I'm feeling optimistic

[Midswat]

In 2009 we started 2-2, and week four was a game in which the team looked bad and really, let the Bronco's win.

Then we went to Kansas City and barely beat a bad Chiefs team in overtime - thanks to an incredible Miles Austin coming out party.

We ended up 11-5 that year and looked strong heading into the playoffs.

Now, three of the next four weeks will be especially challenging. Could make or break our season.

@ Baltimore is intimidating, but a winable game. That isn't the mid-2000's defense.

@ Carolina is definitely a winnable game. I'm not afraid of that team.

NewYork coming to Dallas will be a dog fight. I actually think a sweep is in order this year. I think we match up well with them this year and I don't think our team is afraid of them.

@ Atlanta looks like it might be a loss.


Then we have winnable games against and underperforming Eagles team, a bad Cleveland team, a mediocre Washington team, and the Eagles again.

I'm not going to predict records to any point, but I ---- and it wouldn't suprise me if this team let me down on Sunday --- but I feel like we're about to get on a bit of a roll, starting this weekend.


I know there's been a lot of negativity lately, and justifiably so. But does anyone else share some of this optomism?

 

[dbair1967]

Not anymore, no

 

[peplaw06]

I could see us going on a good stretch, because none of those teams "scare me," but I'm not expecting it.

 

[Theebs]

for the first time in years I actually dont.

I am still too stubborn to believe we cant go 5-0 the next 5 weeks, but my head tells me the last 3 losses for this team were embarrassing blowouts....good teams usually dont do that.

its one thing to lose on a late play like in 09 at denver but to just get hammered in seattle and then at home to chicago really says there are some deep issues here.

I just dont understand how we can be so bad running the ball. This is one of the worst running teams I have ever seen and that is sad considering this is the fifth year under the offensive coordinator.

one positive about this week is that the ravens run a similar offense even though they are playing hurry up right now, the offense should look similar to both defenses sunday.

 

[Midswat]

Well, who pooped in ya'lls rice crispies this morning?

:confused

 

[Midswat]

And Theebs, really, if you take out 5-9 plays for each of those games and we might've won it.

For example, against the Bears if you take out the Tillman pick 6, the linebacker pick 6, the Devon Hester touchdown, the Brandon Marshall touchdown, and the field goal they got, and we end up winning 18-0.

 

[ThoughtExperiment]

I had the same thought about the 2-2 being the same as that 2009 team, but like theebs said, we didn't really fail to compete in those losses. We lost to the Giants on a last-second FG and then Marshall made that long plays in the last couple minutes of the Broncos game.

It's still possible in today's crazy NFL where anyone can beat anyone, but we shouldn't look that bad. Just looked and we're -23 in point differential, last in the NFCE. Football Outsiders has us at #19 and projects us as #17. Both sets haven't had enough data yet to mean too much, especially FO, but those aren't that far off from the eyeball test. (Though I think we'll be better than 17 for sure.)

 

[Everlastingxxx]

Last 3 teams the Cowboys have faced are in the top 4 in rushing defense. Ravens are middle of the pack. Murray is going to have a big game and that will take the pressure off Romo. Will also make it easier for Garrett to call a good game. Defense has played great, no matter what anyone else says. You lose, therefore the whole team sucks mentality. I think it will be a close game but i think the Cowboys have enough fight in them to win. This is a make or break your season type game. Cowboys have to win and i think they will.

 

[peplaw06]

Last 3 teams the Cowboys have faced are in the top 4 in rushing defense. Ravens are middle of the pack. Murray is going to have a big game and that will take the pressure off Romo. Will also make it easier for Garrett to call a good game. Defense has played great, no matter what anyone else says. You lose, therefore the whole team sucks mentality. I think it will be a close game but i think the Cowboys have enough fight in them to win. This is a make or break your season type game. Cowboys have to win and i think they will.

Strangely, I do feel better about this game today than I did last Monday. I think we're due for a good one. I start getting less optimistic when we talk about a stretch of good games. Over the past 9 games, this team has proven they can't be consistent. We play a good game here and there, then shit the bed the next week or two.

 

[cmd34]

Jason has had 13 days to gameplan for the Ravens so we should be fine.

 

[Midswat]

Didn't coaches take the bye week off?

I could've sworn I read that the reason we didn't bring anyone in for workouts after the Bears game was because coaches were off.

 

[Irving Cowboy]

I don't think the coaches were off, but the CBA limited the amount of stuff the players could do during the bye week.

 

[cmd34]

Didn't coaches take the bye week off?

I could've sworn I read that the reason we didn't bring anyone in for workouts after the Bears game was because coaches were off.

Well, they have earned it.

 

[superpunk]

Optimoistic

Learn to spell.

 

[bbgun]

I was "optimistic" when we won four in a row last November, followed by the inevitable gutless collapse. When will you learn that you can't trust these guys?

 

[Midswat]

We've added more RKG's since last November, bbgun.

 

[UVAwahoos]

I was "optimistic" when we won four in a row last November, followed by the inevitable gutless collapse. When will you learn that you can't trust these guys?

Terrible reasoning. They beat 4 shit teams during that stretch...actually barely scraping by two of them.

Behind that realist exterior, I guess you're just Hos-lite at heart.

 

[bbgun]

Terrible reasoning. They beat 4 shit teams during that stretch...actually barely scraping by two of them.

Behind that realist exterior, I guess you're just Hos-lite at heart.

I was cautiously optimistic that we'd steal the East during a down year for the division, not that we'd be going to the SB or something. Fool me once, shame on me. Fool me 16 years in a row ...

 

[Midswat]

I think it's fool me once shame on you,m fool me twice shame on me

 

[bbgun]

I think it's fool me once shame on you,m fool me twice shame on me

Nope, shame on me. I take great pride in not being fooled.