JJT: Cowboys make no apologies for being in playoff hunt

Cotton

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Cowboys make no apologies for being in playoff hunt

Jean-Jacques Taylor, ESPN Staff Writer

IRVING, Texas -- The Dallas Cowboys aren't shying away from their current reality. They might be 3-8 and in last place in the NFC East, but they somehow remain in the playoff chase -- at least mathematically.

A victory Monday night over the first-place, but 5-6, Washington Redskins combined with a New York Giants loss and the Cowboys could be a game out of first with four games to play.

"This is a wacky division," cornerback Brandon Carr said. "We're fortunate, right now, to still be able to do some things. It's up to us to take care of our own business and let the rest of the division handle itself.

"We have an opportunity to see the leader [Washington] twice before it's all said and done, so we have to make sure we take advantage of this situation Monday night and find a way to get a win."

That would mean someone other than Tony Romo starting and winning a game for the Cowboys. Romo, who's expected to miss the rest of the regular season with a fractured collarbone, is 3-1 as starting quarterback. Backups Brandon Weeden and Matt Cassel are a combined 0-7 as starters for Dallas this season.

Weeden, waived earlier this month, is now with the Houston Texans. Cassel, acquired from the Buffalo Bills in September, has made four starts. He's played enough snaps to get a feel for where various receivers like the ball, and he has the freedom to change plays when necessary.

Cassel's challenge is avoiding the big mistake. He has five touchdowns and five interceptions this season.

"Cassel is clearly capable of winning us a game," defensive tackle Jeremy Mincey said. "Guys are jelling, and as frustrating as it is losing eight straight games, the fight is still there."

So hope remains that this season doesn't have to stay lost. The Cowboys have not yet put Romo on the injured-reserve list in case a miracle happens and they can get to the playoffs and win a couple games.

"I didn't think we'd have a shot to be in it," said Mincey, "but the cards are falling our way. What do we have to lose?"
 

jsmith6919

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The sooner we lose this next game the better, tired of seeing the lemmings on twitter proclaiming we're still in it
 

L.T. Fan

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The sooner we lose this next game the better, tired of seeing the lemmings on twitter proclaiming we're still in it
Do you think the team should just agree to guit trying? What does anyone expect this group to act like? As long as there is a chance they are going to say they are still trying.
 

Clay_Allison

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Do you think the team should just agree to guit trying? What does anyone expect this group to act like? As long as there is a chance they are going to say they are still trying.
It's an old saw but I expect them to take it one game at a time and shut up about the playoffs.
 

L.T. Fan

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It's an old saw but I expect them to take it one game at a time and shut up about the playoffs.
It didn't bother me. I and most of the world know their chances are slim to none but they may as well keep trying and talking it up. I would hate for them to guit now. I prefer it this way than whipped puppies.
 

dallen

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It's an old saw but I expect them to take it one game at a time and shut up about the playoffs.
The thing that is weird is that is Garrett's whole thing. This is the time for his stacking wins\process bs. Instead all I hear out of Valley Ranch is Playoffs this, Playoffs that. No one is even talking about beating the Redskins on Sunday.
 

Clay_Allison

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The thing that is weird is that is Garrett's whole thing. This is the time for his stacking wins\process bs. Instead all I hear out of Valley Ranch is Playoffs this, Playoffs that. No one is even talking about beating the Redskins on Sunday.
Garrett has lost whatever little influence he had with this team. They are all running around like stray dogs, saying and doing whatever. It's like Wade's 2010 team all over again without the necessary coach firing to thrown cold water on them.
 

boozeman

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The thing that is weird is that is Garrett's whole thing. This is the time for his stacking wins\process bs. Instead all I hear out of Valley Ranch is Playoffs this, Playoffs that. No one is even talking about beating the Redskins on Sunday.
Jerry is doing nothing but looking past to the playoffs.

Just goes to show you who they really take their lead from.
 

boozeman

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The sooner we lose this next game the better, tired of seeing the lemmings on twitter proclaiming we're still in it
Yep. Getting tired of the rhetoric. The only drawback is only losing out will make people get that this just wasn't an injury season.

This is an epic bad division that they should feel lucky to even have a shot at.
 

VA Cowboy

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I guess if we lose a few more games we'll be in the Super Bowl. The cards just keep falling our way.
 

ravidubey

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The Giants and Eagles lost last week...and the division leader is 5-6. I'd say that is having the cards fall your way.
That's like saying the cards went your way because the rapist used a condom.

Just me, but I think the 7 game losing streak, falling to 3-8 by getting destroyed on Thanksgiving, and losing Romo indefinitely weigh a bit more heavily than the overall incompetence of the NFC East.
 

Carp

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That's like saying the cards went your way because the rapist used a condom.

Just me, but I think the 7 game losing streak, falling to 3-8 by getting destroyed on Thanksgiving, and losing Romo indefinitely weigh a bit more heavily than the overall incompetence of the NFC East.
Yeah...t is exactly like a rapist using a condom.

The point was that last weeks games were favorable to the Cowboys, even with the loss.

FYI...you don't have to try and coin a new catch phrase every time you post.
 

L.T. Fan

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Yes, the players should throw in the towel, quit on the coach so he's fired and we can get a high pick.
No disrespect intended but that's pretty absurd. Players shouldn't be allowed to undermine the coach no matter how bad they are. It's a dangerous circumstance to allow something like that to happen. It's not good in any workplace environment.
 

Rev

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No disrespect intended but that's pretty absurd. Players shouldn't be allowed to undermine the coach no matter how bad they are. It's a dangerous circumstance to allow something like that to happen. It's not good in any workplace environment.
That's how Garrett got the job in the first place. The team quit on Wade and it happens to others from time to time.
 

Genghis Khan

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That's how Garrett got the job in the first place. The team quit on Wade and it happens to others from time to time.
It looks like it's happening in Philly right now. Jason Peters said this week about Chip Kelly, (paraphrasing) "if Kelly's here, he's here, if he's not he's not. The owner brought me in, so that's who I play for."
 
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