Isn't that what we all want.  I mean, isn't that what keeps us optimistic fans going, the fact that we see promise on our team?  So, for my own sanity, this is what I want for my early Christmas present.  I want the following this Saturday night:

Offense against Atlanta, week 7:  Tony Romo was  "21 of 29 for 311 yards and 3 TDs to earn a 141.6 QB rating."  He spread the ball around, Crayton got in on the action, and most importantly, we had pass protection.

Defense against Philly, week 9:  Giving up 16 points to an offense as explosive as Philly is nothing to be ashamed of.  If we can hold the Saints to 16 points we have a much better shot at winning this game.  Ratliff played some great football, and Brooking was an animal as well.  Moving Rat out to DE and not giving McNabb much room to breath.

Special Teams against Seattle, week 8: PC return for a touchdown (boy could we use one of those on Saturday!), Beuhler banging kickoffs, as well as making downfield blocks for return men.  Oh, and I think Folk was 1-1 on FGs.

Here's hoping guys.  We definitely have the tools.  I mean, based purely on talent, we do have a team that qualifies for the coveted title of "elite."  We just haven't been able to put it together.

Could this be the week?

I know, I know, Predictions are like opinions, which are like....well, something that everyone has, and they all stink.\

But, here's mine anyway:

Giants: Currently 7-5

They will go 2-2.  they will lose to the Vikings, and they'll drop another division game.  They'll be 9-6, and they can have the series sweep over us all they want, while we're in the playoffs and they're not.

Eagles: Currently 8-4

They will go 2-2.  They will lose to the Giants or have a bad game and lose to the Broncos, and they will lose to us.

Cowboys:   Currently 8-4

They will go 2-2 or 3-1.  They will lose one of the next two games, but not both.  They will beat Philly, but I'm just not sure about that Washington game.

Near as I can figure with my football brain, and the handy dandy Yahoo tool mentioned in another post, that means that if we can, in fact, win two of the next 3 and the Gnts and Iggles each drop one also, we're in regardless of the eagles game.(If the Vikes beat NYG, otherwise, we need the Eagles game)

The eagles game would determine who we play.  If we beat PHI, we'd get a rematch  with the Packers @ home.  If we lose to Philly, we would have to play them the next weekend IN PHILLY.

Hmmm GB at home, or Philly on the Road.  I think we better beat Philly in week 17.

Also, this is assuming the packers go at least 3-1 down the stretch, which they should.

So that's it.  Win 2 of the next three and we're in, with a bit of help elsewhere.

Hello all.

I'm sure a little research would yield a result, but I like you guys, so I figure I'd ask the community instead.

If we win the division, and the Eagles get a Wildcard, could we face them in back to back games?  I mean, we play them for  our last game.  The only way we get a bye is if the Vikes take a major dive, which I don't see happening.  So, we will most likely be playing in Wildcard weekend.

Does anyone know how those matchups work?  Is it based on record?  Do they separate teams based on division?

Is it possible we'd play Philly back to back, and if so....how much would that suck?

Raiders Giants Chargers Saints Skins Eagles

That's what's left folks. 4-2 in this stretch gets us in the playoffs, and 3-3 could also, if chips fall correctly.  Definitly do-able.  I'm feeling now like we are going to beat the Saints, kind of like we were the first to beat the colts a couple years ago.  We should beat the Raiders, and the boys better have some bad blood built up for when we see the skins again.

So, the question becomes (based on the non-scientific assumption above) Can we beat either the Chargers, Giants, or Eagles?  At this point, the Chargers are surging.  And, since they are in the AFC, I don't mind losing that game.  So then basically, we need to win 2 out of 3 of the remaining division games.  I think this can be done.

For 7-3 teams, the Bengals, Chargers, Cards and Pats are all ranked ahead of us (I'm unfortunately using ESPN).  What do you all think of this?

The Bengals just lost to the Raiders, so if we beat them tomorrow, we have to leap frog the Bengals, right?

A head to head with the Chargers will answer that question.  

The Cardinals, in my opinion are not better than us, especially w/o Warner.  

The Pats may, in fact, be better than us right now.  Hopefully that will change come SB time.

I guess the questions I pose then are the following:

A) Can we go 4-2 down the tough stretch ahead?

B) can we go at least 2-1 for our remaining divisional games, leaving us 4-2 or 5-1 in the division this year?

C) Where do you see us among the 7-3 teams?

Bonus) Did anyone, at the beginning of the season, predict that we'd be in a spot where the media is saying that our defense looks like Super Bowl quality, while our offense can only score once per game?   Aren't we supposed to be a potent offense with a Three Headed Monster in the backfield, a near top tier QB, and some young and promising receivers?  Aren't our corners supposed to liabilities?

