This is the weakest the playoffs have been since 2010

[buybuydandavis]

I’m seeing a lot of fans saying this is the Cowboys best chance to get to a Super Bowl because there aren’t any great teams this season but the problem is the Cowboys aren’t that good. They’re not just limping into the playoffs they’re staggering in. I wouldn’t bet on them beating anyone in the playoffs right now. If they had the defense/pass rush they had earlier in the season and Dak was playing more consistently and not turning the ball over every week they might have a shot. Just getting past an 8-9 team on Monday night is going to be an uphill battle.

It's not just the bad game in DC.
DT was a problem all year, now CB is a problem.
DEs seemed to have run out of gas.

The oline is a massive reshuffle and hasn't run blocked well for a while. To me that's the biggest problem. Or disappointment. Losing Steele really should not be that big of an issue, and that's not to minimize Steele, but Peters is playing like a quality starter and other than Steele, we now have our planned starting oline from camp.

The playoffs are about the Big Boys turning it up a notch. Instead, both lines have wound down. Maybe Tampa is even weaker, but that doesn't mean we're any good.

 

[diamonddelts]

If there was ever a time for this coaching staff and our core group of players to get to a Super Bowl, this is it. Brady is on his out and Bowles is one of the worst coaches in the league, we should beat the Bucs by double digits. The toughest competition after this are the Eagles - I don't want to crap out Purdy because he has played well for the 49rs, but he's also a rookie and we should have no business losing to one. Eagles and whoever we face in the Super Bowl, if we get there, will be our toughest competition.

If we don't win it this year, I have no confidence we are able to do it going forward. Conferences don't stay weak for long, look how quickly the AFC loaded up again after legends retired. Same will happen in the NFC.

Stopped reading at Super Bowl.

 

[KJJ]

It's not just the bad game in DC.
DT was a problem all year, now CB is a problem.
DEs seemed to have run out of gas.

The oline is a massive reshuffle and hasn't run blocked well for a while. To me that's the biggest problem. Or disappointment. Losing Steele really should not be that big of an issue, and that's not to minimize Steele, but Peters is playing like a quality starter and other than Steele, we now have our planned starting oline from camp.

The playoffs are about the Big Boys turning it up a notch. Instead, both lines have wound down. Maybe Tampa is even weaker, but that doesn't mean we're any good.

We’ve had issues all season stopping the run. The addition of Hankins helped the situation until he got injured. LVE being out has also hurt our ability to stop the run. Terrence Steele’s injury has hurt the OL. We’ve been shuffling players and it’s affected the continuity upfront. The reviews on Tyron at RT haven’t been very good. Speaking of running out of gas, Parsons appears to be running on fumes right now. He’s not making near as many plays as he did earlier in the season. He looks completely worn out.

 

[Flamma]

Confidence goes a long way

It does. Jimmy Johnson talked about it. Even in my experience playing sports. Going into any competition believing you're going to win means a lot. But it takes something to get to that point. It's not just blind faith. It's the reason we almost lost to the Eagles at home.

 

[Flamma]

It has never happened for a rookie in all of NFL history.

I'd be happy for Purdy if he is able to pull it off (Obviously not if he beats us), but I will never have a rookie favored in the playoffs. It's a completely different atmosphere - just read up on what Dak and Zeke said after 2016, that first half was them being crushed under the pressure. It's the main reason I wanted Tony starting and it had little to do with my dislike for Prescott as a player.

Well, let's be serious. Of course Tony was the better QB at the time. But the reason it hasn't happened in all of NFL history is not solely due to being a rookie QB. There are very few opportunities for a rookie QB to do this. If you have no chance, it's not going to happen.

The really good QBs that get drafted early in the first are on garbage teams with zero chance to go to the SB. You need an oddly specific situation to even have the chance. Like the Cowboys in 2016 and Steelers in 2004. Purdy, drafted the last pick in the 7th round to a good team has that chance. But how often are 7th round picks any good? Almost never. I just think it's more of a situational issue than it is the rookie QB.

 

[ConstantReboot]

If there was ever a time for this coaching staff and our core group of players to get to a Super Bowl, this is it. Brady is on his out and Bowles is one of the worst coaches in the league, we should beat the Bucs by double digits. The toughest competition after this are the Eagles - I don't want to crap out Purdy because he has played well for the 49rs, but he's also a rookie and we should have no business losing to one. Eagles and whoever we face in the Super Bowl, if we get there, will be our toughest competition.

If we don't win it this year, I have no confidence we are able to do it going forward. Conferences don't stay weak for long, look how quickly the AFC loaded up again after legends retired. Same will happen in the NFC.

If we reach the 9ers that will be a success. Gotta get past Philly first though.

 

[coult44]

If there was ever a time for this coaching staff and our core group of players to get to a Super Bowl, this is it. Brady is on his out and Bowles is one of the worst coaches in the league, we should beat the Bucs by double digits. The toughest competition after this are the Eagles - I don't want to crap out Purdy because he has played well for the 49rs, but he's also a rookie and we should have no business losing to one. Eagles and whoever we face in the Super Bowl, if we get there, will be our toughest competition.

