Will we have a let down, or is this team different?

[JD_KaPow]

In years past, this team couldn't handle success and often faltered when they got to full of themselves and started to believe the hype.
This weeks game against Carolina would be one of those type games where the team would lay an egg and lose to an inferior opponent.
It's a small sample size but this team seems to have a different mentality and won't allow themselves to play down a level.
We have plenty of "DOGS" on this roster who's killer mentality permeates throughout the team and raises the level of play and desire of others.

I would argue that your premise is completely false.

In years past, as is happening right now, fans and this board massively overreacted to a big win or a win against a strong opponent. As soon as we knock off a good team, all of a sudden the team has "turned a corner" and "this team is different" and all that garbage. Then, when the Cowboys struggled against a lesser opponent, they came up with all sorts of reasons for that like, "too full of themselves," "believing the hype," "play down to the opponent," etc..

In reality, upsets are much more common in the NFL than people realize. They happen all the time. Teams are never as good as they look in their best games, and they aren't as bad as they look in their worst games. Occasionally you'll win a big game against a superior opponent: it doesn't mean you're going to the Super Bowl. Occasionally you'll lose to the Jets: it doesn't mean you're in the hunt for the #1 overall pick.

You can explain all this stuff without having to impugn the players' "mental toughness" or whatever. The Panthers are perfectly capable of pulling off the upset against Dallas; if they do, it won't be because our players lack something mentally. It will be another piece of data in telling us how good this year's Cowboys are, but it will only be one piece of data.

The point is: the Cowboys lost those games in the past because the Cowboys weren't all that good. Full stop. We don't yet know how good this team is (or can be).

 

[Big_D]

And for the record I don't think this game is a give me. All games in the NFL will be tough and there will be tough losses. YET Where they are as a team TODAY in the fetal stages of a season looks very promising and getting healthy and as close to 100% as possible.. a quality team could start gelling. That doesn't mean I expect Super Bowl, but division win and a playoff berth COULD BE the beginning of a nice window for a young team...........

 

[Reid1boys]

9-10 with Garretts's team. Got to give a coach time to develop his own players.

So the coaches aren't the reason the roster is improved? Jerry finally figured it out? Had his eye on some DTs after 15 years? Seriously. It was the whole ball of wax with Garrett. That working relationship couldn't build a defense and this one so far has done a great job. You actually see competition at every level.

Rodgers hasn't won a dam thing since, yet everyone makes it sound like he wins every year. Or any super bowl winning coach is now slighted for quality QB play? Like the rest of the team basically means nothing.

Dak couldn't take us anywhere??? why is that, because the D sucked. You talk about game management. Garrett was horrible for 13 years. Moore, that wasn't a stupid call and fumble? yet I'm sure you got him lined up to be a great coach and Dak is the reason they win. No mistake is infallible here.

I like how there's no mention of a pandemic and a ridiculous amount of injuries in those 19 games. Like Garrett would have no problem with this? Maybe you weren't watching? Guy was a clown and actually had QB play and a first round RB and a first round Oline and went no where. You needed to see more proof than that?


The team is miraculously better in 1.3 seasons since the new coach got here but some rather just pretend like he has nothing to do with it. lol

Miraculously better? lol

We were the number 1 seed in the NFC with JG, the in 2014 we were 12-4, and in 2016 we were 13-3. We are not miraculously better than ANY of those 3 teams were after 3 games.

You want to just dismiss those season and say how JG sucked. JG didnt fumble like Murray did against the pack costing us that win.
JG didnt allow Rodgers to complete a 3rd and 25 play at the end of the game to send us packing.
JG didnt drop a pass against the Giants that eliminated us when we were the 1 seed.

Again, the coach will not be the reason we win or lose, just like the coach isnt the reason we lost those 3 playoff games. But for you to jump up and down over Mike after we start 2-1.... cmon. IM happy, the team looks good IMO, but it has been 3 games. Let Dak get hurt and it would take about 4 arse whoopings before youd be calling for Mike's head.

 

[lopey]

Why do I feel this might be a trap game? The Panthers have something to prove since everyone thinks they are 3-0 because of the schedule. Dallas riding high off a divisional beat down against Eagles. This game worries me.

 

[Reid1boys]

I NEVER understand this way of thinking. So you think the Panthers will actually play harder or be MORE prepared this week to prove something to others? If so, then that means you think they tried less or prepared less for their first three games.... and that is something I just cant agree with.

Same with Cowboys. Thinking a team is feeling so good about beating the Eagles that they will somehow take the Panthers lightly is nuts. You think players and coaches arent fully aware that this game means as much as last week... probably more. Because if you stomp the eagles and then get whomped at home by a DECENT panthers team, that just means you are nothing more than avg.

 

[Playmaker3128]

In years past, this team couldn't handle success and often faltered when they got to full of themselves and started to believe the hype.
This weeks game against Carolina would be one of those type games where the team would lay an egg and lose to an inferior opponent.
It's a small sample size but this team seems to have a different mentality and won't allow themselves to play down a level.
We have plenty of "DOGS" on this roster who's killer mentality permeates throughout the team and raises the level of play and desire of others.

Short answer is we’ll see. If we are truly a contender we could have this division locked up by week 12.


Last week was a good test though we took care of a team like we should have. Years past we woulda played down to our competition.

 

[jnday]

Right there with ya. Been down this road many of times. While the excitement is obvious it’s still a wait and see approach for me.

The Cowboys have looked great against NFCE teams for the last several years. Fans gets all excited until they realize that the rest of the league consists of much better teams and every team looks great when playing the NFCE teams.