This is going to be a good year.

[Baileyneverfailey]

The way we lost sucks. Teams in the NFL lose like this every week. The way I see it, you either lose a game by making more mistakes than the other guys, or you lose it by getting outplayed. I think this team is going to be an 11-5 team, so I expect four more times this year we'll either be outplayed or make more mistakes than the opponent.

I'm not trying to discount the mistakes. It was a clumsy fumble. It was a terrible pick. That blocked punt was horrible. But if we never had those sorts of plays we'd be 16-0 every regular season.

The Pats and Eagles on the road are the only other two games this season that even approach the difficulty level they faced the other night, against a team that didn't even commit one penalty, and they still handled them for the most part. Hell, in spite of the stupid mistakes they probably would have won if Jenkins hadn't been out of the game on the drive where Plexico caught the TD.

I hate when the Cowboys lose. It makes me sick. But after going in to that game not knowing if we were going to see the 2010 pass defense come back, or if this new look O-line could even play, I came out of the game two things:

1) Temporarily disappointed
2) Optimistic as hell for the rest of the season.

 

[Tusan_Homichi]

I'm in total agreement. I think that even with the loss, we showed enough to feel at least somewhat confident that we'll be competing for a playoff spot come the end of the season.

 

[THUMPER]

How do you think the Stealers fans feel right now? Their team was in the SB last year and then they open the season by getting blown out by their biggest rival! I didn't hear any of them screaming for Ben's replacement even though he threw 3 INTs in the game the way some are for Romo.

We had a lot of opportunities to win this game even though going into it no one gave us much of a chance. The Jets have been in the AFC Championship game the last 2 years and have one of the best defenses in the league yet we were ahead by 14 points early in the 4th quarter. I have a lot of hope for this team.

Romo has no excuse for that INT at the end but it is a mistake I've seen EVERY QB since 1960 make in critical moments (I don't remember games I watched before that). It's one of those passes where you cannot pull your arm back in time even though you know it is going to get picked off. Your brain is screaming at your arm to stop but it is too late. Bad decision but it didn't lose the game for us.

The disappointing thing for me regarding that INT was not that we lost the game but because it reinforces all of the perceptions about Romo being a choker late in games even though the facts say otherwise. Staubach threw those, so did Aikman. I've seen Manning and Brady throw them as well but all of those guys have rings therefore the perception of them is different so it is written off as an aberration. Still the same dumb mistake but for them it's OK because they've earned the reputation as winners and Romo hasn't... yet.

This team played well and showed heart that I haven't seen from them in a lot of years. We are on the road again next week against the 49ERs and I believe we will stomp a mudhole in them! :starspin

 

[CATCH17]

We still need to see consistency with the defense.

Don't start taking that for granted because the key for our success is those guys.

 

[casmith07]

How do you think the Stealers fans feel right now? Their team was in the SB last year and then they open the season by getting blown out by their biggest rival! I didn't hear any of them screaming for Ben's replacement even though he threw 3 INTs in the game the way some are for Romo.

We had a lot of opportunities to win this game even though going into it no one gave us much of a chance. The Jets have been in the AFC Championship game the last 2 years and have one of the best defenses in the league yet we were ahead by 14 points early in the 4th quarter. I have a lot of hope for this team.

Romo has no excuse for that INT at the end but it is a mistake I've seen EVERY QB since 1960 make in critical moments (I don't remember games I watched before that). It's one of those passes where you cannot pull your arm back in time even though you know it is going to get picked off. Your brain is screaming at your arm to stop but it is too late. Bad decision but it didn't lose the game for us.

The disappointing thing for me regarding that INT was not that we lost the game but because it reinforces all of the perceptions about Romo being a choker late in games even though the facts say otherwise. Staubach threw those, so did Aikman. I've seen Manning and Brady throw them as well but all of those guys have rings therefore the perception of them is different so it is written off as an aberration. Still the same dumb mistake but for them it's OK because they've earned the reputation as winners and Romo hasn't... yet.

This team played well and showed heart that I haven't seen from them in a lot of years. We are on the road again next week against the 49ERs and I believe we will stomp a mudhole in them! :starspin

Man, Ben's picks were just mind-numbing too. No disguised coverages or anything. He just lobbed two balls up punt-style to Ed Reed.

 

[zrinkill]

I agree ...... this is gonna be a good year.

 

[Boyzmamacita]

Great post, Joshvmii. I feel the same way. The Cowboys showed that they can compete against anybody. That's something we weren't sure of before the game. Injuries and inexperience have to be overcome, but I saw guys making plays like crazy on defense. That is something I haven't seen in a long time. Rob Ryan was using everybody and it was working. I am disappointed about the loss, but so optimistic about what the Cowboys can accomplish. One game at a time.

 

[AMERICAS_FAN]

I think we'll go 9-7 (Maybe 10-6). Originally I had this team at 8-8 with an expected loss to hte NYJ. But I was impressed in how we played them for a good part of the game. That's why I'm elevating my 2011 expectations of this team to 9-7.

 

[CATCH17]

I think we'll go 9-7. Originally I had this team at 8-8 with an expected loss to hte NYJ. But I was impressed in how we played them for a good part of the game. That's why I'm elevating my 2011 expectations of this team to 9-7.

If we play good defense you think we'll lose 7 times?

