The Post Thanksgiving Slide & The Task Ahead

[jobberone]

I have great students...the owners on the other hand need much improvement.

:laugh2: Yeah, I guess that's often the case. Great stuff you're doing. TC.

 

[GimmeTheBall!]

Hos, we will win the division when figs fly and Plaxico Burress gets the National Gun Safety Award.

And, yes, those are sobering statistics on our December swoons.

I see us splitting the remaining four games (10-6) and some last-week teeth-gnashing as to whether we make the playoffs. Or not.

Other than that, I am glad Santi Claus is a-comin' because my expectations of winning 3 of the remaining games are low.

 

[Hostile]

Hos, we will win the division when figs fly and Plaxico Burress gets the National Gun Safety Award.

And, yes, those are sobering statistics on our December swoons.

I see us splitting the remaining four games (10-6) and some last-week teeth-gnashing as to whether we make the playoffs. Or not.

Other than that, I am glad Santi Claus is a-comin' because my expectations of winning 3 of the remaining games are low.

At 10-6 I don't think there is any way on this planet that we get in. We need help to do it at 11-5.

 

[pancakeman]

I would like to add one thing.

In each of romos seasons starting, we have had a game where we were playing a team That had all the ability to beat us and bad, most people wanted us to lose and we had to hear about that team all week.

06 it was indy. We played our best defensive game of the year and we beat them.

Last year it was green bay. We played our best offensive half of the year and beat them up. We also last year had to go to ny when everyone said we couldnt handle their defense and their running game. We jumped out early and held on with our defense late to win the game.

This year, Its the pittsburgh and the NY game. They just so happen to be in december. I think it is going to bring out the best in our team. It is going to be a struggle but I expect Dallas to play well each of the next two weeks.

I dont know if we will make the playoffs or if we do how far we will go, I just happen to think we are going to get the best effort from this team starting sunday and going forward.

Since romo has been here, people have been kind of labeling us as something after we played those big games. And it seems the focus has been lost a little after those games. This year they seem to be coming at the best time.

Good post. I can see this one going like that Colts game. Here's hoping so. :beer2:

 

[jobberone]

At 10-6 I don't think there is any way on this planet that we get in. We need help to do it at 11-5.

You may be right. Despite some here saying they suck those South teams are all good clubs.

Go Carolina.

 

[Hostile]

You may be right. Despite some here saying they suck those South teams are all good clubs.

Go Carolina.

That's with Tampa and Atlanta having easier schedules than we face by far. Carolina winning the NFC South helps us more than any other option, but their schedule is almost as rough as ours.

 

[Chocolate Lab]

I would like to add one thing.

In each of romos seasons starting, we have had a game where we were playing a team That had all the ability to beat us and bad, most people wanted us to lose and we had to hear about that team all week.

06 it was indy. We played our best defensive game of the year and we beat them.

Last year it was green bay. We played our best offensive half of the year and beat them up. We also last year had to go to ny when everyone said we couldnt handle their defense and their running game. We jumped out early and held on with our defense late to win the game.

This year, Its the pittsburgh and the NY game. They just so happen to be in december. I think it is going to bring out the best in our team. It is going to be a struggle but I expect Dallas to play well each of the next two weeks.

Totally agree. I'd even add in the second Giants game last year, the Bears game last year, and the GB game this year as road wins that people didn't expect. And it does feel the same this week... Very little talking coming out of our team. You can almost sense the determination to prove everyone wrong again.

I'm not buying into the December stuff.

Everything up until Parcells, IMO, doesn't count. The team stunk back then...and with the exception of a few players, none of these guys were on the roster back then.

So, let's move to the Parcells era. I dismiss the first two seasons. The first year was a fluke for this team to even be IN the playoffs. No one thought they had a chance vs the Panthers. The next season, 6-10, again, we stunk.

So, the way I see it, there are three seasons to look at; the last two under Parcells and last year.

2005- four of the five teams we played finished with better records and three of the games were on the road...and the QB was, Bledsoe. 'nuff said. We weren't winning anything with him as the QB.

2006- The Seattle game in the playoffs is the one everyone looks at. That loss was on the coaching staff. The Seahawks had guys playing in the secondary who couldn't make the roster of some flag football teams that I know. Yet, we did nothing to challenge their secondary. ALSO, Romo's fumble was key. So, IMO, the worst that can be said is that he was a lousy holder. AND let's not forget, that was his first season as a starter (only started at the half way point)...his first playoff game...and it was on the road. If the Seahawk game was won, there's no discussion about December's failures.

