Interpreting yesterday’s win

[Bobhaze]

Winning in the NFL is always good.

Yesterday’s big win in Minnesota was a like a cold drink of water in the desert. Big win, great effort and several players stepped up and played their best game of the year. The Cowboys showed a grit and desire to win we haven’t seen in a long time. As crazy as this year has been, the Cowboys have a legit shot at the playoffs- and I say that shaking my head. But still good to that win!

Having given the win almost 24 hrs to savor, and in the midst of the nice taste of victory, I come back to several key questions to ponder:

1. Was yesterday’s win the sign of a good team righting the ship?
2. Was yesterday’s win just the sign of an average team showing some pride and finally playing together?
3. Was yesterday’s win just a mirage where a bad team got lucky?

I believe it’s door #2.

IMO this is not a particularly good NFL roster. Average perhaps. That doesn’t mean these guys aren’t playing hard or that it’s bad at every position. But I do believe many fans like us, hungry for something positive, tend to look at one game, or one or two players making great plays, as a crystal ball of many things to come. I think this team has a ton of holes to fix before it can be considered better than average.

For example:

• Donovan Wilson had a great game. Super impressed with his aggression and playmaking. But do I think he’s the answer we’ve been looking for at S? No, not with what we’ve seen so far. A good guy to have, yes, but not convinced of much else.
• The running game was awesome. First time we’ve seen that in a while. But it’s still one game.
  
• The secondary still gave up 314 yards- over 10 yards per attempt.

Let me be clear- great team win yesterday. It was a really good performance on both sides of the ball. But if if I’m interpreting this game as an indicator of the future, I would say this team still has a lot of roster holes to fill.

 

[Jake]

But in the NFC Least that makes the Cowboys contenders.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

Honestly, I do believe that we are a much better team then what we've shown this year, thus far. I also believe that we just aren't very good in certain areas, particularly in areas defensively. We are gonna lose to good teams and we are gonna beat some poor teams and a few we should win, we will drop and a few we should lose, we will win. By much better team, I am thinking 8-8, if we are very lucky, 10-6. But a lot has happened since then and now, well, we are probably a 5 or 6 win team IMO. It is what it is.

 

[Bobhaze]

But in the NFC Least that makes the Cowboys contenders.

Hard truth.

Honestly, I do believe that we are a much better team then what we've shown this year, thus far. I also believe that we just aren't very good in certain areas, particularly in areas defensively. We are gonna lose to good teams and we are gonna beat some poor teams and a few we should win, we will drop and a few we should lose, we will win. By much better team, I am thinking 8-8, if we are very lucky, 10-6. But a lot has happened since then and now, well, we are probably a 5 or 6 win team IMO. It is what it is.

What really jumps out at me is this team’s record last year and so far this year- 11-15. And it’s 8-15 after that 3-0 start last year. I don’t think this team is jets bad. But I think it’s still at best an 8-8 type team, with a defense that is bottom third in talent.

It’s probably too much to hope the Jones boys don’t see yesterday’s win as validation that “this team is better than we thought”. That’s the usual Jones reaction. To them, reality doesn’t exist in a win.

 

[Blackthorn]

The ship is righting brother and the team will be a contender. I have never seen this team decimated with injuries as this team has been to this season. We all watched subpar performances a few weeks back and folks started losing there jobs. The cancer was cut. The team came around during the Steelers game and improved with the return of Dalton. The patchwork work O-line looked really good against the Viking and this should build confidence. The Skins D-line is formidable and the Cowboys will be better prepared. This team will win the division. I love this team.

I saw the defense play relentless against a great RB and receivers. I like to poke fun at Kirk as a QB, however he does throw some quick balls.

I will celebrate this victory for a few days, then savor the victory on Thanksgiving.

Happy Thanksgiving Y'all.

Go Dallas!!!

 

[Bobhaze]

The ship is righting brother.

We all want that. What makes you think so Blackie?

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

Hard truth.
What really jumps out at me is this team’s record last year and so far this year- 11-15. And it’s 8-15 after that 3-0 start last year. I don’t think this team is jets bad. But I think it’s still at best an 8-8 type team, with a defense that is bottom third in talent.

It’s probably too much to hope the Jones boys don’t see yesterday’s win as validation that “this team is better than we thought”. That’s the usual Jones reaction. To them, reality doesn’t exist in a win.

