Trying to be objective, which playoff teams do you think have longer odds for SB than us?

[Bobhaze]

The Cowboys and beagles both have to be considered the longest odds. The NFC east was not a strong division this year. And the Cowboys offense is still a big question.

But I think this year's playoffs are wide open. I don’t think there’s a clear juggernaut that seems impossible to beat. The Cowboys are capable of beating any of these teams. But they are going to have to play their best football of the season to do it.

 

[ShortRound]

Saw the same topic come up on footballs future yesterday. They have us last.

https://forums.footballsfuture.com/topic/15510-whos-the-worst-team-in-the-first-round/

 

[_sturt_]

I like us better than:

PHI
HOU
BAL

I consider us essentially equal to:

LAR (not a typo--that's not the same team as earlier this season)
NE (not a typo--that's not the same team as the last 10 years or so)
LAC (yes, that was an impressive win over KC, but so was ours over NO, and they're not rolling into the playoffs with any solid confidence, imo)
SEA (like most seem to)
CHI (edge to their defense, but edge to our offense... believe a real game comes down to special teams and turnovers)

I consider us behind

NO
KC
IND (yes, I agree, IND appears to be especially underrated, though they're almost certainly not anything close to 23-0 winners vs. us in any rematch)

 

[75boyz]

I have the Cowboys at the 6th spot, right behind PHL. But they're very close and they have the toughest road starting off in CHI. However, if they can win in CHI, they can go back to the Big Dance. And PHL has the better QB for the playoffs.

I think CHI is going to regret beating MIN and helping PHL into the playoffs. PHL is easily the edgiest team in the playoffs and easiest to motivate.

Agree with all of this and for same reasons.

 

[Kevinicus]

Like you said, the Espn ranking is NOT the same as playoff odds...due to home fields and general path to the title.

For example, ESPN may rank Dallas slightly lower than Seattle, but the game is in Dallas...and Dallas is favored slightly as a result. If the game was in Seattle, Dallas would be underdogs

The playoff rankings I saw at ESPN, which had Dallas only ahead of Philly, were playoff odds and not power rankings per se. Did they put up another one?

 

[dsturgeon]

Don't listen to any of it. This year any team can win. If Dallas brings its A game, it can beat any team in the league.

 

[JustChip]

I ask because I see posted on ESPN a ranking that has us only besting Philly in their power ranking.

Now, it's not precisely the same question--"which teams have longer odds" and "how would you rank the playoff teams," of course. The latter would seemingly be focused on the body of work for the season, while the question I've asked is more about evaluating each team as you see them right now in view of their chances to win 2-3 games against the best teams in their conferences.

So, are the Eagles the only team less likely to make it to SB Sunday than us?

I'll let others offer their takes, and chime in later with my own.

Honestly, I think Indy is less likely, or at least as least likely. They're a Wild Card team and, if they do get by Houston (which is certainly possible), they'll have to play outside in less than ideal weather in KC. Now, KC doesn't play defense so they could possibly get by them (particularly given KC's historical difficulty in playoff games at home), but then they probably get to go to NE and play outside in what is almost guaranteed to be brutal weather.

 

[75boyz]

That offense played better in one game, Nate, against a mediocre defense and gave up 35 on D.

And what was a plus, tackling, has fallen off and this is not really an opportunistic D.

The Cowboys chances in the playoffs come down to one thing for me, Zeke. If he can get loose and keep the DC's on edge, the Cowboys can stay with any NFC team. But, that must happen. Stop Zeke and stop the Cowboys.

Unfortunate, but I tend to agree with the last statement.

Please...
To be proven wrong and witness the following...
Consistently accurate/tight window/contested thrown balls from the Quarterback position. Its really all I ask. I can live with the results of everything else.
"I anxiously await my double serving of crow, please, prove me wrong number 4."

 

[_sturt_]

The playoff rankings I saw at ESPN, which had Dallas only ahead of Philly, were playoff odds and not power rankings per se. Did they put up another one?

http://www.espn.com/nfl/insider/sto...ff-team-rankings-best-offense-defense-overall

"With postseason seeding set, six NFL coaches and evaluators ranked the field of playoff teams 1 through 12. I've molded their votes into a composite order and peppered the final ranking with their insights."