The Landry Hat
Fansided

Now or never: Dallas Cowboys are in playoff mode

By Tyrone Starr

facebooktwitterreddit

Find out in what way the Dallas Cowboys have already made the playoffs.

Only a franchise like the Dallas Cowboys would be in a position like.

After winning twelve games last year, a home playoff game and narrowly missing out on a NFC championship game appearance, the 2015 Cowboys started the season with a win and were working towards a second victory.

Then this happened…

Seven games later, the Cowboys are 2-7 and have no more room for error.  Two losses when the offense scored 27 points or better.  Two losses when the defense gave up 13 or less.

Here a loss.  There a loss.  Every where a loss, loss.

More from The Landry Hat

And so it begins.  Sunday, November 21, 2015 begins the Dallas Cowboys official playoff season.  Sun Life Stadium, one o’clock in the afternoon Eastern time.  The first hurdle on this arduous journey, the Miami Dolphins.

Survive and advance?  Thanksgiving day at home against the Carolina Panthers means something.  Lose this one and look towards 2016.

It’s that simple.

Don’t fool yourself or rack your brain trying to conjure up algorithms on who needs to lose what game when.  If you’ve been on the Cowboys bus during the last five years, you should know better.  A record of 8-8 has never been good enough.

The NFC East has one only time in its rich history ever been won by a team that finished 9-7.  That was done by the 2011 New York Giants.  The same franchise that’s currently leading the division at 5-5.  The same franchise that the Cowboys are desperately hoping has a few more stumbles in them to make running the table even matter.

That’s all waaaaaaaaay down the line however.  One step at a time.

Thankfully, they will be taking that step with quarterback Tony Romo back in the saddle again.

Whatever you want to think about this team and its leadership, know that only one game, against the undefeated Patriots, during this horrific stretch of losses was a blowout.  No one has quit.

Now, the presence of the best quarterback this organization has seen in fifteen years is sure to light a fire under the Boys in blue.  Factor in the do or die scenario in front of them and I think you will see an inspired effort today.

Aside from Romo’s presence, the Dolphins themselves provide a helpful hand in all of this.

There is not really one thing that Miami does well.  Every major statistical measure points to a mediocre team at best.  The offense is 17th in passing, 19th in rushing and 24th in points scored.  The defense is 20th against the pass, 31st against the run and 21st in points allowed.

They are horrible at converting on third downs, second to last in the league in fact.  They are 19th in both red zone scoring and allowing teams to score on them inside the 20-yard line.

The Dolphins have also had their fair share of dysfunction already this season, getting their coach fired after starting the season 1-3.

Every “good team” (i.e. teams with a winning record) they have played this year has beat them.  Every “bad team” (teams currently under .500) they have come across has fallen to them.

So, are the Cowboys a good team or are they a bad team?

You know what the record says.  There is a lot of truth to that as well.  As I mentioned previously, every single faction of this team has had a hand in one loss or another.  No one has been immune to the doom that has besieged this team.

The record also says something else, however.  It says this team is undefeated when #9 is behind center calling the shots.  Factor in that this is going to be the healthiest version of this squad and that almost every one of substance will be available to this team and I’m going out on the limb that says this is a good team.

Next: Cowboys newest running back is more bust than boom

It’s not only a good team, it could be a very dangerous team.

All that is for another time though.  Today is as must-win as it gets.  Worry about the opponent in front of you and do everything necessary to survive. I still believe.

Prediction: Cowboys 27, Dolphins 17.

Home/Cowboys News