What the Cowboys Don’t Need in 2013
As we slowly tick down the final days til training camp there are several questions that everyone in Cowboys Nation is waiting anxiously to find out the answers to. Will Tony Romo have a playoff worthy December? Will DeMarco Murray be able to get back to the level that brought him to record-breaking heights against the St. Louis Rams his rookie season? Can the big guys up front figure out how to block? How will a change in defensive philosophy gel in Big D? The answers to those and many other questions are on the way. As the 2013 campaign inches closer, though, there are a few things I hope don’t rear their ugly heads in Dallas…
First and foremost, I am hoping that the injury bug that bit the Cowboys hard in 2012 stays away…far away. The 2012 season started out with the loss of defensive standout Sean Lee and things only got worse. By season’s end the Cowboys were operating with a shell of the offensive line that was a hot mess even before the first snap of the season. Dallas also suffered losses in its already thin secondary and DeMarcus Ware played most of the season while battling nagging injuries as well. Perhaps the biggest blow came when starting running back DeMarco Murray was lost to injury again. Murray has missed a total of nine games in his two seasons with Dallas and could be the answer to the revolving door in the Cowboys’ backfield if he can just stay healthy.
Secondly, I for one hope that whoever is the finder of buzz words at The Ranch finds a pink slip in their cubicle. Every time I hear an interview with one of the ‘Boys it seems that the vague phrase, “We’ve got to get better” crops up multiple times. On a recent episode of “First Take” on ESPN, Stephen A. Smith tried many and various ways to get guest DeMarco Murray to tell him specifically how Dallas needs to improve in 2013. When Murray finally let loose and took on the question head-on, he gave a very well said and thorough answer as to how Dallas needs to be able to finish games in order to find success in the upcoming year. The players in Dallas are obviously intelligent individuals who don’t need to rely on generic buzz words to answer tough questions. T.O. is long gone, so let the ‘Boys say what they really feel.
June 11, 2013; Irving, TX, USA; Dallas Cowboys running back DeMarco Murray (29) runs with the ball against cornerback Orlando Scandrick (32) during minicamp at Dallas Cowboys Headquarters. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
Staying on the subject of the media, when it comes to weird and random outbursts, the guys in the suits and with the headsets are the ones that could do well to dial it back a notch. We have said our goodbyes to that walking source of bulletin board material, Rob Ryan. Here’s hoping our rather opinionated owner doesn’t feel the need to take up the slack. Mr. Jones has already made headlines by telling the press that Tony Romo will be spending Peyton Manning like time at The Ranch. Since that little quote has faded away I have my fingers crossed that Jerry won’t feel the need to invite fans to his palace to see the Cowboys kick anyone’s butt this season. That didn’t turn out so well with the Giants last year…
If the injury bug, buzz words and big mouths are kept at bay maybe the 2013 season will be a happy one in Cowboysland.