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2017-2018 Regular Season: A Dominating Day For
Another Bird Of Prey With Dallas Looking To Remain Among The Playoff
Living On Thanksgiving
- November 21, 2017 At 5:19 PM CST
By Eric M. Scharf
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- The 8-1 Philadelphia Eagles – sharing perpetual ownership of
“most hated division foe” with the New York Giants and Washington
Redskins – came to town . . . determined to keep the Dallas Cowboys’
Falcon-forged frown from being turned upside down.
“America’s Team” – much like the division-leading Eagles they were
facing – were missing enough of their own star players to leave
Cowboys Nation pacing. While Philly was not missing Ezekiel Elliott
. . . they had previously lost their star left tackle (Jason Peters)
and star middle linebacker (Jordan Hicks) for the year. Roster
juggling – contrary to the belief of some – is far from exclusive to
Dallas, and there is no other way of telling it. Suggesting
otherwise (by only the most myopic of fans) is simply dumb.
The Cowboys – at 5-4 – were getting dangerously close to being
kicked out the playoff contending door.
The Cowboys – at 5-4 – were going to have to start being like many
other (current and past) NFL teams . . . who (GASP) utilize maximize
their game day 46 to begin producing the well-rounded results that
support realistic resumption of their postseason dreams.
The Cowboys – at 5-4 – were attempting to stare down a must-win
contest . . . with an exposed roster and a coaching staff unable to
game plan for more than one half per game (as anyone with half a
brain would have honestly confessed).
America’s Team – knowing and “situationally” planning for every
shred of this – did (almost) all they could for the first 30 minutes
before losing 37-9 and displaying an aimlessness that further
accelerated Dallas’ season towards the precipice. The Cowboys are
now a mediocre 5-5 with playoff hopes barely alive.
More painful than losing to the Eagles in a way that looked eerily
familiar to their 44-6 loss in Philadelphia in 2012 . . . was Jason
Garrett’s (in)famous “process” into which he (and his staff) seem
inexplicably unable to delve.
“It’s a process” became Garrett’s generic response – following his
ascension to the Dallas Cowboys’ head-coaching throne – every time
he was faced with an invasive press question sure to make him groan.
Creative adjustments and mature clock management continue to be
kryptonite . . . to Garrett, Scott Linehan, and – to an ever-growing
degree – Rod Marinelli (historically a defensive line specialist) in a way that makes their players look an
awful lot like they are going from “Finish The Fight” to “Unable To
Get (Much Of) Anything Right.”
While Garrett has been an unabashed admirer of Nick Saban ever since
being his quarterbacks coach with the Miami Dolphins, he has become
repeatedly undone . . . by a near-zero-adjustment policy rivaled
only by that of 11-time NBA Champion and former head coach, Phil
Jackson. While Phil made no bones about regularly allowing his teams
to play through their issues . . . Jason regularly sends Cowboys
Nation in search of a surplus of tissues.
“The Tortured Cowboys Fan” has repeatedly stated that losing a game
is acceptable ONLY when a team clearly does all it reasonably can to
out-scheme and outhustle their opponent . . . but still comes up
short without fans murderously screaming for a day of atonement.
The process is hopeless without signs of professional growth from
Garrett and staff. They must dig down, deeper than ever before to
make (thus far uncommon) in-game adjustments, showing proof of
system flexibility towards (available) player strengths that can
more-often-than-not prevent opponents and their fans from enjoying
another hearty laugh.
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- The entire league is littered with imperfect rosters . . . but
for the Cowboys – from coaches to players – to have any chance at
reaching the tournament dance, they can no longer afford to appear
as check-cashing imposters.
Short Shots And Hot Spots
Yes, as long as Jerry Jones remains THE man within the Dallas
Cowboys organization – with a larger-than-life ego that still, STILL
tasks him, goads him into escaping Jimmy Johnson’s shadow – it could
be a while longer before Jerry gives up on adopted son Garrett
(specifically, along with his three remaining years at $5M each) and
sends him on a permanent vacation.
There may, indeed, be proof that “unnamed” NFL teams may have
conspired to pressure NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell to punish the
still-legally-innocent Zeke Elliott to the greatest extent of the
NFL domestic violence policy rule . . . it is clear the NFL’s
cease-and-desist letter (specifying “conduct detrimental to the
league”) has caused Jerry to reevaluate his approach rather than be
potentially made (at least) a public relations fool. He has
suggested no lawsuit is in the offing . . . but he surely has more
tricks up his sleeve designed to leave the likes of Falcons’ owner
Arthur Blank gagging and coughing.
While Anthony Hitchens, DeMarcus Lawrence, Geoff Swaim, and the
"Collins Brothers (By Other Mothers)" – La'el and Maliek – were
added to the injury list following their latest battle . . .
critical players (left tackle Tyron Smith, kicker Dan Bailey, and –
yes – even safety Jeff Heath) appear potentially ready to get back
in the game day saddle.
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- RIP, Terry Glenn (1974-2017) – who (incredibly, as a walk-on
for the Ohio State Buckeyes and as a key player for the New England
Patriots, Green Bay Packers, and Dallas Cowboys) represented so well
those receivers who rarely had to high-point the football . . . and
on pure talent was nearly able to outmaneuver, outrun, and out-catch
them all.
Will They Or Won’t They?
Thanksgiving Day means – among other things – the Dallas Cowboys are
attempting to recover from their brutal home loss . . . on a short
week to show the incoming Los Angeles Orphans, err, Chargers who is
boss.
All jokes aside . . . discounting veteran QB Philip Rivers' sheer
force of will or overlooking the scrappy 4-6 Chargers could very
well
result in the 5-5 Cowboys continuing their slide.
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- Will “Garrett’s Gang” – specifically the coaches – drop their “hopes
and prayers” for a return of their injured and injury-prone star
players . . . and actually begin to show they know something about
putting their available talent in position to succeed with that
creative adjustment thang?
Will Garrett’s Gang begin regularly counting how many players they
have on the field and signaling in play-calls on offense . . . early
enough to save precious timeouts to avoid looking so incredibly
dense?
Will Dak Prescott – the sudden-and-newly-minted turnover machine –
be granted enough time (again, through ANY talent-driven play-call
flexibility) to deliver results more sublime? Will Dak be able to
show more successful stuff within an offensive system that teams –
nowadays – seem to so easily snuff?
Will Alfred Morris get another, more evenly-paced opportunity to
deliver near-100-yard-game numbers . . . or will he be forced to
work around more offensive line blunders?
Will any newly-healed and returning star players be able to survive
the game . . . let alone one half, one series, or one play before
(GASP) potentially pulling up lame?
Will Anthony Hitchens be able to keep it together – nursing along
Rod Smith’s talented-but-still-raw younger brother while Sean Lee
continues to recover – with Dallas facing more and more inclement
competitive weather?
Will America’s Team allow (the American sector of) Cowboys Nation .
. . to successfully digest and enjoy their Thanksgiving meals with a
little winning restoration?
We shall see. We always do.
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- Happy Thanksgiving to all (Cowboys fans) who celebrate it!
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