Your Dallas Cowboys

At the halfway point of a forgettable season, I thought I would take a few minutes to offer my views on the state of the union for our favorite NFL franchise. It’s a little like my phone, the Blackberry. Still carries a well-known name, still has some nice features, but is dying a slow death as it loses ground to Apple and Android. Users still hold out hope that they can reclaim their lost position, but in reality the outlook is grim.

The rather harsh reality is that the team is stunningly average in most respects, paying the price for poor drafts and bad front-office moves. Age is creeping up on the stars and the leadership cannot or will not recognize a 15-yr slump. Here is what I see:

Average to poor line play on both sides of the ball. The offensive line is younger, but marginally talented, and gets whipped on most days. The defensive line is just an average bunch of guys. Linebackers are a mixed bag propped up by the stellar play of Ware and Lee. Defensive backfield is again average at best, and injury-prone.

There are some talented skill players, but Austin is always hurt and Bryant is a prima donna who won’t learn how to play the position. Witten has a lot of miles and Bennett is a lost cause. With limited evidence, Murray could be a top-flight back. The offense is led by a very talented Tony Romo, who has a disturbing habit of making bad decisions under pressure and could see his career shortened by a porous line.

The GM is a media-hound and marketing genius who has steered his team to big profits, a new stadium, and an astoundingly poor on-field record in a league where parity rules. Drafts score some big splashes, but no depth. Most organizations in the NFL have much brighter and proven front-office executives who can put teams together in this environment.

The head coach is a joyless CEO who guards every word and manages every detail. He is almost dead last in the league in red-zone offense, but like Jerry is too hard-headed to make any changes. He is certainly not a guru in the Sean Payton mold. His statement of holding players accountable is the only really good thing or positive change that I see in having him in charge.

I see little hope that the Cowboys will become a top-flight organization who can consistently contend for a championship. They don’t make smart moves, they don’t draft well, they have average talent, their stars are getting old, and the QB is a risky proposition when it comes to decision-making. Other than that, it’s all good. As the years go by without real success and I realize that Jerry will never change, I find myself being less and less of a fan. Just too frustrating.

Glad I could brighten your day.

S