What we learned (and didn't learn) in Week 12 - ESPN

[TwoDeep3]

Trust is tough to find and tougher to hold in this crazy, unpredictable world, but with the Seattle Seahawks, I really thought we were good.

Coming off three straight wins -- one of which was in Foxborough -- with Russell Wilson looking healthy, Thomas Rawls back and the offensive line showing signs of coming together, the Seahawks looked like the rare NFL team we could trust. Fire 'em up in Tampa: Start all of your Seahawks in fantasy, feel good about it. They lost 14-5.

It's like going away and leaving your teenager to watch the house. You've done it before for a night here or there, because he's a good kid and you feel sure he's ready for the responsibility. Then you come home and there are beer cans everywhere, the garage has a chunk out of it at the exact height of the car's rear bumper, and somehow, someone managed to put a whole toilet on the roof.

I'm not mad, Seahawks. I'm just ... disappointed.

Are the Seahawks one of the best teams in the league? I think so. Will they be better when Earl Thomas and Michael Bennett are back? Of course. Though I fail to see how that excuses the offense's performance Sunday against a bottom-10 defense. Does the win against the New England Patriots in Foxborough prove they can beat anybody, anywhere? Absolutely. But this is the third time in six road games this year that they've failed to score a touchdown.

The Seahawks get the benefit of the doubt because of what they've done in past years. They could end up winning it all. But the fact is, they've put as much hot garbage on tape this year as any other contender. And when it comes to the issue of trust, that puts the 2016 Seahawks in the wrong bucket.

Here's what else we did and didn't learn in Week 12 -- on the question of trust:

We can trust the Cowboys' offense.

The latest knock on the Dallas Cowboys, if Twitter is my guide, is that they haven't beaten anybody good. This is unsupported by facts. Dallas' past three wins have come against teams that have winning records. Two of those teams would be in the playoffs if the season ended today, and the other was a popular preseason Super Bowl favorite.

read more...

http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/18159792/what-learned-learn-week-12-nfl-2016

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This is ESPN praising the Dallas Cowboys....

 

[cowboys1981]

What we're learning is that with each win comes more doubt about what this team is doing. Naysayers can say what they want just get yourself ready to see us hoisting that Lombardi trophy several times with the makeup of this team.

 

[TheSkaven]

Good read.

What people often forget is that each year's team is a different, distinct team with different players, schedules and challenges. Just ask the 2014 then 2015 Cowboys.

The 2016 Seahawks are a shell of the teams they've had in the past. They might not even get that #2 seed as their schedule is tough to end the year. And if they don't get home field advantage, they won't be playing in Houston.

The only team that worries me even a little bit in the NFC is the Giants, but that's probably still 2007 redux...

 

[tyke1doe]

What we're learning is that with each win comes more doubt about what this team is doing. Naysayers can say what they want just get yourself ready to see us hoisting that Lombardi trophy several times with the makeup of this team.

I'd like to win the first one of this era then worry about dynasty talk. And I would think that with every win, it becomes clearer that the Cowboys are that team that looks like it will steam roll to the Super Bowl. I'd feel better about that if the defense were more consistent getting sacks and turnovers. But we are who we are - at this point the best team in the league. We'll see if that continues.

 

[cowboys1981]

I'd like to win the first one of this era then worry about dynasty talk. And I would think that with every win, it becomes clearer that the Cowboys are that team that looks like it will steam roll to the Super Bowl. I'd feel better about that if the defense were more consistent getting sacks and turnovers. But we are who we are - at this point the best team in the league. We'll see if that continues.

You would think after 10 in a row it would be clear and it's not. Every team has their flaws. I would like to see more pressure via the sack, but holding teams to FG tries while we score TDs introduces pressure to the opposition. Our bend but don't break defense is working great. As far as turnovers I'd like to see more but importantly we're also doing a good job not turning it over either. All of these factor in to us being the best and I expect more W's as we finish out the season.