The Dallas Cowboys Win! Romo is Lost! And the Delusion Continues…

Aug 4, 2013; Canton, OH, USA; Dallas Cowboys quarterback Kyle Orton (18) drops back to pass in the first quarter of the 2013 Pro Football Hall of Fame game against the Miami Dolphins at Fawcett Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports

The good news is the Dallas Cowboys won on Sunday and still have a chance at the playoffs. The bad news is the Dallas Cowboys won on Sunday and still have a chance at the playoffs. The horrible news is Tony Romo is ruled out for the season becaus eof the injury he suffered Sunday. It probably wouldn’t have mattered anyway. Yes, I know. I’m the eternal pessimist aren’t I? But it’s all kinda true, isn’t it?

Take an honest look at this team. The 2013 Dallas Cowboys are pretty bad. Even with Romo. They flash great plays from time to time, but as whole, they are bad. Worse than the 2012 Dallas Cowboys and worse than the 2011 Dallas Cowboys. But somehow they are still in the race. And some people are even optimistic.

The Offense

The Offense on it’s own was looking alright. The offensive line has embraced Bill Callahan‘s Zone Blocking Scheme and a healthy DeMarco Murray is thriving because of it. Even with the loss of Miles Austin, the receiving corps has been excellent. (What? Miles Austin has been playing? Are you sure? Well, everyone else is playing pretty well).

Unfortunately, the wrong routes are run from time to time, the errant throws are still happening, and ball-carriers are still recklessly advancing the ball. All of these result in untimely turnovers. And turnovers they cannot afford.  Romo hasn’t had great pass-protection but his elusiveness in the pocket typically buys him extra time. Kyle Orton…not so mobile. The in-game coaching adjustments have been abysmal, if not absent all together, and the play-calling has been foolish to say the least.

The Defense

The defense is the worst I’ve ever seen from a Cowboy’s defense. EVER. Don’t get me wrong, they have great excuses for their suckitude – Injures of epic proportions, young players not progressing as expected, new coordinator, new schemes, new positions, etc… The Cowboys faced an uphill battle from the start, it’s no wonder they are so terrible. To make matters worse, instead of improving they are playing more poorly each and every week that passes.

The defense puts such a strain on the offense to perform the entire team gets dragged down by the milestone that is this Cowboy’s Defense.

Playoffs

The Cowboys  are not constructed to compete in the playoffs. To win in the playoffs you need a precision QB operating at maximum efficiency, and a solid, is not spectacular pass rush. The best team doesnt always win in the NFL. If you have a pass rush and a hot QB you can overcome and beat the “better” team. The Ravens did it last year. The Giants have done it. The Packers have done it. The list goes on and on. But all of those teams that entered the playoffs as a lower seed and generally over-matched, had a pass rush and a QB.

The Cowboys?

We thought Dallas had the QB in Tony Romo(although the jury is pretty split). Romo can singlehandedly win (or lose) and game against any team. I have to believe it’s at least possible. But Orton doesn’t offer that same “high reward” play that Romo does. Without a high level, red hot, and/or playmaking QB, a low seeded team (with many flaws) stands no chance. Especially since the second ingredient in mounting a playoff run is also missing: The dominant pass rush.

The idea of the Cowboys pass rush making an impact isn’t even a possibility. The Cowboys pass rush is completely nonexistent. Something is clearly wrong with Demarcus Ware, and Jason Hatcher has been fading as the season progresses. The rest of pass-rushers are no-namers lucky to even have a job, let alone a sizable role on the Dallas Cowboys. It’s just not realistic to think the Cowboys could conjure up a pass-rush.

On top  of that, the rest of the defense is just as bad. As the pressure increases their play decreases. They can’t cover. They can’t tackle. They can’t communicate. They can’t do much of anything. They just don’t have what it takes and it’s not even close.

Verdict

The delusion must end. The Cowboys are not good enough to do anything in the playoffs. They didn’t when they had Romo and they certainly don’t now. The only reason they have a chance to get to the playoffs is because the NFC East and NFC North are so very bad. Once the the ball is in play on Sunday against the Eagles, I will be cheering for the Cowboys. I’m a fan and that’s what I do. But I know (and I pray you do too) that this team just doesn’t belong in the playoffs. The reason is much deeper than just missing Romo. The sooner we recognize our weaknesses, the sooner we can work to fix them. A playoff spot will only serve as fools gold and continue to feed the delusion that Jerry Jones is selling us. This team is bad. Don’t use the No Romo Excuse either. They are bad even with him. The Cowboys must purge and rebuild. It’s a painful but necessary process. We must end the delusion.