To Tank Or Not To Tank

[Cujo]

As do I.

In a league known for its parity, how much carry over is actually real? Every year there are at least a half dozen teams it seems that are ripe to make “the jump”, and then don’t. Of course, there are a myriad of mitigating circumstances that go into that, but you don’t think WFT would have wished to lose just one more game at 3-13 (barring tiebreakers which I won’t look up) to draft Burrow over Young?

Mind you, that’s not the boat we find ourselves in at all, but I also think it may be early to be writing off certain prospects and their top five potential, given we haven’t even come close to bowl season yet.

Every slot matters, especially if we are in that top ten. I don’t want a win or two to jeopardize even a couple draft slots.

But for a team in desperate need of a culture change, I would argue it means a little more than it might otherwise.

 

[ravidubey]

But it's not about winning a SB or even a playoff game for that matter.

I don't think anyone here has any illusions about what this team will do if they somehow win the division.

This is about what it does for this team going into next year and in that regard, there is a lot that can be gained by finishing the season strong.

You know, that’s my usual answer.

I guess I’m just getting cynical.

It was 2004 when we were in exactly the same spot, 3-7 heading into Thanksgiving. We had Drew Henson and Julius Jones and it seemed like we were going to go on a tear and maybe into the playoffs. I wanted to win so bad.

We finished 6-10 and still ended up drafting Demarcus Ware, in fact we had maybe our best ever draft.

I guess if we can do that, then MM imprinting winning ways on his young players is more important than draft position.

Really sucks though to jump from spot 12 down all the way to twenty-something.

 

[DontCryWolfe]

But for a team in desperate need of a culture change, I would argue it means a little more than it might otherwise.

Well, therein lies another problem. You think a coach swap was all we needed to orchestrate a real culture change? We all know who still runs the show, and sees players privately.

And what is finishing the season “strong” going to accomplish in that regard? Garrett was a f’n loser, but he still had a couple of high points. I still saw the same team on the field the next season, regardless. Gutless.

 

[Couchcoach]

Getting into the postseason at 6-10 would accomplish nothing except a considerable drop in draft position. We would get throttled by anyone we would play anyway.
Unfortunately, there are three or four winnable games left. Three of them are against our pathetic division opponents. To me it really makes more sense to let our young guys develop and scrap this season.

 

[data]

We would get throttled by anyone we would play anyway.

~writes name on list~

 

[Simpleton]

I keep hearing we'd be picking 19 at best but wouldn't it be 17 this year? 14 playoff teams right?

It'd be 19, if you count back from 32 19 is the 14th spot.

 

[Simpleton]

Getting into the postseason at 6-10 would accomplish nothing except a considerable drop in draft position. We would get throttled by anyone we would play anyway.
Unfortunately, there are three or four winnable games left. Three of them are against our pathetic division opponents. To me it really makes more sense to let our young guys develop and scrap this season.

That's not how the NFL works. If we were 4 games out of the division lead, sure, but if the coaches basically threw games there would be a mutiny with the team arguably being the favorite to win the division as we sit here today.

And I'm not even sure what young guys you want to develop, Bradlee Anae maybe?

But who else?

Basically any young player of consequence is already starting, in the rotation or hurt, unless you're really jazzed about watching Fonzarelli DiNucci play.

 

[data]

One victory and we’ve changed tune.



Can’t wait for the stinker game that sucks us back to reality of Jerruh era.

You got sucked

 

[NoDak]

To me it really makes more sense to let our young guys develop and scrap this season.

If our young guys are developing and playing well, that would lean towards winning more games. If that's happening, would you want to throttle back on them and stop winning/developing?

 

[Simpleton]

One victory and we’ve changed tune.



Can’t wait for the stinker game that sucks us back to reality of Jerruh era.

You got sucked

If I could snap my fingers and get us the 3rd pick I'd do it, it's not about that, it's about using my own two eyes and knowing that it's not going to happen.

Like I said leading up to the game, how we played against the Vikings would dictate a lot, namely if we would be in contention for the division or locked into a top 5 pick. The performance against Pittsburgh was very impressive but it could've been a fluke, if they had came out and gotten blown out you could've written it off as a fluke.

