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- 2018-2019
Regular Season: Cowboys Converge On Carolina For A Southern Start To
The Season
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This edition of "The Tortured
Cowboys Fan" has also been published by the fine folks at
Sports TalkLine.
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September 8, 2018 At 2:00 PM CST
By Eric M. Scharf-
- The NFL football season – certainly when compared to MLB, NBA,
and NHL schedules – always seems so fleeting. After (often
literally) surviving a 4-5-game preseason gauntlet, 32 NFL teams
have a meager 16-game regular season schedule in which to
successfully trigger their playoff dreams, but that feeling
fades just as quickly once these gladiators start competing.
Reality suddenly slows against the onslaught of weekly fan
anticipation, much in the same way the speed of the game
eventually slows for rookie players improving on play execution.
Precious few games suddenly project much larger frames.
The NFL season has arrived at long last, and network television
prognosticators have unveiled many a season-long forecast. Most
fantasy football teams have been drafted with some last-minute
leaguers still being crafted. Bets have been placed (some for
week one and others for when it is all said and done).
Getting to the starting gate, however, is anything but easy and
filled – from end to end – with plenty of debate.
The Dallas Cowboys and their fans were exposed to an offseason that
was undesirably eventful and a preseason that was unexpectedly
painful.
“America’s Team” ended their 2017-2018 campaign flat as a pancake
with syrup leaking off the plate in every direction. “Jerry’s Kids”
said all the right things and gave Cowboys Nation every reason to
expect some level of future course correction.
Saying and doing, of course, diverge when it comes to proving. They
did their thing in the spring to prevent their summer from being a
bummer. They engaged in some addition and subtraction towards
greater (and longer-term) satisfaction.
Teach What You Preach
One of the offseason coaching changes that were made is risky and
others well-played.
Kellen Moore (player-turned-replacement for long-time quarterbacks
coach, Wade Wilson) will hopefully be more than a mini,
creatively-challenged Linehan. Fans would be rather pleased if Moore
could apply greater pain to opponents with his brain and help Dak
Prescott do greater harm against those opponents with his arm.
Sanjay Lal – as the new receivers coach – by reputation alone seems
almost beyond reproach. Cowboys receivers should expect to excel and
have a ball with Lal.
Paul Alexander – as offensive line coach replacement for Frank
Pollak – should not be viewed as a mere change of stripes from one
Cincinnati Bengal brother to another. While Pollak is a believer in
Bill Callahan’s zone blocking, Alexander adheres to multiple
choice – employing a mix of zone, power, and traps – to (once again)
get "The Great Wall Of Dallas" rocking. If the Cowboys
have learned anything about the (current) core unit of their team,
when you cannot afford better depth at key positions (to counteract
sudden injury), you attempt to adopt a more scheme-flexible theme.
As Bill “The Big Tuna” Parcells is fond of stating (and “The
Tortured Cowboys Fan” is fond of quoting): “Fit the system to the
(available) players, not the players to the (available)
system.”
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- Kris Richard – the former Seattle Seahawks defensive coordinator
- was perhaps the best coaching move of the offseason. The Cowboys’
new defensive backs coach and passing game coordinator was vital
towards fostering Seattle's infamous "Legion of Boom.” Since their
own (release and retirement-driven) demise, Richard needed a new set
of moldable-and-capable secondary guys. Such a change in philosophy
only helps in the weekly effort to spell an offense’s doom.
While there were other training trade-ups (like tight ends coach
Doug Nussmeier and special teams coordinator Keith O’Quinn), if
these specific coaches can teach what they preach, the Cowboys
returning to the playoffs may not be a reach.
(Some) Movement Towards Personal Improvement
Some current players seem to have overcome their poor health spell,
and most pre-draft moves with incoming personnel appear to have
worked out well. Time will tell if still other player plans begin to
smell.
Dez Bryant was removed from the team like a stubborn clog from a
collection of delicate pipes. Jerry Jones and Jason Garrett – to
their credit – decided to rip off that band-aid and finally force
themselves to fortify their offensive flanks from elsewhere, no
matter the potential gripes.
And yet, Jerry and Jason – at one point appeared to be talking out
of both sides of their collective mouth – when they tried to coax
Sammy Watkins into relocating down South. If fans were apoplectic
over the possibility of Dez still receiving $12.5M per year, then
discovering that Dallas offered the “one year clear of hardly
healthy” Watkins $48M over three years was certainly not going to
make Cowboys Nation cheer.
Nearly two years removed from myriad back problems and a 4-game PED
suspension, defensive end DeMarcus “Tank” Lawrence received the
franchise tag when long-term contract efforts began to lag. Perhaps
following another solid, injury-free season, a big agreement
could be in the bag.
