Finally a Measuring Stick

[silvrNblue]

Full disclosure: I do not anticipate a win Thursday evening. I do not think that Dak can make enough plays in the passing game to keep up with a balanced offense with an elite QB (as long as both QBs are healthy throughout the game).

The story of this game should be how the Cowboys stack up against a legitimate contender that is playing hot and is relatively healthy. Beat the Saints and I will start believing the team can actually play with a real contender. I will even take a game where Dallas stays close the entire game and loses a close one (within one score), but all facets perform well especially on the Cowboys offense (particularly the passing game). Not a game where Dallas has to rally from a huge deficit and the Saints play prevent defense for hollow stats.

Lose by more than one score in a game clearly dominated by the Saints and that tells me the squad has topped out by beating other pretenders this season. The goal should and always will be to make the playoffs and look like a real threat to any team (and occasionally win the SB). Anything less is for losers and enablers.

So, what your sayn is, we need to have our defense on the field some to slow down that elite passing game...I mean, Dak can't play both sides of the ball. If they go up by 2 scores is that then ALSO Dak's fault? Will it then also be fair to say IF they go up by 6 scores that places us as 1 dimensional and pretty much negates Zeke and our ground game, that too is Dak's fault? I mean I just have to ask, cause I mean it's the defense that needs to STEP it up and play lights out, hell we hold them to zero or a field goal it only takes a score to beat them then, now don't it?

 

[jazzcat22]

I am waiting for some more negative thoughts, next one...Saints cheerleaders are better than ours.
Come on pile them on.

 

[Rayman70]

During the past 3 games combined while having Amari Cooper on board, our Offense has averaged 26.6 points/game. We've all seen this O leave points on the field, so this Offense has the potential to score in the 30s. The Saints Defense is not that good and can be scored on. If our Oline starts winning their battles at the line of scrimmage, our Offense can wear down the Saints Defense while keeping Brees, Kamara and Thomas off the field.

If our front 7 Defenders are able to pressure Brees while limiting Kamara, I believe our D-secondary can cover the Saints receivers long enough to disrupt the Saints high-scoring ability, thus giving our team a chance to pull a victory.

I disagree on the Saints D. They have been very good. There linebackers and dline have been just as good or better than ours.. Cam Jordan is darn near unblock able. They have quality depth EVERYWHERE...except MAYBE on special teams. I have seen their last several games and they have the trenches solved. We better bring our A game at every level, every phase...thus far, we haven't seen a complete game in all 3 phases all year. The Saints do this routinely. WE DO NOT and have not. The best game we may have played all year offensively was against a depleted Skins team...altho they did have a solid dline...so we DO seem to have an advantage with our oline.Got to play our game and not involved in a shoot out fast break style game. We need to do what we do and make them conform to US...not the other way round. LOVE MY SILVER AND BLUE...I bleed blue...but man...I am REALLY struggling with seeing a win for us here. It will take a Yeomans effort from Coaches,staffers, trainers, PLAYERS...all the way. This game will define what we are and what we will be moving forward this season. Our backs been against the wall all year,this is no different.

 

[sbark]

So.....kinda like the Giants beating patriots in their prime, 2x in super bowls.....should've never happened

But it did, and can

 

[Rayman70]

Well I am throwing out all my TV's. No need to watch. Why bother.

lmao...NOTHING is impossible. Not sayin it can't happen...just saying the likelihood of a win in this spot against a fast break offense like THAT is gonna be truly hard to do. I WOULD LOVE TO BE VERY WRONG.

 

[Rayman70]

So.....kinda like the Giants beating patriots in their prime, 2x in super bowls.....should've never happened

But it did, and can

they had a real HC...just sayin...coaching matters ALOT.

 

[MRV52]

It's a process

 

[Rayman70]

So.....kinda like the Giants beating patriots in their prime, 2x in super bowls.....should've never happened

But it did, and can

We don't have a Giant type D that's tested and true. NOT YET anyway. Its getting there though. Not sure we can hang with them past 3rd quarter.

