SNF Week 1: Cowboys @ Rams

[FrantikRam]

1 hour ago, BayRaider said:

I still think the Rams are the worst team in the NFCW. Although I wouldn’t say they suck, they are .500 type team that can hang with most teams. NFCW is the best division in football, last year, and this year. 

 

Obviously everyone is entitled to their opinion, but it's funny because McVay is 10-2 against Seattle and AZ and we still have more talent than both right now.

I think people say Seattle is better because they made the playoffs last year and the Rams didn't, but if we just make a 40 yard FG in week 5 last year, we'd have made the playoffs and would have swept Seattle. Not trying to make excuses about last year, just pointing that out for this year as an example of why IMO the Rams are better than the Seahawks.

Also, Wilson rarely plays that well against us, so while he is probably another reason people like them.....we don't typically see that.

[Matts4313]

Can someone tell me what happened in the 4th... I was preoccupied. 

[JAF-N72EX]

38 minutes ago, DannyB said:

Going backwards over the last decade:

Rams - 9-7 missed playoffs

Falcons - 10-6 missed playoffs

Panthers - 6-10 missed playoffs

Seahawks - 10-6 lost in divisional round (this one is so-so, but I also put it in the context that they were supposed to be the NEXT BIG DYNASTY. LoB + RW was supposed to equal several championships. yeah they kept making the playoffs but that loss absolutely put the franchise in a funk and required some MAJOR re-tooling, i.e. dismantling the LoB, etc, that they're still pulling out of)

Niners - 12-4 lost in NFCCG - I guess I'd give this one to you, ultimately, but it's worth noting that the backslide from SB appearance to losing to your division rival in the CCG caused that white-hot operation to suddenly and dramatically come apart at the seams. But again, take it.

Steelers - 12-4 lost in WC round - Again tough, and I could see the other side, but I'm still claiming it because they got dusted by Tim freaking Tebow in the WC game.

That's the last decade of winners minus the Patriots. I think there's absolutely enough meat on the bone to say potential hangover is a real thing. Not like it HAS to happen, but it often does. I think getting so close to victory, sacrificing so much, only to come up short, can absolutely haunt players and franchises.

I'm not going by pure number of wins all the time. Obviously if you don't make the playoffs it's automatic fail. But considering a lot of these teams went into the season with sky-high expectations, assuming they would pick up where they left off (or the fans do anyways), I'd still say you can rightfully call it a hangover.

2010 SB Winner: Packers (10-6). Finished the following year with a 15-1 record and a #1 seed. 
2010 SB Loser: Steelers (12-4). Finished the following year with a 12-4 record and a #5 seed.

2011 SB Winner: Giants (9-7). Finished the following year with a 9-7 recod and no playoffs.
2011 SB Loser: Patriots (13-3). Finished the following year with a 12-4 record and a #2 seed.

2012 SB Winner: Ravens (10-6). Finished the following year with a 8-8 record and no playoffs.
2012 SB loser: 49ers (11-4-1). Finished the following year with a 12-4 record and a #5 seed.

2013 SB Winner: Seahawks (13-3). Finished the following year with a 12-4 record and a #1 seed.
2013 SB Loser: Broncos (13-3). Finished the following year with a 12-4 record and a #2 seed.

2014 SB Winner: Patriots (12-4). Finished the following year with a 12-4 record and a #2 seed.
2014 SB loser: Seahawks (12-4). Finished the following year with a 10-6 record and a #6 seed.

2015 SB Winner: Broncos (12-4). Finished the following year with a 9-7 record and no playoffs.
2015 SB Loser: Panthers (15-1). Finished the following year with a 6-10 record and no playoffs.

2016 SB Winner: Patriots (14-2). Finished the following year with a 13-3 record and a #1 seed.
2016 SB Loser: Falcons (11-5). Finished the following year with a 10-6 record and a #6 seed.

2017 SB Winner: Eagles (13-3). Finished the following year with a 9-7 record and a #6 seed.
2017 SB Loser: Patriots (13-3). Finished the following year with a 11-5 record and a #2 seed.

2018 SB Winner: Patriots (11-5). Finished the following year with a 12-4 record and a #3 seed.
2018 SB Loser: Rams (10-6). Finished the following year with a 9-7 record and no playoffs.

