26.8 points a game, ranking them third in the NFC behind only Chicago (27.7) and New Orleans (27.1), and fourth in the NFL, also trailing league-leader San Diego (42.7). With 349 points and three games to play, the Cowboys are on pace to total 429.5 points this year.
Only eight other times in the Cowboys' previous 46 seasons have they scored 400 points in a season. And guess what? In each of those seasons they not only finished with winning records, but they also qualified for the playoffs.
Want more? In five of those seasons the Cowboys played in the NFC title game. In four of those seasons they either played in a Super Bowl or the NFL Championship game. In six of those seasons they won division titles, finishing second the other two. And in six of the eight, they won at least one playoff game.
There is no substitute for scoring points.
The top five scoring offenses in the NFL today, in order, belong to San Diego, Chicago, New Orleans, Dallas and Indianapolis. Only the Cowboys have not won at least nine games. And of those teams, only Chicago is ranked higher than 12th when it comes to scoring defense. The Bears are second.
Sure, if you have the very best defense, you can win during a season. But Romo is of the mindset that if one of your units is only average, then chances are you can offset the mediocrity better if you are scoring points, not the other way.
Ever not win there, Tony, when your team scored a lot of points?
"Well, we didn't maybe win a playoff game, but we won," he said, meaning the team had a winning record.
How 'bout you Patrick Crayton? Ever not win on a team that scored a lot of points?
"Never," Crayton said.
You, Jason Witten?
"Not really," he said.
And the wise-old vet, Terry Glenn?
"Normally, you would win," he said.
Not since 1995 have the Cowboys scored 400 points in a season. Heck, only four times during those 10 years have the Cowboys been able to score 300 points. Subsequently, this longest span in club history without a playoff victory, the nine seasons between 1997-2005, also represents the longest span of consecutive seasons without a 400-point season. The previous longs had been eight, twice, and one of those just happened to be between 1984-91.
Guess how many playoff games the Cowboys won in those eight seasons? One.
Coincidence? Hmmm. Me thinks not.
So we all know what happened the last time the Cowboys tallied 400 points in a season (435). They won a Super Bowl. The time before that? Well, 1994, they played in the NFC Championship (414). The time before that? Uh, they won a Super Bowl (409).
Now I'm sure some wise guy can come up with an exception or two to my scoring rule. I can hear everyone now screaming "Baltimore." But defense with a bad offense means you had better have a best-defense-ever to compensate. But I'm guessing a decent-scoring scoring offense can better compensate for a bad defense. Check out Indy.
Or go ask Sean Payton why he ordered the onside kick when up 35-17. He didn't trust his defense, and figured the best chance to hold the lead was to keep scoring, hence the best defense is a scoring offense. A man after my own heart.
Look here, if you are stuck in a dust bowl, go find you a rainmaker.
If you are stuck in a traffic jam, get off the highway.
And if you are stuck in a defensive pickle, well, come on now, all together, let me hear you guys:
SCORE SOME POINTS!
