182 Comments
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Daniel Houston's avatar

It's not over yet, but I wanted to take a minute to thank y'all for hanging out with me here. This was a lot of fun, and something I'll want to try again next time the Cowboys have a game. (There's a 4% chance it will be next week!)

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William Richardson's avatar

It’s been fun, Daniel. Appreciate you making this and we’ll have a lot to discuss in the offseason with a new coach and all. Should be fun.

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Daniel Houston's avatar

50-50!

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Daniel Houston's avatar

Back down to 1 in 3 after the failed fourth-down conversion by the Giants. Big swings in playoff probability here

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Trevor Doyle's avatar

Hopefully a scoring drive for NYG and us tilts that even further.

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Daniel Houston's avatar

What a bizarre season this was. A team with +110 point differential has almost never (maybe actually never?) gone 8-8.

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Daniel Houston's avatar

It's happened a few times but it's very hard to do

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Brandon Hayes's avatar

This stat depresses me lol

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Daniel Houston's avatar

Yep. That's it. Cowboys playoff odds are down below 0.1% after the latest Eagles touchdown.

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William Richardson's avatar

But our Pythag Win % > Theirs. Gonna be fun when our close game record regresses to the mean and we go 12-4 (I’m actually serious on this).

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Daniel Houston's avatar

Cowboys playoff odds back up to 36% thanks to honorary Cowboy Golden Tate!

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Daniel Houston's avatar

The Cowboys pulled off a great touchdown drive and the Eagles just allowed a game-tying field goal.

The Cowboys playoff odds are back to their highest of the day: 35%

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Daniel Houston's avatar

Still need a few more breaks in the Eagles game before we can start to feel like it's an even fight.

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Dalton Miller's avatar

Ohhhhh boy.

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Daniel Houston's avatar

Long way to go!

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Trust Math's avatar

It’s really gonna happen, isn’t it?

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Daniel Houston's avatar

Still underdogs!

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Brandon Hayes's avatar

Victory blue!

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Daniel Houston's avatar

So if I understand this correctly, it's basically just a chat room. Any of you can comment and the rest of us can see it. And I'll be posting playoff% updates throughout the game.

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Daniel Houston's avatar

That Daniel Jones fumble is devastating.

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Daniel Houston's avatar

Cowboys playoff odds have plummeted to 8%.

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James's avatar

*cries*

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Brandon Hayes's avatar

Still a chance!

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Daniel Houston's avatar

Yeah, not over yet

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William Richardson's avatar

Not fun...

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Shalom Block's avatar

ouch

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Daniel Houston's avatar

This next Giants drive will be very consequential. Eagles currently at 67% odds to win and end the Cowboys season.

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Daniel Houston's avatar

44% y'all

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Daniel Houston's avatar

Back down to 28% almost immediately after that 41% completion from Wentz to Burnett. There are going to be huge swings in win probability from now through the end of the Eagles game.

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Daniel Houston's avatar

^ 41-yard completion

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Brandon Hayes's avatar

"Never tell me the odds"

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Jesse Canniff-Kuhn's avatar

Yeah Han wouldn't like this thread much

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Daniel Houston's avatar

Posted this below, but we're back to 38% playoff odds after the 68-yard Saquon run. We're back in it!

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Daniel Houston's avatar

Cowboys playoff odds: 38% after the Eagles punt

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Daniel Houston's avatar

We're on a rocket path to plausible

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Daniel Houston's avatar

Keep in mind everything happening in the Eagles game right now is about four times as important as what's happening in the Cowboys game

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Brandon Hayes's avatar

Most excellent!

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Daniel Houston's avatar

It happened. An Eagles touchdown brings the Cowboys playoff odds down to 1 in 5. Save us Danny Dimes

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Jesse Canniff-Kuhn's avatar

I take back all the laughing from when the Giants picked you. You deserved to be taken #6 overall. Show the world why. (Note: I reserve the right to disavow all this if you fail us.)

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Brandon Hayes's avatar

Amen.

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Brandon Hayes's avatar

In saquon we trust?

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James's avatar

That would require him to matter.

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Daniel Houston's avatar

^^^

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Daniel Houston's avatar

Never

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Daniel Houston's avatar

I live in constant fear of the Eagles scoring a touchdown. They're about to start another drive just behind the midfield line.

