Is this year a bust if we don't win it all?

[cockstrong]

You must have misunderstood it then.

At what level, after this kind of start and this kind of domination, would you be disappointed? First round exit, second, what?

And I do caution that while our window *should* stay open, you never know. Maybe when Witten finally gets hurt/too old, it hurts more than we realize. Maybe a big injury happens. Maybe attitudes change. You think these things won't happen, but often times they do.

Better strike while the iron is hot is all I'm saying.

I think if this team gets knocked out in the first round it will be a major disappointment and same old Cowboys label will remain.
It doesn't matter if no one picked us to be good.
We are 10-1 possibly 11-1 after tonight. This team is legit good. The things we are used to happening with Garrett teams hasn't happened yet. There is a different feel to this team. third and 2 in past years felt impossible. third and 10 this year feels makable almost always

We lose first round in the playoffs its Same Old Cowboys

 

[dbair1967]

I think if this team gets knocked out in the first round it will be a major disappointment and same old Cowboys label will remain.
It doesn't matter if no one picked us to be good.
We are 10-1 possibly 11-1 after tonight. This team is legit good. The things we are used to happening with Garrett teams hasn't happened yet. There is a different feel to this team. third and 2 in past years felt impossible. third and 10 this year feels makable almost always

We lose first round in the playoffs its Same Old Cowboys

I'm reasonably sure if we lose in the playoffs (especially the first game) its because our defense just cant do anything to stop good passing teams. If we get matched up with the Redskins again, or maybe the Falcons or Saints (if they somehow get in) those are bad matchups for us and would be difficult wins. We don't stop anybody. We don't force turnovers. Until tonight every win we had is because of our offense being nearly perfect.

So while it will be disappointing to fall short of a championship, its not "same old Cowboys". Its "we need to build a defense" Cowboys

 

[Bob Sacamano]

I would be disappointed with anything less than a Super Win. There is no dominant team in the NFC, much less the NFL. Hell, the Cowboys are probably closer to being that team than anyone else is.

That being said, even if we lose in the divisional game. Which I don't see happening. We still have a very good corp group of players and will have resources to upgrade where we lack. So I guess I wouldn't go into a deep depression over it.

 

[Doomsday]

I would be disappointed with anything less than a Super Win.

We had a Super Win tonight!

 

[ThoughtExperiment]

I would be disappointed with anything less than a Super Win. There is no dominant team in the NFC, much less the NFL. Hell, the Cowboys are probably closer to being that team than anyone else is.

Exactly, we are that team. I guess people don't want to admit it because they're guarding their hearts or whatever, but we're clearly the best team in football.

We should win it this year.

 

[UVAwahoos]

Last night's game had a playoff feel to it. Tight game that came down to a few key possessions. In those situations, if our D doesn't break, Garrett sure as fuck will. I think Seattle can beat us for those reasons. I wouldn't expect to go further than the NFC championship.

If we get to the super bowl and I blow like $3000 to watch Garrett fuck up and lose, I will not be a happy camper.

 

[peplaw06]

Exactly, we are that team. I guess people don't want to admit it because they're guarding their hearts or whatever, but we're clearly the best team in football.

We should win it this year.

I agree we're the best team in the league right now. But that's just our opinion... and doesn't mean a whole lot. Other people may make arguments that our defense is such a liability that it knocks us down a few pegs.

I think they said this morning we became the betting favorites to win it, so I guess right now, most people think we're the most likely to win it. I think the Gronk injury had a lot to do with that too. But things change from week to week in this league, and the "best team" doesn't always win the Super Bowl.

Maybe we should win it, but I'm not going to be too terribly disappointed if we don't because of the nature of the league. Get to the NFC title game, I'm satisfied. Win that and get to the Super Bowl, then it's gravy. Win the Super Bowl, and I'll be ecstatic.

 

[Midswat]

I actually can't wait to see how we piss this season away in the playoffs and garretts ugly red face.

 

[Midswat]

I bet our season ends on a Stafford to Tate touchdown with less than a minute left.

 

[ThoughtExperiment]

I agree we're the best team in the league right now. But that's just our opinion... and doesn't mean a whole lot. Other people may make arguments that our defense is such a liability that it knocks us down a few pegs.

But the best record and the best point differential in the league isn't opinion.

I'm not trying to say people should see it as a bust if we don't win. Maybe disappointing, though. I did see in 2007 how people's expectations ratcheted up at light speed and considered us shoo-ins for at least the Superbowl once we started winning a bunch of games. I wasn't in that camp but a lot of people were.

 

[theoneandonly]

The things we are used to happening with Garrett teams hasn't happened yet.

If you mean the things we are used to seeing with Garrett coached teams hasnt happened yet, namely peaking in Oct/Nov, that has not happened yet. You are correct. To really get over that hump though, I think a win in NY would cement it.

