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2015-2016 Regular Season: Comeback So Giant And
Defiant
- September 19,
2015
At 11:57 PM CST
By Eric M. Scharf
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- The Dallas Cowboys – like many other
teams – entered the 2015-2016 NFL season with high hopes to
potentially reach Super Bowl L (50) . . . even with a series of
offseason changes that appeared to already have “America’s Team” on
the regular season ropes and not being good enough to answer the
postseason bell.
“Offseason changes,” you say? Yes, the kind of changes for which a
team – now or later – may inevitably be forced to pay.
The Cowboys lost . . .
. . . starting running back and reigning rushing champ – DeMarco
Murray – to an NFC East opponent after the Cowboys' brain trust
suffered an untimely spending postponement . . . allowing him just
enough time to ensure a sworn enemy's fulfillment.
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- There was a boatload of pleading fan
appeal, but it was not enough to offset the Eagles' Brink's truck
deal.
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- The Cowboys also lost . . .
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- . . . starting cornerback Orlando Scandrick to a torn ACL and MCL
for the year.
. . . starting middle linebacker Rolando McClain to a 4-game drug
suspension.
. . . starting defensive end Greg Hardy to a 4-game domestic abuse
suspension.
. . . and time will tell as to the true cost.
You could add Morris Claiborne onto this list . . . as he needs to
survive a few contests before anyone can know for sure his physical
and mental issues no longer (unreasonably) persist.
And – then – there is Sean “The Injury” Lee. He, the medical staff,
and the trainers had done everything possible to ensure their best
and brightest defensive player was ready to perform . . . away from
the training camp dorm. Regular season football was-and-remains the
only way to see if his healed Achilles heel is the real deal.
The Cowboys' offseason chaos made it a shock to very few as to why Tony Romo
was absent from some of the NFL's Super Bowl 50 marketing materials. There
was no way to know for certain whether the appropriate moves
were made to solve enough of the Cowboys' personnel ills.
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- Meanwhile – as the flock of fantasy footballers were readying to
retool their rosters following early game results – the New York
Giants were on their way to AT&T Stadium . . . stating their typical
mantra about the Cowboys: “We’re not afraid of ‘em,” and looking for
another signature surface to defile.
The Giants had their own gimps with limps, truth be told. They were
without middle linebacker Jon Beason and slot receiver Victor Cruz.
The Giants were also missing defensive end Jean Pierre Paul . . .
due to some mindless twerks with digit-destroying fireworks. He was
feeling fancy free, finger loose, and in no shape to help at all.
Brashness – even against their hated rivals – was pretty bold.
Personnel challenges aside, it was game-on . . . and fans of both
teams were anxious to see which fill-ins would step up and get ‘er
done.
Depleted But Not Defeated
While the Cowboys have now beaten the Giants five consecutive games,
their performance was not quite what fans would associate with
kicking ass and taking names.
Fans – entering this game – were primarily focused on which running
back would replace DeMarco Murray. The passing game – ironically –
became the more urgent area of concern in a hurry.
Romo – on the day – would throw for three touchdowns and two
avoidable interceptions on 36 of 45 for over 350 yards . . . as an
average rushing attack – and a few passing game participants – made
his day unnecessarily hard.
Joseph Randle ran for 65 yards on 16 carries and he added over 40
more yards on three receptions. Randle – in the process – coughed up
a (very early) carry after losing the handle . . . and nearly
ensured (before discovery and recovery) – within the first two
minutes of the game – fans would begin shouting Murray’s name.
Fans would think “Captain Underpants” would have a tighter grip on
the “lingerie” . . . to ensure his future opportunities do not slip
away. Cowboys Nation does not want a repeat of the Emmitt Smith to
Troy Hambrick train wreck transition. Nonetheless, I digress by my
own admission.
Cole Beasley hauled in four catches for 49 yards and a long of 16.
He interrupted what would have been a rather productive night . . .
with a fumble that officially kicked off the Cowboys’ temporary
plight.
Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie returned that fumble 57 yards for a
score, and the Giants had just one yard to go for more . . . after
Brandon Meriweather “decleated” Devin Street from a reception that
landed in the hands of Trumaine McBride for an interception.
