The Cowboys’ 21st century at a glance

[Bobhaze]

Sometimes, just increasing the size of the picture you are viewing makes everything make more sense. If you are in an art museum looking a 20’ x 20’ canvass painting, and you are staring at the painting from 2 inches away, it doesn’t make as much sense as when you stand back and look at the painting as a whole.

After another frustrating loss, in a frustrating season, I’m going to increase the size of the picture from this season to the whole 21st century performance of the Cowboys and look at the trends that are apparent.

Why start with 2000? I chose for two reasons- 1. It’s a big enough sample size to see big trends. 2. The year 2000 is when most of the Cowboys 90s star players were gone. It marks the end of the Jimmy Johnson era talent.

With that in mind, here are a few interesting factual bullets about this team since 2000:

• In the 21st century, now covering 21 seasons, the Cowboys have had the same owner/GM, but have had 5 different head coaches.
• Since 2000, the Cowboys overall record including yesterday is 171-160. (.516)
• Since 2000, in 21 seasons the Cowboys will have made the playoffs 7 times. (.333) This is assuming we won’t make it this year- and we won’t.
• Playoff record this century is 3-7. (.300)
• Playoff record at AT&T is 3-1 (.750)
• Playoff road record is 0-6.
• This century, including the 2020 season, the Cowboys will have had 10 winning seasons out of 21 seasons. (.476)
• The Cowboys record at AT&T Stayjum since it opened is 51-43 (.542)
• Cowboys Thanksgiving Day game record since 2000 is 10-11. (.476)
• Thanksgiving Day record at AT&T is 5-7. (.416)

When you look at this team over 21 seasons, looking at the overall records, one word best sums up this team’s performance: Mediocre. Not the worst, but certainly not one of the more successful NFL teams either. “You are what your record says you are.”

It’s often hard as a fan to believe things we don’t want to believe. We want to believe the best about our favorite team. I certainly do.

But with 21 seasons of evidence with one man at the chief decision maker, choosing 5 different head coaches, the best we have been able to be is mediocre. Only making the playoffs 7 times out of 21 seasons is the most damning.

Here’s the big picture reality-With 21 seasons of evidence- If things don’t change at the top, we will always be mediocre- at best.

 

[Jake]

20th century Thanksgiving record: 20-10-1
21st century Thanksgiving record: 10-11

20th century playoff record: 32-21
21st century playoff record: 3-7

20th century NFC championship games: 16
21st century NFC championship games:

Thanks, Jerry.

 

[Bobhaze]

20th century Thanksgiving record: 20-10-1
21st century Thanksgiving record: 10-11

20th century playoff record: 32-21
21st century playoff record: 3-7

Thanks, Jerry.

That pretty well sums it up. Jerry’s been living on this team’s lofty reputation from decades ago. He’s lucky he never bought the chargers or the browns.

Even more so...If Jerry had never hired Jimmy Johnson, he’s probably had 31 years of complete futility. He’s a complete joke at this point.

 

[Jake]

Cowboys W/L through Jimmy: 314-214-6 (.594), 15 conference championship games and 7 Super Bowls (34 years)

Includes the early expansion years, the 1-15 rebuild, and still just under 60%

Cowboys W/L since Jimmy: 227-199-0 (.532), 1 conference championship game and 1 Super Bowl (26 years)

Includes back-to-back 12 win seasons with Jimmy's team under the incompetent Barry Switzer, who destroyed it 2 years later.

 

[Bobhaze]

Cowboys W/L through Jimmy: 314-214-6 (.594), 15 conference championship games and 7 Super Bowls (34 years)

Includes the early expansion years, the 1-15 rebuild, and still just under 60%

Cowboys W/L since Jimmy: 227-199-0 (.532), 1 conference championship game and 1 Super Bowl (26 years)

Includes back-to-back 12 win seasons with Jimmy's team under the incompetent Barry Switzer, who destroyed it 2 years later.

And early period 1960-65 didn’t include any winning seasons. I don’t think most young Cowboys fans can appreciate how completely dominant the Cowboys were from 1966-82. In those 17 seasons, they won a whopping 20 playoff games, played in 12 conference championship games, winning 5 and winning 2 SBs. The 90s Cowboys were great, but it was a short window of greatness- 1991-95 in large part due to Jerry’s foolishness.

