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2012-2013 Regular Season: Brutal
Against Browns &
Readying For Redskins
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- November 21, 2012
At 10:15 PM CST
By Eric M. Scharf
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- Every new NFL season brings with it
another opportunity to pursue a Super Bowl dream . . . with the
coaching staff for each team combing through their respective
schedules before they can get a full head of steam.
The Cowboys – in the offseason – pursued serious improvement over
last year’s delirious disappointment, and their coaches (like the
other 31 teams) identified challenges, trap games, and givens . . .
always with good reason.
No matter how well you categorize your contests, and no matter how
well you prepare . . . there will always be game day participants
who believe they can get away with being laissez faire.
Food Fight
The Cowboys had returned home from the City of Brotherly Hate after
more-than-surviving the first of their two annual bird battles.
Dallas expected a seat on yet another turbulent Eagles flight, but
they faced a squadron that had quit on its captain . . . and no more
resembled a team than a cheese steak delight.
After seeing Philly retreat from the kitchen heat, “America’s Team”
must have convinced themselves the 2-7 Cleveland Browns were no more
than heat-and-serve breakfast meat.
The Browns contest was originally considered a given. It began to
look more like a trap game but – against a Cowboys team questionably
driven – it was only a trap in name. Garrett’s Gang knew what was on
the line . . . and they must have believed on the Browns they would
easily dine.
Cowboys Nation and prognosticators believed the Cowboys would win,
too . . . but Dallas has developed a reputation for allowing victory
through their fingers to slip through.
Rob Ryan said this game was personal . . . that – in never asking
him to return before joining Dallas – Cleveland was horrible. Ryan
showed all the signs of a defensive coordinator who was going to
have his defense performing like a terminator.
Ryan thought that – for his Roughnecks – the Browns’ feeble
offensive attack would be nothing but a mid-afternoon snack. Ryan
was convinced the Browns were far from the real deal . . . and –
against his squad – would prove more than a few courses short of a
full meal.
Nobody in the Cowboys organization apparently explained to Garrett
or Ryan that it is rude to play with your food. The Cowboys – for
the better part of four quarters – turned their manageable plight
into an unnecessarily painful food fight.
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- While Mackenzy Bernadeau’s emergency move from guard to center was
nothing less than a near-complete success, Garrett could only look
on as the rest of his offensive linemen looked mentally gone. Tyron
Smith left the game early with a high ankle sprain, and his
replacement – Jeremy Parnell – joined in on the brain drain and
simply could not answer the dinner bell.
It did not seem to matter what ingredients Garrett pulled from his
offensive playbook. His linemen – by and large – resembled
short-armed cooks . . . who made the Browns’ hungry defensive
bruisers feel completely in charge. Tony Romo seven times was
sacked, and his protection repeatedly caved in like so many eggs
being cracked. Even Felix Jones blew a blocking
assignment . . . ensuring Romo would be making a visit to his
chiropractor for realignment.
While Garrett had his hands full, Ryan was being a bit of a stubborn
mule. Ryan must have thought his Roughnecks were still playing the
Eagles’ Nick Foles. Ryan was quickly learned it was the suddenly
dynamic duo of Brandon Weeden and Trent Richardson taking advantage
of unacceptable defensive holes.
The current Cowboys know – whether they like it or not – that they
lack the proven ability to consistently win often enough to dare
underestimate their opponents’ competitive shot. Dallas eventually got it right
and beat the Browns with a score that was field goal tight but . . .
as with each of their five losses – they could have easily avoided
this food fight.
Will They Or Won’t They?
Thanksgiving Day has – once again – is set to arrive. The Cowboys –
for the second week in a row – are about to face an old enemy
fighting hard to thrive and stay alive for a postseason drive.
The Washington Redskins have “enjoyed” a rather miserable existence
ever since Joe Gibbs first left their organization . . . and they
have experienced nothing less than painful professional deflation.
While the Dallas Cowboys have certainly collected more wins than the
Redskins in the same frame, it has been quite some time since they
have achieved Jimmy Johnson-derived fame.
Cowboys Nation lovingly refers to the Redskins as Deadskins,
Sniderskins, and – GASP – foreskins. Even when beloved Norv Turner
was the one-time head coach of “that team in the District,” any
compassion detected or directed towards the enemy was equal to a
thousand sins.
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- The realities surrounding the modern day editions of these two teams,
however,
have forced fans from both sides to swallow their pride and check
their egos at the stadium turnstile . . . because neither NFL
organization has done much in a while.
Cowboys Nation might have been accepting of “just another win” over
the Redskin has-beens in the past . . . but that is no longer enough
for a team that continues to struggle with consistent winning that
can last.
Cowboys Nation holds coaches and players of America’s Team to higher
standards than most. Such expectations were realistic back when the
Cowboys could win in any and every way. While times have changed,
fans refuse to believe such standards are now deranged.
Both teams have more in common than they would care to admit. While
one team will end Thanksgiving Day with a well-fought victory earned
with a little cranberry sauce and grit . . . the other team will be
trying to choke down turkey with bile and spit.
Will the Cowboys continue to overcome their mental mistakes so dumb
. . . and continue to beat the postseason drum?
Will the Cowboys continue to overcome the non-stop injuries to which
they have had to become so numb?
Will Ryan’s Roughnecks be able to put Jerry’s money where Rob’s
mouth is . . . by sapping enough of RGIII’s legitimate crackle and
fizz? Will Morris Claiborne and Brandon Carr be able to keep Santana
Moss and other Redskins receivers from playing pitch and toss?
Will Bill Callahan’s line find a way to perform in unison –
inserting “Colombo-tude” into their gourd across the board – until
the job is done . . . or will Tony Romo have to continue making poor
protection look like tons of scrambling fun?
Will Lance Dunbar be able to take (more of) what he is given and run
far? Will this scat back – a cross between Lionel "Little Train"
James and a poor man's LeSean "Shady" McCoy – become untracked
and play even harder as a potential starter?
Will Dez improve on his recent performances and continue to dispense
big catches like candy from PEZ? Will Austin and Witten also
contribute to how well Romo’s stat line is written? Will Ogletree’s
concussion recovery allow Cole (Beasley) to have a greater role?
Will the Cowboys come away from another NFC East showdown . . . just
a half game out of the lead for the division crown?
We shall see. We always do.
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