Scot

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Here is my prediction for the 2021 season. It will not surprise me one bit if we have to forfeit at least one game this season because of Covid.

2021 Cowboys Schedule

1 Cowboys @ Bucks (L)
2 Cowboys @ Chargers (L)
3 Eagles @ Cowboys (W)
4 Panthers @ Cowboys (L)
5 Giants @ Cowboys (W)
6 Cowboys @ Patriots (W)
7 Bye
8 Cowboys @ Vikings (L)
9 Broncos @ Cowboys (W)
10 Falcons @ Cowboys (W)
11 Cowboys @ Chiefs (L)
12 Raiders @ Cowboys (L)
13 Cowboys @ Saints (W)
14 Cowboys @ WFT (L)
15 Cowboys @ Giants (W)
16 WFT @ Cowboys (L)
17 Cardinals @ Cowboys (L)
18 Cowboys @ Eagles (W)

8 and 9
We lose the division to the WFT in week 16 and just barely make it as a wild card team, then get knocked out of the playoffs in the first round.

Get your predictions in before the start of the game vs the Bucks on 9/9/2021.
 

Scot

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I WANNA say 3-14. But it will be more like 11-6 behind an alarmingly improved defense.

This is the most optimistic I think I’ve seen you be at the start of the season.
 

Doomsday

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This is the most optimistic I think I’ve seen you be at the start of the season.
I like what I've seen out of the new D. Stopping people seems to be a priority now. Simple setup, the players aren't confused. Few missed tackles even by the scrubs. Lots of good hustle. LBs able to play downhill and lined up deeper than either last year's mess orrrrr the Tampa 2 allows. Feels like a much better vibe and some early chemistry. But, we shall see.
 

Scot

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I like what I’ve seen as well

But there are too many unknowns.

None of our skill players have played in the preseason. Cooper is hurt “again” and he has always been hurt his entire career. Lamb was out due to Covid, Gallop was out due to injury.

Dak hasn’t taken a snap since week 5 of last season. Plus he was also injured and couldn’t throw for most of camp. Sure, he looks good in practice. But that’s practice.

Who knows what Zeke will show up this season. Plus, even if we do get the Zeke of old, that doesn’t mean that MM and wonder boy KM will actually use him effectively.

Our entire offense has not taken a single snap together as a unit all preseason. Their first snap as an offense will be vs the SB champs.

Who knows if we will be able to stop the run

Our secondary looks good, but are unproven

Our O Line is already taking a hit because of Covid. And it’s only game one.

I’m sure this won’t be the last player we miss due to Covid. I suspect we will have an outbreak to some degree on this team. We pretty much already have and it’s already kept a major player off the field for the season opener against the defending SB champs.

I guess what I’m saying is I’ll believe it when I see it.
 

dbair1967

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I think they could win 9 or 10 games, depending on the health of the team and assuming at least some improvement of the defense.

This is a bad division and I could see them going 5-1 or even 6-0 there, so they only have to win 3-5 other games to make the playoffs.
 

English Cowboy

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Preseason games and results are meaningless, except for one thing. They give you a good indication of how much depth you have on your roster. And as per usual our depth is almost non-existent (except at the WR position and perhaps the LB position).

I think our starters can mix it with anyone in the league, and they should win the NFC East if by some miracle they can stay relatively injury and Covid-free. But they won't. So I want to say 7-10, but I'll give them an extra win by virtue of playing in a poor division. 8-9.
 

Dodger12

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I think we win around 8 or 9 games with a healthy Dak. But the real question is this.....can we stay relevant until the end?
 

dbair1967

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I think we win around 8 or 9 games with a healthy Dak. But the real question is this.....can we stay relevant until the end?

As absolutely shitty as this team was last yr, we were actually in the playoff race til the end. The defense was historically bad and the offense was devastated by injuries.

I don't see anyone in the division that really improved any in the offseason, so I suspect we will be "relevant" till the end of the year again.

If the defense can improve to be at least average/ above mediocre and the key guys stay healthy, I could see them winning 9 or 10 games and winning the division.
 

Scot

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It is now the bye week and I predicted that we would be 3 and 3 at this point in the season. I am happy to be wrong about that.

There is only 1 team with a better record than us going into the bye. We are currently 5-1 and could have very easily been 6-0 if not for 3 missed kicks by our kicker in game 1 vs the Bucs.

Looking at the schedule I only see 2 teams that concern me. We could end up 14-3 by the end of the season. The Chiefs will be a difficult game, but with how they have been playing so far, maybe not. Then we have the Cardinals. Who would have guessed that they would still be undefeated right now?

Looking at the rest of the schedule I just don’t see another team that’s in a position to really give us trouble.

We are currently the #1 scoring offense in the league AND we are #1 in turnovers on defense. (Who would have guessed that would or even could have been the case after last seasons performance on defense)
That’s a pretty strong combination that will be hard for any team to beat!

And we have accomplished all this with a number of backups. We are set to get some of our top players back soon.

I really like the position we are in right now, I just wish our bye week was a little later in the season.

All in all I’m happy with where we are and where we seen to be headed this season. How refreshing this team is compared to the last decade of Cowboys teams we have been used to.
 

yimyammer

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Seems like every season there is a team or two that starts hot and then fades, I wonder if it will happen again this season and which teams it will be

I'd bet against the Cowboys sustaining the turnovers on defense and think the defense is still their achilles heal, New Englands offense is nothing to be scared of but they scored a lot and ran well and were dealing with a rookie QB

I haven't watched any Cardinals games so dont know what they have going, I thought their QB was too short to play in the NFL but I guess I was wrong. I didn't think coach bro would be any good there either (& I went to Tech) so I guess I got that completely wrong. Part of me still thinks their the frauds, time will tell
 

Scot

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Seems like every season there is a team or two that starts hot and then fades, I wonder if it will happen again this season and which teams it will be

I'd bet against the Cowboys sustaining the turnovers on defense and think the defense is still their achilles heal, New Englands offense is nothing to be scared of but they scored a lot and ran well and were dealing with a rookie QB

I haven't watched any Cardinals games so dont know what they have going, I thought their QB was too short to play in the NFL but I guess I was wrong. I didn't think coach bro would be any good there either (& I went to Tech) so I guess I got that completely wrong. Part of me still thinks their the frauds, time will tell

I was wondering about the Cards as well. I don’t think they can keep this up. Not just going undefeated, but this high level of play. I suspect they will drop off in the back half of the season for one reason or another. Maybe from an injury to a key player. I’m not sure. I just don’t see them being a big story come playoff time.

The only reason I’m saying that we lose to them right now is because they are still undefeated and that’s all I have to go on. I haven’t watched any of their games. So I’m going off record alone. Maybe by the time we play them in week 17 they will already be a non factor. Who knows, maybe they are still undefeated. Only time will tell.
 
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