Cowboys playoff odds: 22%

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Trust Math's avatar

Good news is eagles seem insistent on running on 2nd and long/medium situations.

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Daniel Houston's avatar

Huge sack on Carson Wentz stifles what was becoming a concerning drive in the Eagles game. They had advanced the ball to the Giants 43 before the 10-yard loss.

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Daniel Houston's avatar

Two big events just improved the picture for the Cowboys: Eagles fail to convert on 4th and 7, and Cowboys get a turnover courtesy of Jaylon Smith.

Cowboys playoff odds: 34% (!)

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Daniel Houston's avatar

Cowboys playoff odds have dipped back down to 29% after the Eagles got the ball back following a Giants punt.

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Jesse Canniff-Kuhn's avatar

And then Elliott's injury, which could lead to more passes (passes are good, right?)

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Daniel Houston's avatar

Passes are good, confirmed. (Hope he's OK.)

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Jesse Canniff-Kuhn's avatar

Oh yes, for sure that too

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Daniel Houston's avatar

Let's talk about the Eagles game for a second. If the Eagles beat the Giants, the Cowboys have no shot of making the playoffs. FPI sees the Eagles as 70% favorites, meaning the WAS-DAL result only matters for that remaining 30% window of probability. Dallas is a 91% favorite in its own game, so that brings their playoff odds to 26%. In *most* scenarios where the Eagles lose today, the Cowboys win the NFC East.

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Daniel Houston's avatar

So basically, the Eagles game is the one that's more up in the air. The Cowboys could always fall to another early deficit (ugh) and things could change very quickly. But from where we sit right now, the Eagles game is the bigger deal.

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Rob Diton's avatar

Gut feeling has the eagles odds higher than that, iwbh...

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Daniel Houston's avatar

It's nice they're playing on the road, with heavy injuries, and against a quarterback that's kind of a wild card right now. But yeah

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Daniel Houston's avatar

,,,

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Jesse Canniff-Kuhn's avatar

Dak loves stiff arming Washington.

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Trust Math's avatar

Golden Tate is forgiven for all of

His past travesties.

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Brandon Hayes's avatar

Not until a win

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Trust Math's avatar

Gmen driving...

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Brandon Hayes's avatar

Anybody else feel dirty rooting for them? Haha

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Jesse Canniff-Kuhn's avatar

ooooook so apparently dak can throw downfield today (so why haven't we been doing that?)

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Daniel Houston's avatar

makes you think

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Trust Math's avatar

*clapping noises intensify*

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Tudor's avatar

NFC East doing the NFL proud in both games sheesh

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William Richardson's avatar

I know this makes me a bad fan, but I’m torn between wanting to make the playoffs and also wanting Jerry to learn a painful lesson. I guess I’ll take the playoffs.

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James's avatar

Cobb with the $250,000 catch!

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Trevor Doyle's avatar

SAQUON!

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Trust Math's avatar

SAQOUN. MATTERS.

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Trust Math's avatar

COME ON DANIEL

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Trust Math's avatar

Cmon Daniel.

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Shalom Block's avatar

that was a bad throw....

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Daniel Houston's avatar

hey,

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Tudor's avatar

have to re sign Quinn

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Daniel Houston's avatar

He's very good. Been at the top of the Pass Rush Win Rate leaderboards all year

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James's avatar

I do wonder how responsible he is for us being so susceptible to screens, ie getting too far upfield?

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Trust Math's avatar

Playing his way out of Dallas sadly, shame we wasted this pitiful year.

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Dalton Miller's avatar

Hello Daniel

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Daniel Houston's avatar

Dalton!

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Dalton Miller's avatar

Worst outcome is a Cowboys and Eagles win. Can’t have that Daniel. Use your spreadsheets to make sure it’s Cowboys win/Eagles loss or the opposite.

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Daniel Houston's avatar

This has been the most likely single outcome all day, unfortunately.

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Dalton Miller's avatar

Le sigh, I know

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James's avatar

The Cowboys defense getting turnovers? The apocalypse is here!

Which only means one thing: Cowboys will be NFC East champs!

