Archer: Revised prediction - Dallas Cowboys

Cotton

One-armed Knife Sharpener
Staff member
Joined
Apr 7, 2013
Messages
119,732
Revised prediction: Dallas Cowboys

November, 7, 2014


By Todd Archer | ESPNDallas.com


» AFC: East | West | North | South » NFC: East | West | North | South | Preseason picks

Dallas Cowboys reporter Todd Archer revises his season prediction at the midway point of the season:

Preseason prediction: 8-8

Revised prediction: 10-6

Why the Cowboys will finish better: Maybe I’m going out on a limb here with this prediction revision two days before the Cowboys play the Jacksonville Jaguarsat Wembley Stadium. If the Cowboys don’t beat Jacksonville, then I might stick with 8-8, which would be quite a fall from their 6-1 start.

The Cowboys understand their formula for success: Run the ball, control the clock, protect the defense, don’t turn the ball over. That’s how they won six straight games. When they didn’t do that, they lost three times. It’s pretty simple. This team is not so talented that it can just show up and win. They need a lot of things to go right. Oh yeah, they need to have Tony Romo too.

To a degree this comes down to a math equation. I believe the Cowboys will beat the Jaguars and get to 7-3 entering the bye week, so now they just need to finish 3-3 the rest of the way. They have rematches against the New York Giants, whom they beat already, and Washington Redskins, whom they lost to in overtime. They have to play the Philadelphia Eagles twice. The other two games are against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field and home against the Indianapolis Colts.

I think there are three wins there at the minimum. The Giants are beat up and the Redskins are beatable, even if they beat Dallas two weeks ago. From there, I envision a split with the Eagles even with Nick Foles out of both meetings.

Getting to 11-5 is not inconceivable either, but that might be overboard.

The Cowboys' two-game losing streak should be a worry. If this turns into a three-game skid on Sunday, can we revise the revision?
 

Genghis Khan

The worst version of myself
Joined
Apr 7, 2013
Messages
37,486
I think 10-6 is probably accurate. But they have to win the games they are supposed to, like this weekend.
 

L.T. Fan

I'm Easy If You Are
Joined
Apr 7, 2013
Messages
21,689
I think they will do better if Romo stays upright.
 

DLK150

DCC 4Life
Joined
May 16, 2014
Messages
8,789
If Romo can still be the Romo of years past, even with the mistakes, 10-6 is doable. If we have gimpy, gunshy Romo, well...The prospects aren't as good unless Weeden sucks enough to put Dustin Vaughan in there and he ends up being Tom Brady ll. We're going nowhere with Weeden, that much was clear after last Sunday. Romo will likely never be circa 2007 Romo again.

I personally believe that Romo is very close to done. It's not like there are QBs that haven't thrived beyond their mid-thirties but he doesn't have the body frame of most of them and he obviously can no longer take the pounding that an NFL QB is bound to take at some point.
 

boozeman

28 Years And Counting...
Staff member
Joined
Apr 7, 2013
Messages
121,759
I personally believe that Romo is very close to done. It's not like there are QBs that haven't thrived beyond their mid-thirties but he doesn't have the body frame of most of them and he obviously can no longer take the pounding that an NFL QB is bound to take at some point.
Yep. We have seen how he plays when gunshy. His game depends on his mobility. If that's gone, so is his game.

I'd go get his replacement in the spring, without question.
 

L.T. Fan

I'm Easy If You Are
Joined
Apr 7, 2013
Messages
21,689
Playoffs are all about who is hot at the right time.

I'd rather collect the 6 losses now, then run a 4 game win streak to get to 10.
You think you can just program wins and losses when you want? You go for a win every game because you never know if you can get it until the event is done. Not to mention if you don't get the wins up front you might not get to the playoffs. Dallas has a recent history of late season collapes and guess what? They missed the dance.
 
Last edited:

boozeman

28 Years And Counting...
Staff member
Joined
Apr 7, 2013
Messages
121,759
Playoffs are all about who is hot at the right time.

I'd rather collect the 6 losses now, then run a 4 game win streak to get to 10.
Yeah and we seemed to hit our peak a few weeks ago in Seattle.
 

VA Cowboy

Brand New Member
Joined
Apr 8, 2013
Messages
4,710
Based on the preseason predictions just making the playoffs will be an accomplishment for this team. But after a 6-1 start, getting 10 wins is going to be a chore now. Even if we do end up 10-6 that'd equate to a 4-5 finish. While it'd exceed expectations this team doesn't look like a real contender.

But looking at the conference, the top two teams now are Arizona and Detroit and I really don't think either of them will be a serious SB team even if they both end up with a bye. I'd be surprised in the NFC champ isn't Seattle/SF/or GB. They will have a tougher route to take but I think one of them will get back on track down the stretch and in the playoffs and make it the SB. Seattle is looking better and while SF is lucky to even be 5-4 they are still one of the most talented teams in the league and will be getting Aldon Smith back and possibly Bowman and are postseason tested.

Back to us, it's down to Philly and Dallas almost by default. And if Foles is out for an extended amount of time the Cowboys could possibly win the East. But I can't see this defense or Romo/Garrett/Linehan succeeding in a do or die situations come January.
 

Plan9Misfit

Appreciate The Hate
Joined
Apr 7, 2013
Messages
5,837
Yep. We have seen how he plays when gunshy. His game depends on his mobility. If that's gone, so is his game.

I'd go get his replacement in the spring, without question.
We all know that won't happen. We're not drafting a QB until the need is a heaping dumpster fire.
 
Top Bottom