The next two weeks - the season is not over

[Idgit]

I never get the rush to proclaim a season over until the team is mathematically eliminated. After Thanksgiving you get a pretty clear chance of what the probabiliteis are for each team, given their record for most of the season and the remaining games. Otherwise, it's a function of how the division is playing. Three back with three to go? Your chances are remote. Half game back with six to go? They're pretty good. Since the chances change every year, you just gotta play the games and see where you are for the final December stretch. That's what makes the NFL so much fun to watch. They want the divisions to come down to the wire.

 

[Cas2800]

love these "our turd smells better than your turd" threads. .......guess if it makes you feel better, more power to you.

Here's to hoping we better get the DirectTV Romo immediately when he comes back. No chance if we get the Cable Romo for first couple of games.

Our turds, Matt Cassel and Branden Weeden are just that.....Turds. Eli Manning and Eagle Savior Bradford were supposed to be non stinky turds. Im sure Giants and Eagles fans are pretty upset that they didnt take advantage of Romos being out that they didnt run away with the division.

 

[DFWJC]

Eagles game is huge. That and the Giants game were/are the biggest of all the 7 without Romo.

 

[JoeyBoy718]

Just curious (and before anyone jumps down my throat, I think we win at least one of the next two and remain alive for Miami):

When will it be enough for some to consider it over? Seven losses? Eight?

I'm definitely not optimistic (I bash these threads after every game) but I'd say it all depends on how many games out of the division lead we're in when Romo returns. The Commanders concern me the least because we play them twice after Romo returns. We don't "control our own" destiny against NY and Philly though. We're currently 1.5 games behind NY and 1 game behind Philly and Washington. NY still has a BYE coming so it could put them up or down half a game. It'll be harder to assess until we've all had our BYE so we know exactly what we need to do to win. The division games will also be interesting because we currently have the best division record and those two games against Washington later in the season better be wins if we want to make the playoffs. Not to mention, every other team in the division still has to play New England so let's hope NE goes 4-0 against the NFC East. Surprisingly, I think we're still very much in this.

But you wanted a number. Let me think. NY plays 6 games after Romo returns (still has a BYE) and Philly and Wash play 7. I expect 5/6 wins from Romo. I expect no more than 3 wins from any team in the division. That means we should gain 2-3 games on the other teams and our wins against Washington should give us the division tie-breaker. If we lose the next 2 and another team in the division wins the next 2, I'd say it's major cause for concern (it could put us 3-3.5 games behind). But this division is so bad that even a 3-game deficit isn't the end of the world, and I don't see anyone winning their next 2. I'd say NY is the biggest concern right now, especially with that extra half-o-game that could potentially put them 2 games ahead.

 

[reddyuta]

I think we are on the brink.how did we beat the Eagles last time? by stopping the run.without Mcclain in their the eagles are going to run the ball well.All they need is 17 point and they can beat Cassell.

 

[Slashar00]

I agree with the sentiments made here that it's more important to view the NFCE standings than it is to look at our record. We won't get the wild card. That's almost certain. But we're still only 2 games out of first place. If that lead widens to 4, then we're probably out of it by the time Romo comes back.

Right now, as of today, we're still in the mix. We just need the rest of the east to keep on losing. From everything I've seen this season, I think there's a good chance the rest of the East will keep losing games they should win. I predict there will be meaningful games for the Cowboys at the end of the season even though they probably won't control their own destiny.

 

[JoeyBoy718]

To add to what I said earlier, I'd be very comfortable with our playoff chances if we're no more than 2 games out of the division lead when Romo returns. I still think we'd have a chance if we were 3 games back, but I think our chances would be much lower. 4 or more games and I think it's too much to overcome. Giants are tricky because they played an extra game, so a 2.5 game lead could turn to a manageable 2 game or a harder to manage 3 game lead.

That being said, let's look at each team in the division:

Commanders. Currently have a 1 game lead. They play New England next week. If they lose (which I'm almost certain they will) they can't possibly have more than a 2-game lead when Romo returns. Plus, we play them twice so they don't scare me at all. They play the Saints in two weeks.

Eagles. Currently have a 1 game lead. Cowboys vs Eagles next week can be very important. A win for us would tie us up and make it so that Philly couldn't possibly have more than a 1-game lead when Romo returns. A loss would put us 2 behind, could threaten our tie-breaker over them (and the rest of the division), and could put us potentially 3 games out of the division when Romo returns. They play the Dolphins in two weeks.