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Daniel Houston's avatar

Unfortunately a Daniel Jones sack on 3rd and 8 just lowered our playoff odds to 22%, even after the Dallas fumble recovery.

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Brandon Hayes's avatar

How're you calculating the playoff odds?

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Daniel Houston's avatar

Using FPI's live win probability model for each game: https://www.espn.com/nfl/game/_/gameId/401128033

The Cowboys playoff odds are just the Eagles chances of losing * the Cowboys odds of winning.

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Daniel Houston's avatar

Basically everything that happens in the Eagles game at this point is about three times as important as what's happening in ours.

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Trevor Doyle's avatar

Just assumed that holding was on Tyron even tho he’s inactive.

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Daniel Houston's avatar

:(

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Tudor's avatar

If we want to win get out to a fast start make Philly start looking at the scores

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Daniel Houston's avatar

Sign me up

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Tudor's avatar

reverse the pressure

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Trust Math's avatar

Cowboys-Seahawks first round playoffs in the establish the run game of the century

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Daniel Houston's avatar

Yes! Just realized the Vikings are out of the 5 seed picture. The NFC East winner will face the loser of tonight's SEA-SF showdown. The Seahawks are the slight "favorites" for the 5 seed, per FPI, at 56%.

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Trust Math's avatar

We beat the Seahawks, beat the packers, then lose in the NFCG and Garrett gets extended because life is a comedy.

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Trust Math's avatar

Who’s ready for 15 first down Zeke runs today?

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Daniel Houston's avatar

Being a diehard Cowboys fan and a numbers nerd means constantly rooting for your team to win and confirm all the wrong priors.

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Trevor Doyle's avatar

Can’t wait to watch this team accidentally fall backwards into the playoffs today.

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Daniel Houston's avatar

Week 16: Eagles celebrate division title

Week 17: Eagles stripped of division title, exit playoff picture in shame

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Rob Diton's avatar

And there was much rejoicing

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William Richardson's avatar

EPA boxscore highlights: Dak at -0.3 on dropbacks, but 1.7 on rushes, probably because of the sacks. Zeke at 1.8, Coop at 5.5 (1.37/play!), Cobb at 4.1

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Daniel Houston's avatar

Yes! Thanks William

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William Richardson's avatar

Ugh, deleted my comment by mistakes. And no problem, man. Probably all for not though. Danny Dimes fumbles man...

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Trust Math's avatar

If I was Shepard I’d sue Daniel for emotional distress after this game.

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Trust Math's avatar

It’s happening!

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Trust Math's avatar

Eagles punt!

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Jeff's avatar

How are we feeling, fellow nerds?

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Daniel Houston's avatar

The Cowboys still need some breaks in the Eagles game, but this is about the best I've felt all day

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Brandon Hayes's avatar

Should we resign cobb?

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James's avatar

YES!

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Trust Math's avatar

We have a tie game lads.

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James's avatar

ITS HAPPENING!

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Trust Math's avatar

GIANTS BIG PLAY AND ROUGHING THE PASSER PENALTY

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James's avatar

Remember when it was enjoyable to watch this offense?

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Daniel Houston's avatar

I wasn't alive for the Landry days

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Trust Math's avatar

Either Kellen is crazy inconsistent with PA usage or Garrett wants to sabotage him.

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Jesse Canniff-Kuhn's avatar

It's a shame we aren't allowed to cover their TE. Seems like it gives them an unfair advantage, but rules are rules.

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Trust Math's avatar

Kris Richanelli have to go.

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James's avatar

Truth.

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Trust Math's avatar

Giants offense makes me sad, Jones just underthrew shepard with a throw that could’ve put them in FG range.

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Shalom Block's avatar

are we still not sure on Daks shoulder , looking from the play calling?

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Daniel Houston's avatar

Super tough to say, but I imagine he's in a lot of pain at least

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Brandon Hayes's avatar

Please do this next season too

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Daniel Houston's avatar

I really like this discussion thread setup. It's a keeper for sure.

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Brandon Hayes's avatar

I enjoy the live percentage updates on the playoffs haha

Its also cool seeing you getting more interactive from all the great work you do

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Daniel Houston's avatar

Thanks so much! I think this whole project is going to be a lot of fun.

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