CFZ The challenge of consecutive playoff seasons in the NFL

[TequilaCowboy]

Well said. The playoffs are all about being able to turn up the intensity while still being able to perform at a high level.

Making the playoffs is one thing. Being able to beat the toughest teams in the playoffs is the big thing that has escaped this organization for 3 decades.

On paper the 2023 Cowboys team should compete. But as we all know- the champ isn’t crowned until February. Respect is earned in the playoffs.

Shhh, not too loud BH, people here will be calling you a "Hater"....we are supposed to keep this thing on paper, where stats about the Dakster and the Cowboys show they are invincible and a juggernaut. Dynasty waiting to happen.

 

[Diehardblues]

We don’t know yet if this team is better than last year’s team. And won’t for several months.

Right . And we also don’t know if other teams are better or worse than last year .

 

[Diehardblues]

That really is the key. The team needs to keep building on success. The youth and the maintaining of the roster bode well in that regard.

Windows in Cap era are slim. The only constant which most great teams can retain over an era is their QB.

The teams with the greatest QB’s in Cap era have the best opportunity to remain contenders throughout Cap moves and roster casualties as such. Even then it’s difficult to keep a team on top.

There’s been few exceptions with Brady, Rodgers, Peyton , Brees and Rothleisburger. That’s about it. Their teams maintained remaining a contender throughout their era. And will all be HOFamers. The rest this era so far fall short and their teams struggled staying on top throughout their era.

 

[Bobhaze]

Right . And we also don’t know if other teams are better or worse than last year .

True. As I noted in the OP, over the last decade an average of 5.8 NFL teams per year make the playoffs that didn't qualify for the playoffs the year before.

There are surprise teams every year. Last year almost no one predicted that GB with Rodgers and TB with Brady wouldn’t even have a winning record. Tampa made the playoffs but they were terrible by season’s end. The only guarantee in each NFL season is that there will be surprices.

 

[Diehardblues]

Were close, but we are a year away in my opinion. We have upgraded the Dline now, but the Oline is not there. If we make it a priority next offseason possibly.

And that depends on how well other teams upgrade or downgrade their rosters .

That’s always a factor . Not just what we are doing but our closet competitors.

 

[Diehardblues]

True. As I noted in the OP, over the last decade an average of 5.8 NFL teams per year make the playoffs that didn't qualify for the playoffs the year before.

There are surprise teams every year. Last year almost no one predicted that GB with Rodgers and TB with Brady wouldn’t even have a winning record. Tampa made the playoffs but they were terrible by season’s end. The only guarantee in each NFL season is that there will be surprices.

That’s an interesting stat line . 5 new teams each year making the playoffs. I’d be curious to know if these are teams that hadn’t made the playoffs in several years or ones simply missing a year cause of key injuries or Cap casualties .

Like the Cowboys for example . We haven’t made the playoffs every year under Prescott but we have 4 out of 7 years . In 2016, 2018 and 2020 we would have been one of those new teams who made the playoffs . But not really a new team this era making the playoffs.

That stat line while impressive could be misleading . Just saying…

 

[Diehardblues]

We would have been 4th seed instead of 5th. Giving us a home game against the Giants as opposed to a road game against the Bucs. Is that really a big deal?

Yes, it is . Anytime you have to win 3 games on the road in the playoffs it’s a huge obstacle .

Plus the fact if you have a higher seed there’s always possibilities an upset ahead of you that could bring another home game .

 

[Flamma]

We don’t know yet if this team is better than last year’s team. And won’t for several months.

You know, for this team to win a SB with our current coach, it would take something that has never happened yet in the SB era. Can you guess what it is? But no team with the rushing leader has ever won a SB until the Cowboys did. So I'm not counting it out.

 

[Diehardblues]

There’s some real concerns for me . While the Cowboys had some momentous marks in 2022 making the playoffs in consecutive seasons for the first time since 2006 and 2007 while winning our first road playoff game since 1992 we also set and continued some futility marks as well.

First Cowboys team to have 12 win seasons without a championship game appearance. And if we make the playoffs again without a championship appearance will not only continue that mark with first Cowboys team to make playoffs 3 consecutive seasons without at least a championship appearance.

The biggest futility mark we currently own is the longest draught in NFL history for Divisional Round appearances without a Championship Game appearance. Currently stands at 7.
96, 07,09,14,16,18,22

Cowboys have a ton of moneys to get off their backs . That sounds like a good title for a thread Bob

 

[rambo2]

We don’t know yet if this team is better than last year’s team. And won’t for several months.

The roster is better today than it was last year.

 

[CowboysFaninHouston]

The team has the players and coaches to do it. Health, as always, will play a minor or major role. The unanswered question is how far can the team advance in the postseason?

I think that's key. specially staying and being healthy at the end of the season. usually teams that have momentum at the end of the year, find playoff success. I like us to see more of that from cowboys, to play our best game at the end of the season, not to sputter into post season.

 

[Diehardblues]

You know, for this team to win a SB with our current coach, it would take something that has never happened yet in the SB era. Can you guess what it is? But no team with the rushing leader has ever won a SB until the Cowboys did. So I'm not counting it out.

Yes, no HC has ever won a SB with 2 teams .


There is 6 HC’s who have led 2 teams to a SB appearance though.

