Signs this team is a contender

cowboyec

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for me its 3 things.
•the way this offense can dominate a game thru the air if you want...or on the ground.
•the way this defense is generating turn-overs.
and you just never know when...but you know at some point it's gonna happen.
•this team just finds a way to navigate thru the trash...figure it out...and find a way to win.
more than anything...that is the trait thats different with this team.
they are finding a way to win.
 

Praxit

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To be a real contender for a deep playoff run that can include the SB, there are several very obvious signs that must be present:
  • A high powered offense that can score. (Check)
  • The mental toughness to comeback from late game deficits to win (check)
  • A defense that can get TOs and pressure the opponents’ QB (check)
  • The ability to win on the road while dominating at home (we’re 2-1 on the road, 3-0 at home- Check)
But there are also some lesser known signs that can also be indicators of a contender we have exhibited:
  • The ability to switch offensive tendencies depending on the opponent- this means one week you can throw it 50 times and win and the next week run it 40 times and win- all depending on the opponent. Under Garrett we were rarely ever able to do this. (Check)
  • Win a game or two where your team didn’t play that well- we played better against TB in a loss than against the chargers or the pats, yet we won both of the latter. Good teams find a way to win no matter how they’ve played. (Check)
  • Have a sizable point differential that places your team in the top 5 - Every SB team the last 6 years has finished in the top 5 of point differential. (So far, check)
  • The ability to overcome some key injuries- this team has a 5 game winning streak happening with 4-5 starters out with injuries. Another good sign that this team is mentally tough. (Check)
  • The ability to overcome unforeseen adversity- every year, some unforeseen adversity hits a good team. A suspension, an injury, a bad call, an unexpected loss, etc, etc…It takes the collective team will to overcome those adversities (To be determined)
So far through 35% of the season, there are many good signs that this team is a contender. But there’s a ton of football left to play. Can this team keep its mental edge and toughness? Can’t wait to find out what this team is really made of.
.. I think MM has the team right where they need to be. Post game locker room hightlight was him saying, "These are the type of games you need to win". Dont know if JG ever said that.
 

johneric8

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As horrible as he was in 2020, he's been very good this year.
He wasn't good in 2020, but one would have imagine that being a new head coach and dealing with a new team and pandemic
would be difficult for any coach. It seems to me that the kind of coach Big Mike is, he likes to get every player involved in helping the
team and I can imagine that would of been very hard last year. The injuries we had last year we're also uncanny, and I don't think
anyone could of done much better considering the circumstances.

I'm sure you remember that anytime you watched a Green Bay game when he was the coach they always seemed ready and many times
played well outside of their talent pool. he always seemed to find ways to compete and win most seasons, I always hated playing him
because he always out coached us... I know he had Arod, and that helps, but he has a great history of helping average Qb's play well.
 

fivetwos

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.. I think MM has the team right where they need to be. Post game locker room hightlight was him saying, "These are the type of games you need to win". Dont know if JG ever said that.
Ha....Garrett said the same handful of things no matter what happened. There's gotta be a string sticking out of his back. After a while it falls on deaf ears or dismissed an disingenuous.

Heckuvan effort.

Keep working hard.

I've managed to forget the others.
 

johneric8

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Based on what though?

I can see Dallas going 12-4 with Garrett and know he still sucks as a coach.

Dallas is winning but everything McCarthy is involved with on game day is nothing short of atrocious.

With McCarthy you have to build this story of things you can’t measure to validate him being a good coach but everything we get to actually see is nothing short of awful.

His coordinators and talent is carrying him and when he is called upon to make a decision it turns into an absolute circus.

I watch every game and study the outcomes and in no way shape or form did Garret ever have a team playing together like this. What Mike does is put others in positions to succeed which is huge! With Garrett it was the opposite, he would micro manage coaches and yield his influence on them. Just look at how much he interfered with Kellen Moore, it was obvious.

One of the job's of a head coach is creating a culture of winning, and the players have to buy in. This is something that Mike is doing around here and it's glaringly obvious.
 

CATCH17

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I watch every game and study the outcomes and in no way shape or form did Garret ever have a team playing together like this. What Mike does is put others in positions to succeed which is huge! With Garrett it was the opposite, he would micro manage coaches and yield his influence on them. Just look at how much he interfered with Kellen Moore, it was obvious.

