Michael Irvin says Cowboys need to lose to the Redskins for their own good

The Hall of Fame receiver says the Cowboys can win by losing on Thursday

When the Cowboys beat the Ravens 27-17 on Sunday, they broke the team's single-season franchise record by winning their ninth game in a row.

Although most Cowboys fans want to see the streak continue on Thursday with a win over the Redskins, that's not the case for everyone.

For instance, take Michael Irvin.

The former Cowboys receiver loves what Dallas is doing this season, but he doesn't want to see them win against Washington on Thanksgiving Day. Instead, Irvin is hoping they lose, and we'll let him explain why.

"Instead of a win, I'm really looking for a loss [on Thursday]," Irvin told 105.3 The Fan this week, via the Dallas Morning News. "I need a loss in here on the way to the playoffs. To re-identify, refocus. I'm not saying they are not focused in everything -- but I wouldn't have an issue with a loss and a re-shake."

Irvin's basically saying that if the Cowboys lose one of their final six games, it will make them hungrier to win in the playoffs.

"We search ourselves deeply in defeat, because it hurts so much we want to make sure it never happens again. Victory, I look at with an overarching eye: Whatever happened, it worked. I want a searching of ourselves one time before the playoffs. 14-2 is a great record."

-- Michael Irvin

"You want to handle [the adversity of losing] and get refocused," Irvin said. "I don't want to go into the playoffs without that. Because then when you win 9, 10, 12 games you almost forget how bad it feels to lose."

The Pro Football Hall of Famer says that the team can learn more from a loss than they would from winning their final six games.

"You search yourself less in victory," Irvin said. "We search ourselves deeply in defeat, because it hurts so much we want to make sure it never happens again. Victory, I look at with an overarching eye: Whatever happened, it worked. I want a searching of ourselves one time before the playoffs. 14-2 is a great record."

Although it might sound ridiculous that Irvin is hoping for a loss, he's speaking from experience. During his three Super Bowl wins with the Cowboys in the 1990s, Dallas lost at least one game after Week 11 in each season.

In 1992, the Cowboys lost in Week 15, then reeled off five straight wins -- two in the regular season and three in the playoffs -- to win the Super Bowl.

In 1993, the Cowboys lost on Thanksgiving Day (The Leon Lett game), then reeled off eight straight wins -- five in the regular season and three in the playoffs -- on their way to a second consecutive Lombardi Trophy.

Finally, in 1995, the Cowboys lost in Weeks 14 and 15, before getting hot and riding a five-game winning streak to their third Super Bowl win in four years.