I will go against the grain and say I am optimistic

[Sydla]

And what gives you the idea the division is good at all? Watching all of these teams play will reveal how bad theu are. Not to mention they have the most losses of any division in the NFL.

I don't think he said they are good. I think what he said is people are probably overestimating how bad the division because they keep acting that we can keep losing games and it will be OK once Romo comes back.

The division is not good but we are clearly playing the worst football of the three teams.

We've put ourselves in a situation now where we probably can't lose the next two games. And we easily could lose the next two. We are a home dog to a bad Philly team. Let that sink in.

And people are also assuming that Romo comes in and just picks up where he left off. We have no idea how he's going to play initially. He might need some time to get his feet wet again.

 

[Sydla]

Eagles is a must win. I am sure some will argue it's not but it clearly is. One, it's a divisional game and 3-1 in the division gives us a leg up. Two, we have lost 5 in a row. No team has made the playoffs losing 6 games in a row. Forget how bad the division is - we can't lose 6 in a row.

 

[AzorAhai]

I don't think he said they are good. I think what he said is people are probably overestimating how bad the division because they keep acting that we can keep losing games and it will be OK once Romo comes back.

The division is not good but we are clearly playing the worst football of the three teams.

We've put ourselves in a situation now where we probably can't lose the next two games. And we easily could lose the next two. We are a home dog to a bad Philly team. Let that sink in.

And people are also assuming that Romo comes in and just picks up where he left off. We have no idea how he's going to play initially. He might need some time to get his feet wet again.

Well if they lose the next two its not mathematically over, but the odds are incredibly unlikely. It still wouldn't be impossible, just unlikely. The only reason it's even possible now is because these other teams are all that bad. In a normal year the season would be over. Fortunately for the Cowboys it's a down year and the other teams to this point haven't seperated themselves from the Cowboys while they're down. If the Cowboys win the next game it's practically a brand new season. It's not an easy task, but it needs to be done and hopefully Bradford can be the TO machine he's been up to this point. I don't think a little optimism or hope is uncalled for even as bad as it's felt to watch lately.

 

[Kevinicus]

I am not usually a cheerleading type, but I honestly thought Dallas was going to get roughed up yesterday and came away thinking they might have actually found their identity again.

I know Seattle's record does not show it, but they are the second best team Dallas has faced all season. Of the Seahawks four losses, three were against the Packers, Panthers and Bengals. They have played the best in football this season and, like last season, they will most likely finish on a tear.

For Dallas, up next come the Eagles and The Bucs. Neither team is anywhere close to the Seahawks. If Dallas limits their turnovers and runs the football like they have the last two games they can very realistically go into the Miami game at 4-5.

I don't know if Dallas can dig out, but I think they can finish up 9-7 or 8-8 as long as the defense keeps playing like it has and they keep running the football. That could actually get them in the playoffs.

IF Dallas can beat the Eagles and Bucs, then Romo will return with the Cowboys being no worse than a half game out of first, and potentially in 1st place. Yes the division is that bad. The Giants have the Bucs and Patriots the next two week. We all know the Giants aren't that good. They are 4-4 through the EASY half of their schedule. The 2nd half is much more difficult (NE, NYJ, Min, Car, etc.). I am counting the Pats game as a loss right now. The Bucs can play okay at times, and with how bad the Giants are, it's certainly not unreasonable to think they could lose that game. Washington has the Patriots this week (a loss) and @NO next week. The Eagles of course have Dallas this week and would have a loss (and be swept) if the Cowboys went 2-0 the next two. They follow that up with Miami, which could go either way.

So, IF Dallas goes 2-0, worst case (IMO) looks like:

NYG: 5-5 (2-2 Div.)
Dallas: 4-5 (3-1 Div.)
Washington: 4-5 (1-1 Div.)
Philly: 4-5 (1-3 Div.)

Best Case:

Dallas: 4-5 (3-1 Div.)
NYG: 4-6 (2-2 Div.)
Washington: 3-6 (1-1 Div.)
Philly: 3-6 (1-3 Div.)


This really is a pathetic division. It is like the NFC South last year.

 

[zack]

IF Dallas can beat the Eagles and Bucs, then Romo will return with the Cowboys being no worse than a half game out of first, and potentially in 1st place. Yes the division is that bad. The Giants have the Bucs and Patriots the next two week. We all know the Giants aren't that good. They are 4-4 through the EASY half of their schedule. The 2nd half is much more difficult (NE, NYJ, Min, Car, etc.). I am counting the Pats game as a loss right now. The Bucs can play okay at times, and with how bad the Giants are, it's certainly not unreasonable to think they could lose that game. Washington has the Patriots this week (a loss) and @NO next week. The Eagles of course have Dallas this week and would have a loss (and be swept) if the Cowboys went 2-0 the next two. They follow that up with Miami, which could go either way.

