Do you really expect this to be a good team?

[cowboy_ron]

I've been ever the optimist, but this is just another year when the fans see the tragic flaw in the team and nothing has been done about it. So, I don't expect much.

When you don't expect much, you don't receive much

 

[anj113]

I just cannot fathom hoe we did address our center postion, its so frustrating.. I truly belive this is an 8-8 team.. Sure if things break right we can win 10 games, but please explain what gives you confidence that will happen? THis team for 15 years has no clue how to win a big game. None.. Injuries to certain players are like a broken record every year. This team is so weak and has been in the key positions ( not sportscenter positions ). This is NOT a winning team, please explain what makes you think this year is different?

 

[Yakuza Rich]

I think they'll hover around 8-8. Lots of great talent here, lots of major holes elsewhere. Still lots of players who can make great plays, but can't stop making bad plays and boneheaded mistakes.






YR

 

[Risen Star]

Right now I'm more worried about the division. Right this moment I'd put us 3rd in the division behind NY and Philly. While all three may make the playoffs my guess is two. A winning record in the division will help a lot and if we can win in the division I suspect we'll be in the hunt Dec.

2-4 of last year's NFC teams won't be back.

There is no chance 3 NFC East teams make the playoffs, IMO.

 

[Future]

How does anyone know this? There hasn't even been a preseason game played.

I'd bet the interior of this line is better than last year if the 2 FAs we picked up stay healthy.

Absolutely. Realistically, the OLine could have 5 new starters this year, that's about as significant of an overhaul as you can get :laugh2:

The line will be better, but I think people don't give Tony enough credit for how much better he makes an OLine look. He doesn't need the world's greatest line, just something serviceable.

IF the offense stays healthy, it's going to be very explosive and the additions in the secondary are going to make a significant difference. It will be a top 5 defense barring injuries.

I'll say the same thing I've said for about 4 years now. This team will be as good as it allows itself to be. Stupid mistakes, lack of fundamentals, and coaching errors have held them back.

There is enough talent to go 13-3. I don't believe that NY, DET, ATL, SF, are any better than Dallas. Actually I think they are all worse :laugh2: Philly is a Vick injury away from mediocrity. I think GB is probably still the team to beat, but there's no reason Dallas can't do it.

I don't think it's a stretch to expect 11 wins from this team.

 

[CATCH17]

I'll say the same thing I've said for about 4 years now. This team will be as good as it allows itself to be. Stupid mistakes, lack of fundamentals, and coaching errors have held them back.

There is enough talent to go 13-3. I don't believe that NY, DET, ATL, SF, are any better than Dallas. Actually I think they are all worse :laugh2: Philly is a Vick injury away from mediocrity. I think GB is probably still the team to beat, but there's no reason Dallas can't do it.

I don't think it's a stretch to expect 11 wins from this team.

This is pretty much what has killed us every season.

Not a hole on the roster.

 

[Doomsday101]

I expect the Cowboys to challenge. Yes we have some weakness we also have some very good talent on both sides of the ball. If guys step up and make plays which I think they can then there is no reason in the world Dallas should not be highly competitive. No doubt if all you dwell on negatives then all you see are the negatives.

As for this upcoming pre season game I don’t expect much from the offense given the rash of injury and players who will likely miss this up coming game

 

[HoosierCowboy]

yes, I do

 

[Ren]

I expect average to be honest this was a 8-8 team last season with a pretty easy schedule. I expect them to be somewhere around 8-8 9-7 again this year against a much tougher schedule.

 

[Hostile]

I expect average to be honest this was a 8-8 team last season with a pretty easy schedule. I expect them to be somewhere around 8-8 9-7 again this year against a much tougher schedule.

Where do you come up with this?

 

[Cowboy_Shawn]

I like to think I'm pretty objective, and when I look at the 2012 Dallas Cowboys, I see the ingredients for a very poor season. There are just far too many holes and unaddressed needs to think this team is going to compete for the playoffs. Both lines are more or less disasters at this point, the wide receivers are china dolls, and there's hardly any depth throughout the roster.

This is looking like a 6-10 kind of team to me and worse than the team I predicted would be 7-9 or 8-8 last year, which ended up being correct. I know that it's not a popular opinion, but what exactly do you see if you think this team will be better?

I have us at 8-8 again.

The OL will be our downfall.....again.

However, if we stay healthy and Garrett's situational coaching improves, I can see us winning 10 games. But 8 wins is more realistic, IMO.

 

[Ren]

Where do you come up with this?

We beat 1 team who ended the season with a winning record and still managed to go 8-8 i'd call that a pretty soft schedule

This year we have

Steelers, Ravens, Bengals, Falcons and Saints on top of a brutal NFCE schedule I'm gonna go out on a limb and say that's a tougher schedule.
I'm sure you'll tell me how wrong i am though and how tough the likes of the Dolphins and Bills are compared to the Steelers and Ravens

 

[Shinywalrus]

I thought we were an 10-6 quality team last year, and I think we're a 10-6 quality team this year.

