The Curious Case of The Dallas Cowboys

Nov 27, 2014; Arlington, TX, USA; Dallas Cowboys quarterback

(9) breaks from the team huddle prior to the game against the Philadelphia Eagles at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

The Dallas Cowboys find themselves in a familiar position. A position they know all too well. A position where everything is important. From the players’ injuries to the play calling and being under pressure to make the playoffs, the Cowboys have been here before.

In fact, this will make the fourth year in a row where the Cowboys begin December with a winning record. Only to deflate like an hot air balloon and go 8-8 and miss the playoffs the three previous seasons.

Will it be four years in a row?

Who knows because now the Cowboys almost have to win their four remaining games to get into the playoffs. And that’s not even a sure thing. According to ESPN and other football experts, if the Cowboys, Lions and Seahawks were to end the season with the same record, the Seahawks would advance to the playoffs because of percentage points over the Lions and the Lions would stop the Cowboys from getting in because of a better conference record.

Oh, it gets more interesting, too.

If the Cowboys win their remaining games and if the Eagles win three of their remaining four games, the Eagles still win the division because of a better divsion record. So the Cowboys can go 12-4 and not win the division.

Wow! You have to be kidding me. No way. The Cowboys start out 6-1 and this is their fate?

Talk about getting your hopes up! Talk about a sense of urgency!

The Cowboys put themselves in this hole. It’s their fault. Own it.

First of all, the Cowboys had no business losing to the hapless, quarterback controversial, and less fortunate Washington Redskins. The Cowboys knew the Redskins would play them tough. And they weren’t prepared. Neither were the coaches.

Because of the coaches ineptitude to stop the Redskins from blitzing and sacking Romo, he injured his back and couldn’t play the following week against the Cardinals. Another lost.

Then the Cowboys lose an humiliating and critical game to their divisional rival, the Philadelphia Eagles, on Thanksgiving Day. A must win game. A win that would have given them the divisional lead with the lowly Chicago Bears on the horizon.

Now in an ironic twist, the Cowboys benefit from the Eagles beating the Seahawks and the Cowboys winning against the Bears. This scenario temporarily puts the Cowboys as the sixth seed in the playoffs. Thank God the playoffs don’t start today.

Because it will be a cold day in hell before any Cowboys’ fan root for the Eagles to help put America’s team into the playoffs.

But how does a team go from 6-1 and seen as the best team in the NFL to 8-4 and not sure its going to make the playoffs? And how does a team find itself facing the brutal month of December with four tough games it has to win? A month that has been awful for the Cowboys. Especially with Tony Romo being 12-17 in the month of December.

Why does a team that has the best running back in the league, DeMarco Murray, go away from him in critical moments of games? Games that they lost because they stopped giving him the ball. The NFL’s leading rusher I must say. And how does a team go to Seattle and dominates, win in convincing fashion and take out the 12th man?

But somehow forgets this winning formula in other games?

How does this happen?

No one knows.

Because it’s the Curious Case of The Dallas Cowboys.