Well, you never know Bob. I mean, I've said it a few times, I'm not the biggest fan of McCarthy or the Defensive Coaching Staff but, perhaps they will surprise me and right the ship. Perhaps Jerry and Stephen will pay attention to what so many Coaches have tried to tell them for years. Coaches need to be the final word on the player side. Players can not be allowed to simply walk in and out of Jerry's office to challenge the words of the Coaching Staff. That's always been the wrong way to do things IMO. Maybe some of that gets corrected this year and we are better off for it?

We can hope right? But there is a Bright side Bob. In a couple of days, it will be Thanksgiving and there will be plenty to eat and some good things will come of it. And if you don't have that Bob, figure out a way to get here to New Mexico and I will square you away. There is always a good thing right around the corner Brother.

 

[fivetwos]

Winning in the NFL is always good.

Yesterday’s big win in Minnesota was a like a cold drink of water in the desert. Big win, great effort and several players stepped up and played their best game of the year. The Cowboys showed a grit and desire to win we haven’t seen in a long time. As crazy as this year has been, the Cowboys have a legit shot at the playoffs- and I say that shaking my head. But still good to that win!

Having given the win almost 24 hrs to savor, and in the midst of the nice taste of victory, I come back to several key questions to ponder:

1. Was yesterday’s win the sign of a good team righting the ship?
2. Was yesterday’s win just the sign of an average team showing some pride and finally playing together?
3. Was yesterday’s win just a mirage where a bad team got lucky?

I believe it’s door #2.

IMO this is not a particularly good NFL roster. Average perhaps. That doesn’t mean these guys aren’t playing hard or that it’s bad at every position. But I do believe many fans like us, hungry for something positive, tend to look at one game, or one or two players making great plays, as a crystal ball of many things to come. I think this team has a ton of holes to fix before it can be considered better than average.

For example:

• Donovan Wilson had a great game. Super impressed with his aggression and playmaking. But do I think he’s the answer we’ve been looking for at S? No, not with what we’ve seen so far. A good guy to have, yes, but not convinced of much else.
• The running game was awesome. First time we’ve seen that in a while. But it’s still one game.
  
• The secondary still gave up 314 yards- over 10 yards per attempt.

Let me be clear- great team win yesterday. It was a really good performance on both sides of the ball. But if if I’m interpreting this game as an indicator of the future, I would say this team still has a lot of roster holes to fill.

ALL teams have holes in today's NFL.

Trying to build the perfect roster will never work. There isnt enough time.

Coaching has to overcome that.

Whether MM and friends are up to the task, I'm not sure.

 

[Diehardblues]

Winning in the NFL is always good.

Yesterday’s big win in Minnesota was a like a cold drink of water in the desert. Big win, great effort and several players stepped up and played their best game of the year. The Cowboys showed a grit and desire to win we haven’t seen in a long time. As crazy as this year has been, the Cowboys have a legit shot at the playoffs- and I say that shaking my head. But still good to that win!

Having given the win almost 24 hrs to savor, and in the midst of the nice taste of victory, I come back to several key questions to ponder:

1. Was yesterday’s win the sign of a good team righting the ship?
2. Was yesterday’s win just the sign of an average team showing some pride and finally playing together?
3. Was yesterday’s win just a mirage where a bad team got lucky?

I believe it’s door #2.

IMO this is not a particularly good NFL roster. Average perhaps. That doesn’t mean these guys aren’t playing hard or that it’s bad at every position. But I do believe many fans like us, hungry for something positive, tend to look at one game, or one or two players making great plays, as a crystal ball of many things to come. I think this team has a ton of holes to fix before it can be considered better than average.

For example:

• Donovan Wilson had a great game. Super impressed with his aggression and playmaking. But do I think he’s the answer we’ve been looking for at S? No, not with what we’ve seen so far. A good guy to have, yes, but not convinced of much else.
• The running game was awesome. First time we’ve seen that in a while. But it’s still one game.
  
• The secondary still gave up 314 yards- over 10 yards per attempt.

Let me be clear- great team win yesterday. It was a really good performance on both sides of the ball. But if if I’m interpreting this game as an indicator of the future, I would say this team still has a lot of roster holes to fill.

More of Door #2.

But we really don’t need for it to have any meaning towards next year or beyond even this week.

Winning in the moment and bringing some life back to a season even if for only a week or so most thought was over is enough for now.

 

[Bobhaze]

Well, you never know Bob. I mean, I've said it a few times, I'm not the biggest fan of McCarthy or the Defensive Coaching Staff but, perhaps they will surprise me and right the ship. Perhaps Jerry and Stephen will pay attention to what so many Coaches have tried to tell them for years. Coaches need to be the final word on the player side. Players can not be allowed to simply walk in and out of Jerry's office to challenge the words of the Coaching Staff. That's always been the wrong way to do things IMO. Maybe some of that gets corrected this year and we are better off for it?