I don't know where this "ingredients" adding up to a bad season analysis comes from. The only major complaint to have with the Cowboys other than injuries is the offensive line. The competitors for Super Bowls over the last decade are hugely variable in terms of offensive line quality. This isn't enough to merit this kind of pessimism to me.

 

[Bluestang]

We beat 1 team who ended the season with a winning record and still managed to go 8-8 i'd call that a pretty soft schedule

This year we have

Steelers, Ravens, Bengals, Falcons and Saints on top of a brutal NFCE schedule I'm gonna go out on a limb and say that's a tougher schedule.
I'm sure you'll tell me how wrong i am though and how tough the likes of the Dolphins and Bills are compared to the Steelers and Ravens

The Steelers only beat 3 teams with a winning record and they played the AFC South and the NFC West.

 

[ElGatoGrande]

There are far too many variables to make an accurate appraisal of the team. With so many linemen missing camp and new young faces on defense we could have a very different team come November than what we started off with. I'm guessing they start out pretty poorly and get better,,,, how much better nobody knows.

 

[Hostile]

We beat 1 team who ended the season with a winning record and still managed to go 8-8 i'd call that a pretty soft schedule

This year we have

Steelers, Ravens, Bengals, Falcons and Saints on top of a brutal NFCE schedule I'm gonna go out on a limb and say that's a tougher schedule.
I'm sure you'll tell me how wrong i am though and how tough the likes of the Dolphins and Bills are compared to the Steelers and Ravens

How many winning teams we beat has nothing to do with the strength of schedule. The strength of schedule formula is based on total wins divided by total games played for all 16 opponents.

Based on that as a starting point for projection our 2012 schedule strength is 129-127 for a .504 winning percentage based on last year.

That is only 8 wins better than our 2011 opponents. So at what point do you make a statement that 121 wins by our 2011 opponents makes it "pretty easy" and 129 going into this year makes it "much harder?"

Now, I will say .504 and 129 wins is tougher than 121 wins and .473, but not by the huge margin you are postulating. In case you hadn't noticed, we do have the Panthers, Buccaneers, and Browns on this year's schedule along with the Seahawks. Not exactly that much different than the Bills and Dolphins. In fact the only team of those 4 better than the Bills or Dolphins was the Seahawks at 7-9.

Both years we are playing the 3rd place schedule for the NFC East. Meaning our division opponents play virtually the same teams. The Giants get the 49ers and Packers while we have the Bears and Seahawks. I don't see you crowing about how their rough schedule is going to doom them and they were only 1 game better than us. The Eagles get the Cardinals and Lions. I think I'd rather play the Cardinals than the Seahawks, but I am glad to avoid the Lions. I don't see you crowing about the Eagles tough schedule either.

I think your pity party was a bust.

 

[IheartRomo]

It all depends on injuries.

This team is paper thin all over the field except for CB, QB, and RB. With decent health I think they should be able to do some damage.

 

[Ren]

I think your pity party was a bust.

Yes that's what it was, my prediction is a pity party

You're so far up your own *** some times it's nothing short of amazing.

 

[Hostile]

Yes that's what it was, my prediction is a pity party

You're so far up your own *** some times it's nothing short of amazing.

That is exactly what it was.

Here, let's look at some facts. Green Bay had 7 more wins than the Bears. San Francisco had 6 more wins than the Seahawks.

New York had 2 more than the Cowboys when you double the 9-7 record versus our 8-8.

That means the Giants schedule this year is 140-116 based on last year. That is a .547 opponent winning %.

That is what i would say is the difference between a relatively "easy" schedule in 2011 and much tougher one in 2012. .472 to .547.

When I see you acknowledging things like that, then and only then, will I believe this is much more than carping.

 

[Ren]

That is exactly what it was.

Here, let's look at some facts. Green Bay had 7 more wins than the Bears. San Francisco had 6 more wins than the Seahawks.

New York had 2 more than the Cowboys when you double the 9-7 record versus our 8-8.

That means the Giants schedule this year is 140-116 based on last year. That is a .547 opponent winning %.

That is what i would say is the difference between a relatively "easy" schedule in 2011 and much tougher one in 2012. .472 to .547.

When I see you acknowledging things like that, then and only then, will I believe this is much more than carping.

Ok Hostile you win, Cowboys will go the the SB this year, Happy?

Personally i see a schedule with the AFC central on it as much harder then what we had to play last year. I really don't care what the numbers say, if Arizona won a few more games last year then Carolina did it won't make the Ravens much easier to deal with this year

Last year we played a total of 4 teams that ended the season with a winning record

This year we'll play 6 that made the playoffs last season as well as a always tough NFCE

IMO the only (should be) easy games on the schedule is Browns, Bucks and Seahawks.

While prior to last season we where looking at the 7 game stretch in middle of the schedule and drooling, putting W's next to everyone but Philly