I'm pretty optimistic that we'll be drafting in top 10 next year

[Fla Cowpoke]

Basically it all comes down to winning the division for me. We all face the same schedule basically, with us getting the Bears and Saints while the Commanders get the Vikings and Bucs, Giants get Lions and Falcons and Eagles get the Panthers and Packers. I think every team is likely to split these games, with the Commanders having the best chance to win both.

 

[Bullflop]

Picturing us finishing in the top ten for draft picks next year as optimism seems a major misnomer, imho. I can only interpret it as a pessimistic prediction of a bad season for the Cowboys. With better health and a much-improved pass rush, there's really no reason why a significant upturn in this team's fortunes can't be realized. According to the OP's brand of logic, finishing with one of the last picks would be considered pessimistic. No offense, but that really bears the odor of a conveniently twisted perspective to me.

 

[Irvin88_4life]

Wow some of you Cowboys fans.....

Look we went 5-0 in the division before Romo got injuried. Greatly improved OL helps us possibly sweep the division seeing as none of the East have upgraded more so then the other.

I look at our schedule and most of our tough games are at home. Now that being said we really have no idea how each team will look one season starts. Everybody thought the KC was going to be easy cause they were 2-14 the year before then had one of the best records. We lost 4 games by a combine 7 points. ...that's 1 TD. I think we are better then last year's team but we still have to get through training camp first.

The one thing we do know is we will at least be 8-8 but I'm going to say we win 9-11 games this year

 

[Mr Cowboy]

The Cowboys could be much imporved and still finish with a losing record.....that is a reality!

 

[CowboysFaninHouston]

.. that we will be drafting top 10 next year. That said, who besides Mariota and Winston will be available at 1-10?

We have a tougher schedule than last year and will be fortunate enough to see 8-8. 6-10 is more likely. There are sooooo many questions and so few absolutes going into training camp. This truly feels like a cleverly disguised rebuild. I'm sure there will be plenty that tell me I am sooooo far off base. It feels pretty accurate though.

how do you know its tougher? based on last year's finish? and everyone gulped when they saw falcons on their schedule last year... compare the preseason strength of schedule to post season....quite a bit of difference.

 

[DallasEast]

Once upon a time, in a faraway land called the NFL, two nations existed. One was called cowboyszone. The other was known as EverybodyElseNation. Both nations were populated by people who called themselves fanatics or fans for short. All of the fans followed a autumn ritual described as football, which barbarians living outside the NFL referred to as soccer (bah!)

In EverybodyElseNation, fans eagerly awaited each football season. Some fans were confident their teams would continue to build upon past successes. Other fans believed their teams might enjoy Cinderella runs in the regular season and possibly the postseason. Many fans felt their season would be decided on the field because games must be played. Sundays, Mondays, Thursdays and sometimes Saturdays were treated as sacred holidays, where fans sacrified cows, chickens and pigs (and sometimes fish and vegetables) as burnt offerings atop gas and charcoal barbeque pits. Fan competed against fan in finding out who could erect the largest high-def flat screen television in their living room. Beer was a sacrament and effigies of Roger Goodell lined the bottoms of kitty litter boxes. Happiness or sadness aside, life was good in EverybodyElseNation--except whenever a fan's cat decided to do his business outside the litter box.

In cowboyszone, fans felt dejected before their team's training camp began.

 

[cowboyschmps3]

First Manziel now Mariota or Winston, is it ever going too end lol

 

[BigStar]

(Dallas East) Good and insightful post, even if I am part of the doom and gloom We are just a little more obsessed (this forum anyway) than other fanbases in all honesty.

 

[TwoCentPlain]

.. that we will be drafting top 10 next year...

If this is your idea of optimism, I'd hate to see what you are pessimistic about.

 

[LittleD]

If this is your idea of optimism, I'd hate to see what you are pessimistic about.

I'm optimistic that in 3 or 4 years when Romo and Garrett are history and with new coaches and many more new players we might...
might be good enough to compete for a playoff. Until then????

 

[dfense]

.. that we will be drafting top 10 next year. That said, who besides Mariota and Winston will be available at 1-10?

We have a tougher schedule than last year and will be fortunate enough to see 8-8. 6-10 is more likely. There are sooooo many questions and so few absolutes going into training camp. This truly feels like a cleverly disguised rebuild. I'm sure there will be plenty that tell me I am sooooo far off base. It feels pretty accurate though.

And they said the Cowboys had NO chance to win their division last year. It was all Giants and Commanders and the Eagles a distant third or forth with a first yeat coach. How's that turn out? Cowboys almost stole it with half a team.

 

[dfense]

I'm optimistic that in 3 or 4 years when Romo and Garrett are history and with new coaches and many more new players we might...
might be good enough to compete for a playoff. Until then????

Or they may really suck with another Quincy Carter or another castoff like maybe Brandon Weeden, doomed to half a decade of collecting good players in the draft.

Be careful what you wish for.

 

[dfense]

.. that we will be drafting top 10 next year. That said, who besides Mariota and Winston will be available at 1-10?

We have a tougher schedule than last year and will be fortunate enough to see 8-8. 6-10 is more likely. There are sooooo many questions and so few absolutes going into training camp. This truly feels like a cleverly disguised rebuild. I'm sure there will be plenty that tell me I am sooooo far off base. It feels pretty accurate though.

Jimmie Johnson used to say "a tough schedule makes a tough team for the playoffs"

 

[Bleu Star]

Jimmie Johnson used to say "a tough schedule makes a tough team for the playoffs"

Yeah. That was when Jimmy Johnson was leading us into battle. We are far removed from anything close to Jimmy Johnson leadership prowess.

 

[big dog cowboy]

I need to find something to wrap some optimism around going into the season. Training camp will reveal some glimmers of hope... hopefully.

If you can't find anything to be optimistic about on our team you are not looking hard enough.

 

[Gaede]

Yeah, I feel like this will be Romo's last year. I just think the writing is on the wall with this team--old, oft-injured QB, entire coaching staff on one year deals. I think as soon as things start going wrong, the wheels fall off. We live and die by Romo, and I just don't think he's going to be able to play football for much longer.

 

[PA Cowboy Fan]

We went 5-1 in our division last year so that wasnt a problem, the problem came outside the division. This year, imo, our schedule is much tougher with having to play the NFC West, NO, Indy, Chicago and the Texans.

Only The Dallas Cowboys could go 5-1 in the division and lose it. I still can't believe it.

 

[Rockport]

I'm optimistic that in 3 or 4 years when Romo and Garrett are history and with new coaches and many more new players we might...
might be good enough to compete for a playoff. Until then????

Good, then come back in 3 or 4 years.

 

[Bleu Star]

If you can't find anything to be optimistic about on our team you are not looking hard enough.

I have been looking for several years. As a matter of fact.. A few decades. What I see today pales in comparison to yesteryear. There's no need to look any harder. We have been in "figuring it out" mode for the last several years. AKA traction...

 

[Dday22t]

It's the NFL. 90% of the teams are inter-changeable week to week. Romo - Dez - Witten - Murray... get hot and we can string some wins together. Just need a slightly below average defense instead of all-time worst.