The Cowboys are just good enough to give their fans hope.
Thanks to their win against Carolina, Dallas is in position to make a big move in the NFC East if they can beat the Giants for a second time.
If.
What makes us think they can beat the Giants? Because they did in the season opener?
We haven't seen that Cowboys team since then.
Dallas will be home for this Giants game, which should give fans more optimism. But then again, it shouldn't. It's been well-documented how average the Cowboys have been since moving into the new stadium in 2009 -- they're 14-12.
Let's take a closer look at that Cowboys Stadium record: Among those 14 home wins, how many do you think came against teams that finished the season with a winning record?
Year, Home Record
2009, 6-2
Wins: Carolina (8-8), Atlanta (7-9), (Seattle 5-11), Washington (4-12), Oakland (5-11), Philadelphia (11-5) Losses: NY Giants (8-8), San Diego (11-3)
2010, 2-6
Wins: Detroit (6-10), Washington (6-10) Losses: Chicago (11-5), Tennessee (6-10), NY Giants (10-6), Jacksonville (8-8), New Orleans (11-5), Philadelphia (10-6)
2011, 5-3
Wins: Washington (5-11), St. Louis (2-14), Seattle (7-9), Buffalo (6-10), Miami (6-10) Losses: Detroit (10-6), Philadelphia (8-8), NY Giants (9-7)
2012, 1-1
Wins: Tampa Bay (2-4) Losses: Chicago (5-1)
Two -- that's it. And none since 2009. The average record of the teams Dallas has beaten in Cowboys Stadium in three-plus seasons is 6-10.
That's not who's coming to Arlington on Sunday. The New York Giants are coming, and they're 5-2.
When winning teams come to Cowboys Stadium, they win.
Chicago has already done it this year. The Lions and Giants did it last year. New Orleans and Philadelphia did it the year before. And so on. Between 2009-2011, teams that finished the season with a winning record between have a 7-2 record in the new stadium.
And that's why Dallas' 14-12 record at Cowboys Stadium is fool's gold (or more like fool's bronze, considering it's mediocrity). They have won their share of games, but very few of them have come against quality opponents.
And that's why this tough stretch of the season - the four out of five games on the road - is so bleak. So far they're 1-1 during this stretch (and now 3-3 overall). But even if they survive this brutal stretch and come out with a 5-4 record, what next?
There's no comfort in the fact that five of their final seven games will be at home, because at Jerry World, there is no home field advantage.
E-mail tmadden@wfaa.com
Twitter @tedmadden
