Cowboys disappoint fans once again

Tyler’s Talk Time Vol. 3: Sports editor analyzes the Cowboys’ struggles

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Cowboy’s coach Jason Garrett speaking with running back Ezekiel Elliott.

Tyler Luker, Co-Editor and Sports Editor

     The Dallas Cowboys have shown once again, they are just mediocre frauds who always seem to play below their talent level.

     After a promising 3-0 start, America’s Team showed that they had a chance to finally end the 23-year Super Bowl drought but have since underperformed their way to a 7-7 record.

     With how skilled the team is on both sides of the ball, there is no reason they shouldn’t be 12-2 or 13-1 right now.

     In terms of yards alone, the Cowboys are ranked with the best offense and the seventh best defense in the league, but they have seven losses coming from the New Orleans Saints, Green Bay Packers, New York Jets, Minnesota Vikings, New England Patriots, Buffalo Bills and the Chicago Bears.

     The defeats handed to the Cowboys from the 10-3 Saints, 10-3 Packers and the 10-3 Patriots are not as embarrassing as the other four, but there is still no excuse to lose, given the talent level the Cowboys possess. 

     Legendary Saints quarterback Drew Brees was out with an injury in the matchup against Dallas, but backup quarterback Teddy Bridgewater managed to do enough to beat the Cowboys in the defensive battle. The Saints have a great defense, but for the best offense in the NFL to only put up 10 points, that performance is shameful.

     A team with a top three running back, a top two offensive line, an above average quarterback, a great set of receivers, possibly the most talented linebacker corps in the NFL, a lockdown corner and an explosive pass rush should not be losing football games to the lowly Jets.

     The play calling from Jason Garrett and Kellen Moore has been the thorn in the Dallas Cowboys’ side with mistake after mistake being made in the clutch. In the Week 10 loss to the Vikings, they should have gone to the hot hand with quarterback Dak Prescott with a minute left in the game, rather than giving the ball to running back Ezekiel Elliott, who had been bottled up all night.

     The Cowboys were flat-out embarrassed on their own turf by the Bills on Thanksgiving. The offense could never get anything going and the Bills dominated the game from start to finish. This game was the beginning of the end for kicker Brett Maher, who was cut only a game after the 26-15 defeat on Thanksgiving.

     In Week 14, the Cowboys made the Bears look like they had a real offense, allowing a lot of yards on the ground and in the air. Chicago quarterback Mitch Trubisky, who had been struggling all season, torched the Cowboys defense for three touchdowns and 244 yards. 

     Garrett and Moore don’t seem to know how to run the offense, especially in the red zone, despite having many weapons. The team is currently ranked 17th in red zone scoring percentage (touchdowns only) by only scoring a touchdown 56.52 percent of the time when they are just 20 yards away from the endzone.

     The team always has a comeback late in the game, but they put themselves in a hole early in the game, to where the deficit is too much to overcome. 

     The Cowboys need to make a change, and it starts with firing Garrett. A winning culture must be established, and that won’t happen when your head coach is just a puppet for owner Jerry Jones. All he seems to do on the field is clap and chew bubblegum. A happy-go-lucky coach can’t motivate an underperforming team to win football games.

     It seems as though the Cowboys are in the direction of moving on from Garrett, as his contract expires at the end of the year and no extension has been worked out. They need to hire someone who isn’t under Jones’ control and someone that can get the most out of players, which has been a struggle for Garrett.

     Whether it be adding new players, a coaching change or just a cultural shift, an adjustment must be made for the Cowboys to finally win it all.