No time for crying or feeling sorry for ourselves.

[jterrell]

We are not the most worthy team out there but if we win we get in the playoffs.

And if you get in then you get a clean slate.

This team badly needs a clean slate.

It would be nice to get it this year with McBriar, Felix Jones, Kyle Kosier back but we'll take what we can get.

This December stretch has been brutal and won't get real easy anytime soon.

But also realize if we do win next week it's very possible our first playoff game will include the softest opponent we have seen in 6 weeks. If we do get the Vikings, Bears or Cards(though I believe ATL is guaranteed ARIZ now) that team will not be as good as the Giants, Steelers or Baltimore and would be only arguably as good as Philly.

I don't think Romo's back is right but hopefully he gets it stretched out better before the next game or whatever adjustment he needs so he isn't so tight for three quarters. Romo very seldom misses the deep chances he did against the Ravens. So all this team can do is soldier on and hope it has enough to win 1 game at a time.

I have little doubt when this season does end most fans will be disappointed but I also have little faith in most fans ability to judge the team fairly. I'd say right now the job is simple. Win 2 games in a row and get that playoff monkey off our backs. Prove we can score points over the next 3 weeks and then when we do lose, re-load with another solid draft and get our guys healthy again to go to war next year.

All I'd say to the fans is judge the season for what it is. RW, Barber, Kosier, Felix Jones, Mat McBriar, Tony Romo, Flo Adams, Jason Witten... virtually all of our 13 Pro Bowlers from a year ago minus Demarcus Ware have been seriously banged up this year. This is the era of the salary cap and you just don't lose those kinds of players and perform at the same level. But this team could get just as far as that one did, into the 2nd week of the playoffs or get farther. And I think we have to consider that being this team doing what it could and not a severe underachievement.

 

[RainMan]

Good post, JT.

I have swirling feelings right now. On the one hand, my ticked-off side feels like I'm through with this team for the season. I've abandoned hope, know that realistically we don't have what it takes to win a playoff game, etc. And then on the other hand, I'm a fan and am going to do what fans do on Sundays -- root like hell for my team and hope we can surprise some people in January.

I've sworn off "defending" this team's woes. They are what they are at this point. I'll always hope we get over them, but understand that they're there.

But with that said, I'll say this: As painful as this December has been, I think it's shown marked improvement over years past. We've gone against three of, perhaps, the top five teams in football and had a chance to win each one with two minutes left. I realize the 1-2 mark is all that matters, and not how "close" we might have been to winning, but it does make me think we'll be more prepared to face a mediocre team like Arizona in the first round of the playoffs if we're fortunate enough to get there.

Lastly, to put a cherry atop that point, in no way am I going Wade Phillips on the message board and defending losses. As I said, they are what they are, but we don't seem as inept as we have in past Decembers. Turnovers and inefficient offense happens when you go against some of the best teams in football. Perhaps it will prepare us well for the playoffs, if we can get there.

Of course, my biggest worry in it all is that as we have for years, this month has just shown we always find some way to lose big games. It doesn't matter how great we look early, in the middle or even late, we'll find a way to choke it up. We'll botch a snap, surrender a 10-point lead, give up two historical touchdown runs -- something.

And that unfortunate quality, not our ability to hang tough against great teams, is what currently defines us. Many teams never change their spots. Fingers are crossed that we can.

 

[Rack]

No time for crying or feeling sorry for ourselves



We are not the most worthy team out there but if we win we get in the playoffs.

Ummm... we're fans... not players.


We got all the time in the world to cry and feel sorry for ourselves. It won't make a damn bit a difference what happens vs the Eagles. Nothing we do as fans will effect the outcome of the next game.

So you'll excuse me while I break a few more expensive electronic devices as I have flashbacks of 70+ yard back to back runs.

 

[5Stars]

Ummm... we're fans... not players.


We got all the time in the world to cry and feel sorry for ourselves. It won't make a damn bit a difference what happens vs the Eagles. Nothing we do as fans will effect the outcome of the next game.

So you'll excuse me while I break a few more expensive electronic devices as I have flashbacks of 70+ yard back to back runs.

You do know that the Army does not take unstable, emotional, psychotic men, right? You have to be strong...strong!


:laugh2:

 

[Rack]

You do know that the Army does not take unstable, emotional, psychotic men, right? You have to be strong...strong!


:laugh2:

You're right... guess I'll have to join the Marines instead.

 

[gmb85]

I honestly don't know what to feel. Will they make me proud Sunday or get kicked in the balls again?

