Relax

[Gaede]

Nope, nope. Incorrect sir.


It was indeed a silly analogy, only to be topped by yours.


My point, actually.


Happy that we win any games at all...................

I didn't make an analogy.

And to yours, if I literally had not taken a crap for a year and was able to muster up a fart, I would probably be thrilled. It would really hurt to be so full of ****. And I would take any relief I could get.

And yeah, I'll be happy when my team wins a game because that's precisely why I watch them play in the first place--to win games. Isn't that what being a sports fan is all about? Cheering for your team to win?

 

[Chocolate Lab]

I maybe missing something here, but I think the first link is for last seasons record.

I probably am missing the point completely. :laugh2:

Whoops, you're right. Forget that one. Just go with the other link about what would constitute a successful season.

 

[Arch Stanton]

Whoops, you're right. Forget that one. Just go with the other link about what would constitute a successful season.

Phew, I checked it half a dozen times. I thought I was going mad.

 

[Seven]

I didn't make an analogy.

And to yours, if I literally had not taken a crap for a year and was able to muster up a fart, I would probably be thrilled. It would really hurt to be so full of ****

And yeah, I'll be happy when my team wins a game because that's precisely why I watch them play in the first place--to win games. Isn't that what being a sports fan is all about? Cheering for your team to win?

MY anology. You make zero sense, but whatever. You said "win a game."


If you're watching functional football, yeah. If you're watching to wait for an epic fail as we are, on any given play in any given phase of our game, then no. Hell no.



Perspective, dude. There is a reason we have playoffs AND a championship AND a SB. Why else play the games?

 

[Stash]

you picked 9-7.

so when dallas reaches that mark is it still utter failure?

they are at .500 and have played one of the toughest schedules in football to this point and sit 1 game away from pace for your prediction.

If Dallas reaches that mark, the reaction will be amazement.

But if we're digging up old prediction posts, I'll dig up the ones from last year when I said this team was going to collapse - and it did.

 

[CowboyGil]

We need to win the division to make it to the dance. Only problem is the wildcard could be Seattle,New Orleans,or Green Bay. Or even the Giants. Pick your poison. But you gotta get in first. Let's not get ahead of ourselves.

 

[JD_KaPow]

The Cowboys are an average to a slightly-above-average team. Why is this such a surprise to people? Most everyone picked them to go 8-8 or 9-7 before the season. (Yes, people around here tended to add a game or two to that, but hey, we're homers).

You can tell how good a team is by its record in blowouts. We're 1-2 in blowouts and 4-3 in close games. (Compare to, say, the Patriots, who are 4-0 in blowouts and 3-3 in close games).

Reasons for optimism? We played the toughest schedule in the NFL through our first 9 games. We've had significant injuries at our thinnest positions (ILB, S, OL). And 8-8 or 9-7 still looks like a reasonable projection.

 

[cowboys2233]

Not even sure this qualifies as positive but yes I get the point.

This team is mediocre and beats bad teams but loses to good ones.
At this point I think that rankles our "fans" the most.
That we somehow win and keep their dreams and hopes of new coaches and GMs at bay. As if those deluded dreams were ever gonna come true anyway.

There are 31 other teams to follow. Not sure why they feel the need to stick to this one if they hate everything about the team.

Disagree. Way too simplistic. We competed every step of the way against the defending SB champs, the last undefeated team and one of the supposed best teams in the AFC. And then you'll tell me, "but we didn't win." No, we didn't. But you hear all this smack about good teams finding a way to win in the end. Hmmm, which one of Matt Ryan's five picks this week suggested he was finding a way to win? Which one of the Giants defenders knew that Dez was going to be called out of bounds by a fraction of an inch? Had the break gone Dez's way, we would be in first place today, ahead of the defending SB champs. The Giants did nothing to make that happen, they simply got a break, we didn't.

Sorry, but I choose to view this as a team that can compete with ANYONE, provided they get some things straightened out. If you want to believe they really can't compete (despite all the evidence to the contrary) or that they have no hope of getting things straightened out, that's your prerogative. But until I see this team not competing at all, like the Eagles, I will continue to hold out hope they can right this ship in time to make a serious playoff push.

 

[Doomsday101]

Disagree. Way too simplistic. We competed every step of the way against the defending SB champs, the last undefeated team and one of the supposed best teams in the AFC. And then you'll tell me, "but we didn't win." No, we didn't. But you hear all this smack about good teams finding a way to win in the end. Hmmm, which one of Matt Ryan's five picks this week suggested he was finding a way to win? Which one of the Giants defenders knew that Dez was going to be called out of bounds by a fraction of an inch? Had the break gone Dez's way, we would be in first place today, ahead of the defending SB champs. The Giants did nothing to make that happen, they simply got a break, we didn't.