The popular line of NFL thinking – for receivers led into a
punishing traffic jam – is to avoid blinking and hold on for dear
life in facing the oncoming battering ram. If you are going to get
smashed anyway, you might as well finish out the play. If Devin does
not want to compete (for the ball) – former draft pick or not – the
Cowboys may skip the curb and kick him to the street if he cannot
make a critical catch on the spot. Sure, it is arguable Romo
(unintentionally) hung him out to dry, but Devin has to succeed if
he wants to be Romo’s kind of guy.
Darren McFadden – per the post-Murray plan – was “another” Cowboys
running man. While he only racked up 16 yards on 6 carries . . . it
was on his lone 19-yard reception that subtly reminded fans how each
Dallas runner varies. The Giants’ defender may have been within
reach of Darren at the point of reception, but he was left in
McFadden’s rear view as he quickly increased his acceleration. Fans
should be confident “Garrett’s Gang” has every future intention of
allowing McFadden do his speedy thing.
Lance Dunbar – as promised – was a greater participant in Scott
Linehan’s offensive game plan . . . with eight receptions for 70
yards. He also split kick return duties with Tyler Patmon,
delivering a long of 32 yards. Progressively more involvement – as a
member of “the committee” and in the slot – and Dunbar could help
the Cowboys an awful lot.
Jason Witten had eight catches for 60 yards along with two crucial
touchdowns. When he was not busy stepping back into the offensive
spotlight to help Romo get it right, he remained in the trenches,
blocking away on every other play.
Gavin Escobar – the successor to Martellus Bennett and the latest
promising backup tight end who may also not get so far – made a
cameo appearance with an eight yard touchdown catch. Fans – most but
not all – understand his skill is almost exclusively in pass
receptions. If he is do better and last longer – on the Dallas
roster – than “Marvelous Marty B,” Gavin must match well-rounded
expectations . . . or become no more than a role-playing imposter.
Jason Witten will not last forever like an immortal “Highlander.” He
will someday be no more than a game day bystander.
Dez Bryant – before succumbing to dehydration in the first stanza
and then relenting to a broken right foot in the second stanza –
reeled in five receptions for 48 yards. If there was a silver lining
to his loss, he was not involved in the offense’s blunder bonanza .
. . and he was otherwise expected to perform like a double-covered
boss.
While the source of offensive success was, once again, squarely
painted on Romo’s chest – with the unplanned absence of DeMarco
Murray AND Dez Bryant – the Dallas Cowboys wisely targeted
“Marinelli’s Men” for offseason improvement and in which to
significantly invest.
Sean Lee made his triumphant return to the role of lead tackler . .
. though there were a number of plays where he either overran or was
pushed past the action. Lee was no bust – showing little game one
rust – and appears primed to gain full-season traction.
Anthony Hitchens – for all the talk about his lack of speed – was
all over the place, getting in Eli Manning’s face . . . and causing
a near-fumble earlier in the contest. He would have had a sack, as
well, if Eli had not thrown it away in last-second fashion . . .
that BEGGED for an intentional grounding protest.
J.J. Wilcox (a poor man’s Ronnie Lott) accomplished the most
important defensive task of the evening – nailing Odell Beckham, Jr.
on the Giants' first series on the spot. Wilcox swooped in from his
high-safety coverage to blast Beckham hard . . . he broke his own
nose on the play in which he starred. The Cowboys’ Scandrick-less
secondary made sure the Giants and Beckham understood . . . the
highlight catcher would be swung at with devastating defensive wood.
Even Kyle "Hey" Wilber got in on the action – by decleating former
Cowboys utility man and kick returner Dwayne Harris . . . with
somewhat bittersweet satisfaction.
Tyrone Crawford – he of the newly-minted contract extension –
occupied space for Sean “Seek And Destroy” Lee . . . and his sack of
Eli Manning (the only one of the night) was a key invention.
Brandon Carr, Morris Claiborne, Tyler Patmon, and Byron Jones did a
reasonable job – save for a handful of plays – of staying out of
trouble . . . allowing Carr and Claiborne – at least for one game –
to feel not so incredibly scrutinized and a bit less on the bubble.