2007- THIS one bugs me. This team blew a GREAT opportunity. Zero urgency down the stretch. I feel a bit better that we lost to the Giants who were clearly on a roll...but the end of 2007 is a huge concern for me. That said, the conditions this year are different. The problem with 2007 is that this team had everything locked up, lost focus...and sleep walked through the last few weeks...That's not the case this year. The sense of urgency doesn't have to be manufactured this year. It's real.

So that's my take and I'm sticking to it.

Thank you. So few people will say this, presumably because it's so much easier to parrot the media about our decade of incompetence.

But come on... Does anyone really think teams led by Anthony Wright, Ryan Leaf, Quincy Carter, Vinny Testaverde, or even Drew Bledsoe have anything to do with this team? Most of those teams sucked 12 months a year, not just in December.

But hey, it's the big media buzzword, so let's just repeat it without looking at it critically.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

I can't shake the feeling that we're going to take a hellacious beating this December...


And I hope I'm wrong.

 

[chinch]

Bingo.

The biggest concern with this Dec is injuries and coaching.

Both of which we have no control over as fans.

Our COMPLETE lack of urgency and total complacency (after defeating KO'ing Favre) set in... it continued up to the RAMS loss this year.

I'm not buying into the December stuff.

Everything up until Parcells, IMO, doesn't count. The team stunk back then...and with the exception of a few players, none of these guys were on the roster back then.

So, let's move to the Parcells era. I dismiss the first two seasons. The first year was a fluke for this team to even be IN the playoffs. No one thought they had a chance vs the Panthers. The next season, 6-10, again, we stunk.

So, the way I see it, there are three seasons to look at; the last two under Parcells and last year.

2005- four of the five teams we played finished with better records and three of the games were on the road...and the QB was, Bledsoe. 'nuff said. We weren't winning anything with him as the QB.

2006- The Seattle game in the playoffs is the one everyone looks at. That loss was on the coaching staff. The Seahawks had guys playing in the secondary who couldn't make the roster of some flag football teams that I know. Yet, we did nothing to challenge their secondary. ALSO, Romo's fumble was key. So, IMO, the worst that can be said is that he was a lousy holder. AND let's not forget, that was his first season as a starter (only started at the half way point)...his first playoff game...and it was on the road. If the Seahawk game was won, there's no discussion about December's failures.

2007- THIS one bugs me. This team blew a GREAT opportunity. Zero urgency down the stretch. I feel a bit better that we lost to the Giants who were clearly on a roll...but the end of 2007 is a huge concern for me. That said, the conditions this year are different. The problem with 2007 is that this team had everything locked up, lost focus...and sleep walked through the last few weeks...That's not the case this year. The sense of urgency doesn't have to be manufactured this year. It's real.

So that's my take and I'm sticking to it.

 

[GimmeTheBall!]

At 10-6 I don't think there is any way on this planet that we get in. We need help to do it at 11-5.

Yes, Hos, step on my dreams.

 

[Rampage]

If we beat Pitt I believe we will beat NY the following week. If we do that our teams confidence will be through the roof and nobody will want to play us. I also feel one of those NFCS teams will cancel another out.

 

[Everlastingxxx]

Last year it was green bay.

This game reminds me of the Bears game and how great their D was. Their fans were so cocky about what their D was going to do to Romo and the Cowboys.

 

[CoCo]

At 10-6 I don't think there is any way on this planet that we get in. We need help to do it at 11-5.

I felt your statement above was an exaggeration. So I took a closer look to dispute your conclusion. c:

Uhhh... I think you're right. :nervous:

All that has to happen for us to stay home at 11-5 is...

Tampa beats Carolina there...
Tampa loses at Atlanta...
and Carolina, Tampa & Atlanta each win all their remaining games.
That would leave all 3 of those teams at 12-4 and anyone 11-5 on the outside looking in.

How tough are those "remaining games?" Carolina goes to NYG (admittedly tough but in week 16 how much passion will NY play with?) and hosts the schizophrenic Broncos. Those are the tough ones.

SD, Oakland, NO (no Grant or Smith), Vikes (no Williams' in the middle), & Rams are the remaining opponents. Those are all teams that will be tempted to pack it in given their current trends.