Sorry, but I choose to view this as a team that can compete with ANYONE, provided they get some things straightened out. If you want to believe they really can't compete (despite all the evidence to the contrary) or that they have no hope of getting things straightened out, that's your prerogative. But until I see this team not competing at all, like the Eagles, I will continue to hold out hope they can right this ship in time to make a serious playoff push.

I have to say that really gets me as well. When other teams find ways to win they are given credit Cowboys get slammed. NY win the SB after going 9-7 on the season and they played bad in many games but found ways to win and Eli is considered a hero? Dallas does it and well we just suck.

Use the same microscope on the Cowboys as you would any other team then maybe the picture is a bit more in focus


And to think I slammed Philly fans for so long, not any more ours are no better.

 

[jterrell]

Disagree. Way too simplistic. We competed every step of the way against the defending SB champs, the last undefeated team and one of the supposed best teams in the AFC. And then you'll tell me, "but we didn't win." No, we didn't. But you hear all this smack about good teams finding a way to win in the end. Hmmm, which one of Matt Ryan's five picks this week suggested he was finding a way to win? Which one of the Giants defenders knew that Dez was going to be called out of bounds by a fraction of an inch? Had the break gone Dez's way, we would be in first place today, ahead of the defending SB champs. The Giants did nothing to make that happen, they simply got a break, we didn't.

Sorry, but I choose to view this as a team that can compete with ANYONE, provided they get some things straightened out. If you want to believe they really can't compete (despite all the evidence to the contrary) or that they have no hope of getting things straightened out, that's your prerogative. But until I see this team not competing at all, like the Eagles, I will continue to hold out hope they can right this ship in time to make a serious playoff push.

We lost to ATL and the Ravens because they are better than us.
They beat us.
We split with the Giants where we won when healthier and they won when healthier.

Nothing shocking has happened to this team.
We lose to better opponents and beat worse ones.

Not sure why there is this constant caterwaul over expected results.

Can this team get better? Sure. Will it? Very unlikely. This is an 8 or 9 win team as constituted. They could have won 11 with excellent health but that has hardly been the case.

A realistic upside desire for this team is a wild-card weekend win. Anything more than that and they are pulling out miracles.

On our short list of Ir-replaceables were Sean Lee and Tyron Smith.
We also have lost 2 OCs now and have been hit at our thinnest position again for the second year in a row. Dez and Miles are our only two legit NFL WRs and both have been banged up this year. We lost the running game with Murray and Costa out.

On the plus-side we can certainly hope to get Murray, Costa, Smith, Connor, Cook, Lissemore back soon. If we do then this team is a much better club. But no team is great when 10-12 guys off the expected 2 deep is out. That is just an NFL reality.

Maybe Belichek could manage this mash unit but we are not equipped for it. This team is no where near that deep and no where near as well run yet.

We have some nice young pieces but this team is almost certainly a year away.

 

[cowboys2233]

We lost to ATL and the Ravens because they are better than us.
They beat us.
We split with the Giants where we won when healthier and they won when healthier.

I see -- so Ogletree's sweet double-move and TD reception in the first game was because the Giants were unhealthy, despite the fact that he beat the Giants' best corner (healthy or otherwise) on that play? What exactly was it about the Giants being unhealthy that created that TD?

Oh, and the Ravens sure had a funny way of showing how much better they were than us, what with getting destroyed in total yardage and time of possession like they did.

And if it's as simple as you'd like to make it, one team beating another simply means they're better, how do you explain all the contradictions when looking at week to week matchups? Eagles beat the Ravens, who beat us. So the Eagles are the best of the three, followed by the Ravens, followed by us. Except we beat the Eagles. Huh? How did that happen? Green Bay loses in Indianapolis but then destroys Houston the very next week. So based on that, Indy is the best of those three teams, correct? Indy fans will be so happy to hear that!

You come off with your matter of fact attitude when you just haven't thought things through. In 2007, we thoroughly beat the Giants in both regular season games, and then lost to them in the playoffs. How does that happen, I thought we were better than them! And then they go and beat the Patriots in the SB, who had not lost to anyone before that! When will the madness end? I could come up with a thousand examples that refute your simplistic and erroneous logic.

The Giants beat the 49ers in San Fran, by a score of 45-3. 45-3! But now they're getting manhandled by teams like the Bengals. The Cardinals started off 4-0 by beating the likes of Seattle and New England (in NE), but have lost their last 6 in a row. And of course, the opposite can be found as well. The Saints started off 0-4 but have reeled off 5 wins in 6 games.

