Dallas Cowboys: Is the sky really falling? Grounds for optimism

More grounds for optimism

• The coaching (except for special teams) – Yeah, I get it. This is crazy with all the penalties, right? That’s all true. But a lot of this is because of the injuries. On Sunday, Dallas had two defensive backs in their first week on the team and tons of injuries and substitutions.

In some of these instances, the coaching staff has responded with creativity and flexibility. The defensive line didn’t look so great in the first two games, totaling only two sacks in both games combined.

So defensive coordinator Mike Nolan and defensive line coach Jim Tomsula have been jimmying with the lineup, trying to find the right mix. And that line had four sacks this past Sunday. That, my friend, is called improvement.

And when UDFA offensive tackle Terence Steele had cramps on Sunday, Joe Philbin moved All-Pro guard Zack Martin to tackle and juggled the rest of the interior line to make it work. Can you imagine what the previous coaching staff would have done in a similar situation? I shudder to think.

• The next four opponents on the schedule – The Cleveland Browns (2-1), New York Giants (0-3), Arizona Cardinals (2-1), and Washington Football Team (1-2). (Yeah, I might have saved the best point for last.) None of these teams scares me. Nor should they scare Dallas.

Arizona might put up a fight, but the two teams Cleveland has beaten have been the Cincinnati Bengals and Washington. And Washington and New York?  Let’s be kind and say they’re not very good right now. The Cowboys could easily win three of the next four and could win them all, even with their injuries.

Add all this up, and I am, believe it or not, optimistic about the rest of the season. Does that mean I think the Cowboys are destined for the Super Bowl? Well, let’s not put the cart before the horse.

Like I said before if the Cowboys can get to midway through the season with a .500 record with all these injuries, and get most of their cornerbacks and offensive tackles back, I think they could do some real damage towards the end of the season. And that’s when you want to be playing your best football.

Remember, last year, when Dallas shot out of the gate with a bullet, amassing a 3-0 record? As I recall, things didn’t go too well after that. I expect better this year. I really do, despite the growing pains.