 

[peplaw06]

But the best record and the best point differential in the league isn't opinion.

True.

18th in total YPG defense, 27th in turnovers forced, 25th in sacks going into this week... those aren't opinions either.

I'm not trying to say people should see it as a bust if we don't win. Maybe disappointing, though. I did see in 2007 how people's expectations ratcheted up at light speed and considered us shoo-ins for at least the Superbowl once we started winning a bunch of games. I wasn't in that camp but a lot of people were.

I'm not saying I won't eventually see it as a bust if we don't win it all either. Expectations will change literally every week.

If we go 15-1 and then win the divisional and championship games handily, and are riding a 17 game winning streak going into the Super Bowl and are facing a Miami or something, then yes, I will expect a win... if we don't then I'll be hard pressed not to call it a bust.

Hell, expectations may change from play to play. If we're up 31-0 at halftime of the Super Bowl against Miami, expectations will be sky high. There's no doubt that would be a bitter defeat and would bring up bust/choker labels.

The likelihood is those scenarios don't happen... and at some point, I might consider anything less than winning it all a failure. I can't tell you what that point would be, I just haven't gotten there yet.

 

[ThoughtExperiment]

Still don't think it matters if the defense isn't top ten if the O is this good. Don't think the Packers had a great defense the year they won, and I know the Saints didn't. Besides, our scoring defense isn't that bad, and it's what really matters.

 

[Bob Sacamano]

The law of averages is going to catch up to this D at some point. We saw it starting to emerge against Washington. Fortunately they couldn't stop our offense and didn't exactly light our D up on the scoreboard either.

 

[Bob Sacamano]

Would it kill our DEs to develop an inside move?

 

[Scot]

The way I'm looking at it is that we have already far exceeded ALL expectations in every aspect of our game. So I'm already happy with this season regardless of the outcome. Everything else from here on out is just icing on the cake.

Romo is no longer our hurdle to overcome each season

We found our next franchise QB (that in and of itself makes this season a success)

Zeke has lived up to and surpassed all expectations

Our defense is playing well above its ability

Dez seems to have grown up a bit

Garret seems to be less active in losing us games

One more win and we surpass our 2014 season total and we do it with a few weeks left to play

We are setting franchise records left and right in total wins, With both Dak and Zeke setting multiple franchise and some NFL records

The way I'm looking at this season (especially after last seasons miserable 4-12 record) is that we have solved many of our major problems from last year.

Do I want to win in the playoffs and to go to and win the Super Bowl? Absolutely!

I would be disappointed if we made it to the Super Bowl and lost. If that happens it will be because our defense is lacking in a number of areas. All of which we already know. So it will be of no surprise when our D costs us the big games this season

So I would in no way consider this season a bust no matter how it ends

With all of the problems we have solved this season (QB, offense being able to score points, finding Dak and Zeke) our future looks extremely bright for years to come!

Now that our offensive woes have pretty much been fixed it is and will be even more apparent later in the season that we have to fix our Defense. I fully expect Jerry to go in full "win now" Super Bowl mode and build a defense in this offseason

Regardless of how this season ends I fully expect our defense to be closer to a championship winning defense for next season

So I'm enjoying the ride this season as a Cowboy fan (lord knows we deserve it after the last 20 years and especially after last season)

But I'm even more excited about the future or our franchise for years to come!

 

[Scot]

Both Dak and Zeke still have that winning mentality. They have not been indoctrinated into Romo and Garret's "it's ok to lose" mentality

Zeke has only lost 8 games in his entire life from high school to college and now in the NFL.

Both Dak and Zeke expect to win every single game no matter what and that shit rubs off on the rest of the team

 

[Rynie]

The defense is suspect and Garrett is still Garrett. Those things tend to be more important in playoff games.

Wow. You people are unbelievable. I only hated on Garrett because we weren't winning. We are literally 1 point away from being undefeated with a rookie QB, but Garrett still sucks, right? Smh

 

[Scot]

This season is the only reason he is above .500 as a head coach. He was one game above .500 at the start of this season.

So yeah, we all realize that our success rides a very thin line of Garrett not fucking it all up by being Garrett

He got extremely lucky with Dak turning out to be the best QB in the draft (historically so). Otherwise we would be 4-12 again and Garrett gets fired midseason or at the end of his second 4-12 season at the very least

Garrett having his second winning season is just dumb luck by having both Romo and Moore go down with broken bones and having no choice but to start Dak. Garrett had zero to do with Dak being the starting QB and getting us to where we are now

 

[Doomsday]

I only hated on Garrett because we weren't winning.

That makes you a dumbass. Winning is a great deodorizer, not a sudden great or even good, coach maker. The odor is still there and for all the same reasons, it's just being covered up by wins from a team whose players forgot it's supposed to be mediocre.