If we don't win it this year, I have no confidence we are able to do it going forward. Conferences don't stay weak for long, look how quickly the AFC loaded up again after legends retired. Same will happen in the NFC.

They say the same thing every year.

 

[Flamma]

They have lost 2 out of their last 3 games doesn't scream confidence to me. They have been on the steady decline since the injuries hit.

Totally different gameplan with Minshew. The Eagles run first, get you to commit to stopping the run, then pass. They can't do that with Minshew. They believe they can beat anyone with their starting lineup. I'm just not sure Hurts is going to be able to do what he did all season in the playoffs without getting hurt. He's not a drop back passer. They won't win that way.

 

[Direwolf63]

Not with a rookie QB they aren't.

So far he hasn't played like a rookie. He's been excellent.

That may change. We will see. But if he keeps playing the way he has been (and he may very well do so), they are far better than anybody in the NFC.

 

[SuperBowlz]

Eagles first pick will be #14. But I agree their front office is light years better than ours. It really sucks.

It's 10 not 14 but thank god the Saints won a few late because it was at 4 late in the season.

 

[EST_1986]

LOL he's looking pretty good to me too. As good or better than Garoppolo. Everyone is expecting him to choke, and he's not done so in 6 straight games.

But will this 23 year old, last pick in the 7th round be able to handle the pressure of a championship game? Or the playoffs in general. It's been quickly thrust upon him.

That kid is good

 

[goshan]

No it isn't

 

[Pass2Run]

LOL he's looking pretty good to me too. As good or better than Garoppolo. Everyone is expecting him to choke, and he's not done so in 6 straight games.

But will this 23 year old, last pick in the 7th round be able to handle the pressure of a championship game? Or the playoffs in general. It's been quickly thrust upon him.

I was a doubter, too. But he's done a great job so far.

 

[32BellyOption]

The 49ers are the best team right now.

 

[kramskoi]

If there was ever a time for this coaching staff and our core group of players to get to a Super Bowl, this is it. Brady is on his out and Bowles is one of the worst coaches in the league, we should beat the Bucs by double digits. The toughest competition after this are the Eagles - I don't want to crap out Purdy because he has played well for the 49rs, but he's also a rookie and we should have no business losing to one. Eagles and whoever we face in the Super Bowl, if we get there, will be our toughest competition.

If we don't win it this year, I have no confidence we are able to do it going forward. Conferences don't stay weak for long, look how quickly the AFC loaded up again after legends retired. Same will happen in the NFC.

This might be an illusion. Playoff football is different than regular season football. Brady will be tougher in the playoffs. He will be less reticent to sacrifice himself than he was in the regular season. This means he might hang in the pocket longer and risk more sacks to get the ball to his playmakers. The Eagles will be tougher at home with Hurts as well. It took FOUR turnovers and an improbable conversion on 3rd and 30 to beat them. Finally, you just saw what the 49ers did to a team that can't get pressure from its d-line. The Niners have now won 11 straight...a model of consistency (especially with a backup quarterback), something the Cowboys have lacked since the loss at Green Bay.

I don't see how this is perfectly set up for the Cowboys. They have themselves to fight...as much as the teams they will face.

 

[darthseinfeld]

If there was ever a time for this coaching staff and our core group of players to get to a Super Bowl, this is it. Brady is on his out and Bowles is one of the worst coaches in the league, we should beat the Bucs by double digits. The toughest competition after this are the Eagles - I don't want to crap out Purdy because he has played well for the 49rs, but he's also a rookie and we should have no business losing to one. Eagles and whoever we face in the Super Bowl, if we get there, will be our toughest competition.

If we don't win it this year, I have no confidence we are able to do it going forward. Conferences don't stay weak for long, look how quickly the AFC loaded up again after legends retired. Same will happen in the NFC.

NFC is probably the worst Ive seen it. Some impressive win totals, but alot of paper tigers. All 4 12 plus win teams look like the type of teams that would upset and go 1 and done most years

 

[CowboysLakerBamaFan]

49ers are easily better than Philly

It depends....if Hurts and Lane Johnson can get shots and play at full strength for 3 hours, they're a more complete team than S.F., but it's close.

If Hurts and/or LJ aren't themselves....then a full strength SanFran team is better

 

[SuperBowlz]

NFC is probably the worst Ive seen it. Some impressive win totals, but alot of paper tigers. All 4 12 plus win teams look like the type of teams that would upset and go 1 and done most years

You sure. The 49ers have a great D, DLine, OLine, RB, TE and WR.
The Eagles have the best OLine, two stud WR and a stud TE and their D doesn't blitz and just put up the 2nd most sacks ever 2 behind the 85 Bears.
I think what's different is with the salary cap teams don't dominate for years and years and now we get a new crop of excellent teams almost yearly.

 

[ghst187]

Weak NFC until mr irrelevant showed up in SF. And the AFC is pretty loaded.

 

[TheFinisher]

NFC is the worst it’s been in years. Of course the Eagles decide
to be great this year…

Would be nice for Dallas to decide to be great one year, we’ve only been waiting 3 decades.