A couple losses could certainly happen to knock one or more down to 11-5 which could get us in tie-breakers we could still conceivably lose.

Then again,, the three 12-4 scenarios above truly could happen. How would you like to be a 12-4 team staying at home while some 9-7 division winner from the North marches foward. :cry2:

Better win out Boys!

 

[djtavo]

If people label us for sucking in December we could argue that we are the best team come February

 

[CoCo]

While I don't think there is any anti-magic for the Cowboys in December I do think the recent December swoons (Parcells & forward) are more than coincidence.

To me, it IS more difficult to win in December against quality teams. Higher stakes, no tomorrows, that allow some teams to play a little looser in the early season.

I think this Cowboy team is living testament to this reality.

This team knows they are talented. They know they can beat anyone. They've actually done so multiple times in the last 2-3 years. They've won big games.

And this team thinks (or shall I say thought?) their superior talent and even proveness should trump all be it subconcious or otherwise. I think that's part of why December came early for us this year.

I'm truly not worried about December this year. Actually I wasn't last year cause I thought we were that good. Hmmm, maybe I was part of the problem?

But this year there is no temptation to coast. No lack of urgency as another stated.

If we finish 11-5, that means 3-1 in December which I think will be a fine record given the competition (Pitt, NYG, Ravens & Philly). And we can boo-hoo if we lose a tie-breaker to stay home and even lament that Oct/Nov streak, Tony's injury etc. But I think we will have grown some by manning up to a December 3-1 even if it falls just short of what we needed.

If we go 2-2 (or worse) in December... ugh, I may start questioning this teams mettle like so many already have to this point. It'll truly be because we haven't learned how to maintain urgency for more than a week or two, or maybe we're not as talented as we think.

 

[theebs]

This game reminds me of the Bears game and how great their D was. Their fans were so cocky about what their D was going to do to Romo and the Cowboys.

I actually said that in another thread somewhere today!!!

I remember adawale ogunleye talking trash all week and saying how romo had never seen a defense like the bears.

they didnt have much to say the following monday.

 

[Hostile]

I felt your statement above was an exaggeration. So I took a closer look to dispute your conclusion. c:

Uhhh... I think you're right. :nervous:

All that has to happen for us to stay home at 11-5 is...

Tampa beats Carolina there...
Tampa loses at Atlanta...
and Carolina, Tampa & Atlanta each win all their remaining games.
That would leave all 3 of those teams at 12-4 and anyone 11-5 on the outside looking in.

How tough are those "remaining games?" Carolina goes to NYG (admittedly tough but in week 16 how much passion will NY play with?) and hosts the schizophrenic Broncos. Those are the tough ones.

SD, Oakland, NO (no Grant or Smith), Vikes (no Williams' in the middle), & Rams are the remaining opponents. Those are all teams that will be tempted to pack it in given their current trends.

A couple losses could certainly happen to knock one or more down to 11-5 which could get us in tie-breakers we could still conceivably lose.

Then again,, the three 12-4 scenarios above truly could happen. How would you like to be a 12-4 team staying at home while some 9-7 division winner from the North marches foward. :cry2:

Better win out Boys!

Yep. It's a bad year to be a good team who lost games you should have won. I can forgive the loss to the Giants in their house. The rest are nothing but a serious handicap going forward.

Their backs are against the wall. My hope is that means they will play like their lives depend on it. Their playoff lives literally do.

 

[lurkercowboy]

Out of the remaining 4 games, Pittsburgh is the one the Cowboys can most afford to lost. A road game against an AFC opponent. I think Dallas will win, as I usually do, but if I had to pick one game to lose and win the other three, I would pick Pittsburgh to lose.

 

[YosemiteSam]

Get busy winning, or get busy dying.

 

[theebs]

Yep. It's a bad year to be a good team who lost games you should have won. I can forgive the loss to the Giants in their house. The rest are nothing but a serious handicap going forward.

Their backs are against the wall. My hope is that means they will play like their lives depend on it. Their playoff lives literally do.

the worst part is. The west and central might end up 9-7 or 8-8

To me arizona has fallen off the map. they should have lost to sf and that would have made 4 in a row. and the central is a crap shoot of average teams.

If we are 11-5 and miss the playoffs and the vikings and cardinals are 9-7 and get in and have home games, that will be awful.