One of the job's of a head coach is creating a culture of winning, and the players have to buy in. This is something that Mike is doing around here and it's glaringly obvious.


I mean this year isn’t a lot different that 2014 and 2016.

If being hands off with the coordinators is something that you think speaks to his greatness than by all means think that but I think it’s just more proof how less McCarthy is better for Dallas.

If Jerry has to pick between Kellen Moore and McCarthy this off-season I don’t see how he doesn’t send McCarthy straight back to Wisconsin. GB hasn’t missed a beat since he left and I doubt we would either.
 

CowboyFrog

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The defense still scares me. Outside of Diggs getting turnovers, they've been complete garbage.


I mean we are getting pressure and they have been able to lock down leads this year....not great but certainly not complete garbage.
 

john van brocklin

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To be a real contender for a deep playoff run that can include the SB, there are several very obvious signs that must be present:
  • A high powered offense that can score. (Check)
  • The mental toughness to comeback from late game deficits to win (check)
  • A defense that can get TOs and pressure the opponents’ QB (check)
  • The ability to win on the road while dominating at home (we’re 2-1 on the road, 3-0 at home- Check)
But there are also some lesser known signs that can also be indicators of a contender we have exhibited:
  • The ability to switch offensive tendencies depending on the opponent- this means one week you can throw it 50 times and win and the next week run it 40 times and win- all depending on the opponent. Under Garrett we were rarely ever able to do this. (Check)
  • Win a game or two where your team didn’t play that well- we played better against TB in a loss than against the chargers or the pats, yet we won both of the latter. Good teams find a way to win no matter how they’ve played. (Check)
  • Have a sizable point differential that places your team in the top 5 - Every SB team the last 6 years has finished in the top 5 of point differential. (So far, check)
  • The ability to overcome some key injuries- this team has a 5 game winning streak happening with 4-5 starters out with injuries. Another good sign that this team is mentally tough. (Check)
  • The ability to overcome unforeseen adversity- every year, some unforeseen adversity hits a good team. A suspension, an injury, a bad call, an unexpected loss, etc, etc…It takes the collective team will to overcome those adversities (To be determined)
So far through 35% of the season, there are many good signs that this team is a contender. But there’s a ton of football left to play. Can this team keep its mental edge and toughness? Can’t wait to find out what this team is really made of.
If we could just clean some basics up like bonehead 4th down calls we could do even better!
 

Flamma

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I think all contenders also keep developing. There are some teams right now that have a mediocre record that are still developing and getting better each week. What teams are now after 35% of the season is not always what they will become.

Absolutely! Some teams become totally different as the season wears on.

One thing to think about as far as Super Bowl is concerned. Just over 50% of the SBs featured at least one team that didn't make the playoffs the year prior. In fact, five of the last ten SBs had a team in there that didn't make the playoffs the year before. Hopefully Dallas is that team this year.
 

Rockport

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To be a real contender for a deep playoff run that can include the SB, there are several very obvious signs that must be present:
  • A high powered offense that can score. (Check)
  • The mental toughness to comeback from late game deficits to win (check)
  • A defense that can get TOs and pressure the opponents’ QB (check)
  • The ability to win on the road while dominating at home (we’re 2-1 on the road, 3-0 at home- Check)
But there are also some lesser known signs that can also be indicators of a contender we have exhibited:
  • The ability to switch offensive tendencies depending on the opponent- this means one week you can throw it 50 times and win and the next week run it 40 times and win- all depending on the opponent. Under Garrett we were rarely ever able to do this. (Check)
  • Win a game or two where your team didn’t play that well- we played better against TB in a loss than against the chargers or the pats, yet we won both of the latter. Good teams find a way to win no matter how they’ve played. (Check)
  • Have a sizable point differential that places your team in the top 5 - Every SB team the last 6 years has finished in the top 5 of point differential. (So far, check)
  • The ability to overcome some key injuries- this team has a 5 game winning streak happening with 4-5 starters out with injuries. Another good sign that this team is mentally tough. (Check)
  • The ability to overcome unforeseen adversity- every year, some unforeseen adversity hits a good team. A suspension, an injury, a bad call, an unexpected loss, etc, etc…It takes the collective team will to overcome those adversities (To be determined)
So far through 35% of the season, there are many good signs that this team is a contender. But there’s a ton of football left to play. Can this team keep its mental edge and toughness? Can’t wait to find out what this team is really made of.
Bobby breaking it down. Great post.
 