We can hope right? But there is a Bright side Bob. In a couple of days, it will be Thanksgiving and there will be plenty to eat and some good things will come of it. And if you don't have that Bob, figure out a way to get here to New Mexico and I will square you away. There is always a good thing right around the corner Brother.

You’re a good man brother! Thank you.

 

[MoistMayonnaise]

Going with three, Bob. Did we play better, yes, but we are not good and Minnesota has a bad D. We still needed to score over thirty to win and just not sure we can sustain that.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

You’re a good man brother! Thank you.

I suspect there are a few on this board Bob. But thank you for saying that. I think you probably gotta place on that good guy list as well. Probably a lot higher up then mine!

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

OK people, I've tortured you enough for one day. I'm out, see you guys tomorrow!

 

[Creeper]

The defense looked better but I am still concerned about the number of big plays they give up. Still too many receivers running wide open in the Cowboys secondary. That sort of stuff can lead to losses even against the worst teams in the league.

 

[AsthmaField]

I’d say door #2. Or maybe a hidden door somewhere between #1 and #2. With Dak and many of the injured players back, maybe it would have been door #1.

It doesn’t seem that complicated. A team that had done everything a certain way for 10 years suddenly has all new coaches coming in and doing things in a completely different way. They have no offseason workouts, no OTA’s, no mini-camps, and an abbreviated, strange training camp before the live bullet’s started flying.

Then you have a rash of injuries like I’ve never seen - particularly on the offensive line and secondary - which threw everything into a blender. There were bad apples on the defensive side that needed to be weeded out before the real improvement could even be started... and that was in a defense so completely different from the old scheme that there was always going to be a huge adjustment period where they would play poorly.

That defense, with injuries in the secondary, bad apple malcontents on the line and secondary, and no offseason just could not perform even average the first half of the season. I don’t think there was any way they’d ever start this season even close to ready.

Then the offense started losing people, starting with Dak, and there was an adjustment period there that was compounded by losing their backup QB.

It has been a mess.

Now finally, the team is seeing what the new coaches are wanting from them and making the adjustment from Garrett to McCarthy, we can all see much improvement. With Dak out and the OL in flux, the offense won’t be what it could have been halfway through year one, but it can be good enough.

The defense is playing like a whole different team now but they too will be limited with their secondary. Losing Diggs really hurt.

What can they do this season? That remains to be seen, but their schedule is conducive to getting some more wins and the rest of the division has their own problems. Maybe they can continue to come together and win the division.

What I do know is that the team and coaches deserve some respect for fighting through some catastrophic circumstances, righting the ship, and playing some hard, tough football down the stretch in 2020. A stretch that McCarthy was always pointing to as the most important time of the season. Their play in the last 3 weeks has been getting better and better. I’m excited to see what they can do the rest of the way.

 

[plymkr]

Winning in the NFL is always good.

Yesterday’s big win in Minnesota was a like a cold drink of water in the desert. Big win, great effort and several players stepped up and played their best game of the year. The Cowboys showed a grit and desire to win we haven’t seen in a long time. As crazy as this year has been, the Cowboys have a legit shot at the playoffs- and I say that shaking my head. But still good to that win!

Having given the win almost 24 hrs to savor, and in the midst of the nice taste of victory, I come back to several key questions to ponder:

1. Was yesterday’s win the sign of a good team righting the ship?
2. Was yesterday’s win just the sign of an average team showing some pride and finally playing together?
3. Was yesterday’s win just a mirage where a bad team got lucky?

I believe it’s door #2.

IMO this is not a particularly good NFL roster. Average perhaps. That doesn’t mean these guys aren’t playing hard or that it’s bad at every position. But I do believe many fans like us, hungry for something positive, tend to look at one game, or one or two players making great plays, as a crystal ball of many things to come. I think this team has a ton of holes to fix before it can be considered better than average.

For example:

• Donovan Wilson had a great game. Super impressed with his aggression and playmaking. But do I think he’s the answer we’ve been looking for at S? No, not with what we’ve seen so far. A good guy to have, yes, but not convinced of much else.
• The running game was awesome. First time we’ve seen that in a while. But it’s still one game.
  
• The secondary still gave up 314 yards- over 10 yards per attempt.

Let me be clear- great team win yesterday. It was a really good performance on both sides of the ball. But if if I’m interpreting this game as an indicator of the future, I would say this team still has a lot of roster holes to fill.

