Every team has obstacles to overcome in order to find success in the NFL. Gone are the days of the traditional dynasty. In today’s free agency/salary cap environment, it’s almost impossible to build (and keep) a dominant team.
Even the mighty Defending Champion Seattle Seahawks need to overcome obstacles if they want to repeat their success. Every team must work to contend and the Cowboys are certainly no different.
Unless you live under a rock (or in the Jones Household) you are well aware of many obstacles the Cowboys face in order to be a legitimate contender in 2014. Let’s look at what needs to happen for the Cowboys…
Tony Romo
Tony Romo has had an offseason of back surgery and rehab. He was a limited participant in training camp and will not be entering the 2014 regular season in rhythm or in sync with his receivers.
A slow start for Romo isn’t optimal but it’s not detrimental either. Everyone wants the Cowboys to run the ball more anyway so this may force their hands.
The real concern is Romo’s ability to STAY healthy. Romo’s style of play is dangerous to his well-being. While QB’s such as Tom Brady and Peyton Manning play a timing based passing attack that minimizes time in the pocket, Romo plays a far more dangerous brand of reading progressions and creating plays.
Romo’s game is extremely exciting but also places the QB at risk far more often than his counterparts. Romo is no longer a young man and has a repeat back issue that needs to be monitored.
History tells us Romo will play the same passionate way as before and will miss games as a result. And that can’t happen if the Cowboys want to contend.
Aug 16, 2014; Arlington, TX, USA; Dallas Cowboys tackle Doug Free (68) in the fourth quarter against the Baltimore Ravens at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
The Offensive Line
This is essentially another item regarding Romo. The first part was Romo protecting Romo. This time it’s the offensive line’s ability to protect Romo. Why so much on Romo?
Because the Cowboys would be a 2-14 team without him.
Say what you want about his ability to close out big games, but Romo makes the Cowboys considerably better and disguises many of their deficiencies. Without him they are absolutely doomed.
The offensive line is young and talented but it only takes 1 missed assignment to end Romo’s reason. We saw miscues in training camp and more in the preseason games. Young players make mistakes and I’m not sure Romo can survive very many.
Doug Free, the elder statesmen of the O-line, is no exception. He has more miscues than previously thought possible for a man of his talent. He plays one play brilliantly and the next he’s completely disinterested in anything football. Doug Free frightens me and he should frighten you too.
If Romo survives his own dangerous play he must also survive his line. Once again history tells us he will miss games because of them. That cannot happen if the Cowboys want to contend.
Aug 16, 2014; Arlington, TX, USA; Dallas Cowboys running back DeMarco Murray (29) runs with the ball with a lead block from guard Zach Martin (70) in the first quarter against the Baltimore Ravens at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
Play-Calling
Play-calling holds an especially important role in the Cowboys’ quest for success in 2014. With a young, untalented, unproven, highly questionable defense, combined with the fragile health-status of the primary offensive signal caller, the run game is truly a key for success.
History tells us all of the top offensive minds on the Dallas Cowboys coaching staff, heavily favor the passing game. The run game has always been seen as a play “just to keep the defense honest”. With the play-calling traveling a different (but largely the same) route this season, can we really expect things to be different?
Probably not.
Regardless of the play-call, the Cowboys still empower Romo to make adjustments at the line. Defenses stack the line and Romo yells “Kill! Kill! Kill!” switching the call to a pass.
Defenses will continue to show this (whether it’s a ruse or not) and Romo will continue to audible to the pass.
In order to successfully call more running plays, things must change for multiple people throughout the chain of command and it must happen on the same play and include Romo.
That can happen but it’s not an easy, or even very likely, change to make. Once again, it must happen for the Cowboys to compete in 2014.
With the offense relatively strong (as long as Romo plays) most of the team’s real questions surround the defensive side of the ball. Later we will look at the defense in Part 2.