Rockport

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Ha....Garrett said the same handful of things no matter what happened. There's gotta be a string sticking out of his back. After a while it falls on deaf ears or dismissed an disingenuous.

Heckuvan effort.

Keep working hard.

I've managed to forget the others.
One think he said over and over again which made my stomach turn every time he said it; “We’ll look at what we did wrong and fix it.” After 5 years of that I just wanted to smack him.
 

Ranched

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Like I just posted in another thread regarding winning a Super Bowl......I think our defense still needs some improvement for us to WIN a Super Bowl. But, we'll see. I would love nothing better than to see my boys get back and WIN the Super Bowl. :)
:omg:
 

Bobhaze

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Love all of this Super Bowl talk in October. What could go wrong. Lol
Right. It’s a long season, no doubt. But Greggo you have to admit that this team so far- just 35% into the season looks different. Doesn’t mean anything yet of course. But fans here have a good reason to be excited.
 

Diehardblues

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Right. It’s a long season, no doubt. But Greggo you have to admit that this team so far- just 35% into the season looks different. Doesn’t mean anything yet of course. But fans here have a good reason to be excited.
Of course but it’s not experienced like the Rams or the Packers /Rodgers and Tampa/ Brady in the playoffs.

Running it up on losing record teams we’ve done before. So far we’ve had two test. First one Bucs turnovers kept us in the game. And Chargers mistakes cost them.

We may only face 2 or 3 more playoff teams this year. That might give us a better barometer on how it could go in playoffs. But last couple times we rolled in regular season on the way to disappointing divisional round playoff losses was when we had easier schedule following a 2nd or 3rd place finish from previous season.

Our fanbase is so desperate. And yes it looks different . But doesn’t mean we’re better than Tampa, GB, LA or even AZ who I’m not totally sold on either yet.

We’re setting ourselves up for a bitter disappointment with a team that’s missed the playoffs 3 out of last 4 years. The good news is we appear headed in a better direction. We’ll see how in unfolds in late January.
 

Bobhaze

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Of course but it’s not experienced like the Rams or the Packers /Rodgers and Tampa/ Brady in the playoffs.

Running it up on losing record teams we’ve done before. So far we’ve had two test. First one Bucs turnovers kept us in the game. And Chargers mistakes cost them.

We may only face 2 or 3 more playoff teams this year. That might give us a better barometer on how it could go in playoffs. But last couple times we rolled in regular season on the way to disappointing divisional round playoff losses was when we had easier schedule following a 2nd or 3rd place finish from previous season.

Our fanbase is so desperate. I’m enjoying it. And yes it looks different . But doesn’t mean we’re better than Tampa, GB, LA or even AZ who I’m not totally sold on either yet.

We’re setting ourselves up for a bitter disappointment with a team that’s missed the playoffs 3 out of last 4 years. The good news is we appear headed in a better direction. We’ll see how in unfolds in late January.
Maybe. Maybe not. None of us know Greggo. That’s part of the fun. We all know so much less than we think because it’s the NFL.
 

Diehardblues

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Maybe. Maybe not. None of us know Greggo. That’s part of the fun. We all know so much less than we think because it’s the NFL.
I base my thoughts on recent history and trends. Which is usually a more proven course than the unknown .

Until this team establishes that next level of history I’ll be more inclined to favor those with stronger history.

We can enjoy the ride without extending those expectations which set us up for disappointment. Right now our only expectation should be making the playoffs. Anything beyond that is merely hopeful thinking we could better than the others with more proven history.

In our glory years had much confidence because we had been there and proven to be a serious contender. We haven’t proven that yet. Not when it counts the most.
 

Diehardblues

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We won't "contend" for anything unless we beat Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers.

Until that happens, the Cowboys will always be considered second tier.
Right. You have to beat the proven contenders to become more serious contenders.
 
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