But then they beat a very good Vikings team and with Burrow out we already have one automatic win plus 3 division games left, so that top 5 dream is more or less gone now.

Even if we don't win the division I think it's much more likely we end up around 10-12, and while drafting at 12 is definitely preferable to 19 I'm not going to sit here and whine like a bitch about it because ultimately I don't think 7 spots is going to make that much of a difference.

 

[data]

Even if we don't win the division I think it's much more likely we end up around 10-12, and while drafting at 12 is definitely preferable to 19 I'm not going to sit here and whine like a bitch about it because ultimately I don't think 7 spots is going to make that much of a difference.

Props. Not thinking about draft slot, but generally I’m just shaking my head at the prospect of going all-homer and then...yup, it happened again. In December. In Week 17.

Then cursing myself for another 9 months of how the fuck did I get Lucy Charlie Brown’d again.

 

[Simpleton]

Props. Not thinking about draft slot, but generally I’m just shaking my head at the prospect of going all-homer and then...yup, it happened again. In December. In Week 17.

Then cursing myself for another 9 months of how the fuck did I get Lucy Charlie Brown’d again.

Sure, I mean I'm not going to be heartbroken if we don't win the division at 6-10 either. I'm obviously rooting for them to win a games a bit harder than I was 2 weeks ago but if we end up picking at 10 or 11 and missing out on the division by a game that's fine too.

I just think the idea of us tanking to a top 5 pick is comical given how we've played the last 3 games. I thought the Eagles/Steelers games could've been flukes but the game yesterday was just too strong of a performance to think we could lose out or just win one more game.

 

[P_T]

If Prescott was coming back, despite the defense which I don't think can get us through the playoffs, I'd say, go for it.

Without him, tank.

Ok, how exactly do you suggest they pull that off?

 

[NoDak]

I would love to see our team develop and start playing well. And win some games.

And ideally, some other NFCE team get hot and win the division. Let them be the sacrificial lamb and drop another 5-10 spots.

Hell, let us finish 7-9 and go out of the season with some momentum. And confidence in our young players and our coaching staff. While Philly wins the division at 7-8-1.

 

[L.T. Fan]

Well, therein lies another problem. You think a coach swap was all we needed to orchestrate a real culture change? We all know who still runs the show, and sees players privately.

And what is finishing the season “strong” going to accomplish in that regard? Garrett was a f’n loser, but he still had a couple of high points. I still saw the same team on the field the next season, regardless. Gutless.

Well if you think that having Jerry Jones as Owner and GM is an automatic kiss of death the what does it matter about the draft or the draft position?

 

[1bigfan13]

if you say we're going from 3 to 17, then yes, suicide is an option. also, last April was rich in receivers. you can't say the same for OTs or DTs next year.

If the Cowboys were in desperate need of a QB I could see your point. But that's not the case.

 

[Simpleton]

If the Cowboys were in desperate need for a QB I could see your point. But that's not the case.

And 3 is a pipe dream at this point, might as well say what happens if we're dropping from 1 to 17 or 2 to 17, because unless we literally throw games the chances of us getting the 3rd pick is the same as us getting the 1st or 2nd, 0%.

In my opinion the more likely discussion at this point is dropping from 8-12 rather than from 3-5.

 

[bbgun]

If the Cowboys were in desperate need of a QB I could see your point. But that's not the case.

um, how about taking advantage of other teams who are desperate for a QB?

 

[ravidubey]

In my opinion the more likely discussion at this point is dropping from 8-12 rather than from 3-5.

It's more like dropping from 8 to 19, right?

The six teams eliminated in the first wildcard rounds (Jan 9/10) will be slotted in reverse regular season record order, so suppose we make the playoffs and are eliminated round one, we would as the playoff team with the worst record end up picking 19th.

If we somehow win that game and are eliminated in the divisional round, we'd end up picking 26th... with a 7-11 record!

 

[bbgun]

If we somehow win that game and are eliminated in the divisional round, we'd end up picking 26th... with a 7-11 record!

But it'll totally be worth it because young bucks like Tyler Biadasz will get a taste of winning, or something.