 

[Rayman70]

It's a process

like dog years with Garrett but then again...even a blind squirrel finds a nut now and again. ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN...lol

 

[LACowboysFan1]

Saints are set up for a fast field, unfortunate for Dallas, that's what they will have this week.

Turnovers are essential for Dallas, there's no way the Saints won't score 30 pts unless Dallas gets some, and early. A pick-6 or fumble recovery for a td would be huge, I'm expecting that Linehan will have a good game plan, and the Cowboys will score 24 or more, but that won't be enough unless the Cowboys can stop Saints drives most of the time with getting turnovers. No turnovers, Brees will chew up and spit out this team....

 

[jazzcat22]

lmao...NOTHING is impossible. Not sayin it can't happen...just saying the likelihood of a win in this spot against a fast break offense like THAT is gonna be truly hard to do. I WOULD LOVE TO BE VERY WRONG.

I know, just having some fun.
But I do understand what you are saying.
It will be a tough game, but it can happen.

 

[LACowboysFan1]

they had a real HC...just sayin...coaching matters ALOT.

Actually head coach wasn't the key for that game, Spagnolo's defense was the reason the Giants won...

 

[Direwolf63]

I see us getting killed by RB passes. It makes no sense with LVE and Smith, but our biggest problems seem to be with mobile QBs and RBs/TEs. I suppose with our safeties the TEs shouldn't be surprising, but we tend to have LBs on TEs.

I see lots of easy 8 yard swing passes.

The Commanders TE's killed the Cowboys defense.

I have no idea who the Saints TE's are but it doesn't matter. If the defense leaves their TE uncovered, Brees will kill us hitting them.

 

[silvrNblue]

Saints are set up for a fast field, unfortunate for Dallas, that's what they will have this week.

Turnovers are essential for Dallas, there's no way the Saints won't score 30 pts unless Dallas gets some, and early. A pick-6 or fumble recovery for a td would be huge, I'm expecting that Linehan will have a good game plan, and the Cowboys will score 24 or more, but that won't be enough unless the Cowboys can stop Saints drives most of the time with getting turnovers. No turnovers, Brees will chew up and spit out this team....

Count on FOUR TO's, 4 yes I am saying it. 1 will go for a score, it doesn't take but 2 or 3 to drive a wedge in a QB's head and make him like that long tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs. People are going to be very shaken at the end result of Thursday night....

 

[Blitzen]

Why would you start believing if we beat the Saints? Wouldn't that be enough to make you a total believer in the Cowboys? There aren't any better teams in the NFL than the Saints on paper.

After we beat the Saints there will still be those who move the bar yet again and fail to believe in the Cowboys.

I don't understand the urine drinkers on this forum. What about any given Sunday do you guys not get? If you make the playoffs you have a chance.

I already stated my basis of belief in the previous full seasons coached by Garrett (and the record against teams with varying records). The record vs teams with ten wins or more is crappy, even against other pretenders, and virtually perfect vs teams with 6 wins or less.

It's a tale of a pretender masquerading as a legit contender. SB winning teams are sometimes about a ridiculous offense with an okay defense. Or a ridiculous defense with an okay offense. Huge amounts of elite draft capital poured into one side or the other with solid coaching.

Quit trying to sell the ANY team can get hot and win the SB.
2018 number 1 seed beat number 1 seed. 2017 1 seed beat 2 seed, 2016 1 seed beat 1 seed, 2015 1 seed beat 1 seed, 2014 1 seed beat 1 seed, 2013 4 seed beat 2 seed, 2012 4 seed beat 1 seed, 2011 6 seed beat 2 seed (Aaron Rodgers), 2010 1 seed beat 1 seed, 2009 2 seed beat 4 seed, 2008 5 seed beat 1 seed, 2007 3 seed beat 1 seed, 2006 6 seed beat 1 seed, 2005 2 seed beat 1seed, 2004 1 seed beat 3 seed, 2003 2 seed beat 1 seed, 2002 2 seed beat 1 seed, 2001 4 seed beat 1seed, 2000 1 seed beat 4 seed.

