Projecting six NFL playoff teams primed to miss cut in 2024

[KJJ]

Philly didn’t collapse.

Yes they did they went 1-5 the final six weeks of the season. They struggled defensively and Hurts struggled.

 

[KingCorcoran]

It takes both sides to make a deal. Some of you seem to think it’s always the Joneses holding up everything.

I assume it is Dak’s side holding up an extension. Lamb still isn’t extended. Pollard is gone and the team had no interest in any top FA running backs that were available. The O-line needs upgrade. Perhaps Prescott is waiting to see what steps the team makes before considering a subsequent contract.

 

[plasticman]

We made the right choice. We needed a QB.

Of course. There was no choice. The Cowboys had the #1 pick in the draft and it was obvious they were doing to get Troy. My point was, if the Cowboys had the 2nd or 3rd choice instead of the first then Toy would have been unavailable.

All I was suggesting was that Barry Sanders or Deion Sanders are a much better consolation prize than you normally see.

How many drafts have we seen four of the top five picks make the Hall of Fame?

 

[PA Cowboy Fan]

Of course. There was no choice. The Cowboys had the #1 pick in the draft and it was obvious they were doing to get Troy. My point was, if the Cowboys had the 2nd or 3rd choice instead of the first then Toy would have been unavailable.

All I was suggesting was that Barry Sanders or Deion Sanders are a much better consolation prize than you normally see.

How many drafts have we seen four of the top five picks make the Hall of Fame?

It was a great draft. As for consolation prizes, Barry lasted a long time in Detroit with no QB and won nothing. Sanders did the same in Atlanta. The only time he won was when he joined SF and Dallas. Both are HOF players but you aren't winning SBs without a great QB unless you have a HOF defense like the Bears and Ravens. At least we had Jimmy then. Maybe he could have found us a qb. I know one thing if Barry and Deion played for the Jerry Jones led Cowboys they would have been wasted here too.

 

[Floatyworm]

We don’t have the cap space to address the problems. We’re banking on the draft.

You can always create cap space.....This front office has chosen not too....

 

[KJJ]

You can always create cap space.....This front office has chosen not too....

That’s easy for you to say. They did create some that lowered Dak’s cap hit by around 4M. They restructured Zack’s contract. There’s not a lot you can do when you’re trying to create space for three players that may be looking to reset the market but good luck convincing fans.

 

[plasticman]

It was a great draft. As for consolation prizes, Barry lasted a long time in Detroit with no QB and won nothing. Sanders did the same in Atlanta. The only time he won was when he joined SF and Dallas. Both are HOF players but you aren't winning SBs without a great QB unless you have a HOF defense like the Bears and Ravens. At least we had Jimmy then. Maybe he could have found us a qb. I know one thing if Barry and Deion played for the Jerry Jones led Cowboys they would have been wasted here too.

I hope that nobody thinks I'm suggesting that Troy wasn't relevant or that drafting someone else would have been better. The Cowboys were blessed that they had the opportunity to get him.

However, my point was that here is nothing in this universe that is worth rooting against the Cowboys when you are a Cowboys fan.

I'm not directing this at anyone or calling anybody out. This just happens to be an opportunity to address the mindset that a loss might increase the odds of success for the future. However, that is not the world we live in. That is not how life works.

Yes, losing the last game of the 1988 season secured the overall #1 pick of the 1989 draft. I'll even remind you that it also meant the Cowboys had the first pick in each round of that draft. They used or parlayed those choices into obtaining Daryl Johnston, Mark Stepnoski, and Tony Tolbert. All three were very important contributors to their three ring run.

With that said, Jerry was right about one thing. Jimmy Johnson was worth 5 #1 draft picks and 5 Heisman trophy winners. They would not have matched their historic success, but that team was destined to play in Super Bowls.

In fact, Jimmy, who always believed in competition, was not satisfied with one potential young QB. He also drafted Steve Walsh in the supplemental draft. Walsh didn't have Aikman's amazing physical gifts but he was Johnson's QB at Miami, he did lead his team to a national championship and he did start the only gamer the Cowboys won in 1989.

Walsh was the epitome of a system quarterback but he could do it well given a strong team. The Cowboys did have a strong team. In fact, two other veteran QB's were successful ion critical points of the season and even the playoffs. Beierlein and Kosar made critical, historic plays.

So then, what if the Cowboys did not have the #1 overall pick in the draft for 1989? What if they had won the last game of the 1988 season?

Would Deion or Barry been that significant a drop in overall talent? We don't know just which direction the 90's Cowboys would have gone. We will never know. What I do know is that winning is better than losing under any circumstance and when we try to play with fate, or karma, or whatever, we very rarely come out on top.

 

[fivetwos]

I hope that nobody thinks I'm suggesting that Troy wasn't relevant or that drafting someone else would have been better. The Cowboys were blessed that they had the opportunity to get him.

However, my point was that here is nothing in this universe that is worth rooting against the Cowboys when you are a Cowboys fan.

I'm not directing this at anyone or calling anybody out. This just happens to be an opportunity to address the mindset that a loss might increase the odds of success for the future. However, that is not the world we live in. That is not how life works.

Yes, losing the last game of the 1988 season secured the overall #1 pick of the 1989 draft. I'll even remind you that it also meant the Cowboys had the first pick in each round of that draft. They used or parlayed those choices into obtaining Daryl Johnston, Mark Stepnoski, and Tony Tolbert. All three were very important contributors to their three ring run.

With that said, Jerry was right about one thing. Jimmy Johnson was worth 5 #1 draft picks and 5 Heisman trophy winners. They would not have matched their historic success, but that team was destined to play in Super Bowls.

In fact, Jimmy, who always believed in competition, was not satisfied with one potential young QB. He also drafted Steve Walsh in the supplemental draft. Walsh didn't have Aikman's amazing physical gifts but he was Johnson's QB at Miami, he did lead his team to a national championship and he did start the only gamer the Cowboys won in 1989.

Walsh was the epitome of a system quarterback but he could do it well given a strong team. The Cowboys did have a strong team. In fact, two other veteran QB's were successful ion critical points of the season and even the playoffs. Beierlein and Kosar made critical, historic plays.

So then, what if the Cowboys did not have the #1 overall pick in the draft for 1989? What if they had won the last game of the 1988 season?

Would Deion or Barry been that significant a drop in overall talent? We don't know just which direction the 90's Cowboys would have gone. We will never know. What I do know is that winning is better than losing under any circumstance and when we try to play with fate, or karma, or whatever, we very rarely come out on top.

If they didn’t get the first pick….as they came extremely close to not by nearly winning a game in Cleveland in December on a penalty on a late FG IIRC, they would have taken Mandarich, according to Jimmy in his book. He was briefly considered as the first pick regardless. Some in the building wanted that.

That’s the margin behind success and failure in the NFL.

For some reason I think Randy White was called for holding on a go ahead FG late, then Ruzek missed and they lost. I could be wrong but it’s something along those lines.