Who are the 2021 Dallas Cowboys?

[Crown Royal]

I still think this team is talented enough to be a legit contender. I expected there would be a rough patch somewhere in the season - a bit deserved after pulling of slight miracles against San Diego, New England and Minnesota. But I still think they can content with anyone and are starting to see improvements to health.

My biggest concern right now is actually the OL. I thought Tyron coming back would mean DOOM for the Raiders and the OL still looked pretty terrible in run blocking. I need to see better against the saints.

 

[Diehardblues]

Contender for a championship. No one should care about simply contending for the playoffs. Three quarters of the league does that.

I understand but we must remember the bar has been lowered here. Contending for the playoffs meets our owners initial priority of remaining interesting and relative.

 

[MaineBoy]

Pretenders. They can flash impressively at times but the foundation is flawed. At any time any of their core problems can rear their heads, and usually do. Too many penalties, inconsistent kicking, OC who abandons the run, dropped passes, QB inconsistent, oline play/injuries, Pollard gets hot and we take him out, stopping the run, dumb game management and clock decisions. These are why we lose games against teams we should beat and quality teams. It’s like “whack-a-mole”; when some things are working any of these other ones get us.

 

[KMY_Amber]

I still think this team is talented enough to be a legit contender. I expected there would be a rough patch somewhere in the season - a bit deserved after pulling of slight miracles against San Diego, New England and Minnesota. But I still think they can content with anyone and are starting to see improvements to health.

My biggest concern right now is actually the OL. I thought Tyron coming back would mean DOOM for the Raiders and the OL still looked pretty terrible in run blocking. I need to see better against the saints.

ah, the often-overrated offensive line. challenged picking up blitzes, and can't run block some games, especially on critical downs...and why is this team lining up in the Shotgun/Pistol formation on 3rd or 4th and short?????????? Just stupid. Get under the center, bring in a "FB", even if it's a big TE or another offensive lineman, and get the 1 or 2 yards!

right now, I don't trust this offensive line. and I barely trust the defensive line.

as with most NFL teams, the Cowboys will only be as good as their offensive and defensive lines...and right now, they're both underperforming, as a whole group.

 

[noletime95]

We’re well past giving this team the benefit of the doubt. I was pretty pumped now I know better.

I’ll watch and hope to be proven wrong

 

[Creeper]

By contender I am assuming you mean for a Super Bowl and not just for the NFCE. Before the season I thought they were not contenders. But after the way they played the Bucs, beat the Eagles and Giants, beat the Chargers and Vikings, and beat the Panthers who were 3-0 at the times and also the New England Patriots who are clearly a very good team, I thought they were showing the heart of a champion. They changed my mind. But now, after a 1-3 November, losing to the Broncos and Raiders and playing seriously poor football I have no idea who they are but I am more inclined to believe they are who I thought they were before the season than the team that fooled me with a 6 game winning streak. They can't seem to get out of their own way now. Injuries, COVID, suspensions, it is always something. Just when you think they are finally going to get back to full strength, Cooper has a cough and Trysten Hill gets suspended. Talk about frustration.

This team still exhibits a soft underbelly that is exposed when they play a physical football team. I don't see them contending if they play soft like that. It just seems like, other than Zeke, they don't play hurt. A paper cut sidelines a player for 3 weeks. Okay, that's an exaggeration, but it feels like they keep players out longer than necessary for whatever reason.

Then again, it probably wouldn't take much to convince me the other way either. If they win convincingly Thursday night, I will probably flip-flop again. I just do not really know who this team is.

 

[jazzcat22]

I believe we can get back to winning and re-establish being a legit contender.
Need to get all the players back though to do so.
I don't care what the final record is, as long as they win the division, and be playing at a high level going into the playoffs.

I all starts Thursday night by beating the Saints. As to me it is a must win game. Then get players back. And have the last 5 games to gel going into the playoffs.

 

[Proof]

After a hot start and now a month of adversity, the temperature of the board must be taken with the final 6 game stretch to go.

Who are these Cowboys?

I still believe they are in the upper tier of teams this year, and will return to form with a return to (relative) health. However, the Denver game is what gives me pause.

 

[Risen Star]

I still believe they are in the upper tier of teams this year, and will return to form with a return to (relative) health. However, the Denver game is what gives me pause.

I'm not sure the Raiders game wasn't worse. That team is in turmoil and they still beat us at home on Thanksgiving when we needed the win.

 

[BourbonBalz]

We’re going to find out tomorrow night.

 

[nate dizzle]

Trending downward. Everything needs to be perfect for the offense to have success and I don't see the line being able to stay healthy. T Smith has shown that when he's not there it's basically a clown show. Has LT ever won league MVP?

 

[KMY_Amber]

We’re going to find out tomorrow night.

Holy crap! I totally forgot that the Cowboys are the Thursday Night game this week. Thanks!

 

[noletime95]

I'm not sure the Raiders game wasn't worse. That team is in turmoil and they still beat us at home on Thanksgiving when we needed the win.

Agree and Thanksgiving is when I lost faith in this team.

 

[Proof]

I'm not sure the Raiders game wasn't worse. That team is in turmoil and they still beat us at home on Thanksgiving when we needed the win.

it was worse in that sense, yes, there were just a lot of contributing factors (excuses) you can point to in that game. the broncos game they just got whooped, badly, with most hands on deck and by an inferior team.

 

[Streifenkarl]

it was worse in that sense, yes, there were just a lot of contributing factors (excuses) you can point to in that game. the broncos game they just got whooped, badly, with most hands on deck and by an inferior team.

The timing of the Raiders loss was worse, especially with the win against Atlanta taken into consideration. It made the Denver loss look like a fluke. But if you scratch off that narrative, then I agree with you. A well packed team with full momentum and all canons on fire lost vs a below than average team in the Denver game.

But to me the Raiders loss is still worse. Because it was a test of character. Yes Amari was gone, yes bad ref decisions bla bla... But the win was still for us to take. Personally even the loss vs KC hurt less than that Raiders game. As I said before, even a win vs the Saints proves nothing. Win 3 in a row and dominate in each of them, then I'll get back my confidence in this team.

 

[Proof]

The timing of the Raiders loss was worse, especially with the win against Atlanta taken into consideration. It made the Denver look like a fluke. But if you scratch off that narrative, then I agree with you. A well packed team with full momentum and all canons on fire lost vs a below than average team in the Denver game.

But to me the Raiders loss is still worse. Because it was a test of character. Yes Amari was gone, yes bad ref decisions bla bla... But the win was still for us to take. Personally even the loss vs KC hurt less than that Raiders game. As I said before, even a win vs the Saints proves nothing. Win 3 in a row and dominate in each of them, then I'll get back my confidence in this team.

yeah. they could've and should've won that game. And it's left the team reeling, I just don't understand the Broncos game, or how to avoid any more of those. Against the Raiders, w/ Amari and/or Ceedee , Tank and/or Randy, I think we beat them 9/10 times

 

[Streifenkarl]

Well, at least they made the upcoming games interesting again. Think about the Cowboys being 9-2. Everyone here would just be talking about whether we beat KC or NE by 20 or 30 points in the superbowl.

 

[BourbonBalz]

From an individual standpoint, I don’t think there’s a more “talented” team in the league. But for whatever reason, it isn’t working as a team. When the offense is humming, the defense craps the bed. When the defense is holding its on, the offense sputters. And you can always expect a few breakdowns on special teams. There’s just no synergy with this team in the last month. Injuries have no doubt played a part, but it’s a very undisciplined team and that goes to coaching and culture. The players on this team exhibit an air of privilege and are not held accountable.

 

[OmerV]