San Francisco is Better. Been There and Beat That

[eromeopolk]

San Francisco has better offense, defense, and now special teams. They have a better team at every position excluding QB and DB.

Been there in 1992 NFC Championship Game, and the 1972 Divisional Playoff game. Both of these games the Cowboys were not the favorite and beat the so called better team.

Before the 1992 NFC Championship game 49er Jesse Sapolu said "the road to the Super Bowl goes through San Francisco". After the game, Mark Tuinei, Cowboys Pro Bowl LT, told Jesse Sapolu...

"THANKS FOR THE DIRECTIONS!"

 

[Whirlwin]

They won’t be better Saturday night. And that’s all that matters to me. we like it when the other team is supposed to be better. We don’t do well when we are better than the other team. San Fran is in trouble. Going to embarrass Mr. Purdy.

 

[rags747]

We also had a better RB, QB, OL and our defense came in waves, All young young pups.

 

[Ken]

We also had a better RB, QB, OL and our defense came in waves, All young young pups.

I think Steve Young was better than Aikman that year. Probably overall too but that can be argued.

 

[TheSport78]

They won’t be better Saturday night. And that’s all that matters to me. we like it when the other team is supposed to be better. We don’t do well when we are better than the other team. San Fran is in trouble. Going to embarrass Mr. Purdy.

They won’t be because we play on Sunday! Haha

 

[rags747]

I think Steve Young was better than Aikman that year. Probably overall too but that can be argued.

Possibly by ratings but Aikman was Ice Man in the playoffs.

 

[nate dizzle]

They won’t be better Saturday night. And that’s all that matters to me. we like it when the other team is supposed to be better. We don’t do well when we are better than the other team. San Fran is in trouble. Going to embarrass Mr. Purdy.

Sunday

 

[Plankton]

I think Steve Young was better than Aikman that year. Probably overall too but that can be argued.

IIRC, Young won the MVP in 1992.

 

[JD_KaPow]

San Francisco has better offense, defense, and now special teams. They have a better team at every position excluding QB and DB.

Been there in 1992 NFC Championship Game, and the 1972 Divisional Playoff game. Both of these games the Cowboys were not the favorite and beat the so called better team.

Before the 1992 NFC Championship game 49er Jesse Sapolu said "the road to the Super Bowl goes through San Francisco". After the game, Mark Tuinei, Cowboys Pro Bowl LT, told Jesse Sapolu...

Except in 1992, Dallas really was the better team, at least as indicated by metrics like DVOA. This year, the metrics suggest that SF is the better team, by a pretty big margin.

That doesn't mean Dallas can't win: heck, Minnesota was a terrible team this year and won tons of games against better opponents. Dallas has a solid shot; they just need a good plan and some breaks to go their way.

 

[Blackrain]

That 1972 game was one of the greatest comebacks in cowboy history with Roger staubach throwing touchdown passes to Billy Parks and Ron Sellers.
It should be mandatory that every time they replay that game featuring the catch that they replay the 72 game featuring Roger bringing the cowboys back and beating the 49ers

 

[kramskoi]

Possibly by ratings but Aikman was Ice Man in the playoffs.

He definitely was. In the second Superbowl he wasn't great in the first half but it was probably to do with the concussion he sustained the week before in the title game.

 

[MRV52]

San Francisco has better offense, defense, and now special teams. They have a better team at every position excluding QB and DB.

Been there in 1992 NFC Championship Game, and the 1972 Divisional Playoff game. Both of these games the Cowboys were not the favorite and beat the so called better team.

Before the 1992 NFC Championship game 49er Jesse Sapolu said "the road to the Super Bowl goes through San Francisco". After the game, Mark Tuinei, Cowboys Pro Bowl LT, told Jesse Sapolu...

"THANKS FOR THE DIRECTIONS!"

Based on the schedule they played, are they really as good as everyone makes them out to be? We got this they are going to get it good. Their secondary although they have most Int’s is a weakness for them. Dak gets time and he can gash them like he did the Bucs.

 

[kramskoi]

Except in 1992, Dallas really was the better team, at least as indicated by metrics like DVOA. This year, the metrics suggest that SF is the better team, by a pretty big margin.

That doesn't mean Dallas can't win: heck, Minnesota was a terrible team this year and won tons of games against better opponents. Dallas has a solid shot; they just need a good plan and some breaks to go their way.

Yeah...see Giants vs. New England in 2007. The Patriots led the league with a massive DVOA...53.4% (2nd best in league history behind 1991 Washington). The Giants were but a lowly 15th at 1.4%. But the Giants nascar pass rush was the thing that blew it all up. Strange occurrence. The NY defense was only ranked 14th overall that year.