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- Defensive end David “Dino” Irving signed his own one-year deal,
but the talented defender will begin his second straight season on a
4-game suspension of his very own invention. While he freely
admitted his punishment stemmed from smoking Mary Jane, he decried
the NFL’s pharmaceutical hypocrisy and overmedicated stain. His
timing – for the generously patient Cowboys – was anything but
ideal, and he wisely chose not to appeal.
Speaking of extremely talented tokers who double as maturity chokers, Dallas was granted permission by the league office to activate
defensive end Randy Gregory from the NFI (Non-Football Injury) list.
Seemingly against all odds, Gregory – with plenty of monitoring,
support, and ownership of his mind-numbing situation – has arisen
from a certain graveyard of professional sports clods. That Randy
might actually start Dallas’ first game of the season (following
solid showings in the exhibitions) remains a shock to the discerning
among Cowboys
Nation.
Gregory was not the only defender being activated. Defensive tackle
Maliek Collins was pulled off the PUP (Physically Unable to Perform)
list. Between Lawrence, Irving, Gregory, and Collins, fans are
imagining a defensive line that could leave their offensive
counterparts feeling regularly dominated.
Free Agency Vacancy
Free agency took its customary bite with all but a handful of
the Cowboys' losses – Keith "Serviceable Fullback" Smith, Kyle
"Career Special Teamer" Wilber, Jonathan "(Still A) Traveling Man"
Cooper, Bene "Basically Buried On The Bench" Benwikere – perhaps not
out of mind but certainly out of sight.
Anthony "Humpty" Hitchens saw his cha-ching chances of remaining
with Dallas dashed and in the Chiefs he cashed. His leadership and
underrated skills may dearly be missed if he who replaces him does
not get more of the pass-coverage gist.
Brice "If I'm Not Starting, I'm Not Going Back" Butler had little
choice (upon seeing Terrance Williams re-up) but to flock to
the Cardinals, where a(n allegedly) greater opportunity will either
enhance or silence his voice.
Alfred "A-Train" Morris was a consummate professional in patiently
accepting any scraps while refusing to fall prey to frustration
traps. The Cowboys chose not to resign him, but his old coach Kyle
Shanahan came o’ callin’ before his career could potentially grow
dim.
Benson "(Too Much Of A) Situational Solution" Mayowa and Byron
"Swing Tackle / Tyron Smith Spackle" Bell also seemed destined to
depart for lack of more ability to play a bigger part.
And with those same vacancies created by free agency, the Cowboys
(save for their Watkins whiff) would apply some measured urgency.
Dallas would sign former Super Bowl starter and free agent defensive
end Kony Ealy to a one-year agreement, but he would not survive
competition from the Cowboys’ encouraging youth movement.
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- When Tyron Smith said "I feel like I'm in the best shape I've
been in a while,” fans felt encouraged to turn up their
expectation dial. Dallas knew better and signed Super
Bowl-experienced offensive tackle Cameron Fleming away from the New
England Patriots to help ensure (but not guarantee) the Cowboys’
offensive line does not crumble – for a second consecutive season –
into a disorganized pile.
The Cowboys also signed former 49ers offensive guard Marcus Martin,
but a torn ligament (sustained against his former team in a
preseason game) forced Dallas to place Martin on season-ending
injured reserve, leaving the Cowboys' o-line depth still smartin'.
Jaylon Smith sidestepped any further drop-foot support and – with
his preseason play – seemed to confirm suspicions that he has
regained “more than enough” lateral movement, his cheetah-like
closing speed, and the ability to safely contort. Dallas knew better
and signed linebacker Joe Thomas away from the Green Bay Packers
just in case Smith’s best foot forward unexpectedly fails in space.
Improving Your Craft Through The Draft
Draft day rolled around and – with reasonable objectives – the
Cowboys seemed to be on solid ground. Before the ink could dry on
their first-round selection card, team leader and tight end
extraordinaire Jason Witten suddenly (to Cowboys Nation) decided to
indulge a different kind of game day career, making Dallas’ job
additionally hard.
The Cowboys have become one of the better teams at improving their
craft through the draft. The rigors of training camp and preseason,
however, would surely expose their selections as seaworthy sailors .
. . or shaky swimmers in need of a raft.
And yet, months later, the Cowboys have a well-rounded draft day
bunch . . . and that is far more than a hunch. Linebacker Leighton
Vander Esch, offensive guard Connor Williams, wide receiver Michael
Gallup, defensive end Dorance Armstrong Jr., and tight end Dalton
Schultz - of the Cowboys' nine draft picks - all appear capable of
injecting Dallas with a promising performance fix.
