Business as usual. . . .

I've said several times this year that the Cowboys haven't played well in December. I was basing that on memory, but I pulled the stats just to make sure I was right. The stats didn't have actual dates of the games, so I pulled the final 5 games for each season and looked at the W-L ratios. Here's the facts:

2006 2-2 (one game left)
2005 2-3
2004 2-3
2003 2-3 Playoff game (1)
2002 1-4
2001 2-3
2000 1-4
1999 2-3 Playoff game (1)
1998 2-3 Playoff game (1)
1997 0-5
1996 2-3 Playoff games (2)
1995 3-2 SuperBowl win

So you have to go back eleven years before you find a winning record in the final 5 games of a season. It's been since 1996 that the Cowboys have won a playoff game. If the Cowboys can manage to pull out a win against the Detroit Lions this next weekend, they will have stopped that losing December streak they have going. Then they have a 3 game run to get to the SuperBowl. More than likely, on the road. The Cowboys have had only one 3 game winning streak this season and it was the first since 2003. If the Cowboys can beat the Lions, that begins that streak. As we know, one loss and you're out in the playoffs, so the Cowboys will have to beat the lions, then win 3 more in a row just to get to the SuperBowl.

To achieve a SuperBowl win, the Cowboys would have to win 4 playoff games, probably on the road. Potential opponents include the Bears, Seahawks, Giants, Eagles, or Saints. Three of these teams have already beaten the Cowboys this season. The Cowboys didn't play the other two. If you throw in winning the game against the Lions to go into the playoffs off a win, that makes it a 5 game winning streak necessary.

With a defense giving up 113 points in their last four games, an offense who just had their lowest scoring game of the season, and an offensive line that is letting defenses camp out in the Dallas backfield, the likelihood of a five game winning streak is slim to none. I'm sorry, TO, they don't start games early enough to get you in it to make up for the problems the Cowboys have on their team. I thought for a short time there that we had a good team that had some bad luck with the Saints and was going to head into the playoffs with a good head of steam. After yesterday's Christmas flogging, I've decided they've been a lucky team, being fortunate to make enough plays in a couple games to win them, giving the illusion they were a good team. I'm a Cowboys fan. Don't get me wrong, I'm not dissing the luck. I'm just sorry it's running out as we head into the playoffs.

I don't think a team that goes into the playoffs with a losing record in their last 5 games of the season is going far at all. One and done, as they say, wouldn't surprise me. I wouldn't be lining up airplane tickets for a Cowboys SuperBowl this year, folks. The likelihood against it is just too high.

No, this is more "business as usual" for the Cowboys. For the past 10 years, the Cowboys have had losing records in their last 5 games each season. This year looks no different. There's a problem when a team goes that long without having a winning record. It can't be all Parcells. He's only been here 4 of those 10 years. The Cowboys have a letdown in December each year. They've had another one this season. It's a December to remember. It's just not a very good memory.