Cowboys: Always A Dark Cloud Over This Team
By Dink Kearney
The Dallas Cowboys may be America’s Team, but this franchise has to move beyond a period of really bad luck.
When it comes to the Dallas Cowboys, no team is a bigger tease than America’s Team. The Cowboys have more drama than any prime time TV show or soap opera. The Cowboys are by far the most popular reality show on television, whether it’s during the regular season or the off-season.
Sorry about that Kim Kardashian. Your issues don’t outweigh and aren’t as relevant as Cowboys issues.
The problems come out of nowhere for the Cowboys, especially when they seem under control.
The most recent issue to rock the Cowboys is the four-game suspension of rookie defensive end Randy Gregory. The former Nebraska pass-rusher was supposed to be a major cog in defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli’s scheme. However, Gregory failed a scheduled drug test that warrants a four-game suspension in 2016.
Gregory is the same elite talent that failed a scheduled drug test at the NFL Scouting Combine in 2015. As a result, his draft stock sunk faster than the Titanic and Dallas selected the elite pass rusher in the second round of the ’15 NFL Draft.
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As bad as this situation is for the Cowboys, it’s nothing new. For whatever rhyme or reason, the Cowboys always have a dark cloud hovering over them.
As recent as last season, the Cowboys were struck with bad luck when Pro Bowl wide receiver Dez Bryant missed several games with a foot injury. It didn’t help that Bryant came back too early and looked nothing like the player who led all receivers with 16 receiving touchdowns in 2014.
Quarterback Tony Romo missed most of the ’15 season with a fractured clavicle, breaking it twice. Without their star signal caller and talented receiver, the Cowboys stumbled to a 4-12 record.
The Cowboys were supposed to build off of their ’14 success and contend for a Super Bowl last season. Dallas addressed its weaknesses on the defensive side of the ball when they drafted defensive back Byron Jones and Gregory, the latter viewed as a top-5 talent.
The Cowboys added controversial but talented sack artist Greg Hardy to bolster a weak pass rush, not to mention the re-signing of ultra-talented linebacker Rolando McClain. With linebacker Sean Lee coming back off of a torn ACL suffered during the summer of ’14, the Cowboys were poised to have a dominant defense to go a long with a high-powered offense.
Taking advantage of a prime opportunity, the Cowboys landed free-agent offensive lineman La’el Collins, another first-round talent who went undrafted because he was questioned about the death of his ex-girlfriend. Collins was cleared as a suspect in his ex-girlfriend’s death.
Collins was the latest addition to one of the best offensive lines in the NFL. Adding Collins to the Dallas offensive line was supposed to give Romo better protection than POTUS!
At least that’s what we all thought.
We witnessed Romo break his clavicle in Week 2 against the Philadelphia Eagles. Then we watched in horror as Romo re-injured his clavicle on Thanksgiving Day against the Carolina Panthers.
With arguably the best offensive line in the NFL, how does Romo get injured? I understand it’s football and players get hurt, but it proves my point about how there is always a dark cloud hovering over the Cowboys. There is always a major setback that derails this talented team.
Every time the Cowboys are considered a contender or as a team destined for a Super Bowl run, something drastic happens. Pick a year, and I promise you I can pick a problem.
Remember the 2007 season?
The Cowboys had their most talented team since its Super Bowl years in the 1990s. The Cowboys earned a 13-3 record and home-field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs. That year, the Cowboys produced 13 Pro Bowlers, a record back then.
Dallas was led by super-talented wideout Terrell Owens and up and coming quarterback Romo.
The Cowboys were a favorite to cruise to the Super Bowl that year. The Cowboys swept their NFC East rival New York Giants in the regular season, and were the favorite to beat the G-Men in the divisional round of the 2007 playoffs.
Well, then coach Wade Phillips, and his offensive coordinator, Jason Garrett, decided to start running back Marion Barber over their regular running back, Julius Jones. To put this in perspective, Barber played on third downs and short yardage for most of the regular season.
Why in the hell the Cowboys would change their offensive strategy in an all-important playoff game is one of the craziest decisions in Dallas’ storied history.
Phillips’ decision backfired and the Cowboys lost to the Giants in heart breaking fashion. Phillips was out-coached, out-schemed, and the Giants out played the Cowboys en route to a Super Bowl victory over the New England Patriots.
As expected, the Cowboys dropped key passes, especially wide receiver Patrick Crayton, who dropped a pass that could’ve been a touchdown.
The bad loss to the Giants served as a painful reminder of the Cowboys not meeting expectations, for whatever reason.
What about 2011-2013?
The Cowboys lost three-straight season finale’s to the Giants, Eagles and Washington Redskins. Those were win and go-to-the-playoffs games. During that three year span, the Cowboys were favorites to win the NFC East.
However, injuries ravaged Dallas each and every year, reaching its apex in the 2013 season, the year Dallas had the worst defense in franchise history.
Although the Cowboys had an awful defense, Dallas found itself in a position to beat Philly in ’13 and go to the playoffs. As expected, Romo didn’t play because of an injured back, giving way to backup quarterback Kyle Orton.
With 1:49 left in the game, Orton threw an interception, which ended the Cowboys playoffs hopes.
The Cowboys Super Bowl hopes were dashed against the Green Bay Packers in the 2014 playoffs because of Bryant’s “no-catch” late in the fourth quarter.
Find me another team that is supposed to win like the Cowboys but also has more to impede them every single time. I often wonder if the Cowboys are cursed like the Chicago Cubs of Major League Baseball, or jinxed like the Boston Red Sox used to be.
Next: Randy Gregory Suspension Changes Nothing
Maybe it’s the ghost of former head coach Jimmy Johnson haunting owner/general manager Jerry Jones.
Or maybe it’s simply
that dark cloud that hovers over the Dallas Cowboys.