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- 2019-2020 Regular Season: A New Streak Following The Bye Week?
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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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November 4,
2019 At 8:03 AM CST
By Eric M. Scharf-
- While "America's Team" spent
their bye week 4-3 healing instead of 3-4 reeling, the NFL trade
deadline came and went without the Cowboys having engaged in any
successful wheeling and dealing. It was not for a lack of trying,
especially when it concerned a certain New York-area strong safety
with a penchant for flying.
Jerry Jones may no longer be an owner so fearlessly free-spending
(even though he has money never-ending), but he clearly aimed to
redirect fan attention to the “Super Bowl Or BUST” message he always
prefers to be sending.
Approximately one year ago, GM Jerry (along with wingman-and-son
Stephen) sent the Cowboys’ 2019 first round draft pick to the
Oakland Raiders to acquire – perhaps – the only available player who
could help Dallas’ offense regain its productive glow. The Raiders
relinquished temporarily-troubled yet tremendously-talented wide
receiver Amari Cooper and – ever since his arrival – has been a
no-nonsense, potently-productive trooper (rather than a miserable
man focused on roster survival).
GM Jerry had hoped to pull off a similarly-dramatic add one year
later, and this one might have finally filled the Cowboys’
seemingly-perpetual safety position crater. The Cowboys placed their
bets (multiple times and practically up to the last moment) to try
and pry strong safety (and DFW product) Jamal Adams from the
talent-trimming Jets (who naturally wanted much more than GM Jerry’s
most sincere offer before they would allow him to acquire some
long-overdue defensive secondary atonement). When the trade deadline
clock finally struck 4:00 PM CST, the better-luck-next-time irony
left (at least) the Cowboys’ 2020 first round draft pick safe and
sound . . . and the Jets’ relationship with their star safety burned
to the ground.
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Still, Adams and the Jets’ brass were already in a relationship none
too keen as far back as November 2018, when Adams snapped under the
mental bruising of New York’s perpetual losing.
Fast forward to November 2019, and the association between the
player and the (dis)organization remains unclean. While Adams
accused Jets’ GM Joe Douglas of having gone “behind my back and
shopped me around to teams, even after I asked him to keep me here,”
that publicly professed sentiment is privately insincere.
After some expected back-and-forth repudiation, it remains clear to
“The Tortured Cowboys Fan” that (had GM Jerry foolishly offered more
or GM Douglas demanded CONSIDERABLY less redress) Jamal Adams had
every personal hope and professional desire to play for “Cowboys
Nation.”
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“That was one of the teams I told [GM Joe Douglas] I’d love to go
to, the Dallas Cowboys. People got to understand, man, I was born
and raised in Dallas. I find out everything, every little thing you
can think of. Michael Irvin is like my uncle. I find out everything.
Everybody is coming at me in certain ways to say I'm a liar about a
lot of things, or I'm not believing in something, that's not true.
I'm always going to shoot you straight. I'm never going to sugar
coat anything. But like I said, I told RC that [the Cowboys] are
definitely a spot I would love to land.” – Jamal Adams.
Looking ahead (rather than being stuck in a continued state of
“safety dread”), America’s Team, Cowboys Nation, and the would-be
alpha dog addition to their secondary (so backend ordinary) will
have to wait-and-see if the Jets stupidly-yet-believably allow Adams
to reach free agency in 2020. Dallas – of course – may simply choose
to continue improving their personnel craft through the draft, thus,
invalidating the waiting game (particularly to avoid an 0-2 replay
of the Earl Thomas courtship similarly lame).
"Forget about Adams just like Dallas had to forget about Thomas!
What about undrafted rookie free agent Dazzling Donovan Wilson? His
preseason results showed lots of promise!" – you claim with no
shame. If the Cowboys thought Wilson was ready to righteously roam
the no passing zone, he might be out there regularly helping Xavier
Woods set the ball-hawking tone. "What about their decision to
stubbornly stick with that cornerback who often appears like he is
about to drown? Right, Anthony Brown. They believed he was better
qualified to do this than diminutive-yet-more-productive Jourdan
Lewis." – you plainly say. OK. Ok. Touché.
