Cowboys Still Have a Chance
By Kim Dunning
Dec 15, 2013; Arlington, TX, USA; Green Bay Packers running back Eddie Lacy (27) leaps for a touchdown in the fourth quarter of the game against the Dallas Cowboys at AT
So by now we should all be over the Green Bay loss right? Surprisingly enough even that game with a bad taste, we still have a chance to win the division if we go 2-0 to finish out the rest of the seasons and make the playoffs. Yes I went there and said playoffs! Amazingly enough, with the Philadelphia Eagles faltering against the Minnesota Vikings, the Cowboys still basically control their own destiny, win out and get in. Now that is easier said than done especially with the last two showings the Cowboys have put on, they have left a really bad taste in fans mouths and most fans are jumping ship, like it’s the Titanic sinking. Now is the time, especially for us Cowboy fans, to try to stay positive and at least enjoy the remainder of the NFL season, which always seems too short. So how can Dallas win out and who needs to step up and do a better job in the next two games.
The first one doesn’t take rocket science to figure out. Whoever is calling the plays offensively needs to really step up and hopefully watched a lot of film this weekend. Whether it be head coach Jason Garrett, offensive coordinator Bill Callahan or even quarterback Tony Romo, whichever of these guys are calling the plays they have to do a better job of it. If they can’t then by the end of the season they need to go. If Callahan and Garrett combined together, as the new system in place so leads us to believe, cannot get the offense moving in the second half of the game, then the reigns need to go to Romo and we live or die by him.
Secondly, the defense really needs to step it up. I mean they really need to step it up. If the offense can continue to put 20+ points on the board, the defense needs to find a way to stop the opposing offense. They need to stop worrying so much about stripping the ball and focus on wrapping up and tackling. They need to stop the slant passes and they need to just stop the pass all together. The secondary, has been atrocious and they need to bring their A+ games and get it together. If the defense doesn’t stop the opposing offense, then Dallas can kiss that playoff hope good-bye for good. Coming up are two division games and two technically back-up quarterbacks who have starter qualities. These two quarterbacks aren’t to be taken lightly and therefore, if defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin can’t figure out a way to stop them, then someone else needs to step up and show them how to stop an offense.
Lastly and most importantly, the players, with the exception of DeMarco Murray, Dez Bryant, the offensive line and Dan Bailey, need to step up their playing. The players are the keys to winning games. The coaches only go so far and even with our lackluster play callers, this is a fairly talented team, yes even the scrubs. These guys need to remember what it’s like to wear the star and play to and above their potential. They need to lay it all out the next two games and hopefully further and earn that star they wear. They need to be passionate and play angry and smart.
Sadly, as I’ve been told so many times in my life, a team is only as good as their coaches and organization, so maybe the Cowboys can dig down deep inside and gain the fans trust and loyalties back. If they can’t, Jerry Jones will need to find a way to get his fan base to care, especially after his comments this week. So let’s hold out hope, that the Cowboys can actually go 6-0 in the division and bring us fans some kind of pride back!