CFZ Ranking Cowboys Seasons And Comparing Postseason Results

[fivetwos]

Oh they did conspire,SB 13 is proof..BS interference call on Benny Barnes,ref blocking charlie waters from making a 3rd down tackle on Harris before he scored,no roughing the passer,twice on hits to Rodger but had no problem calling it on Harvey Martin..I could go on.

Lady Luck was not our friend that day. I lost 25 cents on my first wager ever.

Plus my goldfish died and my parents fought over it. Rough day. Not quite over it.

 

[bigE79]

Lady Luck was not our friend that day. I lost 25 cents on my first wager ever.

Plus my goldfish died and my parents fought over it. Rough day. Not quite over it.

It was a fudged up year for me after that game,got in so many fights at school over it and like I was telling Jake,that loss stings as bad today as it did then,to the point that I still have dreams about even now..lol

 

[john van brocklin]

yeah back then if someone intercepted a pass, him and a bunch of his team mates didnt run to the endzone
and start dancing !!

Prancing ! LOL !

 

[blueblood70]

I've ranked all post-merger seasons, from 1970 to 2021 based on this weighed formula:

50% Record as compared to all teams that season.

If 13-3 was the best record that season, then they are ranked #1 in that category. However, If the Cowboys went 13-3 and two other teams went 14-2, they would be ranked #3 in that category

10% Team rank that season in points scored.

10% Team rank that season in offensive yardage

10% Team rank that season in defense points permitted

10% Team rank that season in defense yards permitted

10% Team rank that season in takeaway/turnover ratio

I've also notated the years with symbols for the seasons in which the Cowboys went deep into the playoffs and at least participated in the NFC Championship game.

(^) Played in NFC Championship game but lost

(+) Won the NFC championship and lost Super Bowl

(*) Super Bowl Champions

So here is the list:

1 _ 1971*
2 _ 1977*
3 _ 1992*
4 _ 1978+
5 _ 1993*
6 _ 1994^
7 _ 1995*
8 _ 2021
9 _ 2007
10 _ 2016
11 _ 1973^
12 _ 1981^
13 _ 1980^
14 _ 1970+
15 _ 2014
16 _ 2009
17 _ 1976
18 _ 1983
19 _ 1982^
20 _ 1979
21 _ 1975+
22 _ 1998
23 _ 1972^
24 _ 1996
25 _ 2003
26 _ 1991
27 _ 2006
28 _ 1974
29 _ 2018
30 _ 1999
31 _ 1985
32 _ 2019
33 _ 1984
34 _ 2017
35 _ 2011
36 _ 2005
37 _ 2008
38 _ 2013
39 _ 2012
40 _ 1987
41 _ 1986
42 _ 2010
43 _ 1990
44 _ 1997
45 _ 2020
46 _ 2004
47 _ 2001
48 _ 2000
49 _ 2002
50 _ 2015
51 _ 1988
52 _ 1989

1971 was the best all round season for the Cowboys. They were ranked #1 in won/loss record, points scored, and offensive yardage, #2 in takeaway/turnover ratio, #3 in defensive yardage, and #7 in defensive points. When ranking every team's season, they are tied for #10 with the 1975 Vikings.

One thing that you will notice is that 11 of the cowboys best 14 seasons went deep into the playoffs. The only ones that didn't were the three most recent.

Also, we can see where last season ranks among all Cowboys seasons as the 8th best. Again, we are talking about the quality of the regular season.

Believe me, here have been numerous occasions in which other teams had great regular seasons only to fall short in the postseason. The Cowboys are nowhere near the extreme cases.

Having said that, we can see that some of these 21st century Cowboys teams were just as strong and talented in the regular season as some Cowboys Super Bowl teams.

I'm pleased to say that the very strongest Cowboys teams capitalized and went on to the Super Bowl. The only team in the top 7 that didn't was the 1994 version.

It's also true that the Cowboys were "kingslayers'. Many of the teams that were the best in the regular seasons were stopped short of winning it all by the Cowboys including the 1973 Rams, 1975 Vikings, and 1995 49ers.

hows 2018 not higher? division win 2nd round of playoffs? seems lie it should be higher

 

[fivetwos]

It was a fudged up year for me after that game,got in so many fights at school over it and like I was telling Jake,that loss stings as bad today as it did then,to the point that I still have dreams about even now..lol

I remember being a young kid and being in awe of Coach and what he was and what he could do.

When do you see a kid take to a team because of the head coach? That would be never, but I thought he had every answer, and was a master of in game adjustment….and had the ultimate executor of such in Roger.

Thats the stuff I signed up for.

Yes Jerry, I DID enjoy those Super Bowls, but I certainly didn’t sign up for a quarter century of the Jerry Jones ego show. That’s for certain.

 

[Blackrain]

Before the NFL conspired against the Cowboys, obviously.

Exactly my Cowboy brother back when there was integrity in the game. Back before Jerry Jones owned the team.
Back when you can could count on integrity and quality in a lot of things not just football.

