plasticman
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Five years ago to the day:
The Cowboys are 7-5 in Head Coach Jason Garrett's rookie season. They are hosting the New York Giants who are 6-6 and losers in the previous 4 consecutive games.
They are on the ropes. A loss and they are practically eliminated. The Cowboys with a win have a clear path to the division title and a playoff berth.
With less than 6 minutes left in the 4th quarter the Cowboys have a commanding 34-22 lead.
5 minutes and 45 seconds later the Cowboys down 3 points. A Cowboys 3 and out is sandwiched between 2 of the most effcient offensive drives in the Giant's season. The Cowboys drive down to the 34 and with only a few seconds left Bailey misses. Cowboys lose.
___________________________________________
Four weeks later, New Year's Day, 2016:
Both teams are now 8-7. It's simple. The winner goes to the playoffs, the loser goes home.
Three of the Cowboy's first four drives are three and out. The fourth is a four and out. Meanwhile the Giants build a 21-0 lead. The Cowboys fight back to 21-14 and there is 10 minutes left in the game. A Cowboys 3 and out is sandwiched between two Giants scoring drives featuring a pass of at least 32 yards.
The Cowboys lose and go home 8-8
The Giants win the game, the division, the playoff berth...and the next 4 consecutive playoff games culminating in their 2nd Super Bowl Championship in 5 years.
_____________________________
January 13, 2008
After enjoying their bye week the Cowboys host a divisional round of the playoffs against the Giants, the wild card victor the previous week.
The Cowboys are 13-3, best record since their Super Bowl years of the early 90's. They have homefield advantage throughout the playoffs, a record 13 Pro Bowlers including 8 on offense.
With over 13 minutes left to play and down 21-17, the Cowboy offense get 3 opportunities to score, thanks to a great Cowboy defense that holds the Giant offense to two straight 3 and out.
However, the offense gains 66 yards and 0 points. The last play is an interception in the Giant endzone.
The Cowboys lose to a division opponent they had defeated twice in the regular season.
The Giants go on to defeat the Packers in OT in the Conference championship and then upset the undefeated Patriots to win the Super Bowl.
________________________________
Today:
If you were to adjust all NFL defense's stats to reflect their performances at 30 minutes per game then the Cowboy defense goes from 5th best against scoring to 8th best.
The Giants go from 9th to 3rd behind only the Seahawks and Patriots. They play longer minutes due to their offensive issues.
If those Giant's offensive issues correct itself against this Cowboy defense and reduces their defense's playing time then it will be a close and typically dangerous matchup.
This Cowboys team needs to send a message that they are different, this is no soft team that knows when to lay down. They need to keep their their foot on the Giant's neck and take away any breathing room. They need to dominate from the kickoff.
A loss may not seem too destructive to the Cowboys but it will invigorate a Giants team that the Cowboys will see again in the playoffs.
It will be a confident Giant team that not only thinks it can beat a Cowboy team in their house on the national stage, in an elimination game....they know they can, because they always have before.
The Cowboys must send a message.
The Cowboys are 7-5 in Head Coach Jason Garrett's rookie season. They are hosting the New York Giants who are 6-6 and losers in the previous 4 consecutive games.
They are on the ropes. A loss and they are practically eliminated. The Cowboys with a win have a clear path to the division title and a playoff berth.
With less than 6 minutes left in the 4th quarter the Cowboys have a commanding 34-22 lead.
5 minutes and 45 seconds later the Cowboys down 3 points. A Cowboys 3 and out is sandwiched between 2 of the most effcient offensive drives in the Giant's season. The Cowboys drive down to the 34 and with only a few seconds left Bailey misses. Cowboys lose.
___________________________________________
Four weeks later, New Year's Day, 2016:
Both teams are now 8-7. It's simple. The winner goes to the playoffs, the loser goes home.
Three of the Cowboy's first four drives are three and out. The fourth is a four and out. Meanwhile the Giants build a 21-0 lead. The Cowboys fight back to 21-14 and there is 10 minutes left in the game. A Cowboys 3 and out is sandwiched between two Giants scoring drives featuring a pass of at least 32 yards.
The Cowboys lose and go home 8-8
The Giants win the game, the division, the playoff berth...and the next 4 consecutive playoff games culminating in their 2nd Super Bowl Championship in 5 years.
_____________________________
January 13, 2008
After enjoying their bye week the Cowboys host a divisional round of the playoffs against the Giants, the wild card victor the previous week.
The Cowboys are 13-3, best record since their Super Bowl years of the early 90's. They have homefield advantage throughout the playoffs, a record 13 Pro Bowlers including 8 on offense.
With over 13 minutes left to play and down 21-17, the Cowboy offense get 3 opportunities to score, thanks to a great Cowboy defense that holds the Giant offense to two straight 3 and out.
However, the offense gains 66 yards and 0 points. The last play is an interception in the Giant endzone.
The Cowboys lose to a division opponent they had defeated twice in the regular season.
The Giants go on to defeat the Packers in OT in the Conference championship and then upset the undefeated Patriots to win the Super Bowl.
________________________________
Today:
If you were to adjust all NFL defense's stats to reflect their performances at 30 minutes per game then the Cowboy defense goes from 5th best against scoring to 8th best.
The Giants go from 9th to 3rd behind only the Seahawks and Patriots. They play longer minutes due to their offensive issues.
If those Giant's offensive issues correct itself against this Cowboy defense and reduces their defense's playing time then it will be a close and typically dangerous matchup.
This Cowboys team needs to send a message that they are different, this is no soft team that knows when to lay down. They need to keep their their foot on the Giant's neck and take away any breathing room. They need to dominate from the kickoff.
A loss may not seem too destructive to the Cowboys but it will invigorate a Giants team that the Cowboys will see again in the playoffs.
It will be a confident Giant team that not only thinks it can beat a Cowboy team in their house on the national stage, in an elimination game....they know they can, because they always have before.
The Cowboys must send a message.
