You Are What Your Record Says

[CoCo]

At 3-4 we're tied with 3 other teams for the 10th worst record in the league and we just got shellacked by 1 of those 3. Said another way, only 9 teams have worse records than us.

How many 2011 playoff-worthy teams do you see amongst this group?

3-4: Eagles, Cowboys, Commanders, Browns.

Below 3-4: Vikings, Panthers, Jags, Seahawks, Broncos, Rams, Cardinals, Dolphins, Colts.

Not trying to say that all hope is lost just yet. But the team we've seen through 7 games, all told, is not a playoff team. Why are we 3-4?

1. Couldn't close the deal in games versus quality opponents they clearly had in control (Jets & Lions)
2. Couldn't play ball control in crunch-time versus another quality opponent (Patriots)
3. Blown out by a division opponent coming off a bye (Philly)
4. Blew out a patsy (Rams)
5. Found a way to outlast a supposedly inferior opponent (Skins)
6. Crafted an impressive unlikely comeback versus a quality opponent on the road. (Niners)

To me, there is little in that 1-6 above to suggest overall that we have demonstrated playoff mettle. Opportunity awaits but this will have to be an improved team to turn 3-4 into 10-6. Hard to feel confident after Sunday's demonstration. But yes, plenty of season yet to go.

 

[CanadianCowboysFan]

Funny how we are only what our records says we are when we are under .500.

 

[AdamJT13]

Let's see what our record says we are five weeks from now. We've played the toughest schedule in the league so far.

 

[CoCo]

Funny how we are only what our records says we are when we are under .500.

Please...

This was hardly a deathknell thread. But it is a thread to consider that just maybe that company we are keeping in the bottom 3rd of the league is what we have earned to this point.

I'm as hopeful as any that we can right the ship, beat the supposed patsies (Seattle, Miami, Skins & AZ) and find a way to win 3 of the other 5 against teams with winning records (or who just got done thrashing us) - Buffalo, NYG x 2 Tampa & Philly. But I'm not enough of a homer to believe its a done deal.

 

[CanadianCowboysFan]

Please...

This was hardly a deathknell thread. But it is a thread to consider that just maybe that company we are keeping in the bottom 3rd of the league is what we have earned to this point.

I'm as hopeful as any that we can right the ship, beat the supposed patsies (Seattle, Miami, Skins & AZ) and find a way to win 3 of the other 5 against teams with winning records (or who just got done thrashing us) - Buffalo, NYG x 2 Tampa & Philly. But I'm not enough of a homer to believe its a done deal.

roll your eyes all you want but this forum has a history of posters saying we are what are our record says we are ONLY when we have a losing record.

 

[WoodysGirl]

That includes being 1-1 division, too.

As much as they sucked Sunday, the division games remaining will have the most impact on any of the 'boys playoff hopes than any other game to date.

 

[NoLuv4Jerry]

Let's see what our record says we are five weeks from now. We've played the toughest schedule in the league so far.

^^^^This. And check Philly in 5 weeks. And remember, at 3-1...Rex Grossman was the best QB in the division and the Commanders were going to run away with the division. My answer then and my answer now....keep watching.

 

[CoCo]

roll your eyes all you want but this forum has a history of posters saying we are what are our record says we are ONLY when we have a losing record.

Then read the entire post in context. It was NOT an all hope is lost thread. It's not coming from an eternal pessimist. Quite the contrary.

It is a reminder that this team has some serious work to do if its going to become something other than an also-ran in 2011.

 

[shockandroll]

At 3-4 we're tied with 3 other teams for the 10th worst record in the league and we just got shellacked by 1 of those 3. Said another way, only 9 teams have worse records than us.

How many 2011 playoff-worthy teams do you see amongst this group?

3-4: Eagles, Cowboys, Commanders, Browns.

Below 3-4: Vikings, Panthers, Jags, Seahawks, Broncos, Rams, Cardinals, Dolphins, Colts.