Having said that, Carr missed a golden opportunity at the team’s
first interception of the season when leaping for an errant Eli
throwaway . . . and seeing the ball sail right through his hands,
when he could have made a timely play.
Jeremy Mincey – in a show of his valued leadership – allowed Giants
rookie offensive lineman Ereck Flowers to cause his veteran mental
powers to trip . . . getting called for a late game personal foul
and causing Cowboys Nation’s heart to endure a palpable skip.
Staying with the Ereck Flowers theme, rookie defensive end Randy
Gregory had beaten his fellow rookie off the edge a number of times
. . . before an awkward step backwards resulted in a high right
ankle sprain which – thankfully – proved not enough to be a
defensive drain.
Nonetheless, before the game was over – having lost Bryant and
Gregory to injury and seeing their fill-ins get a little sloppy –
the Cowboys and their fans were wondering if they needed a four-leaf
clover. The Cowboys were depleted but not defeated, however, as the
tables would ultimately turn – late in the fourth quarter – giving
the Giants’ a turn to burn.
The Cowboys drove more than 70 yards in just under 1:30 after
forcing the Giants to settle for a field goal . . . when a touchdown
would have brought New York closer to victory and created for Dallas
an unrecoverable 10-point hole.
Tony Romo captured a low snap, tossed an 11-yard touchdown pass to
Jason Witten with mere seconds remaining and – with a successful Dan
Bailey extra point - the Cowboys overcame a turnover trifecta,
applied the fix, and beat the Giants 27-26 . . . who left dejected
from Jerry’s joint.
The Cowboys – over the past two seasons – have received solid
performances from Travis Frederick, but Romo needed a break on that
last play and had to have done a double-take . . . to make sure
Frederick was not channeling his inner Gurode, the Cowboys’ former
wild snap god.
Linus and his security blanket, err, Tony Romo and Jason Witten saved the day
with a comeback so GIANT and defiant . . . once again – proved worthy of their pay.
From Not Much To Clutch
“Injuries happen in all professional sports,” and how the remaining
healthy players (and scheme-altering coaches) handle that adversity
is how they build and maintain their capability and integrity.
A high ankle sprain – like a groin pull or (to a lesser degree) a
shoulder stinger – is a nagging, unpredictable injury. Being a tough
guy and attempting to return too soon will simply exacerbate the
pain and extend the misery. Randy had a collegiate injury history,
and Cowboys Nation can only hope – as with Sean Lee – that the past
is in the past . . . and Gregory is able to return at full strength
with health that can last. Returning in time (by the fifth game) to
join his partner in crime – Greg Hardy – should produce the dynamic
defensive party . . . and make Marinelli look like an even bigger
smarty.
While it is easy to poke fun and say Dez Bryant sustained a “Jerry
Jones fracture” – due to the weight of expectations heaped upon him
by the NFL’s premier marketing master – it is merely a “Jones
fracture” or a break of the fifth metatarsal in Dez’s right foot . .
. that is at the root of the Cowboys’ potential passing game
disaster. The corrective surgery included a bone graft over the
affected area to promote (accelerate) healing . . . which is an
indicator of a potentially chronic side effect of this injury with
which Dez and Dallas are now dealing.
Dez’s recovery time went from a Terrell-Owens-like four weeks to,
potentially, 10-12 weeks . . . to which Cowboys Nation has since
been screaming about the potential postseason havoc his absence
might wreak. Other well-known sports stars – in the Atlanta Falcons’
Roddy White and the Oklahoma Thunder’s Kevin Durant – have (in the
past) struggled mightily to capture the Jones fracture.
As a side observation – from an armchair physician – of Dez’s
physical style, the combination of a hard ramble and unnatural
pigeon-toed scramble has always seemed like a potential, long-term
health gamble. Cowboys Nation should keep this on file . . . as a
reminder that this condition (and the pressure it can apply in
uneven measure) could rear its ugly head every once in a while.
As another aside, never could the Cowboys have imagined going from
an offseason of having to pick one – between Dez Bryant and DeMarco
Murray – to an entire regular season of potentially having none.
