'Boys can make mark, just for their record
By MAC ENGEL
Star-Telegram staff writer
The Dallas Cowboys have just about everything an NFL franchise could want: a Super Bowl ring for every finger on one hand, Hall of Famers and a legacy as one of professional sports' premier franchises.
Yet, despite all of their accomplishments, they do not have that one signature regular season above all others.
The Cowboys (8-1), who host the Washington Redskins today, have a shot to post their best regular season... ever. Neither Tom Landry nor Jimmy Johnson hit that magical 14-win mark with the Cowboys. It wouldn't mean the 2007 Cowboys are the best team in franchise history -- far from it -- but it would be a first, and mark an official end to the team's most dormant 10-year stretch in history.
"I think it's just something that's fun for people to talk about, media, fans and stuff," quarterback Tony Romo said, "about what we could be and all that stuff, and that's part of the neatness of a full season."
The best season ever?
In all the years of Cowboys history, the team with the most regular-season wins is Johnson's 1992 squad that finished the regular season 13-3.
"That is a surprising thing," Cowboys center Andre Gurode said.
The 1990s teams are often described as the best in franchise history because they won three Super Bowls in a four-year span and featured at least four Hall of Fame players. And the '92 team started the Super Bowl run.
Of course, the 1977 Cowboys might take exception to that "Greatest Team" label. That team went 12-2 and won the Super Bowl.
The point is, these Cowboys might not feature the celebrity names of the Cowboys teams of the '90s or the '70s, but they can top what they did in the regular season.
"To be 14-2 or 15-1 is so hard to do," linebacker Akin Ayodele said. "There just aren't any guaranteed wins in this league. So to do that, it's like the Patriots trying to go 16-0. It's going to be extremely hard."
Favorable schedule
The Cowboys' 2007 schedule looks as if Kansas coach Mark Mangino lined it up.
The Cowboys have already whipped the 1-8 St. Louis Rams and the 0-9 Miami Dolphins. Only three of the Cowboys' opponents to date have winning records, and the 1-8 New York Jets come to Texas Stadium on Thanksgiving.
The Cowboys have won their games by an average margin of 11.2 points, their offense ranks second in the NFL and their defense ranks seventh.
But other than Dallas' gaudy record, the remaining numbers are window dressing. They just look pretty. The real prize is home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.
"The home field, all of the playoff implications, that is important," linebacker Greg Ellis said. "You can't be concerned if we're going to be better than that [1992] team. We want to. But our main focus is home field and a bye."
The past three NFC teams to have home-field advantage throughout the playoffs -- the Philadelphia Eagles, Seattle Seahawks and Chicago Bears -- all reached the Super Bowl.
Does it matter?
One upon a time, a 14-2 or 15-1 record all but guaranteed a Super Bowl win, or at least an appearance.
Since the 1978 season, 21 teams have finished with one of those records, and 13 of those teams reached the NFL's ultimate party. But in these days of salary-cap enforced parity, sometimes 14 wins doesn't buy what it used to. The 2005 Indianapolis Colts and the 2006 San Diego Chargers each won 14 games only to lose in the divisional round of the playoffs.
"So it didn't even matter," Ayodele said. "It's like [Mavericks coach] Avery Johnson said, 'You can get away with a lot of things in the regular season. You can't in the playoffs.'"
Would these Cowboys like to become the first team in the franchise's distinguished history to win 14 or more games in a regular season? Yep. But would those wins matter if they don't translate to postseason success?
"Nope," Ayodele said.
Can the Cowboys run the table?
The surging 8-1 Cowboys have a chance to finish 15-1, which would be the best record in franchise history. Here's a look at the Cowboys' remaining schedule:
vs. Washington Redskins
Today: Redskins have won three of the past four in the series but have injuries at safety and receiver. The Washington faithful are also turning on the legendary Joe Gibbs.
vs. New York Jets
Thursday: The Jets are 1-8, have turned to second-year player Kellen Clemens at quarterback and should pose zero threat to the Cowboys.
vs. Green Bay Packers
Nov. 29: This is the big game and will likely decide home-field advantage in the NFC. The way Brett Favre, above, is leading the Packers to victory, they could be a team of destiny.
at Detroit Lions
Dec. 9: The Lions beat the Cowboys last season and can score some points. But Jon Kitna has been sacked an NFL-high 37 times, and Detroit's defense is a mess, giving up 354.7 yards per game.
vs. Philadelphia Eagles
Dec. 16: The Cowboys thumped the Eagles this season in Philly and appear to have broken the spell cast by Donovan McNabb and the formerly high-powered Eagles offense.
at Carolina Panthers
Dec. 22: The Panthers are depleted at quarterback and struggling to score. The feel-good story line of their season has involved the play of Vinny Testaverde. That's not a good sign.
at Washington Redskins
Dec. 30: The Cowboys haven't won in Washington since 2004, but Redskins quarterback Jason Campbell's progress has been slow, and Washington is a long way from becoming a dominant team.
