The death of Chicken Littles

[Kangaroo]

If trying to be realistic is being a chicken little then I guess Im a chicken little. I still dont think the defense is very good. They rank 21st in the NFL in points allowed per game. They shutdown Grossman, Green, Jackson, Edwards and a banged up Bulger but got lit up by Manning and Brady. To me the jury is still out, especially when it comes to the secondary.

I have to agree with Doomsday here

 

[InmanRoshi]

No chicken little here. If we face the Dolphins in the Superbowl, I definitely like our chances.

 

[Hoofbite]

I'll play Devil's advocate.

This team still has flaws against good quarterbacks. And we'll be facing good quarterbacks in the playoffs. Unless the Cowboys defense can prove itself against a good quarterback, I will still be cautious in predicting how we do in the playoffs.

I'm happy with the offense. But I'm still apprehensive of the secondary and pass defense against good quarterbacks.

The next 3 games will tell A LOT about this team.

Following the Mavs seasons over and over again has taught me a lot about not ignoring flaws even if the team is rolling.

I agree that a good QB might be able to make things happen against Dallas but there just aren't that many good QBs on the schedule this year. In fact, there aren't that many good QBs in the NFC.

 

[Doomsday101]

I think this team is only going to improve as we move forward. We have yet to play 1 game with all of our starters in the secondary but we have made due with what we have and have won. We just recently got Ellis back and he should continue to improve as he get into game shape. We Should get Glenn back in the lineup that will be another key weapon on offense. We will Tank Johnson a talented big body in the middle of the defense this should help take some of the burden off of Ratliff and allow Dallas to move him around as need be. I see a lot of reasons to think this team has not reached it's best football as of yet and feel we should continue to improve as a team. In the meantime we are sitting at the top of the division.

 

[AdamJT13]

If trying to be realistic is being a chicken little then I guess Im a chicken little. I still dont think the defense is very good. They rank 21st in the NFL in points allowed per game.

The defense actually ranks 15th in points allowed per game (17.57 ppg) when you look JUST at the points scored against every team's defense, not their offense and special teams. We've had a league-high five return touchdowns scored against our offense (three) and special teams (two), which lowers our ranking in total points allowed. But those obviously had nothing to do with the defense.

And the 49 points we allowed against the Patriots (who average 35.86 offensive points per game) skews our average points allowed higher. I'm sure if some of the teams barely ahead of us had played the Patriots, too, then we'd be ranked ahead of them. But only six other teams have had to play them. If we had played the same schedule as, say, Pittsburgh's defense and performed at the same level we have, we'd rank ninth in points allowed instead of 15th.

 

[Dallyjake]

This team has yet to play its best football. I think the Cowboys will get stonger as the season moves forward. Henry and Newman have not had the chance to play an entire game together yet. Ellis is getting his mojo back and Ware is about to go on a tear. The O will continue to grow and put points on the board. Cant wait to see 83 on the field. With Glenn opposite TO this offense becomes much better.

 

[Bob Sacamano]

thekavorka says we haven't beat a good QB yet

I'm shocked

 

[Mavs Man]

I think some 'chicken littles' are perhaps guarded by recent history:

2003 - started 5-1 & 7-2, finished 10-6, lost playoff game

2005 - started 7-3, finished 9-7, no playoffs

2006 - started 8-4, finished 9-7, lost playoff game

Not to say I'm expecting a collapse, or not extremely satisfied by our start, but I want to see what we do against our division down the stretch. That was what hurt us in 2005 (lost the game against the Giants) as well as last year when we lost to Eagles at home.

 

[Big Dakota]

One other thing, TO was leading the NFL in drops coming into the Queens game. Not sure if he still does, but he's on pace for about 15 drops again. I'd like to see him improve that in the second half of the season. Then again, it seems like Crayton and Witten have dropped more than they usually do as well.

 

[AdamJT13]

One other thing, TO was leading the NFL in drops coming into the Queens game. Not sure if he still does, but he's on pace for about 15 drops again.

I'm not sure where you're getting your numbers from, but STATS LLC had Devery Henderson leading the NFL in drops going into this week's games and after this week's games. Henderson has eight drops in six games, and he didn't even drop any this week. Owens has five drops in seven games and is on pace for 11 (he had 17 last season)