Starting slow, doesn't mean the season is over by any means

[Cowboyny]

Any team that brought in a new staff during this unprecedented year was going to be behind the eye ball so to speak. Teams who maintained continuity had a distinct advantage to hit the ground running. Add in a rash of injuries to key positions and it's surprising that this team has been so competitive. Didn't the Cowboys lose to a zero win Jet team the last time both their starting tackles missed a start together?

Two closely, contested road losses against quality teams that play in the best division in football aren't considered bad losses. In both games, the offense had a chance to tie the game on their last drive.

Bill Bellicheck in a normal year, always uses the first month of the season to determine what are his strengths and weaknesses of his team. As the season progresses the team gradually improves and peaks in the Month of December.

This Cowboy Team is still figuring it out. Improve gradually, get healthy and try to make a run at the end of the season! It's not like the Cowboys are going to fall to far in the NFC East Standings.

 

[jazzcat22]

Good post.
And great to see a non-whine thread. As every thread and every post just seem so negative. I got so even the hint and one of those, I skip right on by.
I know many fans are frustrated right now, and over more than the 1st 3 games. So maybe it is just venting on some, others it is a way of life, or at least footfall life I should say.

I am just taking it a game at a time. Not getting overly upset, yes, I am upset they way it has gone. But just not allowing it to bother me as much.
Same for posts I read, trying not to respond to them as I have done so in the past. It does no good, unless I want to stir the pot.

This is an odd year, and injuries have hurt us. As they have for other teams. The deal with ours, many are 3 to 6 week injuries, and they will return. Except now, maybe Collins will be longer if not all season. Other teams some top players going down for the year. I am surprised no QB's have gone down yet.

So as we get these players back, and get healthy, they just need to hang around that .500 mark, or above. Then the last 1/2 of the season, or even last 6 games, they will have gelled. And that playoff push will happen.

We can still take this division.

 

[rnr_honeybadger]

We can still take this division.

And do what with it? So end up at the top of a bad division while actually not being very good. Then get into the playoffs to serve as cannon fodder for some better team. The only thing worse than this is the 5-11 Campo years.

 

[Hawkeye0202]

Excellent points! Even WITH A NORMAL season, we were probably going to struggle a bit out the gate coz new coaches and all. Now kick in that fact this is anything BUT a normal season but we've held our own in all 3 games. In other words, once we stop making costly/stupid mistakes, we'll be fine.

 

[rnr_honeybadger]

once we stop making costly/stupid mistakes

LOL

 

[jazzcat22]

And do what with it? So end up at the top of a bad division while actually not being very good. Then get into the playoffs to serve as cannon fodder for some better team. The only thing worse than this is the 5-11 Campo years.

This is a stupid take.
You qualify for the playoffs, then go for the division, then go for the highest seed you can get.
Just get to the playoffs. Anything can happen. The Giants showed us that at a 9-7 records beating an 18-0 NE team.

So you would rather lose and not take a chance of winning in the playoffs?
That is a loser mentality. Just like many on here have.

 

[AsthmaField]

This is a stupid take.
You qualify for the playoffs, then go for the division, then go for the highest seed you can get.
Just get to the playoffs. Anything can happen. The Giants showed us that at a 9-7 records beating an 18-0 NE team.

So you would rather lose and not take a chance of winning in the playoffs?
That is a loser mentality. Just like many on here have.

Yeah, this team is going to get better the deeper we go into this season because they had no offseason practice with an all new staff.

The defense alone had several breakdowns because of miscommunication against Seattle... any of which probably changed the game. Those will get less and less as they get used to these schemes and these coaches.

They should be peaking near the end of the season, which is what McCarthy has been shooting for anyway.

The Dallas team that is playing in December will look a lot different from the one in Seattle on Sunday. Heck, just getting all the hurt guys back will make it look different.

Just get in the tournament.

 

[rnr_honeybadger]

You qualify for the playoffs, then go for the division

I ask again....the NFC East is the worst division in football. I mean the literal armpit of the NFL. Winning that is like winning gas station sushi. Secondly, you are likely winning this by playing horrible teams in our division. Also what winning team have the Cowboys beaten in the last 16 games?

 

[Pompey-Cowboy]

I ask again....the NFC East is the worst division in football. I mean the literal armpit of the NFL. Winning that is like winning gas station sushi. Secondly, you are likely winning this by playing horrible teams in our division. Also what winning team have the Cowboys beaten in the last 16 games?

This makes me wonder what your definition of success is? In your head, is there 1 winner and 31 losers every year? If so, you can't expect to be happy more than once every 32 years.

 

[Cowboyny]

This is a stupid take.
You qualify for the playoffs, then go for the division, then go for the highest seed you can get.
Just get to the playoffs. Anything can happen. The Giants showed us that at a 9-7 records beating an 18-0 NE team.

So you would rather lose and not take a chance of winning in the playoffs?
That is a loser mentality. Just like many on here have.

Absolutely right! It's all about getting into the tournament and playing your best football at that time.

 

[rags]

Does anyone here remember what the Seattle Seahawks W-L record was in 2010? 7-9, which won the West division that year.

 

[McKDaddy]

Does anyone here remember what the Seattle Seahawks W-L record was in 2010? 7-9, which won the West division that year.

which is a travesty. teams with more wins should get in over a trash division winner.

 

[LACowboysFan1]

I know many fans are frustrated right now, and over more than the 1st 3 games

Yes we have a lot of fans, I think, who became fans during the great 1990's years, those teams (except 1993) had long winning streaks, so they're impatient.

