The FANS who've lost interest now that the Cowboys are out had their expectations for the team too high. I knew after the second loss to the Giants this team wasn't special. You could see cracks forming in the defense against Washington in week 12 when we gave up 3 TD's on the Commanders final 3 possessions that kept them in the game. I saw no killer instinct from the Cowboys (what else is new) who had every opportunity to put the game away but allowed Washington to stay in it until the very end. Once we lost to the Giants a second time it was clear we weren't the same team we had been between weeks 5-10. When we beat Green Bay at Lambeau and then 4 weeks later went up to Pittsburgh and beat the Steelers that's when I started thinking this team could be special. To see Dak gun down Rodgers and Roethlisberger on the road had me thinking this could be our year.
To see a rookie QB out duel 2 future HOF QBs who've won 3 SB's between them gave me goose bumps and that hasn't happened in a very long time watching the Cowboys but things started to change as the season went on. The Cowboys finished the final month of the season 2-2, mailing in a season finale that although was meaningless in the big picture still had some significance to putting a nice ribbon on a great regular season. Nothing irritates me more than ending a great regular season on a sour note, having to endure watching a scrub playing QB for 3 freaking quarters.
The way we ended the regular season left a bad taste in my month and it was the same sour taste I had at the end of the 2007 season. My posts speak for how I felt about our SB chances and they weren't very good. I was prepared for what happened because I saw this same sad movie before in 07. Yes, it's disappointing the Cowboys are out but I expected it and now I can sit back and enjoy the playoffs with no stress because I don't care who wins.
I just want to see an exciting SB matchup and I think Rodgers vs Brady would be a great SB matchup. The Packers are going to have a tough time getting past Atlanta because they have a lot of weapons on offense. They have a couple of excellent receivers including Julio Jones who may not be 100% and they have a couple of good backs. Can never rule Rodgers out but without Nelson in this game and with all the offense Atlanta has along with Ryan having an MVP year, It's going to be tough. The last time Atlanta reached an NFC title game in 2012 in which they also played at home their D choked in the second half and they still have a number of defensive holes. I expect a shootout similar to their first meeting in week 8. The Cowboys may be out but I'm looking forward to the fireworks in that game with both teams riding lengthy winning streaks.