Star-Telegram staff writer
The Dallas Cowboys have just about everything an NFL franchise could want: a Super Bowl ring for every finger on one hand, Hall of Famers and a legacy as one of professional sports' premier franchises.
Yet, despite all of their accomplishments, they do not have that one signature regular season above all others.
The Cowboys (8-1), who host the Washington Redskins today, have a shot to post their best regular season... ever. Neither Tom Landry nor Jimmy Johnson hit that magical 14-win mark with the Cowboys. It wouldn't mean the 2007 Cowboys are the best team in franchise history -- far from it -- but it would be a first, and mark an official end to the team's most dormant 10-year stretch in history.
"I think it's just something that's fun for people to talk about, media, fans and stuff," quarterback Tony Romo said, "about what we could be and all that stuff, and that's part of the neatness of a full season."
The best season ever?
In all the years of Cowboys history, the team with the most regular-season wins is Johnson's 1992 squad that finished the regular season 13-3.
"That is a surprising thing," Cowboys center Andre Gurode said.
The 1990s teams are often described as the best in franchise history because they won three Super Bowls in a four-year span and featured at least four Hall of Fame players. And the '92 team started the Super Bowl run.
Of course, the 1977 Cowboys might take exception to that "Greatest Team" label. That team went 12-2 and won the Super Bowl.
The point is, these Cowboys might not feature the celebrity names of the Cowboys teams of the '90s or the '70s, but they can top what they did in the regular season.
"To be 14-2 or 15-1 is so hard to do," linebacker Akin Ayodele said. "There just aren't any guaranteed wins in this league. So to do that, it's like the Patriots trying to go 16-0. It's going to be extremely hard."
Favorable schedule
The Cowboys' 2007 schedule looks as if Kansas coach Mark Mangino lined it up.
The Cowboys have already whipped the 1-8 St. Louis Rams and the 0-9 Miami Dolphins. Only three of the Cowboys' opponents to date have winning records, and the 1-8 New York Jets come to Texas Stadium on Thanksgiving.
The Cowboys have won their games by an average margin of 11.2 points, their offense ranks second in the NFL and their defense ranks seventh.
But other than Dallas' gaudy record, the remaining numbers are window dressing. They just look pretty. The real prize is home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.
"The home field, all of the playoff implications, that is important," linebacker Greg Ellis said. "You can't be concerned if we're going to be better than that [1992] team. We want to. But our main focus is home field and a bye."
The past three NFC teams to have home-field advantage throughout the playoffs -- the Philadelphia Eagles, Seattle Seahawks and Chicago Bears -- all reached the Super Bowl.
Does it matter?
One upon a time, a 14-2 or 15-1 record all but guaranteed a Super Bowl win, or at least an appearance.
Since the 1978 season, 21 teams have finished with one of those records, and 13 of those teams reached the NFL's ultimate party. But in these days of salary-cap enforced parity, sometimes 14 wins doesn't buy what it used to. The 2005 Indianapolis Colts and the 2006 San Diego Chargers each won 14 games only to lose in the divisional round of the playoffs.
"So it didn't even matter," Ayodele said. "It's like [Mavericks coach] Avery Johnson said, 'You can get away with a lot of things in the regular season. You can't in the playoffs.'"
Would these Cowboys like to become the first team in the franchise's distinguished history to win 14 or more games in a regular season? Yep. But would those wins matter if they don't translate to postseason success?
"Nope," Ayodele said.
Can the Cowboys run the table?
The surging 8-1 Cowboys have a chance to finish 15-1, which would be the best record in franchise history. Here's a look at the Cowboys' remaining schedule:
vs. Washington Redskins
Today: Redskins have won three of the past four in the series but have injuries at safety and receiver. The Washington faithful are also turning on the legendary Joe Gibbs.
vs. New York Jets
Thursday: The Jets are 1-8, have turned to second-year player Kellen Clemens at quarterback and should pose zero threat to the Cowboys.
vs. Green Bay Packers
Nov. 29: This is the big game and will likely decide home-field advantage in the NFC. The way Brett Favre, above, is leading the Packers to victory, they could be a team of destiny.
at Detroit Lions
Dec. 9: The Lions beat the Cowboys last season and can score some points. But Jon Kitna has been sacked an NFL-high 37 times, and Detroit's defense is a mess, giving up 354.7 yards per game.
vs. Philadelphia Eagles
Dec. 16: The Cowboys thumped the Eagles this season in Philly and appear to have broken the spell cast by Donovan McNabb and the formerly high-powered Eagles offense.
at Carolina Panthers
Dec. 22: The Panthers are depleted at quarterback and struggling to score. The feel-good story line of their season has involved the play of Vinny Testaverde. That's not a good sign.
at Washington Redskins
Dec. 30: The Cowboys haven't won in Washington since 2004, but Redskins quarterback Jason Campbell's progress has been slow, and Washington is a long way from becoming a dominant team.
posted by The Gryphon at 8:55 AM
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