Ronald Leary – with his degenerative knee holding up in theory – is
suffering from a groin pull. He could be out anywhere from one to
three weeks. But anyone thinking his turnaround could be sooner is a
fool.
In any event – like Gregory’s injury – Dez’s dent occurred as the
result of a twist of fate . . . that will now require their backups
to become regularly useful and seriously step up to the plate.
Bench players – not used to consistent activity outside of practice
reps – will have to prove out Jason Garrett’s “Next Man Up” mantra
and be ready (mentally and physically) to take big boy steps.
Bench players have to be ready to go from not much to clutch.
Will They Or Won’t They?
A “Romo-to-the-rescue” scenario is always nice . . . when your team
needs a comeback while a couple of your star players have been put
on ice.
While it is abundantly clear Romo would do anything to win for the
Cowboys so dear . . . “Next Man Up” requires that fans get to see
and hear greater productivity from the Cowboys’ roster pups.
No matter how long Dez is gone . . . Terrance Williams, Gavin
Escobar, Lance Dunbar, Cole Beasley, and Devin Street need to get
‘er done.
The Cowboys traded a conditional 2016 fifth round draft choice to
the Oakland Raiders for raw, role-playing receiver Brice Butler and
a sixth round pick. He has the size and speed – at 6' 3", 214
pounds, and a 4.37 forty time – should do the trick and from most
views . . . is exactly what Dallas needs in attempting to fill part
of one of Dez’s shoes.
Fans may wonder why the Cowboys did not potentially come away with
familiar face Andre Holmes . . . but he still seems unable to stay
healthy no matter what time nor place.
If Brice remains on the Cowboys’ roster through five games – and
Cowboys Nation is positively pronouncing “THE BUTLER DID IT!” . . .
what better voice than that to ensure Oakland formally receives a
well-spent fifth round choice?
There is little opportunity for new learners and even less playing
time for would-be earners (Butler and the rest of the Cowboys’
churners).
Bench players are going to have to become “mench” players.
No skipping on learning the playbook. Everyone is on the hook.
No more drops that result in untimely stops.
The backups are going to have to clear their minds, have a game plan
focus . . . and avoid that nervous penalty hocus pocus.
The solution to keeping the Cowboys’ on track for another postseason
attack . . . is not about merely replacing Dez. It is about WHO on
the roster will follow instructions, perform in the spot light, and
give true meaning to “Next Man Up.” Warming the bench, accepting a
paycheck, and saying “I have to be ready” means ZERO . . . to fans
seeking their team’s next hero.
Will the Cowboys use more “12 Personnel” or try some strange blends
with three tight ends?
How will they replace Randy Gregory (out up to four weeks with a
high ankle sprain)? How to replace the only true edge rusher on the
team (since DeMarcus Ware and Charles Haley before him)? Options are
slim.
How will they replace Ronald Leary? Mackenzy Bernadeau . . . or will
La’el Collins be ready to go?
The Cowboys cut backup offensive lineman Darrion Weems and – with no
waiver wire takers – slipped him onto their practice squad with the
other low money makers. They added free agent offensive tackle
Charles Brown to fill that roster spot – but Charlie’s ability to
adapt to the Cowboys’ zone-blocking scheme . . . will determine if
Lucy yanks the opportunity away or if he can remain with America’s
Team.
Will the Cowboys’ new $4B valuation by Forbes remain intact . . . or
will it drop with the injury impact?
The Cowboys are headed to Philly . . . where they are confident in
their chances but still need to be weary of DeMarco Murray’s desire
to make them look silly. The Eagles have their own issues and have
been waiting an entire offseason to hand Dallas a big box of
tissues.
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- America’s Team has a season-ending
dream that has sustained a few physical obstacles. As long as Dez
and Gregory get to merely enjoy some popsicles rather than be put on
ice . . . the season could still come together with a result that
looks extremely nice.
Will Dallas continue to display undermanned heart and deal
Philadelphia an 0-2 start?
Will the Cowboys do what they need to do . . . or will they contract
a case of avian flu?
We shall see. We always do.
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