 

[Jake]

And early period 1960-65 didn’t include any winning seasons. I don’t think most young Cowboys fans can appreciate how completely dominant the Cowboys were from 1966-82. In those 17 seasons, they won a whopping 20 playoff games, played in 12 conference championship games, winning 5 and winning 2 SBs. The 90s Cowboys were great, but it was a short window of greatness- 1991-95 in large part due to Jerry’s foolishness.

I didn't realize how spoiled I was as a kid in the 70s. The Cowboys were in the midst of 20 consecutive winning seasons and 19 playoff berths in 20 years.

I felt cheated when the '74 team went 8-6 and missed the playoffs on the last day of the season (lost at Oakland). Next year Dallas went to the Super Bowl.

 

[DasSchnitzel]

how bout them cowboys...

 

[Risen Star]

Wow. 75% winning percentage in home playoff games. Thanks for the info, Bob.

 

[Bobhaze]

Wow. 75% winning percentage in home playoff games. Thanks for the info, Bob.

Lifted from the official Cowboys media guide under the heading, “Jerry Jones, Genius GM”.

 

[mrmojo]

The 21st century playoff appearance record shouldn't be that bad either because its easier to qualify for the playoffs now then it was back in the day. The Cowboys have just been good enough to make money for the brand because now you have at least 2 generations of Cowboy fans who have never seen them in a NFC Championship game much less a Super Bowl........and these fans are still buying the brand....

 

[Risen Star]

So think about what Robert's saying here. If you're one of the 12 best teams in the league you have a 25% chance to beat the Cowboys on their field in a do or die situation.

I believe his point is made. Close this.

 

[Bobhaze]

The 21st century playoff appearance record shouldn't be that bad either because its easier to qualify for the playoffs now then it was back in the day. The Cowboys have just been good enough to make money for the brand because now you have at least 2 generations of Cowboy fans who have never seen them in a NFC Championship game much less a Super Bowl........and these fans are still buying the brand....

That’s the part that amazes me. Jerry’s lucky he owns a team with this kind of fan loyalty. Although he’s losing younger fans in droves.

My three sons, all in their 30s now, grew up watching the Cowboys with their old man. Now, they consider the Cowboys a complete joke. They are all huge Dallas Mavericks and Dallas Stars fans. My youngest son who is now 32, was 7 when the Cowboys last played in a SB or NFC championship game. He hasn’t watched a Cowboys game in years.

 

[cowboysfan99]

The most painful part this century for me is this:

Playoff record as the #1 seed: 0-2

 

[Jake]

The most painful part this century for me is this:

Playoff record as the #1 seed: 0-2

The only #1 seed to lose in the divisional round this century. Doing it twice is just ridiculous.

 

[Bobhaze]

The most painful part this century for me is this:

Playoff record as the #1 seed: 0-2

And the most embarrassing part of the 21st century.

 

[Birch_Wood]

Back in the good ol days, many moons ago in a far off place, a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away... We were a respectable team. Not so much anymore.

 

[vicjagger]

I posted this elsewhere, but it seems fitting to repeat it here. Cowboys on Thanksgiving, 2010-2020, 2 Ws, 8 Ls, outscored 341-234 (-10.7 pts/game).

 

[Jake]

I posted this elsewhere, but it seems fitting to repeat it here. Cowboys on Thanksgiving, 2010-2020, 2 Ws, 8 Ls, outscored 341-234 (-10.7 pts/game).

Four of the six worst Thanksgiving losses have occurred since 2014.

 

[MetalMike]

Well, you have to throw out the 2000 season because the 21st century began in 2001. 2000 was the hundredth year of the 20th century. I know, I know, it's trivial. We've sucked in the 21st century because of Jerry Jones.

 

[MetalMike]

Cowboys W/L through Jimmy: 314-214-6 (.594), 15 conference championship games and 7 Super Bowls (34 years)

Includes the early expansion years, the 1-15 rebuild, and still just under 60%

Cowboys W/L since Jimmy: 227-199-0 (.532), 1 conference championship game and 1 Super Bowl (26 years)

Includes back-to-back 12 win seasons with Jimmy's team under the incompetent Barry Switzer, who destroyed it 2 years later.

I think Switzer could've kept the ball rolling if he hadn't have been so stupid as to try to take a gun on a plane. Jerry caved and axed him because of the public outcry. That's when the Cowboys actually died, IMHO.