Tenets Of The Bennett’s
Not all was lost when dreams of (sensational) secondary improvement
were tossed. Just days before visions of Jamal hit a compensation
wall, GM Jerry made a turned a trade trick with none other than
brilliant Bill Belichick. Dallas procured “mercurial” defensive end
Michael Bennett for a seventh-round pick that would appear – by any
professional perception – to be absolutely worth it. Save for any
unique scheme semantics, Bennett can (almost) instantly occupy the
same dual-role vacated by Tyrone Crawford with few antics. Crawford
– of course – (with debilitating bursitis in both hips) was lost to
injured reserve, and without (capable) defensive line depth, into a
ditch “Marinelli’s Men” would soon swerve.
The Patriots will receive the Cowboys’ 2021 seventh-round pick
(which could eventually improve to a sixth-round pick if – for just
four games over the rest of the current season – Michael Bennett can
make his roster presence stick).
“Wait a minute! Michael is not the bother, err, brother of the
not-so-mature Martellus, is he?!” – you say (with the disapproving
tone of an out-and-out NO WAY!). Michael is, indeed, the
equally-outspoken, equally-talented, equally-late-blooming sibling
of none other than former Cowboys bust, err, backup tight end “Marty
B.” Yes, the tenets of the Bennett’s have not always been in sync
with society’s or – more accurately – management’s timeline. The
results of their individual-yet-similar choices, in turn, have not
always been fine.
Michael – just like Martellus – did not consistently come to grips
with his on-the-field role and the purpose-filled responsibilities
assigned to him until his fourth year in the league (intermittently
creating for his coaches and fellow teammates some maddening mental
fatigue). While Michael would go on (particularly during his second
stint with Seattle) to leave his punishing mark on all manner of
opposing player, his time with the Eagles and (most recently) the
Patriots have left other defense-needy teams wondering if they even
have a minimum-compliance prayer.
Speaking of compliance, the reason for Bennett’s departure from New
England was (at least or at most) his one-game suspension (for
“conduct detrimental to the team”) following a “disagreement” with
Patriots defensive line coach Bret Bielema (which involved a rather
public display of defiance).
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While Bennett still remains hours away from officially taking the
field for his new team, the Cowboys and Bennett have mutually agreed
to modify his contract so that (come March 2020) he can (attempt to)
enjoy at least one more free agent impact. “But why, Why, WHY ON
EARTH would the Cowboys allow Charles Haley 2.0 to be free and clear
to go?!” you plead (believing what you just heard made your ears
bleed). While Bennett still has the ability to blow up plays from
either defensive tackle or end, “everyone knows” he is nowhere near
Haley’s historic, (productively) destructive, bipolar blend.
"I liked the role of an antagonist, just prodding people to
excellence. I hate weak men and I always try to stick my foot in
their butt and twist. There is only one goal in life and that is to
win." – Charles Haley during a 2016 Sports Illustrated interview
(reinforcing his results-oriented mindset, through and through).
While Bennett also does not suffer fools, it is because he chooses
to expand his accomplishment yield far beyond the playing field as
an intellectual, political activist, and community leader seeking to
modernize society’s outmoded rules. Yes, Bennett is “one of those
players” who will not merely “shut up and play” in the very same
vein that GM Jerry will never “shut up and pay.”
“Well, maybe he will suddenly, miraculously take a stand, um, on
kneeling, or remaining in the locker room during the singing of the
national anthem?” – you think out loud (feverishly wondering if
Bennett can avoid triggering a GM Jerry tantrum and remain
politically proud).
Cowboys Nation should begrudgingly accept that Bennett’s low-cost,
win-now rental could, should, and would prove better than an
uncertain contract extension for a player who somewhat playfully (?)
holds Dallas-area natives (through an all-encompassing narrative)
responsible for killing JFK (one of the greatest leaders in American
history back in the day).