Did I miss something?  Did I fall asleep? 

I just can't help but feel there is no middle ground this weekend.  No "Hey we lost, but it was close and we'll get 'em next time." 

No "Hey, we won, but it was close and we could do better."

Nope.  Not this time.  We go big, or we go home.  That's my prediction.  This game, I think, will go one of two ways:

Scenario #1

Cowboys score early and often.  We give up one big play to Jackson, and stumble and give up a big play on special teams, but our D-backs step up for the most part, D-ware and the Rat get a couple sacks each, and our offense is lights out.  Miles has a 90 yard game, Roy gets in the mix to hush the Media, the trio in the backfield have a solid day, and Crayton gets us good yardage on all those punts that the D forces.

and then there's that other option...

Scenario #2

Dismal.  Remnants of last season's closing game.  McNabb makes our D-backs look foolish. d-ware and Rat get shut out.  Romo slips back into the turnover machine mode.  Crayton fumbles the few punts we force.

Not sure why, I just feel like this won't be a "shoot out that;s decided on the last possession" like the NFL films guy said.

But, I could be wrong. And if I'm right, God let it be scenario 1.

If you guys haven't already seen this, you need to check it out.  I put it in a fanPost rather than a fanShot because I think it is important for everyone to see, especially if you're young and trying to start a family.

Maybe I'm oblivious, but I didn't know any of this went on.  While we had to hear about every sit up that TO did, and every girlfriend that Romo had, and blah blah blah, DeMarcus was going through stuff that most people cannot even imagine.  And what did he do?  His job.  No talking, no excuses, just a bad ass black man sacking some QB's.

You want a role model for your kids?  You want to see what a man looks like?  Look at DeMarcus Ware.  A family man that goes to work, gets the job done, and then comes home to his family.  No clownin' in nightclubs, no bashing people in the media.  Just straight up a Man.

It's like 12 minutes long.  Watch it anyway.

Here's my optimistic view of the rest of the season:

cheifs         - W

falcons      - L

seahawks - W

eagles       - W

packers    - W

redskins   - W

raiders     - W

giants      - W

chargers - L

saints       - L

redskins  - W

eagles     - W

Leaving us 11 - 5 - and hopeful.  Obviously improvement is needed to accomplish this. And yes, I have us sweeping the Eagles, and getting revenge in week 17 for last year.  In fact I hope it comes down to us v. Eagles to get into the playoffs again, and we stick it to 'em.

At 25% through the season, where do you see us come January?

Piggy-backing off the previous fanpost about not jumping ship on your team, here's my always-optimistic two cents:

Why are we frustrated?  Is it because we're 2-2?  Only partly.  We are frustrated because we are 2-2 and we *could* be 4-0.  Let's put things in perspective gentlemen.  How about those Raiders?  Cheifs?  Rams?  Bucs?   At least we have hope for next week.  We always have hope for next week, because we have talented guys.

Now, I too would like to see that talent start translating into more cohesive play.  But for now, I'm glad I'm not a redskins fan, or a fan of any of the teams above.

And also, think about this....there are teams liek us with talent that are playing worse.  Examples?  Sure.  Buffalo.  They have a crappy QB, but great receivers.  They should be better than they are.  Even better example.  Some people's superbowl pick (drumroll please) I present the tenesee titans.  0-4.  Damn.  Makes 2-2 look at least a bit better, huh?

All I'm saying is we have hope still.  Hope that the offense will come out of this funk, and the d-backs will become consistent.  We could still go 14-2, techinically.

Here are my thoughts after last night's game:

~Grizz, thanks for the warning to the unruly folks.  I will never again hang out on the thread during a game.  People are rude to each other, and obviously have no confidence in this team.    After one or two crappy plays over half the people here gave up on the game, gave up on our quarterback, gave up on our coach, and gave up on the season.  I'm emotional too, but let's be rational.

~ Our D-backs were bad.  On the flip side, the Manningham kid is for real, and Eli is truly a solid QB.

~ Romo played a terrible game, this loss is on him.  But he still marched down and scored on the last drive.  Unfortunately it left NY a bit too much time.

~ Flo got another one.  Ended up being a 6 yd penalty, but we would've been out by midfield, so all in all about a 42 yarder.  In a 2-point game, against the Giants, that matters, just like I said last week.  Oh....and if we were out by midfield, Romo doesn't throw short to Witten, which bounces off his heel for an INT. Flo is up around 75 yards which he cost us this year.  Go ahead, say he saved Romo....I was watching too, and I don't buy it.

I could go on, but I won't.  Bottom line is this:  We played a Terrible game and had even worse Luck. Yet we still took many people's Super Bowl pick to the wire.  I'm not much for moral victories, but one question looms in my mind.....

What if we played well against the Giants?