Teams can start hot and fade. Teams can start off slow and get hot. Teams that look awful one week can look like world beaters the next and vice versa. Exactly how many examples of this do you need to see before you start to believe that? Yes, the Cowboys have not played their best football recently (although that second half was pretty sweet) but they have shown signs that they can be VERY good when things are clicking. So, call me crazy, but I'll go ahead and believe that they can get hot again and do some really good things this year.

 

[NoLuv4Jerry]

While I understand the OP....I know I speak for some of the "unrealistic" fans many are speaking to when I state the following:

We MUST aspire to beat these so-called "good" teams....and we are RIGHT there to beat Baltimore...and we crap the bed. It is not about we are right where are supposed to be. It's about we are right where we ALWAYS are. And it has ALWAYS been this way with the core of this lockeroom...so many of the "unrealistic" fans you are speaking of feel as if this core is snakbitten and resigned to their fate...and THAT is why we never take the next step.

We go into New England last year....before the game we hear how they have not lost in 18+ straight games at home (same as Baltimore this year)...and then we kick their butt all day...and RIGHT when it is time to put the final nail in the coffin...we wet the bed. With the SAME mistakes we always do. Bad situational coaching. Bad clock management. Difficulty getting the ball snapped on time. Difficulty getting lined up right. Dropping a sure first down. Getting a punt blocked for a TD. The QB fumbling the ball. Just some simple stuff that PROVES we are AFRAID of success when we are on the cusp of securing a victory. That loss to the Giants in 2007 playoffs....was a missed opportunity. An opportunity for us to make a REAL run at the SB. An opportunity for us to stabalize our fragily pysche. A chance for the core of this team and this QB to gain confidence/experience....and to be able to draw from that experience when big moments in big games arrive. We wet the bed then...and this team has been in decline ever since.

So I am not buying we are where we should be...unless you are selling we are mediocre....have been for the last 15+ years...and will continue to be.

When this coaching staff starts showing that they can get this team to seize the moment...when it is right in front of them....THEN I will believe we are making progress in the process...until then I will continue to be dissapointed and believe we are who I thought we were!

 

[cowboys2233]

But no team is great when 10-12 guys off the expected 2 deep is out. That is just an NFL reality.

Except the Packers disproved that "reality" just a couple of seasons ago. How many starters did they have on IR? What was their record heading into the playoffs? How many games did they have to win at the end of the regular season just to get in the playoffs?

 

[windward]

I like how all of a sudden being cognizant of the team's flaws equates to being satisfied with being .500.

 

[jterrell]

I see -- so Ogletree's sweet double-move and TD reception in the first game was because the Giants were unhealthy, despite the fact that he beat the Giants' best corner (healthy or otherwise) on that play? What exactly was it about the Giants being unhealthy that created that TD?

Oh, and the Ravens sure had a funny way of showing how much better they were than us, what with getting destroyed in total yardage and time of possession like they did.

And if it's as simple as you'd like to make it, one team beating another simply means they're better, how do you explain all the contradictions when looking at week to week matchups? Eagles beat the Ravens, who beat us. So the Eagles are the best of the three, followed by the Ravens, followed by us. Except we beat the Eagles. Huh? How did that happen? Green Bay loses in Indianapolis but then destroys Houston the very next week. So based on that, Indy is the best of those three teams, correct? Indy fans will be so happy to hear that!

You come off with your matter of fact attitude when you just haven't thought things through. In 2007, we thoroughly beat the Giants in both regular season games, and then lost to them in the playoffs. How does that happen, I thought we were better than them! And then they go and beat the Patriots in the SB, who had not lost to anyone before that! When will the madness end? I could come up with a thousand examples that refute your simplistic and erroneous logic.

The Giants beat the 49ers in San Fran, by a score of 45-3. 45-3! But now they're getting manhandled by teams like the Bengals. The Cardinals started off 4-0 by beating the likes of Seattle and New England (in NE), but have lost their last 6 in a row. And of course, the opposite can be found as well. The Saints started off 0-4 but have reeled off 5 wins in 6 games.

Teams can start hot and fade. Teams can start off slow and get hot. Teams that look awful one week can look like world beaters the next and vice versa. Exactly how many examples of this do you need to see before you start to believe that? Yes, the Cowboys have not played their best football recently (although that second half was pretty sweet) but they have shown signs that they can be VERY good when things are clicking. So, call me crazy, but I'll go ahead and believe that they can get hot again and do some really good things this year.

The Giants were missing tons of guys week 1 and had another CB injured during the game. We attacked a very bad corner back. We were winning that game because we had more talent on the field.

The Ravens got kicked around but know how to win. They held on and won as good teams do. They never panicked and never made the game any harder on themselves. Then made plays when they had to.

