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2012-2013 Regular Season: Cowboys
Contain Cam & Head For Huge Homecoming
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- October
26, 2012
At 9:30 PM CST
By Eric M. Scharf
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- The Dallas Cowboys teams of the past
few years continue to share one commonality of a split personality.
From wide open to constrained, from magical to mistaken, from
dominating to disappointing, and from high to low – Cowboys Nation
deserves to know which direction “America’s Team” might finally,
consistently go.
Through the first six games of the season the Cowboys . . .
. . . beat the Giants on New York’s home turf.
. . . allow the Seahawks to treat them like hapless smurfs.
. . . narrowly defeated the Bucs in an ugly game.
. . . mentally fell apart against the Bears with an effort so lame.
. . . overpower the Ravens only to collapse with another mental
blunder.
. . . and outlasted the Panthers in a constricted contest, leaving
fans to shake their heads and wonder.
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- Dallas – over the last two years –
has oftentimes been two-faced . . . with their game day efforts
equally misguided and all over the place. The Cowboys could even be the team of a thousand faces if they wanted – and
with Halloween appropriately around the corner – their performances
would continue so haunted.
Careful In Carolina
Just when fans were hoping for another taste of a wide open and
balanced offense, they were treated with a case of extreme care and
an apparent lack of confidence.
Jason Garrett crafted conservative calls for Tony Romo to cautiously
take what the Carolina defense gave them. While Romo seemed to push
for a greater attack through the air, Garrett insisted he handle,
err, hand off with care. The sudden absence of Phil "See? I No
Longer" Costa ("So Much Aggravation") and extended recovery time for
DeMarco Murray, however, can certainly change best laid plans in a
hurry.
Garrett postulated the Panthers could potentially be pacified with a
pursed permutation of rushing and passing . . . with Ryan’s
Roughnecks keeping Cam from crafting a late game comeback – ever
harassing.
Dallas managed to diminish their self-inflicted mental damage,
contain Cam, and declaw the rest of the Carolina cats . . . all with
a play-not-to-lose plan designed to prevent a trap game splat.
Ryan’s Roughnecks helped Superman continue his sophomore slump, and
Romo went from regretful to restrictive in helping the Cowboys get
over the hump.
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- The Dallas defense delivered on its duty, but they also lost their
leader – Sean Lee – to a season-ending injury. While it was
disappointing for him, it makes the Cowboys defensive chances –
moving forward – rather dim. The team hailed the return of Anthony
Spencer but – while important – he does not replace the value of
such a potent defensive condenser.
Even with the loss of Ryan’s defensive boss, everyone – from fans to
prognosticators – zeroed in on the cautious conversion of Garrett
and Romo into Gearbot and Robo.
Teams – under constant duress from the press – love to dismiss
vexing victories by reminding everyone that “a win is a win” in the
NFL . . . even though the current Cowboys tend to leave many a doubt
to dispel.
Garrett insists such caution against Carolina was calculated, but
Cowboys Nation only sees it as playing not to lose and – with the
next game on the schedule – using an offensive philosophy ill-fated.
Just when fans were – even after a win – grabbing for the tissues,
they were reminded the Cowboys are far from the only team to have
ever suffered from so many early season issues.
The Cowboys are headed for a huge homecoming . . . against a
championship team they beat at season’s beginning. Garrett got away
with being careful against Carolina, but he knows the Cowboys will
need to be more aggressive and put away the fine China.
Bounty Buffoonery
As a necessary aside, the bounty drama between the NFLPA and Roger
Goodell would have never been renewed if only the players had not –
once again – lied.
It was bad enough that some NFL players were willing to damage the
careers of other NFL players for what amounted – to them – to be
pennies on the dollar. When those arrogant few realized there would
be no mere slap on the wrist and their very reputations were at
stake . . . they knew they were caught by the toe and decided to
holler.
The players thought Goodell was out of inventions with the court’s
reversal of their suspensions, but Goodell came back with a sworn
affidavit that put these fellas’ back to their place . . . seemingly
out of contention.
Their suspensions have been reinstated – with almost no change – and
followed by instant and expected appeals. Goodell recused himself
from the appeals process to avoid being further denigrated.
Goodell selected former NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue to run the
process for you-know-who. The NFLPA predictably filed a complaint,
implicating Tags as someone who would simply stay true to what the
NFL would want to do.
The NFLPA knew this scenario was a losing proposition the moment
they signed the latest and longest CBA. The NFL can use customary
anti-trust exemptions to control the appeals process and keep
traditional court involvement reasonably out of commission.
The NFLPA wants to treat the appeals process like jury selection –
seeking the right, well-intentioned appeals judge . . . for
“everyone’s” protection. This battle could drag on forever, but this
ongoing political gamesmanship the NFL will allow never.
The NFLPA wants to find the most oblivious,
potentially-disinterested person on the planet. The irony is that –
absent a football-minded judge – the NFLPA will
actually be encouraging a stronger focus on the bounty wrong-doings
by using someone so out of it.
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- Goodell – and Tags before him – both had and have a greater
“threshold” for questionable game day behavior by NFL players . . .
in order to maintain the same exciting (and violent) NFL experience
so many fans have grown to love.
Jonathan Vilma and Company crossed a rather flexible and
understanding (but unspoken) NFL ownership line when they placed and
pursued bounties on superstars . . . rather than average players who
might sport less memorable scars.
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- The bounty buffoonery – upon its
conclusion – will serve as THE example to all players who need to
know their long-term professional reputations are far more important
than any short-term, petty-cash-driven inspirations.
Will They Or Won’t They?
The New York Giants are headed to Cowboys Stadium for payback, and
the Dallas Cowboys will have to be on high alert for a ferocious
end-to-end attack.
Talk is cheap and don’t the Cowboys know it. Actions speak louder
than words, and it is up to the Cowboys not to blow it.
While insignificant sound bites fill the airwaves and television
displays, it is about the level of fight the Cowboys will put up on
game days.
Garrett, Ryan, and DeCamillis have to be prepared with their best
combination of play-call strategy and wide open muscle . . .
encouraging their troops toward game-long hustle.
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- The Cowboys may have lost their
defensive leadership voice, but - like any NFL team, especially this
year - they have to keep moving forward . . . they simply have no
choice. Dallas may be without DeMarco, but they have no time to
start having doomsday visions like Donnie Darko.
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- The Giants are the defending Super
Bowl Champions and more separation in the
standings they are looking to gain. They know how to play without .
. . they know how to play through the pain of injury depletion and
talent drain.
Jason Witten – in response to Jerry Jones’ contender comments –
agreed and proclaimed that any team member who did not believe
should just pack up and leave. It would be timely and convenient if
Witten’s teammates really wanted to be stakeholders in such an
achievement.
Fans deserve to see everyone on America’s Team – from productive and
flawed to the practice squad – rise above the din, buy in, and be
mentally all-in. The Cowboys have to keep moving forward with
what they got . . . and still aim to hit the sweet spot.
Will Dallas shock (a skeptical) Cowboys Nation? Will they win with
what they have, and share with their fans some seriously good
vibrations? Or will the Giants prove they still own Jerry World and
leave more locker room wall agitation?
We shall see. We always do.
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