Giants. Currently have a 1.5 game lead. They don't have their BYE until after Romo returns. They play the Bucs next week and the Patriots in two weeks. Like I said earlier, I'd be very happy if the Patriots could help us out by destroying our whole division. A Patriots loss would guarantee that NY couldn't have more than a 2.5 game lead over us. Fortunately, they have their BYE the week Romo returns against the Dolphins, so if we do our part, that 2.5 game lead will be a 2 game lead.

So, in summary, let's hope the Patriots continue to destroy the NFC East. This game against Philly is very important because it can prevent Philly from running away with the division before Romo returns. Giants have their BYE after Romo returns so it'll give us a chance to come within a half game. And we play Commanders twice after Romo returns so I don't really consider them a threat.

 

[Swanny]

Just curious (and before anyone jumps down my throat, I think we win at least one of the next two and remain alive for Miami):

When will it be enough for some to consider it over? Seven losses? Eight?

9 loses as I could see 7 wins winning this god awful division. Unlikely but it could happen.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

Just curious (and before anyone jumps down my throat, I think we win at least one of the next two and remain alive for Miami):

When will it be enough for some to consider it over? Seven losses? Eight?

If they lose the next 2 the playoffs are not realistic.

There's no way Romo comes back and they run the table.

 

[Alexander]

If they lose the next 2 the playoffs are not realistic.

There's no way Romo comes back and they run the table.

I believe there is a lunatic fringe around here that would actually expect him to.

 

[coult44]

Well if we win 1 of the next two, there's still no guarantee we can run the table when Romo gets back. This team has some problems on offense, and that problem is Garrett.

Don't forget Linehan.

 

[RoboQB]

Just curious (and before anyone jumps down my throat, I think we win at least one of the next two and remain alive for Miami):

When will it be enough for some to consider it over? Seven losses? Eight?

My answer is 7... its just enough for Romo to go 6-1 and not make the playoffs... then all the haters will blame Romo for the whole season going to hell.

 

[dallasdave]

the season is not over--but is close to being over !!!

 

[DejectedFan1996]

I remember being 3-5 after losing to the Falcons on Sunday night Football in 2012 and everyone was doom and gloom. At this time the Giants were actually leading the division at 6-2. The Giants went on to lose 5 of the next 6 and the Commanders, who at the time were 3-6, went on a 7 game winning streak to win the division.

The season is never over until it's over. The division keeps losing just like we are. If that means the Cowboys are 4-10, eagles 5-9, Giants 5-9 then we are still in it.

 

[cowboys1981]

I never get the rush to proclaim a season over until the team is mathematically eliminated. After Thanksgiving you get a pretty clear chance of what the probabiliteis are for each team, given their record for most of the season and the remaining games. Otherwise, it's a function of how the division is playing. Three back with three to go? Your chances are remote. Half game back with six to go? They're pretty good. Since the chances change every year, you just gotta play the games and see where you are for the final December stretch. That's what makes the NFL so much fun to watch. They want the divisions to come down to the wire.

Agreed. No one else seems to want thw division we've lent out for a month now. Beating Philly gives the team confidence playing at TB.

We need to win as much as our divisional foes want the division. Seems like no one is getting their wish granted.

 

[Oh_Canada]

Next week is a "Must win", plain and simple.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

I believe there is a lunatic fringe around here that would actually expect him to.

Well yeah.

Folks forget the offense looked better than it has the past 5 weeks, but it still wasn't all-that over the first two games of the season.

 

[Idgit]

Agreed. No one else seems to want thw division we've lent out for a month now. Beating Philly gives the team confidence playing at TB.

We need to win as much as our divisional foes want the division. Seems like no one is getting their wish granted.

Exactly.

This season sucks.

 

[Bigdog]

Just curious (and before anyone jumps down my throat, I think we win at least one of the next two and remain alive for Miami):

When will it be enough for some to consider it over? Seven losses? Eight?

"Its not over til it's over" as the great Yogi Berra said.

 

[AzorAhai]

Just curious (and before anyone jumps down my throat, I think we win at least one of the next two and remain alive for Miami):

When will it be enough for some to consider it over? Seven losses? Eight?

To me the answer isn't really how many losses the Cowboys have before Romo gets back, but how many wins the teams ahead of them in the division have. If they are within 2 in the loss column I think theres still hope. If they get down to 3+ the deficit is probably to much to overcome.