If The Cowboys Were Only A QB Away
Think about it. It would be so much easier being a San Francisco 49ers fan. Maybe even a Miami Dolphins fan or Arizona Cardinals or any NFL team that is mainly a QB away from a Superbowl or (at least) a serious run at a Superbowl.
When all you’re really missing is a great quarterback, at least you know what you have. You know whats missing and therefore you have something tangible to look forward to or hold on to. It gives fans not just a reason to have faith, but a clear reason to keep the faith.
Now, I’m aware that the Superbowl was played yesterday – begrudging kudos, by the way, to MVP Eli Manning and the NY Giants on their 21-17 victory over Tom Brady and the Patriots – but the fans of those teams are experiencing the fruits of their faith in their teams. I’m a Dallas Cowboys fan. I’m still waiting, so my fandom is lumped in with all the other teams that are ‘missing pieces‘ away from that Superbowl appearance and that’s what this article is about.
As I was saying, its so much easier to be a fan when you’re just a QB away. The San Francisco 49ers are a perfect example of that. Yes, they made it to the NFC Championship game (which qualifies as a serious run) but can anyone who watched that Championship game honestly tell me that the 49ers weak link wasn’t Alex Smith? How many short hops on those last couple drives? I was actually surprised. Alex had played so well against the Saints, I thought he finally came into his own, instead he just had the game of his career. The 49ers are just a QB away from the Superbowl. Their fans should be able to take solace in that and have faith that they will go get one via free agency or trade – they are ready to win now so they can’t wait to draft and develop one – (Peyton Manning anyone?). To be able to identify the missing piece is 90% of the battle. Do you see why it would be easier to be a fan of a team with that scenario?
The Dallas Cowboys fans don’t get that clarity. You see, the Cowboys are not a Superbowl team but they have a great QB in Tony Romo – If you think the Dallas Cowboys are a QB away from a Superbowl run, you’re an idiot – so the missing pieces are elsewhere on the team. Some of the pieces are glaring – Cornerback – Offensive Line. Some are less tangible, for example, how do you quantify intensity or will or inexperienced head coaching for that matter? It all gets so murky. Except for QB, there is a case to upgrade almost every position, especially on the defense.
We can’t really afford to waste Tony Romo’s talent with a complete rebuild, but we probably should. I could make a case to trade DeMarcus Ware, whom I’ve proclaimed ‘The Franchise’ right here on The Landry Hat, because he is the only player that we would get a bundle of picks for without having to start over as a team. (you trade Romo and you are starting over, period). Besides, the Cowboys had their chance to go in another direction had they let Sean Payton take Tony Romo with him like he wanted to when he left to head coach the New Orleans Saints – side note: Its my opinion that Tony Romo would have already won a Superbowl as a Saint with Sean Payton – . Instead, the Cowboys hitched their horses to Romo and Jerry Jones, like most decision makers in the NFL, thinks he’s one of the best in the league.
Tough decisions have to be made one way or another. The state of the franchise is precarious at best. Sure wish I knew what the Cowboys were missing. It would be much easier if it was just one tangible thing, like in San Francisco.
Superbowl POINTS and OBSERVATIONS:
-Eli Manning (unlike Alex Smith) has come into his own, can’t talk crap about him anymore (but I still will)
-What was Vegas thinking? It seemed palpable to almost everyone else that the Giants were the favorite going into this game.
-The Patriots remind me a lot of the Dallas Cowboys from ’80 thru ’85: A very good team with a very good coach that the rest of the league had finally caught up to.
-The commercials sucked this year. Only a couple were mildly entertaining.
-Boy, if the Cowboys had 3 or 4 good pass rushers instead of just 1 and 1/2.
-A jump ball in the endzone to end the game…not bad.
-Write this down: Peyton Manning will be a San Francisco 49er next year… OK…At least he should be. I hope it doesn’t happen, because the 49ers would be the favorite – even over the Packers – to win it all next year.
-Write this down too: The Dallas Cowboys will be in the Superbowl within the next 3 years.
Artie Cappello
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