Don Shula, who went to six Super Bowls with Baltimore and Miami; Bill Parcells, who went to three with the Giantsand New England; Dan Reeves, who went to four with Denver and Atlanta; Vermeil, who went once each with Philadelphia and St. Louis; Mike Holmgren, who went to three with Green Bay and Seattle; and John Fox, who went once each with Carolina and Denver.

 

[CouchCoach]

The niners have basically out- physicaled us two years in a row in divisional playoff games. They dominated the los in the game against us 2 years ago at AT&T and last year in SF too. In order to win more playoff games, this team must match up better in the lines on both sides of the ball. The team that wins the trenches wins 99% of playoff games.

You know what the DAL-SF games are to me? Mano y Mano more than just the lines squaring off.

Parsons mentioned that he should be on their best O player in that first playoff game.

I watched him in the replay and he was getting handled one on one, those SF players came with the take your man out mentality.

I think both teams are pretty evenly matched in talent, they are not in coaching.

 

[shabazz]

the normal path is to do better in the playoffs than one did the previous time…….so far it been hitting the same brick wall

who or what is to blame?………take your pick but we know that if we can’t match the Niners and Eagles in the trenches, it will have the same ending again this year.

 

[jazzcat22]

Dallas most likely makes a 3rd consecutive playoff appearance.
Detroit, could very well with their division. Minnesota could repeat a playoff spot, even as a WC.

SF will win their division by default, unless Seattle had some improvements to overtake them. I am probably of of very few, and have been saying all off-season. That SF takes a step back.
I also say Philly may take a step back as well. But will still be right there in the playoff mix.

NFCS is total chaos and is up for grabs.

As for the AFC, we will get KC, Buffalo, Cincinnati are all probably to be there, but can Miami, and even the NYJ push for a spot. As well LAC.
We will get the typical Ravens love for a spot as well. Jaguars should be a favorite to get back in.

Everything else is up in the air, as we will see some surprises. Can Titans rebound, will the Browns and Bears make a push, or a team from the NFCS surprise such as the Saints.

I am pretty sure we will see at least 6 new playoff teams. But could even be 8.

 

[Flamma]

Yes, no HC has ever won a SB with 2 teams .


There is 6 HC’s who have led 2 teams to a SB appearance though.

Don Shula, who went to six Super Bowls with Baltimore and Miami; Bill Parcells, who went to three with the Giantsand New England; Dan Reeves, who went to four with Denver and Atlanta; Vermeil, who went once each with Philadelphia and St. Louis; Mike Holmgren, who went to three with Green Bay and Seattle; and John Fox, who went once each with Carolina and Denver.

Didn't Andy Reid go to the SB with the Eagles? Or was that someone else?

 

[Whyjerry]

Every new NFL season means a few teams no one expected much from will make the playoffs after not making it the prior season or even many years. And there will also be a few teams everyone expected to make the playoffs that won’t.

And, the difficulty of making the playoffs in consecutive seasons has become more and more difficult. Last year, our Cowboys made the playoffs in back to back seasons for the first time in 15 years. That creates some “organizational momentum” which is rare in today’s NFL. (The Cowboys record for consecutive playoff seasons is 9- from 1975-83)

Here are some interesting facts about NFL playoff teams and how fluid things are year to year:

• Over the last 10 years, an average of 5.8 NFL teams per year make the playoffs that didn't qualify for the playoffs the prior season.
• Every year during that time, at least 4 teams made the jump from non-playoff team to playoff team. In years like 2017-18, it was as many as 8 teams.
• The expanded playoffs implemented 3 seasons ago haven't changed this trend much either. We have seen up to 7 teams make the playoffs after missing the season prior.
• In 2020, the Cowboys didn’t make the playoffs but did in 2021 and ‘22. The rams won the SB in the 2021 season yet didn’t even make the playoffs last year.

It’s even more difficult to make the playoffs 3 years in a row as evidenced by this info showing current NFL teams playoff streaks:

• Kansas City- 8 consecutive seasons (since 2015)
• Buffalo- 4 consecutive seasons
• Dallas, SF, Filly and Cincy- 2 consecutive seasons each

The Cowboys have shown they can build some organizational momentum by making the playoffs the last 2 seasons. Can they make it 3 consecutive playoff seasons for the first time in almost 3 decades? Can the Cowboys join teams like KC and Buffalo and show they are built to compete for several consecutive seasons? We will learn the answer to that question in the next 6 months.

Boys and Girls this post is why we come to the Forum. This is analysis we don’t see elsewhere and is a trillion times better than the click bait garbage spewed out by the beat reporters following the Cowboys.

Interesting read. Thank you Bob.

 

[Diehardblues]

Didn't Andy Reid go to the SB with the Eagles? Or was that someone else?

Yes he did and needs to be added to that list. That site I quoted was from Sports Illustrated 2018. Thanks

 

[Diehardblues]

Boys and Girls this post is why we come to the Forum. This is analysis we don’t see elsewhere and is a trillion times better than the click bait garbage spewed out by the beat reporters following the Cowboys.

Interesting read. Thank you Bob.

Yep
Bob always provides an informative read. And doesn’t take extreme stances nor underlying agendas . One of my favorites to follow.

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

The niners have basically out- physicaled us two years in a row in divisional playoff games. They dominated the los in the game against us 2 years ago at AT&T and last year in SF too. In order to win more playoff games, this team must match up better in the lines on both sides of the ball. The team that wins the trenches wins 99% of playoff games.

Our DL moreso than the OL too. One thing I hated was how Wagner was anticipating every run play it seemed like.