Not trying to say that all hope is lost just yet. But the team we've seen through 7 games, all told, is not a playoff team. Why are we 3-4?

1. Couldn't close the deal in games versus quality opponents they clearly had in control (Jets & Lions)
2. Couldn't play ball control in crunch-time versus another quality opponent (Patriots)
3. Blown out by a division opponent coming off a bye (Philly)
4. Blew out a patsy (Rams)
5. Found a way to outlast a supposedly inferior opponent (Skins)
6. Crafted an impressive unlikely comeback versus a quality opponent on the road. (Niners)

To me, there is little in that 1-6 above to suggest overall that we have demonstrated playoff mettle. Opportunity awaits but this will have to be an improved team to turn 3-4 into 10-6. Hard to feel confident after Sunday's demonstration. But yes, plenty of season yet to go.

Due to injury, we've done this with 3 LG's, 2 centers our 3rd-4th WR's starting, our starting RB missing games, our QB playing with busted ribs, our 5th CB starting games our top 3 CB's all missing games, our starting DE missing games, implementing a new defense with little off season and playing a very difficult schedule.

We've been in every game but one. Our defense has played well in every game but one. Our offense is struggling but I think the injuries I mentioned have a lot to do with it.

I have no idea if we'll make the playoffs, I think 8-8 could win our division at this point. What I care about right now is playing better this week and winning. We do that by figuring out who our best linemen are and starting them. Next Garrett needs to run more since they line is run blocking well and he needs to implement shorter developing plays. He needs to get away from the freaking shotgun.

I don't know if he'll make a single one of those changes or others I have not thought of. If he does, I think we can start to improve and get a few wins. If we do that, then we can worry about the playoffs.

 

[ODawg]

I jst gotta have faith in this team. this *** beating has gotta be a motivator to the team so we can take it on the chin and gel as a team. we don't have the killer instinct. Our play calling sucks

 

[Vtwin]

Before the season the phrase "it's not how you start but how you finish" was thrown around a lot because of questions about the defense and the young o-line.

The Cowboys have not started as well as we may have hoped but they are still in a very good position to finish strong and make some noise.

I ain't giving up on em.

 

[mldardy]

^^^^This. And check Philly in 5 weeks. And remember, at 3-1...Rex Grossman was the best QB in the division and the Commanders were going to run away with the division. My answer then and my answer now....keep watching.

I agree with you on Philly. I still am not buying that they are back. They will not play as well as they did on Sunday night the rest of the season. Of course they will win some more games but to be that flawless and complete on offense for an entire game again rarely happens. I still saw a lot of problems with their defense but our offense wasn't on the field long enough to exploit it.

 

[The Emperor]

You are what your record says you are after Week 17. And if you make the playoffs, it says nothing because everyone is 0-0 at that point.

 

[sonnyboy]

I posted this in another thread, but it makes sense here. You are what you are after 16 games. Last I checked, postseason seeding are set after 16 games. Anything prior to that is pure speculation. And that applies to 7-0 teams, 0-7 teams and everything in between.

So since it is week 9/game 8 and we are speculating, lets speculate......

Seahawks
Bills
@Commanders
Miami
@Cardinals
Giants
@Bucs
Eagles
@Giants

Seahawks suck, we aren't losing to them and if we do, we finish under .500

Bills are good, but not so much away from home. Check out their schdule played, not exactly road warriors and I think we match up well. Good offense/Bad defense.

Commanders are in free fall mode. Another very unlikley game to lose. We'll se where they are in 3 weeks.

Miami in Dallas on Thanksgiving. Least likely loss on the schedule.

Arizona They are better than the Seahwks and Dolphins and it is a road game. But it is off 10 days rest and that's an advantage. Again, like the Bills, a good offense terrible defense we should match up well against.

Giants The five next Giant opponents are @SF, @NE, PHI, @NO, GB! Are you kidding me? If that was the Cowboys upcomming schedule, I'd take my ball home. And that's just what the Giants will do. They could show up to Dallas 5-7 on a five game losing steak!

