Back in May, I wrote that the Cowboys would make a run for the Super Bowl. Well, they didn’t, even though they should have. What’s wrong? And how can things be fixed?
The Dallas Cowboys are this year’s most disappointing team in the NFL. Period.
After Sunday’s 47-16 win over the Washington Redskins, the Cowboys learned that they wouldn’t be participating in this year’s playoffs. They needed the Eagles to lose to the Giants, but the Eagles won, 34-17, to claim the NFC East.
How could that fate have been avoided? Simple. The Cowboys just needed to play to their potential. But that’s not so simple after all: the Cowboys have a knack (year after year) for making things difficult on themselves.
Who’s to blame for this team finishing .500 and missing the playoffs? Head coach Jason Garrett is the odds on favorite to be named the villain of Dallas. Garrett has the talent–and he has had the talent before–but he never delivers. Each year, fans ask the same question–Will he return?–and each year he does. This time may be different because enough is enough. The Cowboys need a fresh start, and that starts with a new head coach who will establish a winning culture.
Courtesy: The Landry Hat
But Garrett isn’t the only problem. The Cowboys’ offense ranked #1 at one point of the season, but that ranking didn’t last. For starters, Dallas struggled to find an offensive identity. And even though Dak Prescott had the best season of his career, he was unsure of himself at times–even with Zeke in the backfield. Dallas did show flashes of what it could be, but inconsistency got in the way.
On defense, the Cowboys took a step back in 2019. Last season, Dallas had one of the best defensive fronts in the NFL. Not so this year. The front seven dealt with injuries and suspensions. It was much the same with linebackers. To me, the most significant loss came when Leighton Vander Esch was ruled out for the season with a neck injury. Without him, the defense couldn’t get going, especially on the turnover front.
Overall, I still think the Cowboys are as talented as any playoff team. They just seem to find a way to self-destruct. Nothing good will happen until that trend ends. The first step is to answer basic questions.
Should the team bring back Jason Garrett? NO!
Should the Cowboys re-sign Dak Prescott? YES! (I would like to think that Jerry Jones is going to retain the All-Pro QB.)
Should Dallas keep OC Kellen Moore? For now, I vote YES. The big question is how to sustain things when they’re going well and how to reduce inconsistency. And I think Moore schemed up an excellent passing attack this season.