Dallas ended last year at #1 in total DVOA (by a significant margin over SF...but were one and done by them. So the metrics matter less than the match-ups on the field.

 

[JD_KaPow]

Yeah...see Giants vs. New England in 2007. The Patriots led the league with a massive DVOA...53.4% (2nd best in league history behind the 1991 Washington). The Giants were but a lowly 15th at 1.4%. But the Giants nascar pass rush was the thing that blew it all up. Strange occurrence. The NY defense was only ranked 14th overall that year.

Dallas ended last year at #1 in total DVOA (by a significant margin over SF...but were one and done by them. So the metrics matter less than the match-ups on the field.

Absolutely agree. Matchups matter a ton. And of course, if the Patriots and Giants played that Super Bowl in ten different universes, I'm willing to bet the Patriots win more than half of them. Games turn on truly flukish things like Tyree catching a ball with his helmet.

 

[kramskoi]

Absolutely agree. Matchups matter a ton. And of course, if the Patriots and Giants played that Super Bowl in ten different universes, I'm willing to bet the Patriots win more than half of them. Games turn on truly flukish things like Tyree catching a ball with his helmet.

I just wish that Dallas had that 2019 offense this year. Man that would be something.

 

[Cowboy_svt]

Whats good this time around is i think for once were underdogs this year and the 49ers are a bit overhyped due to their easier record.
Still gonna be a tough matchup but i feel better about this one vs last year where it was all dallas hype.

 

[Flamma]

Except in 1992, Dallas really was the better team, at least as indicated by metrics like DVOA. This year, the metrics suggest that SF is the better team, by a pretty big margin.

That doesn't mean Dallas can't win: heck, Minnesota was a terrible team this year and won tons of games against better opponents. Dallas has a solid shot; they just need a good plan and some breaks to go their way.

That may be the case, but the 49ers went into that game with more confidence. That means a lot with closely matched opponents. A few key turnovers helped the Cowboys a lot in that game. The Ricky Waters fumble was the turning point. The following year it was the Cowboys with the confidence, and it showed. The difference was the Cowboys didn't give the gifts the 49ers gave us, nor did the 49ers get the breaks go their way like the previous year did for the Cowboys.

Hopefully the Cowboys remember that embarrassing ending to last year, and where it happened.

 

[Flamma]

Yeah...see Giants vs. New England in 2007. The Patriots led the league with a massive DVOA...53.4% (2nd best in league history behind 1991 Washington). The Giants were but a lowly 15th at 1.4%. But the Giants nascar pass rush was the thing that blew it all up. Strange occurrence. The NY defense was only ranked 14th overall that year.

Dallas ended last year at #1 in total DVOA (by a significant margin over SF...but were one and done by them. So the metrics matter less than the match-ups on the field.

In the 2nd to last game of the season, a switch was flipped when the Giants were down 14-0 to the Bills. They went on to blow out the Bills and almost beat the Patriots in the last game of the season. Throw out their defensive ranking. Throw out anything they used to be. They were a completely different team. I was genuinely worried about meeting them in the playoffs. I'm hoping for the same from these Cowboys.

 

[JD_KaPow]

That may be the case, but the 49ers went into that game with more confidence. That means a lot with closely matched opponents.

Does it? I mean, we won that game. And how do you know they entered the game with more confidence?

A few key turnovers helped the Cowboys a lot in that game. The Ricky Waters fumble was the turning point. The following year it was the Cowboys with the confidence, and it showed. The difference was the Cowboys didn't give the gifts the 49ers gave us, nor did the 49ers get the breaks go their way like the previous year did for the Cowboys.

As you say, the difference in the games was things like turnovers and breaks. Why do we need to assume a difference in "confidence," particularly when we have no way of knowing who was actually more "confident" going in?

 

[Flamma]

Does it? I mean, we won that game. And how do you know they entered the game with more confidence?

As you say, the difference in the games was things like turnovers and breaks. Why do we need to assume a difference in "confidence," particularly when we have no way of knowing who was actually more "confident" going in?

One of the best advantages you can have is believing you're going to win. I mean actually believing it. Doesn't mean you will.

You can kind of tell by how they play from the onset. For example, the Eagles coming into Dallas this year. They were tough to overcome even with their backup QB.

Back in the early 90s, especially '92, Dallas hadn't accomplished much. The 9ers were established and it showed. After 92 I believe both teams had plenty of confidence. But like I said, it doesn't mean you're going to win. If you do anything to give your opponent hope, or confidence they could win, the tables could be turned.