A great time that I would jump back to in a hot minute when I used to read about the Cowboys in a newspaper.

Great times it was a privilege to view those teams in the moment The product we have now isn't even close.

 

[JerryJonesMoney]

2008 was the most frustrating year for me. Brady goes down, we had a great roster and was instantly thinking Super Bowl. But couldn’t make it to the playoffs.

 

[JayFord]

worst season ever for me was 2008

just the way they crapped the bed sitting at 9-5 made me not want to watch them ever again

and of course 1995 was the best for me

 

[DenCWBY]

yeah back then if someone intercepted a pass, him and a bunch of his team mates didnt run to the endzone
and start dancing !!

Hey, everyone gets a blue ribbon in this race!!

 

[DenCWBY]

Jake,I like your views,but in this case I disagree,I watched that friggin game and anyone who was around and watched it,could easily tell that game was reffed in the stealers favor..I'm sorry,but that game still stings and growing up in Pittsburgh made it 10 times worse, especially the fact that after the game,even the papers were talking about the questionable calls.

Any doubts also watch the Stealers vs. seahawks SB. Also blatant ref miscalls. Zebra made a fortune in Vegas.

 

[Blackrain]

I can't put the 70s teams ahead of the 92-95 teams for a couple of reasons:

1. Much tougher NFC East in the 90s. Much tougher NFC too as there wasn't a 49ers level team rival in the 1970s that was itself a dynasty.

2. The 70s Cowboys simply could not beat the Steelers. The 90s Cowboys had no such nemesis. Only the odd loss when they were flat, but could come out just as likely to destroy the same team next game. See teams like the Lions and Falcons for examples.

Nah the '70s teams were the best of the best They won more games than the '90s teams and only played a 14 game season most of the 70s

They played the 49ers in 71and 72 except John Brody was the quarterback I believe if you go back that far it was one of the greatest comebacks in cowboy history Roger Staubach throwing touchdown passes to Ron Sellers and Billy Parks in the final minutes of the game.

Cowboys had more of a rivalry with the Rams back then as they played them many times in the playoffs in the '70s

 

[Manster68]

It's impossible to over state how awesome it was to be a Cowboys fan back in those days.

Nice list. Thanks for all the work!

Bring in grade school throughout the 70s as a Cowboy fan was a feeling like any other.
I didn't experience a Cowboys losing season until my 3rd year in the Navy.

 

[plasticman]

This list is completely absent opinion. It is simply based on the numbers.

It is fallible, isn't every list?

 

[plasticman]

Before the NFL conspired against the Cowboys, obviously.

No, that was in spite of bias against the Cowboys. They couldn't prevent the obvious ones from getting in the HOF..

However, Chuck Howley should have been obvious. I hope they are going to right that wrong this year or soon.

 

[plasticman]

Jake,I like your views,but in this case I disagree,I watched that friggin game and anyone who was around and watched it,could easily tell that game was reffed in the stealers favor..I'm sorry,but that game still stings and growing up in Pittsburgh made it 10 times worse, especially the fact that after the game,even the papers were talking about the questionable calls.

I could have sworn that Lynn Swan ran right over Benny Barnes and they flagged Barnes.

Two losses by four points apiece, either game could have gone either way but the Cowboys were never lucky in championship games.

Every single Super Bowl loss was by 4 points or less. Every single Super Bowl victory was by double digits.

 

[plasticman]

Notice that the 1972 season was the worse regular season for the Cowboys in which they played in the NFC championship game.

That was the season Roger Staubach was hurt in the preseason. He didn't start a single regular season game. He was replaced by Craig Morton who had 15 TD passes and 23 INT's. I think Craig Morton invented the "pick 6". So, they kind of stumble into the playoffs thanks to the defense and thousand yard rusher Calvin Hill in a 14 game season.

The Cowboys were instantly in trouble during the division playoff game with the 49ers, but Staubach had just come back and was serving as the backup since he hadn't played all season long. Landry put him in the 4th quarter and this was his miracle come from behind victory where you see the team going ecstatic and Larry Cole is rolling around on the sidelines.

The 49ers had already begun to talk smack before Staubach came in because the Cowboys had beat them in back to back NFC championship games. They were taunting Cowboys players, "How does it feel to lose?"

Honestly, I had given up, they looked so bad. I went outside to play football with my friends when multiple males in multiple houses began screaming. I went back inside to witness the Toni Frisch onside kick and the final TD.
.

 

[plasticman]

Looking at the worse seasons you see the 1989 season, of course, when the Cowboys went 1-15 but at least that season was a great growth season for the Cowboys. 1988, of course, was Landry's last season and his only really bad season. His previous two he went 7-8 during a strike season and 7-9.

Next you see that terrible 2015 season when Jerry decided he didn't need the RB who reset the Cowboys single season rushing record. Instead, he used "Klepto Joe" Randle. After the 1st quarter Randle averaged less than 2 yards a carry. This caused Romo to pass way too often and it caught up with him, this was his 2nd major injury of his career.