[DannyB]

1 minute ago, JAF-N72EX said:

2010 SB Winner: Packers (10-6). Finished the following year with a 15-1 record and a #1 seed. 
2010 SB Loser: Steelers (12-4). Finished the following year with a 12-4 record and a #5 seed.

2011 SB Winner: Giants (9-7). Finished the following year with a 9-7 recod and no playoffs.
2011 SB Loser: Patriots (13-3). Finished the following year with a 12-4 record and a #2 seed.

2012 SB Winner: Ravens (10-6). Finished the following year with a 8-8 record and no playoffs.
2012 SB loser: 49ers (11-4-1). Finished the following year with a 12-4 record and a #5 seed.

2013 SB Winner: Seahawks (13-3). Finished the following year with a 12-4 record and a #1 seed.
2013 SB Loser: Broncos (13-3). Finished the following year with a 12-4 record and a #2 seed.

2014 SB Winner: Patriots (12-4). Finished the following year with a 12-4 record and a #2 seed.
2014 SB loser: Seahawks (12-4). Finished the following year with a 10-6 record and a #6 seed.

2015 SB Winner: Broncos (12-4). Finished the following year with a 9-7 record and no playoffs.
2015 SB Loser: Panthers (15-1). Finished the following year with a 6-10 record and no playoffs.

2016 SB Winner: Patriots (14-2). Finished the following year with a 13-3 record and a #1 seed.
2016 SB Loser: Falcons (11-5). Finished the following year with a 10-6 record and a #6 seed.

2017 SB Winner: Eagles (13-3). Finished the following year with a 9-7 record and a #6 seed.
2017 SB Loser: Patriots (13-3). Finished the following year with a 11-5 record and a #2 seed.

2018 SB Winner: Patriots (11-5). Finished the following year with a 12-4 record and a #3 seed.
2018 SB Loser: Rams (10-6). Finished the following year with a 9-7 record and no playoffs.

Yeah I'd say the winners fared better, and some of the times where the winners fell off, it was pretty obvious they would take a step backwards (i.e., it's not a hangover). Such as: Broncos moving on from Manning era, Ravens having to let a TON of impact players go due to free agency. And the Giants just being a random-*** team that had a couple of random-*** hot postseason runs. Plus if you pair them with the Eagles, it's like even losing to the Patriots screws you up.

[JAF-N72EX]

4 minutes ago, DannyB said:

Yeah I'd say the winners fared better, and some of the times where the winners fell off, it was pretty obvious they would take a step backwards (i.e., it's not a hangover). Such as: Broncos moving on from Manning era, Ravens having to let a TON of impact players go due to free agency. And the Giants just being a random-*** team that had a couple of random-*** hot postseason runs. Plus if you pair them with the Eagles, it's like even losing to the Patriots screws you up.

Yeah, ofcourse context needs to be added, but I still don't see any correlation with the "hangover" label. We have had years now that proves that it isn't a real thing.  

[DannyB]

1 minute ago, JAF-N72EX said:

Yeah, ofcourse context needs to be added, but I still don't see any correlation with the "hangover" label. We have had years now that proves that it isn't a real thing.  

I don't mean to say it's a sure thing to happen every time, or that it's like the Madden Curse or something. I'm just saying I think it's absolutely something to be aware of and can happen to teams. And that it absolutely HAS happened. I think, when the circumstances of the loss are particularly gut-wrenching, it can fracture a team or seep into them mentally The ending of the NE/SEA game absolutely cut short what could have been a dynasty. Carroll's decision making at the end and how that game was lost for SURE caused the demise. There was friction between RW/the offense, and the LoB/the defense, and the way that game ended kinda sealed the fate.

So again, it's not a sure thing, but it is a real thing that can happen to teams.

It's like saying when a player gets a major payday, they'll just coast and not live up to it. Doesn't happen every time, but it sure does sometimes.

[aceinthehouse]

Very happy the Cowboys lost...

The OPi was a bad call, but in live motion? Ramsey sold it good & Gallop did have his arm extended.

Is that why they lost?

Nope...

You always kick the FG to tie & extend the game on 4th & 3 down 20-17.

MM lost that game, imo.

Don't get me wrong...I love a coach who's aggressive. That's a good thing...

