how do you feel about this stat?

[JoeyBoy718]

I don't know how to feel about it but it goes like this:

We're 7-0 against non-playoff teams and 0-5 against playoff teams.

Keep in mind, this is 1) if the season were to end today, and 2) if you count the Chargers as a playoff team (they're tied with 4 other teams for the final playoff spot).

The 7 non-playoff teams we beat: Giants twice, Commanders, Eagles, Vikings, Rams, Raiders.

The 5 playoff teams that beat us: Broncos, Chiefs, Chargers, Lions, Saints.

The bad news: If we make the playoffs, every team we'd face would be a playoff team (obviously).

The good news: We went toe-to-toe with all of them but the Saints (49-17).

Any thoughts?

 

[percyhoward]

What else is new?

 

[65fastback2plus2]

its why we're an 8-8 team...better than 16 teams, worse than 15 teams.

 

[Fizziksman]

parity football...like you said we went toe to toe with most. a couple of plays go are way and we win. unfortunately we are cursed so it's going to be very difficult for us to get NY Giant like breaks

 

[mldardy]

Does a win against a playoff team count more or something? Don't care. I care about making the playoffs and going from there.

 

[Fritsch_the_cat]

The Chiefs are a playoff team? Not yet.

 

[Don Corleone]

Fair point but some teams on our list would be playoff teams if we didn't beat them.

 

[DallasCowboysRule!]

It means nothing. We beat Oakland, are 7-5, and have a chance to make the playoffs. If we make it then we will play our game and those games won't matter worth a hill of beans anymore.

 

[JoeyBoy718]

Does a win against a playoff team count more or something? Don't care. I care about making the playoffs and going from there.

I would say it "counts more" because you only play playoff teams in the playoffs. If we can't beat them in the regular season, you probably won't be able to beat them in the playoffs.

 

[Doomsay]

In a salary cap league, coaching and efficient management are the difference makers.

 

[gimmesix]

The good news: We went toe-to-toe with all of them but the Saints (49-17).

That's what I keep looking at. If games between Dallas and Denver/Detroit/Kansas City (in particular) are going to come down essentially to the last play, then that should make us feel that if Dallas makes the playoffs anything can happen.

Right now, the Saints game is an aberration, but we'll see if that remains the case when we face "playoff" teams Chicago and Green Bay.

 

[Boyzmamacita]

Fair point but some teams on our list would be playoff teams if we didn't beat them.

Good point that a lot of people forget.

 

[dstovall5]

A win is a win, it doesn't matter if it's against a 1-15 team or a 15-1 team. Come playoffs, records are wiped clean and it's win or go home situation. Anything could happen if we get in, we could get healthy/hot at the right time and make a serious run, you never know.

 

[theSHOW]

None of that matters jboy. the games that will determine the Cowboys making the playoffs are coming up down the stretch. It just makes sense that teams that beat us have better records because they won and they make the playoffs if it ended now while the games upcoming som e teams will get knocked out because they will lose. A friend you may know told his team "just win Baby" ...how appro that makes sense after just beating the Raiders

 

[JoeyBoy718]

Good point that a lot of people forget.

Good point if it wasn't completely false. If every team we beat, beat us, here's how it would look:

1. Giants would go from 4-7 to 6-5 and still be behind Eagles in the division via head-to-head.
2. Rams would go from 5-6 to 6-5 and still not have enough for the wildcard.
3. Commanders would be 4-7 and still no playoffs.
4. Eagles would be 7-4 and own the division. So it's true for them.
5. Vikings would be 3-7-1 and no playoffs.
6. Raiders would be 5-7 and no playoffs.

So, no, it's not true that "a lot of the teams" we beat would be in the playoffs if not for us. It's true only for the Eagles, who are currently tied with us but losing via head-to-head.

 

[Bay10]

I don't know how to feel about it but it goes like this:

We're 7-0 against non-playoff teams and 0-5 against playoff teams.

Keep in mind, this is 1) if the season were to end today, and 2) if you count the Chargers as a playoff team (they're tied with 4 other teams for the final playoff spot).

The 7 non-playoff teams we beat: Giants twice, Commanders, Eagles, Vikings, Rams, Raiders.