Bucs Decent team and most likely toughest matchup of the next 7. We'll all know what to think of this game going into it.

Eagles Well here's the season. Only thing I'm certain of is that we'll do better than we did last time.

Giants They'll be in offseason mode.

I see 6 games we really shouldn't lose. Seahawks, Commanders, Miami, Arizona, Giants, Giants. Know you can go negative and cry about Romo's INTs or how tough division games are and you can't trust this team and yada yada yada.

Fine. If that's how you see it, that's how you see it. But answer me this one question. What poor team have we lost to? We've played one truely weak team and blew their doors off. Now because we **** the bed Sunday night, we're all of the sudden going to start playing lousy each week. Or every other weak and drop multiple games to teams that wont get close to .500.

 

[CoCo]

Due to injury, we've done this with 3 LG's, 2 centers our 3rd-4th WR's starting, our starting RB missing games, our QB playing with busted ribs, our 5th CB starting games our top 3 CB's all missing games, our starting DE missing games, implementing a new defense with little off season and playing a very difficult schedule.

We've been in every game but one. Our defense has played well in every game but one. Our offense is struggling but I think the injuries I mentioned have a lot to do with it.

I have no idea if we'll make the playoffs, I think 8-8 could win our division at this point. What I care about right now is playing better this week and winning. We do that by figuring out who our best linemen are and starting them. Next Garrett needs to run more since they line is run blocking well and he needs to implement shorter developing plays. He needs to get away from the freaking shotgun.

I don't know if he'll make a single one of those changes or others I have not thought of. If he does, I think we can start to improve and get a few wins. If we do that, then we can worry about the playoffs.

I don't think injuries have been a primary culprit in ANY of our losses. If we'd lost to SF or Washington I might have agreed because Romo was very clearly compromised in those games as was our WR corps.

 

[DallasEast]

Opportunity awaits but this will have to be an improved team to turn 3-4 into 10-6.

If 3-4 eventually turns into 10-6, what will that all mean for the team at the end of the regular season, when the exact same team was once 3-4 after the season's eighth week?

 

[CanadianCowboysFan]

Before the season the phrase "it's not how you start but how you finish" was thrown around a lot because of questions about the defense and the young o-line.

The Cowboys have not started as well as we may have hoped but they are still in a very good position to finish strong and make some noise.

I ain't giving up on em.

that only applies when we have a good record at the start, when it is bad, then you are what your record says you are

 

[Rockytop6]

I agree with you on Philly. I still am not buying that they are back. They will not play as well as they did on Sunday night the rest of the season. Of course they will win some more games but to be that flawless and complete on offense for an entire game again rarely happens. I still saw a lot of problems with their defense but our offense wasn't on the field long enough to exploit it.

What bothered me the most about Sunday night was Dallas was facing a divisional foe and the hated Eagles at that, and was no better prepared that they were. Poor preparation, poor play calling, poor execution, etc. for the most important game todate. It doesn't matter if we beat every weak team we are supposed to beat if we can't prepare for the big ones.

 

[sonnyboy]

If 3-4 eventually turns into 10-6, what will that all mean for the team at the end of the regular season, when the exact same team was once 3-4 after the season's eighth week?

It means 10-6 will be a sham, since we all know we are what we are whenever the record's below .500. So I guess that means we're either 0-1, 2-3 or 3-4. Which ever sounds worse.:storm:

 

[Vtwin]

that only applies when we have a good record at the start, when it is bad, then you are what your record says you are

No. It means the second half of the season is what separates the pretenders from the contenders.

As long as you are at least in contention at the half way mark you have as good a chance as anyone.

The Cowboys pissed away some games they should have won but they will be 4 and 4 at the half way mark which sets them up nicely for a chance at a strong finish and a spot in the playoffs.

The cliche applies perfectly to this situation.