Cowboys Head Into 2008 With Positive Playoff Outlook
Nick Eatman - Email
DallasCowboys.com Staff Writer
December 31, 2007 6:22 PM
IRVING, Texas - As we roll into yet another year, the Cowboys are getting ready for yet another type of season.
Preseason is long gone. The regular season is now in the books as well.
It's time for the postseason, although the Cowboys won't be jumping right into the fire, getting that much-needed bye week before their first game in the divisional round.
"We had a tremendous year," head coach Wade Phillips said. "We accomplished all of our goals. But it's a new season now. We're looking forward to the playoffs."
They know the game will be Sunday, Jan. 13 at 3:30 p.m. (CST) at Texas Stadium. All that's missing from the equation is the opponent.
If Washington beats Seattle, the sixth-seeded Redskins will be coming to town for the third meeting against the Cowboys this season. If the Seahawks prevail at home, then the Cowboys will play the winner of this Sunday's Bucs-Giants game.
Phillips outlined four postseason accomplishments the Cowboys obtained in the final month of the season. Not only did they clinch a playoff spot for the second straight year, but the Cowboys won the NFC East for the first time since 1998. They were able to clinch a first-round bye this week and own home-field advantage over any other team in the NFC.
Phillips viewed winning a division that featured three playoff teams and had all four teams finish with a winning record as quite an accomplishment as well.
"We had the best division in the NFC. We won the division by three games over the Giants, four games over the Redskins, five games over Philadelphia," Phillip said. "We were in control, whether it was early, late, middle, wherever it is, we were in control of the whole situation, and I think that's what it showed. I'm proud of our team - 13-3. You don't get that every year. Didn't get that every year here, except once."
The Cowboys matched the 1992 Cowboys as the only teams to finish 13-3 in franchise history. Phillips can only hope his team is holding the Lombardi Trophy at the end of the year the way that Cowboys team did after Super Bowl XXVII.
But despite the Cowboys' ugly 27-6 loss to the Redskins Sunday in Washington, Phillips isn't ready to discount his team's success throughout the entire season.
In fact, he not only dismissed Sunday's loss in which he took the blame for his team failing to match the Redskins' intensity, but said he's not worried about the Cowboys going 2-2 in the final month of the season.
No, the only thing on Phillips' mind is getting ready for his next opponent.
"I'm concerned about our football team getting ready for this game," Phillips said. "If you want to throw in Chicken Little and 'the sky is falling' and all that, if you want to . . . but I think we have a strong football team and a great chance to be where we want to be. The first thing is we are one of the eight teams left after this next weekend. That's what we are looking forward to."
The Cowboys have that luxury because of their first-round bye, but there is another, more uncertain goal they want to obtain. This is definitely the time of year when a team wants to be as healthy as possible.
And that played a major factor in determining just how long some of the starters played, if at all, in Sunday's regular-season finale.
But other than a mild knee sprain to Keith Davis that shouldn't affect his availability in the divisional round, the Cowboys were able to escape the Redskins game without any more setbacks.
That means the high ankle sprain to wide receiver Terrell Owens is undoubtedly the biggest concern heading into the playoffs. Phillips said he is confident that Terence Newman (knee), Jay Ratliff (knee) and Andre Gurode (knee) all will be ready to return for the next playoff game. He's hopeful Owens will be back in time, too.
"Terrell is still in the (walking) boot but we feel pretty good about him getting ready to play," Phillips said. "One of the things we wanted to be was healthy going into the playoff game. And we are that, or it looks like we will be. So that's a positive."
But despite getting asked numerous times about his team's struggles toward the end of the year, Phillips has remained positive.
His glass-half-full approach won't be altered by a few recent bumps in the road.
Whether or not the Cowboys are playing their best football of the season, Phillips knows he has the team to beat in the NFC.
As 2008 approaches, Phillips said the only thing he's asking for is to see the team he's coached the entire season, not just the final month.
"I'm not big into New Year's resolutions," he said. "If we can play like we did this year and play like a No.1 seed, that'd be nice."