The 5 playoff teams that beat us: Broncos, Chiefs, Chargers, Lions, Saints.

The bad news: If we make the playoffs, every team we'd face would be a playoff team (obviously).

The good news: We went toe-to-toe with all of them but the Saints (49-17).

Any thoughts?

I'm just gonna enjoy the win, enjoy my whiskey, and enjoy turkey left overs later.

 

[Idgit]

I like it. It means we're playing up to our potential, and not giving away games.

Obviously hate the losing to good teams part, but until we can slow down their passing games, that's going to happen. We know this, and we're trying to do it. At least I take it as a sign the organization is moving in the right direction. We addressed the secondary problems. We brought in the new scheme to address the turnover problem. We sprung a massive obvious leak with our pressure players when we lost Spencer and Crawford and made the colossal mistake of counting on Jay Ratliff. But this defense is built around pressure. I have every faith that we're going to aggressively address the front in the offseason, and, since that's the last remaining obvious weakness, I think we're getting better and better by stumbling forward, getting younger, and have both slow forward momentum and, for the first time since Parcels was here, a plan for improving over time.

 

[Don Corleone]

Good point if it wasn't completely false. If every team we beat, beat us, here's how it would look:

1. Giants would go from 4-7 to 6-5 and still be behind Eagles in the division via head-to-head.
2. Rams would go from 5-6 to 6-5 and still not have enough for the wildcard.
3. Commanders would be 4-7 and still no playoffs.
4. Eagles would be 7-4 and own the division. So it's true for them.
5. Vikings would be 3-7-1 and no playoffs.
6. Raiders would be 5-7 and no playoffs.

So, no, it's not true that "a lot of the teams" we beat would be in the playoffs if not for us. It's true only for the Eagles, who are currently tied with us but losing via head-to-head.

I don't get your point. Technically most of those those teams would be in contention for a playoff spot, with 4 to 5 games left. A win is a win. There are no style or quality points.

 

[Idgit]

Right now, the Saints game is an aberration, but we'll see if that remains the case when we face "playoff" teams Chicago and Green Bay.

I don't think it was. When we face Rodgers, if it's without Lee, Hatcher, Mo, and with a hobbled Ware, the same thing is going to happen. If you can't stop the run, and you can't play press coverage, you're sitting in zones against a QB under no pressure and all day to pick you apart. You cannont win games that way. The only hope is to be in a shootout, and when the offense stalled, we were toast.

Not sure CHI has the horse to put that pressure on us defensively, we won't be that injured, and, I'm hoping at least, our offense is showing the signs of coming to life at the right time. But that accumulation of circumstances, playing on the road in a place like NOLA, is going to get us skunked, badly, 100% of the time.

 

[xwalker]

I don't know how to feel about it but it goes like this:

We're 7-0 against non-playoff teams and 0-5 against playoff teams.

Keep in mind, this is 1) if the season were to end today, and 2) if you count the Chargers as a playoff team (they're tied with 4 other teams for the final playoff spot).

The 7 non-playoff teams we beat: Giants twice, Commanders, Eagles, Vikings, Rams, Raiders.

The 5 playoff teams that beat us: Broncos, Chiefs, Chargers, Lions, Saints.

The bad news: If we make the playoffs, every team we'd face would be a playoff team (obviously).

The good news: We went toe-to-toe with all of them but the Saints (49-17).

Any thoughts?

Interesting.

My thoughts are that the Cowboys team has changed over the duration of the season which makes it difficult to use past wins and losses as indicators of the future.

I see 3 type of changes:
1. New players. Many new players have been added since early in the season. It's a somewhat different roster from then to now.

2. Injuries. This has affected many games, but it's different for each game. It's possible that the team could be healthier in the final 4 games than at any time earlier in the season. I don't know about today's injuries, but it appears all of the injured players on today's inactive list, will be back for the next game except possibly Harris. Getting Lee back is critical.

3. Experience. This year's team seems to be more dependent on young players than in the past. Fred, Leary, T.Williams, Beasley, Hanna, Dunbar, Wilcox, Heath, Webb, Claiborne,
Wilber and most of the DLine are young and have been significant contributors. The experience that these players have gained since game 1 is significant. Also, the defensive scheme is new. More experience in the scheme should be helpful.