On the other hand, those of us who've been here for decades have witnessed the late 80's and early 00's lean years, which were followed by better years. So we have a longer history to go on.

Not that I'm expecting anything this year, either good or bad, but the early poor play doesn't wear on me like younger fans...

 

[LACowboysFan1]

which is a travesty. teams with more wins should get in over a trash division winner.

Problem with that scenario is that you would alienate whole sections of the country, since the divisions now are roughly regionally based, and fans are what makes the NFL go...

 

[rnr_honeybadger]

This makes me wonder what your definition of success is? In your head, is there 1 winner and 31 losers every year? If so, you can't expect to be happy more than once every 32 years.

So my definition of success

1. Every season the goal is to win a SB
2. If you fail at #1 at least end the season on an upward trajectory - which would actually include beating good teams frequently, great teams occasionally. The bad teams shouldn't even be an afterthought.

This club on the other hand is a downward trend year after year, but you are right, let's be happy we won a bad division.

 

[jazzcat22]

I ask again....the NFC East is the worst division in football. I mean the literal armpit of the NFL. Winning that is like winning gas station sushi. Secondly, you are likely winning this by playing horrible teams in our division. Also what winning team have the Cowboys beaten in the last 16 games?

I guess you did not read my entire post, nor want to comprehend it. I know you can, you just choose not to.

 

[Jumbo075]

Good post.
And great to see a non-whine thread. As every thread and every post just seem so negative. I got so even the hint and one of those, I skip right on by.
I know many fans are frustrated right now, and over more than the 1st 3 games. So maybe it is just venting on some, others it is a way of life, or at least footfall life I should say.

I am just taking it a game at a time. Not getting overly upset, yes, I am upset they way it has gone. But just not allowing it to bother me as much.
Same for posts I read, trying not to respond to them as I have done so in the past. It does no good, unless I want to stir the pot.

This is an odd year, and injuries have hurt us. As they have for other teams. The deal with ours, many are 3 to 6 week injuries, and they will return. Except now, maybe Collins will be longer if not all season. Other teams some top players going down for the year. I am surprised no QB's have gone down yet.

So as we get these players back, and get healthy, they just need to hang around that .500 mark, or above. Then the last 1/2 of the season, or even last 6 games, they will have gelled. And that playoff push will happen.

We can still take this division.

Really like the point about not whining. There is a huge difference in legitimate criticism, and whining. For example, no one should have been whining during the 5-11 seasons led by Dave Campo's Cowboys. Those teams probably OVER-achieved based on the dearth of talent. Honestly evaluating the team's lack of talent is not the same as whining about them not winning.

We really don't know what this team is yet. And there is nothing wrong with some critical analysis. But whining this early in the season implies two things: 1) a sense of entitlement, and 2) the willingness to make harsh judgements without much information. Every season is a new beginning in an NFL that turns over its roster every 4 years, and where 1/4 of the head coaches are changed out (on average) every season. Cowboys past history - both good and bad - has very little to do with this season's performance. One of the reasons great coaches are great coaches is that they treat each year as a new voyage of discovery, and don't rest on the history of the previous seasons' team performance. We will find out how well this coach adjusts, and if this team has the talent and depth to overcome the already devastating injuries (due to no off-season) and changeover of players. But even if this team doesn't recover, what is the point of whining? Make plans to get better - its the only way forward. It serves no purpose to whine.

Also:

• Top 3 offensive tackles out with injuries - 2 of them on IR: Smith, Collins & Erving
• Top 3 veteran cornerbacks injured - 2 of them on IR: Awuzie, Brown and Lewis
• 2 of top 3 linebackers injured, both on IR - Vander Esch and Lee

Any defense that loses 5 of it's top 12 players would struggle. Any defensive back-field that loses its two fastest players (Brown - 4.35, Awuzie - 4.41) is going to look slow. Any team that loses both its starting offensive tackles, and their primary backup is going to be inconsistent - no matter how talented its skill position players are. That is not excuse making. It's simply an observable fact.

 

[rnr_honeybadger]

I guess you did not read my entire post, nor want to comprehend it. I know you can, you just choose not to.

I did, which is why I asked what makes you think this franchise can win the NFC title when it hasn't beaten a single team with a winning record in over a year? I get your claim that we need to win the division to qualify for the playoffs, but what that gets us I have no idea given that the franchise is on a downward trajectory. Well I suppose if I was Jerry Jones, it allows me to have 1 more home game at the death star so there is that.

 

[jazzcat22]

which is a travesty. teams with more wins should get in over a trash division winner.

Then why have divisions. Or conferences.
Just the top 16 teams get in, and set up a tournament bracket. This way there can be 12 AFC team and 4 NFC teams in the playoffs.

Then a former team that would have qualified every year now misses the playoffs. So they up it to 20 teams and 4 teams get a bye.

 

[Pompey-Cowboy]

So my definition of success

1. Every season the goal is to win a SB
2. If you fail at #1 at least end the season on an upward trajectory - which would actually include beating good teams frequently, great teams occasionally. The bad teams shouldn't even be an afterthought.

This club on the other hand is a downward trend year after year, but you are right, let's be happy we won a bad division.

I'm not suggesting that happiness lies in winning a weak division but to make the play offs and at least have a shot at a play off run,the division needs to be won.

I can see us winning the division and depending how much we've improved through the course of the season, which we will to some degree or other, a play off game or more.