But you NEVER take away points in that situation, with a chance to tie and extend the game.

Football is about momentum & their balloon deflated, after failing that 4th down play.

[JAF-N72EX]

Just now, DannyB said:

I don't mean to say it's a sure thing to happen every time, or that it's like the Madden Curse or something. I'm just saying I think it's absolutely something to be aware of and can happen to teams. And that it absolutely HAS happened. I think, when the circumstances of the loss are particularly gut-wrenching, it can fracture a team or seep into them mentally The ending of the NE/SEA game absolutely cut short what could have been a dynasty. Carroll's decision making at the end and how that game was lost for SURE caused the demise. There was friction between RW/the offense, and the LoB/the defense, and the way that game ended kinda sealed the fate.

So again, it's not a sure thing, but it is a real thing that can happen to teams.

It's like saying when a player gets a major payday, they'll just coast and not live up to it. Doesn't happen every time, but it sure does sometimes.

I hear ya. I really do. But a loss can also further inspire a player/team to wanna get better so that the team improves. We seen this every year with certain teams. See the Broncos for example. 

Also keep into consideration that the long term affects of the 2011 rookie contracts have only been felt for a short term time and will gradually start to become more prevalent as the years go on.  

[DannyB]

9 minutes ago, JAF-N72EX said:

I hear ya. I really do. But a loss can also further inspire a player/team to wanna get better so that the team improves

Sure!........how often has that happened with the SB loser this millennium?

[JAF-N72EX]

1 minute ago, DannyB said:

Sure!........how often has that happened with the SB loser this millennium?

Read my post above.

[DannyB]

1 minute ago, JAF-N72EX said:

Read my post above.

So, once?

And yes I think GMs are still very much trying to figure out how to best build a sustainable winning football team in the wake of the rookie contract adjustment. And as I've stated, in numerous discussions over the past couple of years, everything we think we know about roster building might very well fly out the window now that the BB/Brady dynasty is over in NE. They destroyed every convention in so many ways, so now is when the really interesting data points start to show up

[JAF-N72EX]

1 minute ago, DannyB said:

So, once?

And yes I think GMs are still very much trying to figure out how to best build a sustainable winning football team in the wake of the rookie contract adjustment. And as I've stated, in numerous discussions over the past couple of years, everything we think we know about roster building might very well fly out the window now that the BB/Brady dynasty is over in NE. They destroyed every convention in so many ways, so now is when the really interesting data points start to show up

And on this point, we can very much agree with each other. 100%.

GM's are finally being able to erase the 20 year anomaly (Patriots) and are able to start from scratch with the rookie contracts where they can find a QB that they believe in and sign him to reasonable contract that will not hinder the team and still leave them with enough resources to build around it without be forced to compete with the anomaly. 

[TheGame316]

43 minutes ago, aceinthehouse said:

Very happy the Cowboys lost...

The OPi was a bad call, but in live motion? Ramsey sold it good & Gallop did have his arm extended.

Is that why they lost?

Nope...

You always kick the FG to tie & extend the game on 4th & 3 down 20-17.

MM lost that game, imo.

Don't get me wrong...I love a coach who's aggressive. That's a good thing...

But you NEVER take away points in that situation, with a chance to tie and extend the game.

Football is about momentum & their balloon deflated, after failing that 4th down play.

There was 12 minutes left in the game. Lets not pretend this was in the final minute and MM got cute

Get the TD and the Rams will need 2 FGs or a TD drive to beat you. Kick a FG to tie, and they need about a 30-40 yard drive at any given point to get into FG range to beat you

Analytics will tell you on 4th and 3 in opposition territory you are of more benefit to go for it than kick a FG

Cowboys just watched a decade of Garrett playing it safe and kicking in 4th and 1. MM's bold move was refreshing.

[EagleBlueDon]

6 hours ago, ///mcompact said:

I don’t know how you rebuilt your resolve, in just 6 hours of crapping on your team after their embarrassing loss to WTF, but you need to write a book on it. 
 

Title it: “wINTz: A fumble from Grace”

 

Just because I crap on my own team, doesn't mean I can't crap on yours. Dallas looked awful and so did we. Only week 1.

[Hunter2_1]

Well, I for one am looking forward to the Ram fans vs Phillie fans this coming week on FF.