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2017-2018 Regular Season:
Falcons Fly High
As Cowboys Fail To Flag Down The First Of Two Feathered Foes
- November 17, 2017 At 7:21 PM CST
By Eric M. Scharf
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- “America’s Team” rode into Atlanta fresh off their third
consecutive win . . . hoping to do the Falcons in.
While Atlanta had a beautiful new stadium that was truly
state-of-the-art . . . they were getting physically exposed and
suffering through a brain fart.
The Cowboys may have galloped in, but the absence of two key
offensive horses – and the eventual loss of a defensive third –
combined with the inexplicable (but traditionally predictable) lack
of play call adjustments would all contribute to Dallas producing an
uncompetitive turd.
Star running back Ezekiel Elliott and the NFLPA – as had been
well-advertised – lost the latest battle in their
suspension-stifling fight . . . with the 2nd Circuit Court of
Appeals determining his six-game punishment was back on, wrong or
right. Zeke also announced he was giving up any further attempt to
stall . . . rather than continuing to beat his head (and the fate of
the Cowboys’ current season) against the historically-NFL-slanted
legal system wall.
Veteran left tackle Tyron “Blind Side Bouncer” Smith . . . succumbed
to rumors of good health being a complete-and-total myth. The
Cowboys had been “managing” his perpetual bulging disc injury for
the past few years, and a groin pull made their plate one injury too
full.
Veteran defensive leader and linebacker Sean Lee began the game
already managing his own (deadly and) unpredictable hamstring
injury. Early in the contest, Lee got hit, surely felt a rip . . .
and “Marinelli’s Men” would spend the rest of the game trying in
vain to shore up his absence and get a grip.
“The Tortured Cowboys Fan” would insist (and still insists) the
single biggest impact among the three key absentees is Tyron Smith.
It would be (and still is) alarming if the defense – even at its
healthiest and best performing – was (and still is) given too much
time on the field . . . resulting in opponent’s scores and victories
they would eventually yield. Smith not only powerfully protects Dak
Prescott’s blind side . . . he also helps Jonathan “Technique
Trooper” Cooper, and he best ensures ANY running back has the most
reasonable opportunity to take the Cowboys for a ground-gobbling
ride.
“Cowboys Nation” SHOULD know better than most . . . when “The Great
Wall Of Dallas” is (reasonably) healthy and intact, the rest of the
team becomes untracked. Dak receives often luxurious amounts of
time, ANY running back has a good chance to dance, and the Dallas
defense can better avoid a full-game roast.
If Zeke (with his superior blocking skills) was playing, he would
have been on an all-game-long blocking assignment – simply to
protect Dak’s back – due to Chaz Green being regularly out of
alignment. Alas, Zeke might have chipped hard and escaped out of the
backfield for one or more a quality swing pass. “What’s that you
say? Jason Garrett and Scott Linehan seemed uninterested in
providing Green with even a hint of help all day?” Thus, even WITH
Zeke, Prescott still would have had zero time, and the possibility
of a Cowboys’ victory still would have looked plenty bleak.
If Sean Lee was still healthy, the Cowboys’ problems on offense
would still have overexposed his defensive squad and left Cowboys
Nation (still) screaming “OH MY GAWD!”
Oh, yeah. The Falcons “beat” the Cowboys 27-7 . . . largely on the
effort of the oft-injured, middle-of-the-road defensive end Adrian
Clayborn who – on the “strength” of six sacks against a flailing
backup whose one-on-one skill severely lacks – felt like he was in
defensive heaven. Yes, YES, you play who is on your schedule, and
you play who is right in front of you . . . even when your opponent
is quite literally covered in poor performance poo.
Short Shots And (Painful) Hot Spots
Mike Nugent had (and still has) “one job to do” . . . make any field
goals within a reasonably down and distance or – from an unforgiving
fan standpoint – you are through. Dan Bailey’s continued injury
recovery – and an extreme lack of available, capable alternatives –
allows Nugent to escape his Atlanta “doink shot” Scot free. Still,
The Tortured Cowboys Fan is willing to given him a mulligan for
kicking like Gilligan . . . during a game the entire team would like
to play (differently) all over again.