DallasCowboys.com Staff Writer
December 31, 2007 6:22 PM
IRVING, Texas - As we roll into yet another year, the Cowboys are getting ready for yet another type of season.
Preseason is long gone. The regular season is now in the books as well.
It's time for the postseason, although the Cowboys won't be jumping right into the fire, getting that much-needed bye week before their first game in the divisional round.
"We had a tremendous year," head coach Wade Phillips said. "We accomplished all of our goals. But it's a new season now. We're looking forward to the playoffs."
They know the game will be Sunday, Jan. 13 at 3:30 p.m. (CST) at Texas Stadium. All that's missing from the equation is the opponent.
If Washington beats Seattle, the sixth-seeded Redskins will be coming to town for the third meeting against the Cowboys this season. If the Seahawks prevail at home, then the Cowboys will play the winner of this Sunday's Bucs-Giants game.
Phillips outlined four postseason accomplishments the Cowboys obtained in the final month of the season. Not only did they clinch a playoff spot for the second straight year, but the Cowboys won the NFC East for the first time since 1998. They were able to clinch a first-round bye this week and own home-field advantage over any other team in the NFC.
Phillips viewed winning a division that featured three playoff teams and had all four teams finish with a winning record as quite an accomplishment as well.
"We had the best division in the NFC. We won the division by three games over the Giants, four games over the Redskins, five games over Philadelphia," Phillip said. "We were in control, whether it was early, late, middle, wherever it is, we were in control of the whole situation, and I think that's what it showed. I'm proud of our team - 13-3. You don't get that every year. Didn't get that every year here, except once."
The Cowboys matched the 1992 Cowboys as the only teams to finish 13-3 in franchise history. Phillips can only hope his team is holding the Lombardi Trophy at the end of the year the way that Cowboys team did after Super Bowl XXVII.
But despite the Cowboys' ugly 27-6 loss to the Redskins Sunday in Washington, Phillips isn't ready to discount his team's success throughout the entire season.
In fact, he not only dismissed Sunday's loss in which he took the blame for his team failing to match the Redskins' intensity, but said he's not worried about the Cowboys going 2-2 in the final month of the season.
No, the only thing on Phillips' mind is getting ready for his next opponent.
"I'm concerned about our football team getting ready for this game," Phillips said. "If you want to throw in Chicken Little and 'the sky is falling' and all that, if you want to . . . but I think we have a strong football team and a great chance to be where we want to be. The first thing is we are one of the eight teams left after this next weekend. That's what we are looking forward to."
The Cowboys have that luxury because of their first-round bye, but there is another, more uncertain goal they want to obtain. This is definitely the time of year when a team wants to be as healthy as possible.
And that played a major factor in determining just how long some of the starters played, if at all, in Sunday's regular-season finale.
But other than a mild knee sprain to Keith Davis that shouldn't affect his availability in the divisional round, the Cowboys were able to escape the Redskins game without any more setbacks.
That means the high ankle sprain to wide receiver Terrell Owens is undoubtedly the biggest concern heading into the playoffs. Phillips said he is confident that Terence Newman (knee), Jay Ratliff (knee) and Andre Gurode (knee) all will be ready to return for the next playoff game. He's hopeful Owens will be back in time, too.
"Terrell is still in the (walking) boot but we feel pretty good about him getting ready to play," Phillips said. "One of the things we wanted to be was healthy going into the playoff game. And we are that, or it looks like we will be. So that's a positive."
But despite getting asked numerous times about his team's struggles toward the end of the year, Phillips has remained positive.
His glass-half-full approach won't be altered by a few recent bumps in the road.
Whether or not the Cowboys are playing their best football of the season, Phillips knows he has the team to beat in the NFC.
As 2008 approaches, Phillips said the only thing he's asking for is to see the team he's coached the entire season, not just the final month.
"I'm not big into New Year's resolutions," he said. "If we can play like we did this year and play like a No.1 seed, that'd be nice."
posted by The Gryphon at 11:32 AM
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