 

[5Stars]

You're right... guess I'll have to join the Marines instead.

Oh, hell no! Unless you want to get neck deep into the trenches don't do the Marines.

Go Air Force. Those guys have it made! All comfy and cozy while all the grunts are out humping! Plus, the Air Force will give you a greater education for when you get out. All the Army or Marines do for you is teach you how to shoot a weapon, not really good for civilian life!

I was an Arny guy...and I saved my whole platoon in Nam. Yeah, I really did! I shot the cook!! :

 

[CanadianCowboysFan]

What is funny though is that at the beginning of December, most thought at best 2-2, so now we have a chance to be 2-2 and get into the playoffs and some will now make out we are backing in and undeserving.

 

[Capt.Gut]

Really good post JT.

I stayed up until 5 AM to see back to back 70+ yard runs...
As I went to bed my wife woke up and asked me if the Cowboys had won. I wanted to tell her just to shut up because of the heartbreaking loss. Instead I said next week we will make the playoffs.

We will beat Philly next week!

 

[WG5516]

Really good post JT.

I stayed up until 5 AM to see back to back 70+ yard runs...
As I went to bed my wife woke up and asked me if the Cowboys had won. I wanted to tell her just to shut up because of the heartbreaking loss. Instead I said next week we will make the playoffs.

We will beat Philly next week!

WOW you showed great restraint. I think I would have told my girl to shut it which would have lead to me catching a hook. JT great post man and you've actually made me feel better about next weeks game. Like I said in another thread I'll watch the game, but my fan pride is hurtin.

 

[Don Corleone]

What is funny though is that at the beginning of December, most thought at best 2-2, so now we have a chance to be 2-2 and get into the playoffs and some will now make out we are backing in and undeserving.

:laugh2: So true. Going 2-2 in THIS December stretch is different than prior years. Four brutal games in a row.

 

[Shinywalrus]

What is funny though is that at the beginning of December, most thought at best 2-2, so now we have a chance to be 2-2 and get into the playoffs and some will now make out we are backing in and undeserving.

It's a legitimate point, but if you were told that the two losses would come courtesy of a game where Dallas' defense dominated for 55 minutes, after which a flubbed special teams play and a Romo pick-six would give the other team the victory, and a game where two of the five longest runs in Texas Stadium history were given up to a mediocre offense against a defense that had dominated for five plus weeks, at a time in the game where everyone in the universe knew that the other team was going to run it up the gut...you might have had a different perception of what those two losses meant.

In other words, there are ways to lose without obliterating momentum. When Dallas loses, they lose in infuriating ways. They lose their punter for the season and their QB for a month. They lose by allowing one of the worst offenses in three decades to put up big double figures. They hand the game on a pick six. They make baffling mistakes in run defense in run situations in the fourth quarter. It's a lot tougher for a team to pick itself up after games like that, and it's a lot tougher for fans to get over it.

Look, if people insinuate that we're backing in, they're obviously wrong. If we can stick it to Philly, that's a big deal, period, and no one will question that we deserve it. But I don't know why people are acting like "losses should be losses" to fans. These are heartbreaking losses, and a bunch of people (not the poster I'm quoting above, just in general) getting on here to show their fanaticism by insinuating that anyone who recovers more slowly is a "bandwagon fan" isn't really helpful.

Give people a few days of misery, for God's sake!

 

[Doomsday101]

I was not surprised that Dallas would get this 2nd chance now it is up to them to make the best of this opportunity. They’re not going to get a lot of local support for many in the fan base as most are highly doubting the Cowboys and to an extent rightfully so. These guys have to figure a way to come together as a team if they do the sky is the limit for them

 

[jterrell]

Ummm... we're fans... not players.


We got all the time in the world to cry and feel sorry for ourselves. It won't make a damn bit a difference what happens vs the Eagles. Nothing we do as fans will effect the outcome of the next game.

So you'll excuse me while I break a few more expensive electronic devices as I have flashbacks of 70+ yard back to back runs.

All I'd say to the fans is judge the season for what it is. RW, Barber, Kosier, Felix Jones, Mat McBriar, Tony Romo, Flo Adams, Jason Witten... virtually all of our 13 Pro Bowlers from a year ago minus Demarcus Ware have been seriously banged up this year. This is the era of the salary cap and you just don't lose those kinds of players and perform at the same level. But this team could get just as far as that one did, into the 2nd week of the playoffs or get farther. And I think we have to consider that being this team doing what it could and not a severe underachievement.