Mod Squad
As the preseason drew to a close, the Cowboys joined the rest of the
league with a last-minute mod of their practice squad (arranging their signees for a nice group pose). They had defensive
end Charles Tapper, wide receivers Lance Lenoir and Dres Anderson,
running back Jordan Chunn, offensive tackle Jake Campos, cornerback
Donovan Olumba, and linebacker Kyle Queiro, as well as former 2016
sixth-round pick Darius Jackson (a talented ballcarrier and special
teamer poached by the Pack after Dallas brought him back).
Short Shots And Hot Spots
While Dallas exited their preseason 0-4, the team showed enough
quality starting talent to fend off whatever regular season
challenges may be in store. Having said that, if these Cowboys are
forced to rely on too many of their seconds or thirds, there
simply are no words.
Speechless is one way to describe Cowboys Nation at learning that –
for Dallas – Pro Bowl placekicker dandy Dan Bailey would no longer
be makin’ ‘em daily. In yet a(nother) sign Garrett understands what
is on the line this season, he would sidestep to CFL journeyman
Brett Maher as the next person to drive the placekicking car. While
Bailey may, indeed, be suffering some kicking incontinence (from the
effects of a lingering year-old injury, a slowing success rate, and
some creaky confidence), fans – like it or not – will soon
learn if ditching the second-most accurate kicker in NFL history is
tantamount to treason.
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- The Cowboys wisely waste no time (following their 53-man cutdown)
in using their secondary surplus to pry offensive guard Parker
Ehinger from the Chiefs in exchange for undrafted-yet-promising rookie cornerback Charvarius Ward. Ignoring the now-critical depth issues along the
Great Wall would have been a mistake even Jerry Jones could not
afford.
Just as the Cowboys were breaking in their o-line band-aid, Ehinger
suffered a season-ending knee injury that ruined what was a
well-timed trade.
Dallas immediately brought back offensive guard (and training camp
body) Kadeem Edwards (whom they hope will take his new
opportunity to heart and help stop the Great Wall from falling
further backwards).
Yes, yes, the MASH unit mayhem just keeps on coming with cornerback
Chidobe Awuzie and safety Kavon Frazier both listed as (barely)
questionable and with safety Xavier Woods already ruled out,
fans just want to scream and shout! “Earl Thomas” you mutter?
Seattle continues to insist on first-round butter and – when they
turned down the Cowboys’ recently-improved offer – the Seahawks did
not stutter.
And to think Cowboys Nation was up in a nasty lather over Rico
“Royally Goofed” Gathers just days ago. Most (but not all) fans were
convinced his doorway to the 53-man roster was all-but-shut. Then,
he just had to get himself caught with a “Dallas Dooby” or "Cowboys
Cannabis” (which should have gotten the – raw but talented – Rico
instantly cut). If only there were no other players over which fans –
with deep concern – are now screaming “NOOOOOOOO!”
Will They Or Won’t They?
The Dallas Cowboys are set to converge on Carolina’s Bank of America
Stadium for a NFC South start to their season. The Panthers seek to
be brutal hosts, making a potential road win for Dallas that
much more pleasin’.
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- Former 2015 NFL MVP Cam Newton is always dangerous. Give him
time and – even with average accuracy – he has the arm to slice up
your secondary. If “Marinelli’s Men” take away his targets, will he
(successfully) use his size and mobility to make his attackers far
from merry?
While Carolina has a relatively ho-hum group of receivers, their All-Pro tight end Greg Olsen and journeyman deep threat Torrey
Smith remain stand-out retrievers.
The Panthers’ second-year stud – Christian McCaffrey – is similar to
Reggie Bush (a multipurpose, offensive pain in the tush). Will
the Cowboys remain on guard against such a dynamic receiver, rusher,
and returner? Will Sean Lee and Jaylon Smith be up to the task of
washing out this burner?
While Carolina does not sport the same Super Bowl 50 defense from a
few years ago, will they still prove quite the punishing foe? Luke
Kuechly is the tip of their spear, but will Thomas "No ACLs" Davis,
Shaq Thompson, and Dontari Poe be ready to strike
between-the-tackles fear?
“Linehan’s Clan” has an opportunity against a hungry Panther’s
defense, but only if – with cute plays and predictability – the
Cowboys’ offense chooses to dispense.
The Great Wall Of Dallas is only as good as its weakest link, and
when just one talented brick in that wall breaks, the results
totally stink. Travis “Fredbeard” Frederick remains on the 53-man
roster, but his condition will not improve anytime soon (and
the Cowboys will have no chance with a performance impostor). Will
backup center Joe Looney play out of his mind like a complete goon?
A determined Ezekiel Elliott may still raise everyone’s hair, but
will Dak and Dallas’ revamped receivers have to go too heavily
through the air to get a victory over there?
We shall see. We always do.
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