Cowboys History Says: Beat Panthers, Make NFL Playoffs

Cowboys' playoff cinches, Mavs' lineup changes and pinpoint Rangers' predictions, all in our weekly DFW Sports Notebook and pinpoint Rangers' predictions, all in our weekly DFW Sports Notebook

WHITT’S END: 10.1.21

Whether you’re at the end of your coffee, your day, your week or even your rope, welcome to Whitt’s End …

*A win Sunday over the Carolina Panthers gives the Dallas Cowboys a 70-percent chance of winning the NFC East and making the playoffs, according to none other than 61 seasons of franchise history. 

Since 1960 the Cowboys have started a season 3-1 23 times. Only on seven occasions did they miss the playoffs, and it usually came equipped with extenuating circumstances – mostly quarterback injuries and/or changes. 

In 1961, the shuttling of Eddie LeBaron and Don Meredith turned a 3-1 start into a 4-9-1 finish. In 1984 it was Danny White and Gary Hogeboom. In 1986 White broke his wrist. In 1987 there was a strike. In 2008 Tony Romo missed three key games, replaced by Brad Johnson. Ten times has a 3-1 start propelled the Cowboys to at least the conference championship game, including four appearances in the Super Bowl. Only twice have the Cowboys began 3-1, started the same quarterback every game and still missed the playoffs: 1997 (6-10) with Troy Aikman and 2019 (8-8) with Dak Prescott.

*From garbage time to the starting five? Not taking long for new Dallas Mavericks’ head coach Jason Kidd to hit the reset button on Rick Carlisle’s status quo. 

As training camp commenced this week, Kidd promised more freedom for Kristaps Porzingis at power forward and a starting role for seldom-used Dwight Powell at center. Under Carlisle, Powell played more than seven minutes only once in the seven-game playoff loss to the Los Angeles Clippers last Summer.

Look, we all know in the NBA it’s who closes more than who starts. But Powell is Dallas’ best pick-and-roll lob finisher and that threat alone should create more floor space for Luka Doncic to operate. And for those of us who haven’t totally given up on Porzingis’ immense skills, anything that provides him a bigger canvas is a worthy experiment.

READ MORE: What's Ultimate Role for Mavs' Reggie Bullock?

*Unfortunately, we were right about this year’s Texas Rangers. Some of us wise guys that predicted them to go 61-100-1* (COVID, somehow) aren’t going to be far off. 

Entering this weekend’s final series at Globe Life Field they are 59-100. The good news: Since Sept. 1 they are 12-14. The better news: Adolis Garcia. He walloped his 31st homer in Thursday’s win over the Anaheim Angels, breaking Pete Incaviglia’s franchise rookie record set in 1986. Garcia is just the 14th rookie in American League history with at least 30 homers and 90 RBI. 

Exactly none of us saw that one coming.

*Kendrick Lamar. Eminem. Dr. Dre. Mary J. Blige. Snoop Dogg. Otherwise known as the collective reason millions of Americans will claim “I ain’t watchin’ that!” of the Super Bowl LVI halftime show. Trust me, I’ve got “God, Guns & Texas” family members that would only watch the halftime show if it was Lynyrd Skynyrd, Lee Greenwood’s “God Bless the USA” on loop or a grandiose military parade. My all-time Super Bowl halftime show rankings go thusly: 1. Prince. The end.

*Luka on being Las Vegas oddsmakers’ preseason MVP favorite: “I don’t care about that. My goal is to win the championship. That’s it.” 

For a young kid under a giant microscope, it’s remarkable how he consistently does – and says – all the right things.

*Another reason you can book the Cowboys as NFC East champs: In his last 12 starts within the division, Dak Prescott is 11-1.

*Once in a blue moon I trick myself into thinking I’ve got my sh*t together. But this week – for the second time five months – I forgot my iPod in my shorts pocket and sent it on a full-cycle joyride through the washer and dryer. Spoiler alert: Funeral. Closed casket. I definitely do not have my sh*t together.

READ MORE: Cowboys' Rookie Micah Parsons Keeping a Secret

*Don’t look now but, yes, there is a D in Dallas. Is it Doomsday III? Hardly. Is it significantly better than the debacle of 2020? You betcha. The Cowboys are 31st in the NFL in yards allowed, 31st with just four sacks and 32nd in surrendering plays of 20+ yards with 16. 