 

[JerryFan]

I just posted something similar. Wish I would have saw this first and I would have just posted in this thread. I agree 100%. This isn't the same team we've had in the recent past.

 

[AsthmaField]

How do you think the Stealers fans feel right now? Their team was in the SB last year and then they open the season by getting blown out by their biggest rival! I didn't hear any of them screaming for Ben's replacement even though he threw 3 INTs in the game the way some are for Romo.

We had a lot of opportunities to win this game even though going into it no one gave us much of a chance. The Jets have been in the AFC Championship game the last 2 years and have one of the best defenses in the league yet we were ahead by 14 points early in the 4th quarter. I have a lot of hope for this team.

Romo has no excuse for that INT at the end but it is a mistake I've seen EVERY QB since 1960 make in critical moments (I don't remember games I watched before that). It's one of those passes where you cannot pull your arm back in time even though you know it is going to get picked off. Your brain is screaming at your arm to stop but it is too late. Bad decision but it didn't lose the game for us.

The disappointing thing for me regarding that INT was not that we lost the game but because it reinforces all of the perceptions about Romo being a choker late in games even though the facts say otherwise. Staubach threw those, so did Aikman. I've seen Manning and Brady throw them as well but all of those guys have rings therefore the perception of them is different so it is written off as an aberration. Still the same dumb mistake but for them it's OK because they've earned the reputation as winners and Romo hasn't... yet.

This team played well and showed heart that I haven't seen from them in a lot of years. We are on the road again next week against the 49ERs and I believe we will stomp a mudhole in them! :starspin

You literally said exactly what I wanted to say.

Thank you. Glad to see there are others not over reacting to a couple of mistakes Romo made when he was playing to win.

And the team looks fantastic. I couldn't be happier with how they played and how they were coached.

 

[shockandroll]

This is my first post here so I hope I clicked the correct button!

I completely agree with you. Romo's fumble stunk but at least it was in an attempt to get in the end zone, it was not while he was running with the ball hanging out there on our own 35 scrambling around. He should have thrown it away or just slid down and saved the play, but those types of efforts are also what allows him to make great plays.

The blocked punt also was terrible and a dumb play, but it was not because we faced a superior opponent. It is a correctable mistake and if we get it corrected, we most likely win that game.

Most people expected us to get blown out, we hung with them and outplayed them most of the game with back up and dinged up CB's and with Dez gimpy the second half. I expect us to improve and have a chance to win against anyone.

 

[Falcon554]

You literally said exactly what I wanted to say.

Thank you. Glad to see there are others not over reacting to a couple of mistakes Romo made when he was playing to win.

And the team looks fantastic. I couldn't be happier with how they played and how they were coached.

Fantastic? really? They could not run the ball for anything, Tony made 2 boneheaded plays, Dez again gets hurt, we are running out of CB, and had a blocked punt.

I think Lee had a fantastic game, so did Ware and the D played there butts off all night long. Other then that I think you really have to worry about the run game.

 

[Baileyneverfailey]

It's probably going to sound crazy, but my favorite play of this entire game was Danny Mccray's sack/forced fumble. I remember hearing Ryan say if he had a guy who was a demon on special teams he'd put him on defense and send him on a blitz, and I honestly didn't think he was going to really do it.

This is a different type of defensive coordinator than we've had in a very very long time.

Hell, the Sean Lee pick is another perfect example. In a vanilla type defense, Lee is lined up in the middle of the field and the QB knows right where he is. Because he started that play over the RT on Sanchez's blind side, he never even saw him slipping underneath where he wanted to throw it.

They have to prove consistency and stay healthy, but I think this defense is going to be very good this year. If they force turnovers, our offense is going to be very hard to stop, and we will blow out some teams.

 

[Seven]

I'm amped. One game into the season and I'm amped. Been a long time since that's happened. What a difference a good coaching staff makes.

We got the same guys we had 3 years ago. Making plays. Go figure.

 

[AMERICAS_FAN]

If we play good defense you think we'll lose 7 times?

Yes because I still see this as a trnasitional year. We'll be in every game this year but I tink we have too many faces and will go through growing pains of adjustment and re-adjustment along the way. And I estimate that we'll lose about 3 games because of poor FG kicking alone. That will be the difference between us going 9-7 or 10-6, if the K can kick one game better than I'm estimating.

 

[brickman]

I'm excited about the season. I thought they played great on Sunday night. They'll get better as the season goes on and they young guys mature. Should be fun!

 

[Seven]

I'm excited about the season. I thought they played great on Sunday night. They'll get better as the season goes on and they young guys mature. Should be fun!

Book it. This staff will NOT have it any other way. Expect mistakes.

 

[CATCH17]

Yes because I still see this as a trnasitional year. We'll be in every game this year but I tink we have too many faces and will go through growing pains of adjustment and re-adjustment along the way. And I estimate that we'll lose about 3 games because of poor FG kicking alone. That will be the difference between us going 9-7 or 10-6, if the K can kick one game better than I'm estimating.

I predicted 9-7 before the year started so you're probably right. I think we're between 9-7 & 11-5.

The schedules so easy and we have such a good offense that if our defense is good we'll be a threat.

 

[Seven]

I predicted 9-7 before the year started so you're probably right. I think we're between 9-7 & 11-5.

The schedules so easy and we have such a good offense that if our defense is good we'll be a threat.

So 10-6?