The Dallas Cowboys: A Season To Remember

Mandatory Credit: Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports

In its proud history, the Dallas Cowboys have had many memorable games. Wins and losses. From the “Ice Bowl” game against Green Bay in 1967 to the “The Catch” against San Francisco in the NFC Championship game in 1981 to the now infamous, non touchdown catch by Dez Bryant, the Dallas Cowboys either win big or lose big. For some reason, its always been that way.

But for every big win or big loss to end the season, you always reflected on the season as a whole. Well, this Cowboys’ football season was successful. But different. The Cowboys had a season for the ages.

A memorable season. None like any other.

Why is that you may ask?

Because the Cowboys weren’t expected to do a damn thing. Absolutely nothing. Nada. Zero expectations. The expectation was to be the worse defense in league history. And then some.

Preseason Prediction

Every football analyst, every sports network, every so called expert, football fan (Cowboys’ fans, too) and everyone’s mama and daddy predicted the Cowboys to be awful. Even my editor predicted them to go 6-10 (sorry Reid). The Cowboys were predicted to go 3-13 and finish last in the NFC East. The so called experts predicted the Cowboys’ defense to give up 500 points a game.

They said the offense will struggle because Tony Romo has a broken back. Dez Bryant is a “problem child”, Jason Garrett is Jerry Jones‘ puppet, Romo is an interception waiting to happen, and Jerry Jones cares more about Gov. Christ Christie and his red sweater than winning.

You name it, there was a reason why the Cowboys were going to have a losing record.

And there was another reason why the Cowboys were supposed to be so bad.

Injuries

The Cowboys had been one of the most injury plagued teams in the NFL over the last two seasons. The 2013 season saw the Cowboys use several different defensive players. The 2012 season was injury plagued, too. In both seasons, the injuries to key play players and backups contributed to the Cowboys losing the last game of the season and missing the playoffs. Before this season could start, the Cowboys lost defensive captain Sean Lee. And later in training camp, lost linebacker DeVonte Holloman. Now, the Cowboys defense was really going to be bad. Instead of the defense giving up 500 points a game, it would give up 1,000 points a game. To make matters worse, the Cowboys lost defensive back Morris Claiborne to an ACL injury in the regular season. Basically, the Cowboys were injury prone. And wouldn’t win because of injuries. 

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With all of the negative talk and lowly preseason predictions, this is what the Cowboys did do.

They developed a “Me Against The World Attitude”

Finish the Fight

Early on in mini camp and training camp, Garrett coined the phrase, “FinishTheFight”. The Cowboys fought literally and figuratively. Bryant had his share of battles along with everyone else. It seemed like a fight happened everyday.

And Garrett liked it, saying the Cowboys needed it. And it continued throughout the regular season and into the playoffs. The Cowboys took the “FinishTheFight” attitude to start 6-1. During that six game winning streak, the Cowboys beat the Saints and Seahawks, two teams they were supposed to lose too.

And the Cowboys won in overtime against the Texans and came back from 21 down to beat the Rams. After losing two straight to the Skins and Cardinals, the Cowboys bounced back to go 8-3 before losing to the Eagles on Thanksgiving Day. Only to revenge that loss a few weeks later in route to a four game winning streak and finishing the regular season 12-4 and division champs.

And a playoff victory over the Lions.

The most impressive part about this Cowboys team is that every time they were supposed to lose a game or were down by double digits, they never faltered or panicked. Every time they lost a key player they stepped up their game. Whenever it looked as if they were going to lose a game, they found a way to win it.

They didn’t win Sunday after the infamous no catch rule. But they didn’t give up either. They fought back. They finished the fight.

Don’t forget. The Cowboys were supposed to be 3-13, let alone make the playoffs. They weren’t supposed to be one game away from the NFC Championship game.

And Romo, Bryant and Murray weren’t supposed to lead the league in qbr, receiving touchdowns, and rushing yards, either.

That’s why this is a season to remember.