Short Shots And Hot Spots
“He’s known as a great locker room personality. There’s nothing
negative about him as an individual. He’s got war daddy in him when
he gets on the field. I know that he’ll fit us great.” – Jerry Jones
on 105.3 The Fan regarding new defensive acquisition Michael
Bennett. His on-field productivity (particularly during perceived
“revenge games” against the Patriots and Eagles) versus any sideline
political adversity will quickly determine if GM Jerry really means
it.
“I feel like they did a great job of getting another Eli. Because
that’s what the GM (Dave Gettleman) said when he drafted him. He was
like, ‘He was with the Manning family. We like him. He’s basically
another Eli.’ He just couldn’t say that in those words. But y’all
got me. Eli is probably a soon-to-be Hall of Fame player. He won
Super Bowls. You can’t sit here and say, ‘Eli is a bad player.’ But
age does catch up to us. I guess it caught up to him. They got
another one. They got another little Manning, so it’ll be good for
them. He’s got a strong arm, he’s athletic. He can be good in this
league. But he’s also got to play us twice a year. I’m just thankful
for the Giants and thankful for the Cowboys for bringing me back.” –
DeMarcus "Tank" Lawrence. Though the backhanded compliment was cute,
the well-healed and handsomely-paid Tank knows he himself needs to
be a greater game day presence to avoid further ill repute (yes,
even WITH his performance against the Eagles, for which he deserved
a salute). More one-on-one opportunities for Tank have surely
arrived with the addition of Bennett, but if Tank (inconceivably?)
continues to tread too lightly, there could be no immediate end to
it.
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According to various reports, 2019 second-round draft pick and
rookie defensive tackle Trysten Hill fell asleep during a
motivational speech being made by a very famous guest – Isiah Thomas
(one of the NBA's all-time best). Hill would deny it, but no one
would buy it. For those unfamiliar with Thomas, his speaking style
is so deliberate that "some" audience members require you to
defibrillate. Thus, Hill is expected to be on a one-game inactive
vacation for more than just his (temporary?) inability to routinely
break into Rod Marinelli’s d-line rotation. While Hill is still but
a rookie (allegedly) trying to earn his playing time cookie, time
will tell if he was simply under the old “Sesame Street” spell of
“Everybody Sleeps.” Perhaps he will wake up before it is too late to
realize – in the NFL – everybody plays for keeps.
Will They Or Won’t They?
“Monday Night Football” brings another nationally-televised
opportunity for America’s Team to – perhaps – demonstrate some
inconsistency immunity. They aggressively and emotionally flattened
Philadelphia and – following the desperately-needed bye week to get
(somewhat) closer to their physical peak – the Dallas Cowboys are in
position to begin a new streak.
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COULD, SHOULD, and WOULD are all logically understood, but as is
regularly the case with Jason Garrett’s team, while “the process” so
dear remains crystal clear, consistent achievement remains their
single greatest challenging theme.
The toughest stretch of the Cowboys’ schedule is about to arrive,
and Dallas simply cannot afford to look past ANY opponents if they
wish to thrive on their (hopeful) return-to-the-postseason-drive.
Dallas (as currently constructed and coached) is an all-or-nothing
squad . . . unable to regularly and dependably adjust (in the
absence of key players) or (significantly, schematically) mod. Yes,
YES, Dallas dominated Philly, but as they prepare to face the
competitive-yet-comparatively-feeble New York Giants (who – like
their other division rivals – will attempt to bring maximum
defiance), the Cowboys must bring the same 60-minute focus or risk
ridiculous losses so avoidably silly.
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Will Marinelli’s Men bring sufficient aggression, err, respect to
New York’s rookie quarterback “Danny Dimes” Jones and fresh-legged
running back Saquon Barkley to prevent the Giants from enjoying a
surprise victory so sparkly?
Will Cowboys Nation be watching a healthy LVE or will the “Hot Boyz”
receive a(n increasingly rare) full-game dose of Mr. Sean Lee?
Will “Kellen’s Crew” (unencumbered by any further unwanted
play-calling advances?) be ready for another quick start to better
control their game day circumstances?
Will Dallas wisely treat the hype like tripe or give their critics
another chance to snipe?
Will America’s Team show the glands to make the Giants small and
begin a new winning streak in the Meadowlands?
We shall see. We always do.
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