I would say it's a combo of 1 and 2. It's an average team learning to play together and righting the ship. But the ship is only average and can maybe win the division but not a lot else. I'm excited that the team showed heart and pride during this awful year. That gives me a little hope moving forward. I kind of was excited after the Steelers loss because they showed some heart. So 2 games in a row the team looked like it wanted to compete, and one of those games was a win.

I don't mind losing this year if they come with it from an effort and pride mindset. Considering we lost: Dak, Tyron, La'el, Frederick, Knight, Martin, LVE, Dalton, TE1 (total brain fart and can't remember his name), Erving, Looney to either season ending injuries or missed significant time. I know I'm missing more players but I can't think of them all off the top of my head. And the defense is just plain trash, I'm excited that the players have played through this adversity and put together 2 back to back games were they competed. As a fan the only thing you can hope for is the players caring and not quitting.

 

[Risen Star]

I don't need your hateful interpretation, Bob.

 

[AsthmaField]

I would say it's a combo of 1 and 2. It's an average team learning to play together and righting the ship. But the ship is only average and can maybe win the division but not a lot else. I'm excited that the team showed heart and pride during this awful year. That gives me a little hope moving forward. I kind of was excited after the Steelers loss because they showed some heart. So 2 games in a row the team looked like it wanted to compete, and one of those games was a win.

I don't mind losing this year if they come with it from an effort and pride mindset. Considering we lost: Dak, Tyron, La'el, Frederick, Knight, Martin, LVE, Dalton, TE1 (total brain fart and can't remember his name), Erving, Looney to either season ending injuries or missed significant time. I know I'm missing more players but I can't think of them all off the top of my head. And the defense is just plain trash, I'm excited that the players have played through this adversity and put together 2 back to back games were they competed. As a fan the only thing you can hope for is the players caring and not quitting.

Really, the team played well enough in the Philly game right before Pittsburgh to win if the QB position hadn’t been a complete disaster. That was the game where the defense started to show signs of improvement. Had Dalton been healthy, I think the team would’ve won both the Philly and the Pitt games to go with the Minnesota game.

For 3 weeks in a row the team has gotten better and better. It is a very good sign for McCarthy. He 100% has the attention of the players and they’re busting their butts for him.

 

[blueblood70]

Winning in the NFL is always good.

Yesterday’s big win in Minnesota was a like a cold drink of water in the desert. Big win, great effort and several players stepped up and played their best game of the year. The Cowboys showed a grit and desire to win we haven’t seen in a long time. As crazy as this year has been, the Cowboys have a legit shot at the playoffs- and I say that shaking my head. But still good to that win!

Having given the win almost 24 hrs to savor, and in the midst of the nice taste of victory, I come back to several key questions to ponder:

1. Was yesterday’s win the sign of a good team righting the ship?
2. Was yesterday’s win just the sign of an average team showing some pride and finally playing together?
3. Was yesterday’s win just a mirage where a bad team got lucky?

I believe it’s door #2.

IMO this is not a particularly good NFL roster. Average perhaps. That doesn’t mean these guys aren’t playing hard or that it’s bad at every position. But I do believe many fans like us, hungry for something positive, tend to look at one game, or one or two players making great plays, as a crystal ball of many things to come. I think this team has a ton of holes to fix before it can be considered better than average.

For example:

• Donovan Wilson had a great game. Super impressed with his aggression and playmaking. But do I think he’s the answer we’ve been looking for at S? No, not with what we’ve seen so far. A good guy to have, yes, but not convinced of much else.
• The running game was awesome. First time we’ve seen that in a while. But it’s still one game.
  
• The secondary still gave up 314 yards- over 10 yards per attempt.

Let me be clear- great team win yesterday. It was a really good performance on both sides of the ball. But if if I’m interpreting this game as an indicator of the future, I would say this team still has a lot of roster holes to fill.

#2 but not an anomaly they've been playing better since the second half of the Washington game that led them to play better against the eagles and even better against the Steelers. Finally getting W but its been building..

where it leads , who know but i do not know MM did NOT lose the team as people around the zone were trying to hang on him, in fact this staff has been consistently making changes and trying different rotations al over the field, bringing street players, cutting players etc etc

the team is hustling, playing hard, and has shown some life..

So regarldess of W-L record i can see a g;impse of 2021 with healthy team and good draft we will bounce back..

 

[Bobhaze]

I don't need your hateful interpretation, Bob.

I just spewed blue kool aid all over my new blue suede shoes signed by Spaulding himself.