So, IF Dallas goes 2-0, worst case (IMO) looks like:

NYG: 5-5 (2-2 Div.)
Dallas: 4-5 (3-1 Div.)
Washington: 4-5 (1-1 Div.)
Philly: 4-5 (1-3 Div.)

Best Case:

Dallas: 4-5 (3-1 Div.)
NYG: 4-6 (2-2 Div.)
Washington: 3-6 (1-1 Div.)
Philly: 3-6 (1-3 Div.)


This really is a pathetic division. It is like the NFC South last year.

Yes, If you look at the South last year, the Panthers lost 6 straight, then won their last 4 to get to 7-8-1 and make the playoffs....

 

[Nova]

IF Dallas can beat the Eagles and Bucs, then Romo will return with the Cowboys being no worse than a half game out of first, and potentially in 1st place. Yes the division is that bad. The Giants have the Bucs and Patriots the next two week. We all know the Giants aren't that good. They are 4-4 through the EASY half of their schedule. The 2nd half is much more difficult (NE, NYJ, Min, Car, etc.). I am counting the Pats game as a loss right now. The Bucs can play okay at times, and with how bad the Giants are, it's certainly not unreasonable to think they could lose that game. Washington has the Patriots this week (a loss) and @NO next week. The Eagles of course have Dallas this week and would have a loss (and be swept) if the Cowboys went 2-0 the next two. They follow that up with Miami, which could go either way.

So, IF Dallas goes 2-0, worst case (IMO) looks like:

NYG: 5-5 (2-2 Div.)
Dallas: 4-5 (3-1 Div.)
Washington: 4-5 (1-1 Div.)
Philly: 4-5 (1-3 Div.)

Best Case:

Dallas: 4-5 (3-1 Div.)
NYG: 4-6 (2-2 Div.)
Washington: 3-6 (1-1 Div.)
Philly: 3-6 (1-3 Div.)


This really is a pathetic division. It is like the NFC South last year.

True. Look at losses rather than wins. Currently we only have one more than anyone else. Not insurmountable at all considering everyone will surely share the pats loss at the end of the year.

But we have to start winning.

 

[LittleBoyBlue]

I am not usually a cheerleading type, but I honestly thought Dallas was going to get roughed up yesterday and came away thinking they might have actually found their identity again.

I know Seattle's record does not show it, but they are the second best team Dallas has faced all season. Of the Seahawks four losses, three were against the Packers, Panthers and Bengals. They have played the best in football this season and, like last season, they will most likely finish on a tear.

For Dallas, up next come the Eagles and The Bucs. Neither team is anywhere close to the Seahawks. If Dallas limits their turnovers and runs the football like they have the last two games they can very realistically go into the Miami game at 4-5.

I don't know if Dallas can dig out, but I think they can finish up 9-7 or 8-8 as long as the defense keeps playing like it has and they keep running the football. That could actually get them in the playoffs.

I'm jumping on board because I can't think about next year .... Yet....

 

[Bleu Star]

I am not usually a cheerleading type, but I honestly thought Dallas was going to get roughed up yesterday and came away thinking they might have actually found their identity again.

I know Seattle's record does not show it, but they are the second best team Dallas has faced all season. Of the Seahawks four losses, three were against the Packers, Panthers and Bengals. They have played the best in football this season and, like last season, they will most likely finish on a tear.

For Dallas, up next come the Eagles and The Bucs. Neither team is anywhere close to the Seahawks. If Dallas limits their turnovers and runs the football like they have the last two games they can very realistically go into the Miami game at 4-5.

I don't know if Dallas can dig out, but I think they can finish up 9-7 or 8-8 as long as the defense keeps playing like it has and they keep running the football. That could actually get them in the playoffs.

Great perspective. Our team needs to "believe" they can win without the big dog in there. They need to all be singing from the same sheet of music. They need to all fit into (gasp..dare I say) a strategy. They need an identitiy. Our coaching staff is treading water without Romo on the field and it pains me to know that this is all we have without him out there.

Yes. Players absolutely do make plays. However, coaches with rock solid game plans put players in great position to make those plays.

People like to talk down on the Belichicks of the world but coaches like that are few & far between. The level of preparation week in and week out is incredibly high. Their teams take the form of an identity that resembles the coaching staff because so much intimate preparation goes into Sunday.

I refuse to give our coaches a pass and I don't mind being out here on a lifeboat in my impressions of their bush league efforts since Romo has been out.