question for the scientists among us:

[Doomsday101]

Altitude doesn't trump talent. That's the single biggest reason they haven't won but if you look at Denver when they do have some talent, they are very tough to beat at home. It's not a coincidence that Denver has been able to use smaller lines for so many years and still be very effective on both sides of the ball. What they have done for years is use smaller, quicker lineman and just force tempo. Teams with big lines often break down late in games and Denver manages to somehow pull them out. A lot of that is altitude but your correct. The past few years, they have not done as well. No substitute for talent.

I think there is a slight edge but not a big edge really. They do better at home but then most teams around the league tend to have a better home record than road record.

 

[Seven]

Lived in New Mexico at 5600 feet for 27 years. Moved to PHX and could run at a much faster pace and for a longer duration.

Lived in PHX for 10 years and moved to Colorado at approx. 5900ft and it took me several months to acclimate to anything physical. Even stairs were a bit uncomfortable. It takes the wind out of you much faster. I really didn't change my lifestyle, activity-wise, prior to moving to Colorado but it sure was a noticible difference.

I am concerned with the altitude and the toll/effect it will have on our guys. We'll notice them huffing on the oxy masks..........guaranteed.

 

[YosemiteSam]

I see what you are saying.
I found this


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The important effect of this decrease in pressure is this: in a given volume of air, there are fewer molecules present. This is really just another way of saying that the pressure is lower (this is called Boyle's law). The percentage of those molecules that are oxygen is exactly the same: 21%. The problem is that there are fewer molecules of everything present, including oxygen.

So although the percentage of oxygen in the atmosphere is the same, the thinner air means there is less oxygen to breathe.

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Its a little confusing. "same percentage of oxygen" yet thinner air means "there is less oxygen to breathe"

Exactly.

The same ratio of oxygen is present, but it isn't compressed into a smaller volume like at lower altitudes. (gravitational compression, just like in deep water) That means less oxygen molecules per volume of breath that actually makes contact with the lung's surface area.

 

[FCBarca]

There's a reason why athletes in running/track and cycling all train in the mountains, folks

 

[USMarineVet]

Look for us rotating on 2nd & 3rd down more than we're used to doing.

 

[BotchedLobotomy]

I heard that the NFL was trying to ban Beuhler from kicking off while in Denver because of safety issues.

 

[LittleBoyBlue]

Exactly.

The same ratio of oxygen is present, but it isn't compressed into a smaller volume like at lower altitudes. (gravitational compression, just like in deep water) That means less oxygen molecules per volume of breath that actually makes contact with the lung's surface area.

Ah... got it.
That explanation helped.

 

[Chocolate Lab]

I heard that the NFL was trying to ban Beuhler from kicking off while in Denver because of safety issues.

True. The FAA is very concerned.

 

[jazzcat22]

Keep a fresh rotation going on the defense. This is where we may miss Felix Jones the most. Not so much more his play, but more for the rotation.
The OL may be effected the most, since you can't get a rotation on them.

Run the deep routes and come out passing, get a lead, then slow it down with the running game and shorter patterns. Not sure if that makes sense, but it's just a thought. So then we don't get in a come from behind passing game and get the WR's winded.

Kind of like the NFC championship game in SF in92, with the bad weather and wet field. Started with the pass, then went to the runnig game when the field started getting worse.

 

[jchap]

This is why we should have training camp in Kenya! Stupid San Antonio...

 

[SaltwaterServr]

Altitude doesn't trump talent. That's the single biggest reason they haven't won but if you look at Denver when they do have some talent, they are very tough to beat at home. It's not a coincidence that Denver has been able to use smaller lines for so many years and still be very effective on both sides of the ball. What they have done for years is use smaller, quicker lineman and just force tempo. Teams with big lines often break down late in games and Denver manages to somehow pull them out. A lot of that is altitude but your correct. The past few years, they have not done as well. No substitute for talent.

Romanowski did an interview a few years after Elway retired and was asked about Denver's successful running game. I remember it because I HATED Bill for being a dirty player and it really perked me up to the cut-blocking scheme of Denver.

He basically said that they can run it because every person on defense up close to the LOS has it in the back of their mind that if they aren't paying attention, one of the offensive linemen is going to end their careers. He said they could never go all out on defense to attack the LOS because the offensive lineman paid close attention to who was getting the most aggressive and they'd plan to attack your knees on the next play.

He said that he'd go down, bring a lineman with him if he could, and then break his fingers in the pile up. He didn't out and out say it, but you could read between the lines of him mentioning that there were a lot of gouged eyes and broken fingers on pile ups for Denver's offensive line.

After reading that SI, I got a bit of respect for Bill and lost a lot for Denver.

Shady tactics trump talent to an extent.

 

[SaltwaterServr]

then doctor, by your hypothosis and calibrationary measurements, then them sherpas carrying oxygen to the humalayas don't need to be doing so?

There is a reason why professionals, well schooled in higher altitudes, always refer to thinner air.

But I will defer to my laboratory trials on that. I have a denver fan strapped to a chair and will experiment with lesser amounts of oxigen and then put more and less pressure in the air. It's so funny when hee's eyes bug out. ha-ha.

The Sherpas aren't carrying it for themselves. Their red blood cell count and hemoglobin content is the highest in the world for a specific study population.

 

[Randy White]

is how quickly will the Cowboys players adapt.

At sea level, or near sea level, oxygen is compressed more, which takes longer to get processed through the blood stream. The higher the elevation, the less compressed the oxygen becomes, which goes faster through the blood stream, giving you that " short of breath " feeling. Obviously the body adapts to the changes, the question being how quickly and, of course, that depends on the individual and how good a shape he's in, genetics, ..etc.

Overall, the Cowboys should not feel a " huge " difference. This guys are in better shape than the average joe, and with the aid of oxygen on the sidelines, they should get used to it quicker than normal. Not to mention that they will probably do some sprints in today's walk through practices..