While it was nice to see another (rare) defensive interception – by
rookie safety Xavier Woods in the first quarter – it proved a rare
highlight on a day when the rest of the team would play way out of
order.
The Tortured Cowboys Fan is a BIG admirer of veteran tight end Jason
Witten and all he has accomplished on and off the grid iron. He has
at least THE most reliable hands of any receiver in the NFL and
stubbornly fights through all manner of mental and physical
obstacles to always ring the game day bell. Even HE knows, however,
that catching 7-7 passes thrown (for only about 60 yards on routes
kept comfortably in front of his opposing defenders) is merely a
game-is-over bone. When your quarterback is given time to do little
more than throw to a short distance check down . . . it is barely a
moral victory as you hop on the plane out of town.
Veteran safety, occasional place-holder punching bag (of
unreasonable fans everywhere), and special teams maven Jeff Heath
remains in concussion protocol after getting his bell rung . . . and
still looking (to the Cowboys’ medical staff) a bit like dung.
Sean Lee could be lost to injury recovery through at least the rest
of November and – if the Cowboys manage to keep their postseason
dreams together – fans can only hope Lee (and his perpetually shoddy
body) is ready to roll in December. Fans know he would do
practically anything to (legally) get back out there with his
teammates . . . so there is no room for player hate.
It goes without saying that Tyron Smith remains out. Reality-fearing
fans can only (understandably) pout and hope his stand-ins can
rethink, recover, and play stout.
Will They Or Won’t They?
For the second straight week, Cowboys Nation gets an (unwanted)
opportunity to potentially freak.
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- Another flock of seemingly deadly birds will land on the AT&T
Stadium roof. The 8-1 Philadelphia Eagles are looking to deliver
some undeniable division-leading proof . . . just as their age-old
foes, the 5-4 Dallas Cowboys, appear to be facing a postseason
opportunity about to go poof.
The situation is absolutely cut-and-dry . . . and The Tortured
Cowboys Fan simply cannot lie.
The scenario reminds so much of the final scene of the season eight
premiere of “The Walking Dead.” It is enough to make even the most
defiant, confident, homer-of-a-fan shiver instead.
All the good guys on the show finally band together to go after all
the bad guys. In the process of leaving one of their planned
battles, one of the good guys (Gabriel, whom – at one point –
everyone had reason to despise) was left without an exit strategy.
He was facing an onslaught of zombies and scrambled into a seemingly
empty trailer . . . only to suddenly face the lead antagonist (Negan)
and what could only be assumed as an extremely violent tragedy.
Negan has “Lucille,” a destructive, barbed-wire-wrapped bat . . .
and when he really applies himself, that – as they say – is that.
Negan: "I hope you got yer sh-ttin' pants on."
Gabriel: "What?"
Negan: "Yer sh-ttin' pants. I hope yer wearin' 'em right now. Cause
you . . . are about to sh-t your pants."
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- Cowboys Nation – much to their dismay – is reminded that all
they can do is sit back and cheer or condemn what is soon to be on
display.
America’s Team still holds onto a thread of a playoff dream . . .
but – in order to get closer to making it a reality – they must
rebuild their positive steam against an opponent determined to halt
that progress with brutal finality.
The Cowboys – from play-calling coaches to all available players and
plenty of fan “hopes and prayers” – must find it within themselves
to demonstrate they can make the critically necessary adjustments to
show they desperately care . . . and pull a timely victory out of
what currently feels like thin air.
Will the Cowboys be able to do more with less . . . just like the
Eagles whom have also had to juggle their own missing persons mess?
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- Dallas does not have a choice . . . but will they show the
strength of character and creativity to raise their winning
performance voice?
We shall see. We always do.
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