I think I'm spotting a pattern. The number 1 seed through 3 seed (ie, teams with best records) win the enormous bulk of SBs. The loser fan cries about any given Sunday. Nope, wrong. You as a fan want the the Cowboys to win the SB or be believed in by fans? Start by either winning the regular season or building a championship team more often. BTW, the teams that were lower seeds typically had the best defense or top 2-3 for the season. Which is why this game can alter my belief. Let's see how the defense performs. Can they hold the Saints to fewer than 17 points?

 

[jazzcat22]

Count on FOUR TO's, 4 yes I am saying it. 1 will go for a score, it doesn't take but 2 or 3 to drive a wedge in a QB's head and make him like that long tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs. People are going to be very shaken at the end result of Thursday night....

I can see DLaw with a few sacks, if they double team him, then Gregory will get some good pressures and sack fumble.
Byron Jones will shut down one side, so if Rod rolls coverage to help Awuzie, and the double cover Thomas. I can see an interception bu some one.

Not sure about 4 turnovers, but that sure would be nice.

Would love to see Jaylon have a pick 6.

 

[jday]

Full disclosure: I do not anticipate a win Thursday evening. I do not think that Dak can make enough plays in the passing game to keep up with a balanced offense with an elite QB (as long as both QBs are healthy throughout the game).

The story of this game should be how the Cowboys stack up against a legitimate contender that is playing hot and is relatively healthy. Beat the Saints and I will start believing the team can actually play with a real contender. I will even take a game where Dallas stays close the entire game and loses a close one (within one score), but all facets perform well especially on the Cowboys offense (particularly the passing game). Not a game where Dallas has to rally from a huge deficit and the Saints play prevent defense for hollow stats.

Lose by more than one score in a game clearly dominated by the Saints and that tells me the squad has topped out by beating other pretenders this season. The goal should and always will be to make the playoffs and look like a real threat to any team (and occasionally win the SB). Anything less is for losers and enablers.

This was such a good post all the way up until you got to that last sentence.

"Anything less is for losers and enablers?"

Care to expound on that statement? Are you saying that fans who enjoy the football experience for what it is (just a game) are enablers because they don't immediately jump on the blogs and complain to anyone who will listen about things beyond their control? Are you calling these same fans "losers?"

But as I said before, it started out as a reasonable post in the vein that any logical fan would not go into this contest expecting a win. Point blank...the Saints have the better quarterback. And if you are wanting to know as a general rule who has the advantage on any given Sunday, comparing QB's is a great place to start.

Brees > Dak and at this point in Dak's career, they are not even close (and there's a good chance they never will be). Fortunately, QB play doesn't have the final say in games (it's just the loudest voice); if they did have the final say, Rodgers, Brady and Brees would own a monopoly on championships.

And that's pretty much where your point should have ended...but since you kept going, you sound like an entitled fan, which is not a good look...particularly for Cowboys fans.

 

[LACowboysFan1]

The Commanders TE's killed the Cowboys defense.

I have no idea who the Saints TE's are but it doesn't matter. If the defense leaves their TE uncovered, Brees will kill us hitting them.

That's just it, Brees will find the open guy, and there's Thomas, Kamara, Ingram, etc. Having said that, Thomas and Kamara provide the bulk of the receiving, control them and usually that would give you a good chance to win. But we've seen many times in the past the Cowboys shut down the other teams' big guns, and a previously unknown player just tears them up, I remember the Saints killing us with their fullback, who'd caught like 10 passes all year but got 2 or 3 tds in the Dallas game.

Just don't see we can match up to Payton's coaching...

 

[Rayman70]

Actually head coach wasn't the key for that game, Spagnolo's defense was the reason the Giants won...

Eli was there too ya know. JUST SAYIN...AND COUGHLIN DID MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE. Look at the gents since he left...

 

[jazzcat22]

Eli was there too ya know. JUST SAYIN...

Just think if Dak made those throws. This place would explode with Dak luck hate. Oh, wait, it already has. Never mind.