony we were even relevant.

This isn't opinion, it's a fact and it has the entire history of the NFL to back it up. The most important stat to winning in the NFL is Def Paas Rating. Look up last years leaders (Seattle, GB, Den, Car) and worst (Tenn, Cle, NO, Mia, NY). In his career Romo has never had a top ten DPR team. In fact, we really had no chance in 2014 where that team was 24th. Who didn't know that Rodgers was going to score on us whether Dez caught it or not.

Then we get into the whole ring thing. That means that Mark Rypien, Eli Manning and Trent Dilfer were all better than Marino, Fouts, Tarkenton, Kelly, etc. It's the worst argument a fan can make who isn't knowledgeable. It's the ultimate team game and if the rest of the team did their job as well as Romo has in his career we would've won multiple Super Bowls.

BTW - where are we in DPR this season? 21st which means if we happen to win the SB with that same rating we would be the first team ever to do it, that's why all talk about a Super Bowl should include this. I hope we break that trend, whether it's with Dak or Romo but it's a huge mountain to climb.

So now you know about the whole ring comment, why it's weak and why you are smarter today than yesterday.

If I could conjure up another like or 3 I would. Thank you.

 

[Cebrin]

The Defenses of Seattle and Arizona would be an interesting test for the Cowboys.

Funny, I heard the same thing about the past two teams we played.

 

[CrownCowboy]

So it looks like by the number of posts you have no clue on how many times we have gone over that in here and most everybody gets it but every once in a while a new poster writes it and we have to catch everybody up so here's the Readers Digest version--

NOBODY - was going to win a ring in Dallas with the talent surrounding Romo in his career. The only team that had a chance couldn't put the Giants away because of two dropped TD passes. Romo ran for his life against the Vikings and had no shot in that one either.

Those 8-8 years were really 4-12 without Romo and just go back and look at the offensive lines and defense on those teams. It's a testament to Tony we were even relevant.

This isn't opinion, it's a fact and it has the entire history of the NFL to back it up. The most important stat to winning in the NFL is Def Paas Rating. Look up last years leaders (Seattle, GB, Den, Car) and worst (Tenn, Cle, NO, Mia, NY). In his career Romo has never had a top ten DPR team. In fact, we really had no chance in 2014 where that team was 24th. Who didn't know that Rodgers was going to score on us whether Dez caught it or not.

Then we get into the whole ring thing. That means that Mark Rypien, Eli Manning and Trent Dilfer were all better than Marino, Fouts, Tarkenton, Kelly, etc. It's the worst argument a fan can make who isn't knowledgeable. It's the ultimate team game and if the rest of the team did their job as well as Romo has in his career we would've won multiple Super Bowls.

BTW - where are we in DPR this season? 21st which means if we happen to win the SB with that same rating we would be the first team ever to do it, that's why all talk about a Super Bowl should include this. I hope we break that trend, whether it's with Dak or Romo but it's a huge mountain to climb.

So now you know about the whole ring comment, why it's weak and why you are smarter today than yesterday.

Tell him, brotha!

 

[toto1939]

Awhile back I kept asking people making the case to stick with Dak to explicitly state if they thought our 19th ranked passing attack would be WORSE if a healthy Romo returned as the starter. NOT ONE OF THEM would say it. They instinctively grasp how dumb that would be.

Fans can say what they want. The coaching staff knows our offensive attack gets even MORE spectacular when you pair that #1 running game with a QB who is running the entire offense and not a limited version of it.

Romonians think that the number of 300+ passing yard games are the mark of a great passing attack and great QB. I call that a possible sign of a losing team (or at least one that can't make it to a championship game). I'd rather control the game, not make stupid mistakes and win. And given the recent injury history, I'd rather have a quality winning quarterback that you can plan on being on the field to run an offense (4? games completed in the last two seasons doesn't really cut it). What are we talking about when saying a 'limited version' of the offense? Not being able to have a receiver catch a 50 yard pass landing about 2" from the center of his hands? Not being able to throw to Dez when he is in double/triple coverage expecting him to grab it since he hasn't been on the field for the past 3 games? And are the coaches going to be let Romo do the rollout option? (if not, then Romo would be the one running a limited version of the offense).

 

[Jstopper]

Your odds are wrong. They are wrong because your data incomplete.

The odds historically of any team starting 1-5 and making the playoffs are certainly less than 5%. Perhaps even 1% as you suggest. I don't contest that. But most 1-5 teams are not only woefully behind in the standings they are also hopelessly bad.

Is Carolina hopelessly bad?

Return to DeepMind and re-run the simulations with a more refined question:

What are the odds a 1-5 team makes the playoffs when they are coming off a 15-1 season, and feature many of the same players?

I don't know the details of what is going on with the team. I do know that you don't underestimate the heart of a champion...nor the talent of a champion.

Until dethroned they are NFC champions and should be viewed as a dangerous, cornered and wounded animal....fighting for its life.

Please stop man. Those dudes are done, they scare nobody and they will not make the playoffs that's all there is to it. They were a fluke team and have been exposed.