Playoffs in 2025? Not out of reach if things go right

StarOfGlory

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With the excitement over the Pickens acquisition, an early--probably too early--prediction can be made. I think the playoffs are in play if the following things come to pass.

1. If Pickens is the #2 we've been waiting for. Cee Dee can't do it alone. Having a legit #2 will go a long way toward making our offense potent. It's been years since the Boys have had a legit duo at WR. Seems that only the teams with elite QB play can overcome this.

2. The offensive line becomes stable. I believe Booker will be a plug and play guard. If so, the middle of the line is solid. Figure out the tackles-maybe Smith does slide out to LT, Guyton to RT, and someone emerges at LG. I'm trusting the coaches to figure this out. I never liked Solari and am glad he is gone.

3. RBBC works. No, we don't have a Barkley or Henry, but we had a good draft and have experience with our signings. Even middle of the road is better than last year. Improved o-line will help. Our run game will be better.

4. One of our TE's step up and takes the job. We have talent there. Not Pro Bowl talent, but talent. We're not scraping the bottom of the barrel.

5. Dak is recovered from surgery. I know Dak is no longer a mobile QB, but he's not Kirk Cousins slow like some people think. Dak has his fair share of critics, and some is deserved, but one thing that can't be denied is that he puts up numbers and wins during the regular season (except last year). Whether or not playoff success is coming, well, I'd say no right now with the holes in our defense.

Dak and Co. are going to have to put up a lot of points. The defense will be missing a few key players early, and until further notice, can't stop the run against good teams. I know teams like Philly and Detroit will ram the ball down our throat, and there is little we can do to stop that from happening. We probably lose those type of games. But not every team has those elite run games. Our schedule is tougher on paper, but one never knows from year to year.

If things go to plan, I believe we can win ten games. But if Pickens becomes a head case, our OT's still can't block, our run game is less than meh, and Dak becomes a pumpkin, we're looking at a top ten draft pick next year.
 
Reality of competitive sports is 50% is dependent on what you do and 50% is dependent on what your opponent does

With 14 and 12 win teams not winning their divisions, Last year 10-7 in the NFC misses the playoffs. 11-6 would have been subject to a tier breaker. Is Dallas a 11-6, 12-5 team?
 
Comes down to two things:

1. Dak - enough said.

2. I'm always the first in line to say you can't judge your upcoming season by looking at the schedule. But this year, it just looks too brutal to make the playoffs.
 
Reality of competitive sports is 50% is dependent on what you do and 50% is dependent on what your opponent does

With 14 and 12 win teams not winning their divisions, Last year 10-7 in the NFC misses the playoffs. 11-6 would have been subject to a tier breaker. Is Dallas a 11-6, 12-5 team?
We had two 10-7 division winners last year. Besides that, last year was the only year at least one team with 9 wins didn't make the playoffs in the NFC since the addition of the extra playoff team.
 
I think more than half of the teams, maybe even more, at this point in time can say IF this goes right, or IF this happens, they have a chance to at least make the playoffs.

So nothing new or groundbreaking. But I do agree that Dak is one way or another going to be the backbreaker. Just don’t believe in him at all.
 
The schedule is rough though. It's hard to gauge wins and losses until you see how everything comes together. At first I thought first 3 wins would be classic Dak padding wins, but not too sure w/CAR and CHI improving their teams on the defensive side and as a whole. NYG should be a reliever but tough after that
 
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People keep saying Dallas schedule is tough but have you looked at the eagles and commanders road schedules?

Eagles
  • Dallas Cowboys
  • New York Giants
  • Washington Commanders
  • Green Bay Packers
  • Kansas City Chiefs
  • Los Angeles Chargers
  • Minnesota Vikings
  • Buffalo Bills
  • Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Commanders
  • Atlanta Falcons
  • Dallas Cowboys
  • Green Bay Packers
  • Kansas City Chiefs
  • Los Angeles Chargers
  • Miami Dolphins
  • Minnesota Vikings
  • New York Giants
  • Philadelphia Eagles

Dallas has road games against the bears, the raiders, the jets and the panthers. Remember the NFC east also has 9 road games this year so these factors could really turn the tides. There’s quite the reality that both the eagles and commanders still have good seasons but end up with a worse record this year which means Dallas should have a much easier shot at making the playoffs. Definitely need to take advantage of the easier games on the schedule this year as well as pulling off an upset or two early in the season before teams get rolling.
 
Dak does fine in the regular season and I think we will win our division - seriously. But that is about as far as it goes. 1 and done because that is what Dak does.
 
We had two 10-7 division winners last year. Besides that, last year was the only year at least one team with 9 wins didn't make the playoffs in the NFC since the addition of the extra playoff team.
10-7 is not winning the NFCE this year.
 
Comes down to two things:

1. Dak - enough said.

2. I'm always the first in line to say you can't judge your upcoming season by looking at the schedule. But this year, it just looks too brutal to make the playoffs.
Dak when healthy made the playoffs 3 straight years ! If he stays healthy we will be in the playoffs book it !
 
Reality of competitive sports is 50% is dependent on what you do and 50% is dependent on what your opponent does

With 14 and 12 win teams not winning their divisions, Last year 10-7 in the NFC misses the playoffs. 11-6 would have been subject to a tier breaker. Is Dallas a 11-6, 12-5 team?

The reality I've witnessed year after year is the NFL is extremely fluid. The schedule in advance is almost never what it appears to be. There will be teams who fall off and teams who suprise. I can't begin to predict, but I think the talent level might be there. It's a ton of projecting though.
 
The reality I've witnessed year after year is the NFL is extremely fluid. The schedule in advance is almost never what it appears to be. There will be teams who fall off and teams who suprise. I can't begin to predict, but I think the talent level might be there. It's a ton of projecting though.
Too many variables. Especially when you include injuries to teams around the league. We always seem to be able to compete but never contend. I'm hoping that after next year's draft, we can contend.
 
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The roster is better than it was last year for sure. They have filled some holes nicely.
This season will come down to is Dak healthy and how well he plays and how good is this coaching staff?

If Dak is good and this coaching staff is good then 11-6 sounds right with a playoff birth. Not sure if they are good enough to unseat Philly for the division but crazier things happen. I wouldn’t be surprised if Washington slumps a little after last year. They won’t be creeping up on teams and how many times have we seen a team come out of nowhere and then the next year fall flat?
 
Dallas isn’t a team you worry about IF they can make the playoffs

If healthy they usually make the playoffs , it’s what they do in the playoffs that brings my poop to a boil
 
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Comes down to two things:

1. Dak - enough said.

2. I'm always the first in line to say you can't judge your upcoming season by looking at the schedule. But this year, it just looks too brutal to make the playoffs.
This is one of the primary reasons they signed Pickens. The schedule is brutal no matter what. We can't risk not being relevant, so Pickens it is. I think they had this in mind all along.

That's why they drafted the way they did. In any case, it worked out almost perfectly.

It worked so well the perpetual Negative Nancy's are doubling down on their negativity.

Tells me we did something right.
 

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