Dallas Cowboys: One Easy Fix to Their Problems

The Dallas Cowboys lost to the Green Bay Packers in the divisional round of the playoffs for the second time in three years because the same problem still exist.

After the heartbreaking loss to the hated Green Bay Packers, the Dallas Cowboys fairy tale season ended sadly. Once again, the Cowboys played another dramatic, come from behind game, only to lose the same way it lost to the Packers two years ago.

Dallas lost to the Packers in the 2014 playoffs because it didn’t have the pass rushers to harass one-legged quarterback Aaron Rodgers. In that game, Rodgers literally hopped around in the pocket like a jack rabbit and destroyed the Cowboys secondary.

Of course, that game is remembered as the “no catch” game because of the controversial Dez Bryant catch.

But the Cowboys didn’t lose to the Packers that day because of the “no catch”. They lost the exact same way to them on Sunday afternoon: no pass rush!

The Cowboys have the same problem, just a different year. Dallas’ lack of a pass rush killed their dreams of advancing to the NFC championship game.

I’ll be the first to admit that Aaron Rodgers is one bad man, a creature from another planet. He’s the best quarterback I’ve ever seen. There was nothing Dallas could do to stop him, absolutely nothing!

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Dallas couldn’t stop Rodgers because they simply couldn’t get to him. The front four was non-existent. The same defense that had recorded 16 sacks in its last five regular season games resembled statues, as Rodgers completed pass after pass.

David Irving, Tyrone Crawford, DeMarcus Lawrence, Jack Crawford, Benson Mayowa, and Cedric Thornton were relocated to the Witness Protection Program. None of them registered one single sack.

Defensive backs Orlando Scandrick, Barry Church, and Jeff Heath each recorded a sack. It’s a troubling sign when your secondary leads the team in sacks in the most important game of the year.

Defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli did an outstanding job with this defense this season,improvising along the way to sack quarterbacks and create turnovers. Even if it was rushing three down linemen and dropping eight, Marinelli found ways to keep opposing teams out of the endzone.

However, when it mattered the most, Marinelli didn’t have the horses to win the race. That’s the grim reality. Marinelli made changes in the second half as Dallas sacked Rodgers twice, but it was too late.

The damage had already been done.

There were other factors that contributed to the Cowboys losing, like stupid penalties, poor clock management, bad officiating, and suspect play calling.

But the main culprit was the pass rush. Dallas has some young studs who have a lot of potential as edge rushers, like Irving and Mayowa. I really believe Irving will become one a good edge rusher, although he didn’t play on the outside as much against the Packers.

The one disappointment is Lawrence, who is becoming more inconsistent than ever. Next season will be Lawrence’s fourth, and it’s time for him to be the sack specialist he was drafted to be. In 2015, Lawrence recorded a career high 8 sacks because opposing teams double teamed former defensive linemen Greg Hardy.

The only way Dallas can fix this problem is in free agency and the draft. Yes, I mentioned free agency, the one place Dallas has wisely stayed away from.

But this team has no choice but to try the free agency market if wants to nab a good pass rusher, or get one in a trade for Tony Romo, who will not be in a Cowboys uniform next season.

I see no other way.

If the Cowboys are going to win a Super Bowl title with this young talented team, it has to get a legit edge rusher. They can’t afford to wait next season to see if Irving, Mayowa, and Lawrence are going to be the next “Dooms Day” defense.

If that happens and the pass rush is still average, expect to see Dallas’ offense keep the ball for eternity so its “average” defense doesn’t have to take the field and get exposed.

I’m so tired of that strategy. That strategy works but only until you face a dynamic signal caller like Rodgers.

Statically, the Cowboys defense ranked high against the run and points allowed, but we all know the offense dominated the TOP (time of possession) and kept them fresh and on the sidelines.

The main reason Dallas needs a premier pass rusher is because of the elite signal callers in the NFC. Rodgers, Matt Ryan, Russell Wilson, Matthew Stafford, Cam Newton, Drew Brees, and Jameis Winston are the real deal.

All of them can play and at some point, Dallas will have to go through them to make it to the Super Bowl. Plus, four of those signal callers have participated in the Super Bowl, while three of them are Super Bowl winning quarterbacks.

If I add Dallas’ nemesis, Eli Manning, to the list, that makes it four SB winning QBs (and Dallas has a three game losing streak to the Giants, dating back to the 2015 season).

Further, Ryan has a chance to lead his Atlanta Falcons to their second Super Bowl birth in franchise history. So that’s eight franchise signal callers the Cowboys need to worry about in the future, and I didn’t even mention up and coming QB Carson Wentz and the possibly overrated Kirk Cousins (not sure about Cousins).

Now you understand why Dallas needs to fix their pass rushing issues quickly. Those aforementioned signal callers aren’t going anywhere anytime soon.

We all laughed at the Giants for spending $200 million to upgrade its abysmal defense, but it paid dividends as the Giants made it to the playoffs and beat Dallas twice.

Next: The Better Team Lost and the Best QB Won

I’m not suggesting Dallas break the bank to upgrade its pass rush and secondary. I’m asking them to pay a good pass rusher to hit and sack Aaron Rodgers so this team can win another Super Bowl.

If not, this team will continue to have the same problem, but it in different years.

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