But, relatively speaking, defensive coordinator Dan Quinn is a miracle worker.

Playing to his personnel strength, the zone-DNA coach has the Cowboys’ secondary playing man-to-man coverage on about 65 percent of snaps. Also, a league-leading eight takeaways is Botox for a lot of wrinkles.

*Two things I’m surprised to be typing: 1. Willie Nelson is alive, well and still touring at age 88; 2. He’s playing after Saturday’s FC Dallas game in Frisco.

*Hot.

*Not.

*Sad Thursday for the Rangers as one of the team’s most well-known and loyal fans passed away. For what seemed like every game since 1972, John “Zonk” Lanzillo beat his trademark drum behind three different first-base dugouts in Arlington in an attempt to ignite a Rangers’ rally. He was 88.

*Mavs’ reserve guard Trey Burke confirmed this week that he is not vaccinated, reasoning that he’s “not trying to rush into a decision.” Said he wants to do more research. I’d pay money for a live feed watching Burke – or any anti-vaxxer, for that matter – doing said research. 

If he’s not going to hire his own team of scientists, he could just rely on readily available data that confirms 700,000 Americans have died from COVID. Plain and simple: You have to be stubborn or stupid to prioritize potential, unknown, long-term effects over known, current, fatal effects.

READ MORE: Why Did Cowboys' RB Tony Pollard Miss Thursday's Practice?

*Ezekiel Elliott is running harder and smiling bigger this season. The key could be his love for … video games?

*Let me get this straight: When eight infants die from pillow suffocation, we immediately recall the pillows. When 307 kids die from COVID, we claim “we need to learn to live with this disease.” By that (ill)logic, wouldn’t it be just as easy to learn to live with suffocation?

*The Cowboys are 26-0 with Prescott at quarterback when they run more than they pass. This can be a chicken-or-egg thing, believe me, I know. But it's still a "thing.''

*From the Dept. of GOATs don’t quit, or lie … gymnast Simone Biles is at it again. In one interview, she says she “wouldn’t change anything” about her tapping out at the Tokyo Olympics. In another, she claims she “should’ve quit way before Tokyo”. So would she change everything? Or nothing? Can’t be both. 

Before she becomes a champion for mental health, may I gently suggest she gets her story straight?

*I know the Cowboys hope/wish/wanna believe that Tyler Biadasz is Travis Frederick. But, despite their identical college (Wisconsin), position (center) and size (6-4, 320 pounds), they are nothing alike. Before he was forced to retire early by Guillain–Barré syndrome, Frederick was a road-grating, five-time Pro Bowler. Biadasz is a weak-base player constantly being shoved into Prescott’s lap.

*You can drive a lifted pickup and carry a gun and post on social media about how you “crushed leg day”, but if you really want to prove how macho you are simply finish this 156-mile race across the Sahara desert. Until then, ssssshhhhh.

READ MORE: Rangers' Rookie Continues Record-Breaking Season

*The morning after the Cowboys whipped the Eagles, my buddy started texting me about the future. “So when Kellen Moore gets a head coaching job who’s gonna be our next coordinator?” Like I do with folks already putting together 2022 mock drafts, I recommended some meditation. Perhaps a couple of yoga classes. At least some deep breathing. Anything to stay in – and enjoy – the moment. 

We can look ahead to Carolina, maybe the playoffs. But 2022?! I predict my guy forgets to enjoy his steak at dinner because he’s worrying about how he wants his eggs at breakfast.

*RANGERS RISK: We all think the Texas Rangers are going to be putrid this season. Our lil’ roundtable revealed predicted win totals of anywhere between 61 and 78, but no one thinks .500 is plausible. Let’s put our money where our mouth is. I’m going to bet a virtual $100 against the Rangers every game this season and, after six months and 162 games, see where I wind up. I’ll keep a running tab right there each Friday and come October I’ll (wink) disperse my profits to my most loyal readers. RECORD: 51-88 TOTAL: +$722.

*This Weekend? Saturday let’s head out to the State Fair with Big Brother Big Sister lil’ bro Ja. Sunday it’s Cowboys-Panthers. As always, don’t be a stranger.