In my opinion the Cowboys worse period was the Dave Campo years and you see all three seasons bunched together at the bottom, 2000-2002 featured three consecutive 5-11 seasons, the first Hard Knocks season starring the Cowboys, the worse drafts in their history, and Dave Campo in a diving suit.

 

[eromeopolk]

I've ranked all post-merger seasons, from 1970 to 2021 based on this weighed formula:

50% Record as compared to all teams that season.

If 13-3 was the best record that season, then they are ranked #1 in that category. However, If the Cowboys went 13-3 and two other teams went 14-2, they would be ranked #3 in that category

10% Team rank that season in points scored.

10% Team rank that season in offensive yardage

10% Team rank that season in defense points permitted

10% Team rank that season in defense yards permitted

10% Team rank that season in takeaway/turnover ratio

I've also notated the years with symbols for the seasons in which the Cowboys went deep into the playoffs and at least participated in the NFC Championship game.

(^) Played in NFC Championship game but lost

(+) Won the NFC championship and lost Super Bowl

(*) Super Bowl Champions

So here is the list:

1 _ 1971*
2 _ 1977*
3 _ 1992*
4 _ 1978+
5 _ 1993*
6 _ 1994^
7 _ 1995*
8 _ 2021
9 _ 2007
10 _ 2016
11 _ 1973^
12 _ 1981^
13 _ 1980^
14 _ 1970+
15 _ 2014
16 _ 2009
17 _ 1976
18 _ 1983
19 _ 1982^
20 _ 1979
21 _ 1975+
22 _ 1998
23 _ 1972^
24 _ 1996
25 _ 2003
26 _ 1991
27 _ 2006
28 _ 1974
29 _ 2018
30 _ 1999
31 _ 1985
32 _ 2019
33 _ 1984
34 _ 2017
35 _ 2011
36 _ 2005
37 _ 2008
38 _ 2013
39 _ 2012
40 _ 1987
41 _ 1986
42 _ 2010
43 _ 1990
44 _ 1997
45 _ 2020
46 _ 2004
47 _ 2001
48 _ 2000
49 _ 2002
50 _ 2015
51 _ 1988
52 _ 1989

1971 was the best all round season for the Cowboys. They were ranked #1 in won/loss record, points scored, and offensive yardage, #2 in takeaway/turnover ratio, #3 in defensive yardage, and #7 in defensive points. When ranking every team's season, they are tied for #10 with the 1975 Vikings.

One thing that you will notice is that 11 of the cowboys best 14 seasons went deep into the playoffs. The only ones that didn't were the three most recent.

Also, we can see where last season ranks among all Cowboys seasons as the 8th best. Again, we are talking about the quality of the regular season.

Believe me, here have been numerous occasions in which other teams had great regular seasons only to fall short in the postseason. The Cowboys are nowhere near the extreme cases.

Having said that, we can see that some of these 21st century Cowboys teams were just as strong and talented in the regular season as some Cowboys Super Bowl teams.

I'm pleased to say that the very strongest Cowboys teams capitalized and went on to the Super Bowl. The only team in the top 7 that didn't was the 1994 version.

It's also true that the Cowboys were "kingslayers'. Many of the teams that were the best in the regular seasons were stopped short of winning it all by the Cowboys including the 1973 Rams, 1975 Vikings, and 1995 49ers.

Great work. If you put the Head Coach name and Team Owner name for each season, you will see and alarming consistent trend.

 

[plasticman]

This is some great work. Excellent list although (of course) I would rearrange it here and there.

I would too. However, I wanted to find a method to analyze and compare that didn't involve sentiment or opinion. This is a purely mathematical method based on the most basic measurements which is results, points, yards, and mistakes/opportunities.

 

[eromeopolk]

Looking at the worse seasons you see the 1989 season, of course, when the Cowboys went 1-15 but at least that season was a great growth season for the Cowboys. 1988, of course, was Landry's last season and his only really bad season. His previous two he went 7-8 during a strike season and 7-9.

Next you see that terrible 2015 season when Jerry decided he didn't need the RB who reset the Cowboys single season rushing record. Instead, he used "Klepto Joe" Randle. After the 1st quarter Randle averaged less than 2 yards a carry. This caused Romo to pass way too often and it caught up with him, this was his 2nd major injury of his career.

In my opinion the Cowboys worse period was the Dave Campo years and you see all three seasons bunched together at the bottom, 2000-2002 featured three consecutive 5-11 seasons, the first Hard Knocks season starring the Cowboys, the worse drafts in their history, and Dave Campo in a diving suit.

I knew the Cowboys were on the right track in 1989 when the only game Jimmy Johnson won was at RFK stadium vs. the Deadskins. Palmer rushed for +100 yds., Walsh completed like 3% of his passes, and the defense held the Deadskins to 3 points with Doug Williams at QB.