The Truth About The Dallas Cowboys
By Joshua Huff
Dec 9, 2013; Chicago, IL, USA; Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo (9) on the sidelines during the fourth quarter against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports
I love the Cowboys, I really do. It is for this reason and this reason alone, that I will continue to let them break my heart time after time.
It is for this reason, that at the beginning if each season (much like reconciling with an ex), I convince myself that “this time will be different”. But it’s not different. After the unrealistic optimism wears off, you find that you are having the exact same problems you always have, and that this clearly is not working.
That’s where I am with the Cowboy’s this year. Now don’t get me wrong, I’ll still be here, arms wide open, when camp starts next season. Unfortunately, as far as this season’s concerned, it’s about time to call it.
There is nothing I want more than to be wrong about this, for the Cowboy’s to catch a hot streak and ride it all the way to the Super Bowl. It’s just not very likely.
Even if we managed to come out on top of the NFC East (which is very possible), our play is just not consistent enough to make it past the 2nd round of the playoffs. One can’t help but wonder where we would be had we not prematurely parted ways with Rob Ryan.
I also always find myself questioning if things wouldn’t be different without the consistent injuries to key players. I understand this is football, and that injuries are always going to be play a part in every team’s struggle throughout the season. But why is it always our most impactful players?
Romo seems to be struggling through an injury or two each season. Dez Bryant, Sean Lee, DeMarco Murray, Demarcus Ware, Brandon Carr, Dwayne Harris, and Morris Claiborne all seem to struggle with injuries, resulting in missed games or hindered performances. I didn’t mention Miles Austin, because at this point I pretty much consider him perpetually injured. This season we saw Lance Dunbar go down just as he was breaking out. It would appear as though some of the Cowboy’s problems come down to plain old bad luck.
That does not mean there isn’t some responsibility to be taken for some of the decisions that have been made as well as weren’t made. I already spoke of the premature release of Ryan. Jay Ratliff should receive a good amount of credit for (as far as I can tell) intentionally and knowingly screwing this team over. Plus, I still find myself constantly frustrated at our lack of aggression offensively.
Why have we done so well in 4th quarter comebacks in the past? Why do we constantly surprise by going neck and neck with teams that are supposed to blow us out of the water? Why do we break offensive records when we come into a game as underdogs?
It’s because the wide open aggressive offense we play when we are attempting a comeback or facing a Super Bowl caliber team is the offense we are best at. It shouldn’t be situational for us, it should just be our offense!
We are a high power offense, we just don’t believe that we are and that leads to a conservative nature of play that just isn’t our game. I want to see more jump balls thrown to Bryant, I believe no one but Calvin Johnson is as capable as Bryant when it comes to these type of passes. The difference is the trust Stafford puts in Johnson.
The silver lining here is that a lot of our great talents are young. I include Romo in that because he didn’t start taking a quarterback’s beating as early as most. There is strong talent on this team. Maybe we are missing just a couple of key players. Maybe we are just missing the confidence to play as great as we could.
Either way, (as far as any organized professional sport is concerned) the Cowboys are my one true love. That will never change. I might get disappointed, but I will always believe they are a team on the cusp….and I will never leave them.