Dallas Cowboys gave fans just what they needed
For Dallas Cowboys fans, it may take a while before the healing starts. But when it does, they’ll look back and remember the 2016 season as something special.
This one will sting for a while for Dallas Cowboys fans. Sure, entering the playoffs as the NFC’s top seed and then exiting in round two is painful. It feels like a sucker-punch to the gut.
The fact that it came at the hands of the same team that knocked the Cowboys out two years ago makes it even worse. But alas, time will pass. When that eventually happens, there will be some fond memories of the season that was.
Down goes Romo, again
Anyone that’s followed this team over the past 11 seasons knows the feeling all too well. The date was August 25, 2016 and quarterback Tony Romo was re-entering the playing field after missing nearly an entire season. If Dallas fans needed anything, it was to see #9 take the field and lead his team.
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However, his season all but ended three plays into his preseason debut. Just like that, the entire 2016 season fell into the hands of rookie quarterback Dak Prescott. Granted, we wouldn’t find out for another few days that Romo would be out for a couple of months, but it was still earth-shattering.
Let’s pause at this point and think about the vibe among the Cowboys faithful. This was supposed to be the year!
While the defense had some holes to fill, the offense would more than take care of it. With a veteran quarterback, rookie running back Ezekiel Elliott was running roughshod on preseason defenses while Dez Bryant and Jason Witten provided healthy targets in the passing game. Don’t forget the offensive line, either.
Yet, the fearless leader was down. And just like the year before, he was going to stay down.
If anyone had even mentioned the possibility of an NFC East title, let alone a 13-3 finish and the #1 seed, they’d have been fitted for a straight jacket. Most thoughts at that point were basically along the lines of, “Just get us back to Romo,” or “If Dak can just keep things afloat and go 6-6, we should be okay.”
In steps Dak
But Dak didn’t just keep things afloat. Despite losing the season opener at home against the eventual Wild Card New York Giants, Dak led the Cowboys to an astonishing 11-straight victories. He’d taken this offense that lacked their leader and became the leader. Romo didn’t even take the field until a meaningless season finale against the Eagles.
Prescott made smart decisions with the football and he evaded pressure like a five-year veteran. With a beautiful blend of talent and poise, he guided Dallas to an 11-1 record in his first 12 career games. He brought Dallas a glimpse of what it’s like to have a young, talented QB under center.
Along comes Zeke
Not only did the Cowboys have a great signal-caller, but they had a highly-talented running back. Zeke Elliott ended the season as the first rookie since Edgerrin James to lead the NFL in rushing yards.
Time and time again, when Prescott would run into a little bit of trouble, Elliott was there to take the handoff or even pick up a blitz. He reminded Cowboys fans what it feels like to have a young, healthy running back and he became the real future of the team.
The defense makes a statement
In the preseason, most though the Dallas defense would be their biggest liability. Perfect by no means, they were a pretty rag-tag bunch. Aside from linebacker Sean Lee, they were a band of no-named warriors.
Yet the tutelage of Rod Marinelli sunk in with these guys. What they lacked in talent, they made up for with heart, grit and some great playmaking ability. They would bend from time to time, but they didn’t break often. They certainly held their ground when their backs were against the wall. Surprisingly, that group of nameless guys finished the season ranked fifth in fewest points allowed per game.
The sum was greater than the parts
By the time the regular season had come to a close, Dallas looked like the team to beat. While the Packers ran wild and streaked into the playoffs, it looked like all roads would lead through AT&T Stadium.
This group of guys had turned into a cohesive unit. They’d brought joy to a fanbase that didn’t see much reason for it when the season started. Yet here they were, with a free pass into the Divisional round of the NFL playoffs.
The entertainment value
The final thing this team brought to its fans was two weeks of playoff football. Sure, they had a bye in the first round, so they only played one week. But that Wild Card Round was still must-watch football for Cowboys fans.
On Saturday night’s Wild Card game, fans were hoping to see the Lions take down Seattle. That would provide the Divisional Round matchup they feared the least and set the table for a good run.
When that didn’t happen, they tuned in the following afternoon to wish for a Giants win over Green Bay. They didn’t want that so much because they liked the matchup, but because they wanted one more shot at the team that took them down twice in the regular season. But when that didn’t happen and Green Bay became the opponent, the stage was set.
Of course, Sunday’s game was about as good as it gets for a loss. That won’t take all of the sting away, but it was certainly entertaining. This team can also learn a lot from that loss and bring some valuable experience into 2017.
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If that happens, then this brief playoff stint wasn’t a waste. Instead, it just might be the start of something great. These wounds will heal. And when they do, they’ll leave a pretty cool-looking scar that fans can show off to their friends. They’ll look back and tell the story behind it and it will be epic.