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Buffalo a trap for Dallas? Nope
No one knows for sure who first used the phrase "trap game, but it's now tossed around on an almost weekly basis in the NFL. I even found myself referring to this week's Monday Night Football matchup as a trap game for the 4-0 Cowboys before eventually coming to my senses.
In its true form, a trap game is any contest against a team with a losing record sandwiched by games against teams with winning records. Since the Cowboys played against the winless Rams last Sunday, Monday's game in Buffalo (1-3) can't be considered the real deal -- even if the Patriots are headed to Texas Stadium next Sunday.
But since we're on the subject, here are some numbers from Pro Football Prospectus 2007, which is now considered a second carry-on.
In the 474 trap games since 1983, the team that was supposed to win compiled a 389-85 record. Turns out teams did slightly better in trap games (.820 winning percentage) than in normal games (1,601-359-3) against losing teams (.815).
The Bills are 10-point underdogs Monday, a margin that is almost unheard of at home in the NFL. Former Cowboys head coach Bill Parcells hung mousetraps from the ceilings at Valley Ranch to remind his players not to look ahead. New coach Wade Phillips (below) has used motivational ploys before, but this week he left the talking to his players.
In its true form, a trap game is any contest against a team with a losing record sandwiched by games against teams with winning records. Since the Cowboys played against the winless Rams last Sunday, Monday's game in Buffalo (1-3) can't be considered the real deal -- even if the Patriots are headed to Texas Stadium next Sunday.
But since we're on the subject, here are some numbers from Pro Football Prospectus 2007, which is now considered a second carry-on.
In the 474 trap games since 1983, the team that was supposed to win compiled a 389-85 record. Turns out teams did slightly better in trap games (.820 winning percentage) than in normal games (1,601-359-3) against losing teams (.815).
The Bills are 10-point underdogs Monday, a margin that is almost unheard of at home in the NFL. Former Cowboys head coach Bill Parcells hung mousetraps from the ceilings at Valley Ranch to remind his players not to look ahead. New coach Wade Phillips (below) has used motivational ploys before, but this week he left the talking to his players.
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