Around the league week to week you see upsets but Dallas hasn't been upset yet nor have they pulled off an upset. Dallas has been true to form thus far.

There are factors involved in traveling from one coast to the other and other things that make teams prohibited favorites. But all Dallas has done to this point is hold serve. Which is exactly what they needed to do versus this schedule.

 

[Stash]

While I understand the OP....I know I speak for some of the "unrealistic" fans many are speaking to when I state the following:

We MUST aspire to beat these so-called "good" teams....and we are RIGHT there to beat Baltimore...and we crap the bed. It is not about we are right where are supposed to be. It's about we are right where we ALWAYS are. And it has ALWAYS been this way with the core of this lockeroom...so many of the "unrealistic" fans you are speaking of feel as if this core is snakbitten and resigned to their fate...and THAT is why we never take the next step.

We go into New England last year....before the game we hear how they have not lost in 18+ straight games at home (same as Baltimore this year)...and then we kick their butt all day...and RIGHT when it is time to put the final nail in the coffin...we wet the bed. With the SAME mistakes we always do. Bad situational coaching. Bad clock management. Difficulty getting the ball snapped on time. Difficulty getting lined up right. Dropping a sure first down. Getting a punt blocked for a TD. The QB fumbling the ball. Just some simple stuff that PROVES we are AFRAID of success when we are on the cusp of securing a victory. That loss to the Giants in 2007 playoffs....was a missed opportunity. An opportunity for us to make a REAL run at the SB. An opportunity for us to stabalize our fragily pysche. A chance for the core of this team and this QB to gain confidence/experience....and to be able to draw from that experience when big moments in big games arrive. We wet the bed then...and this team has been in decline ever since.

So I am not buying we are where we should be...unless you are selling we are mediocre....have been for the last 15+ years...and will continue to be.

When this coaching staff starts showing that they can get this team to seize the moment...when it is right in front of them....THEN I will believe we are making progress in the process...until then I will continue to be dissapointed and believe we are who I thought we were!

Excellent post!

This sums up my own thoughts very well.

I have expectations for this team and its' player because I have seen them do it.

The cat's out of the bag.

I don't hope they can be good, I've seen them be good.

I've seen dominant Ware getting 2-3 sacks in a single game and taking over.

I've seen both Austin and Bryant look uncoverable.

And I've seen Romo look as elite as the league's best in throwing for huge yardage and multiple touchdowns.

And I know that this team is better than mediocre and can beat the league's best - because they have.

I have seen what the players and the team are capable of - and so have plenty of other people.

My frustrations stem from them being unable to put that talent together with any sort of consistancy.

I know that they're better than this.

 

[jterrell]

Except the Packers disproved that "reality" just a couple of seasons ago. How many starters did they have on IR? What was their record heading into the playoffs? How many games did they have to win at the end of the regular season just to get in the playoffs?

The Packers placed RT Matt Tauscher on IR and replaced him with a rookie r1 draft pick. Nice soft landing there.

They lost Jermichael Finley at TE.

But they had the OL play together for all but 4 games. The LT, LG, OC, RG missed ZERO games all the way through the SB.

They lost RB Ryan Grant but had Brandon Jackson and James Starks all year.

They had WRs of Driver, Jennings and Jordy Nelson 15 weeks plus playoffs.

On defense they saw lots of shifting and losses. But they had Charles Woodson, BJ Raji, Clay Matthews, Cullen Jenkins, AJ Hawk all play 16 or more games.

The only revolving door was ROLB where they ended up using Erik Walden.

They had Charlie Peprah start at Safety after their rookie S, Burnett got hurt.

But that team had starters in place for basically the entire year.

And they had a ton of talent. We have missed far more starters due to injury already and it is just week 12 coming up.

Reserve Lists

42 Barry Church SS (IR) 16 games missed by a starter.
99 Kenyon Coleman DE (IR) Starter
37 Matt Johnson FS (IR-DFR) No Idea but equivalent to GB losing Burnett as a rookie.
6 Chris Jones P (IR) --easily replaced.
-- Donavon Kemp WR (IR) --spare
50 Sean Lee ILB (IR) 2nd best defensive player.
58 Orie Lemon ILB (IR) top back up and special teamer who was starting when hurt
56 Caleb McSurdy ILB (IR) --special teamer

Doesn't include multiple week injuries to Murray(starter), Costa(starter), Connor(starter at the time), Jenkins, (Smith--starter), (Cook), Spencer(starter. Our inactive list every week is basically a bunch of hurt dudes and David Arkin.

Murray and Smith our in our top 5 offensive players.
Lee, Spencer and Jenkins are top defenders.