How we should be seeing the Dallas Cowboys.

In order to be mediocre you need to have a balance that cancels the good from the bad and the bad from the good.  Most football teams improve or regress from the past year.  The Green Bay Packers were 15-1 last year.  They have already lost three games this year.  The Minnesota Vikings won only three games last year, they're already at four this season.  Teams go up or down every year in the NFL and you just never know which teams it'll be.  But there's one team in the league that stays mediocre year after year.  Whether it's a good offensive team and a bad defense or the other way around a mediocre team just finds ways to stay average.

            It's time we start seeing the Dallas Cowboys as who they really are and that is as a mediocre and inconsistent football team.  People keep saying they have all the talent to be a great team.  They haven't proved or shown it on the football field, they're a team that shows flashes of brilliance but self com-bust at the worst time.  Last year's excuse was that they didn't have a good defense to go with their offense, this year it's the other way around.  That's how you stay average.  Last Sunday, against the Baltimore Ravens was a perfect example of a mediocre team and another classic Jason Garrett loss. (A Jason Garrett loss is where the Cowboys lose a game in exhilarating fashion that they should have won. This is the 8^th one since he’s been head coach). The Cowboys were down right beating the Ravens in every major statistical category except they lost the most important one, which was the scoreboard.

            Unlike great or good teams that find ways to win, mediocre teams find ways to lose.  Dallas had a total team loss on Sunday with Romo throwing an interception (the only turnover for either team), wide receivers dropping passes (most notably Dez Bryant's two point conversion drop), defense giving up fast scores and special teams giving up a record tying kickoff return, Coach Jason Garrett couldn't manage the clock the last 20 seconds and heck even Dan Bailey should get some of the blame too because if he would've made the 51 yard field goal, we wouldn't be talking about this, but he didn't.  15 penalties was also a huge factor, but with the Cowboys, it always is.  The Cowboys are averaging four penalties in the fourth quarter this season.  That’s the most in the NFL.  Their 48 penalties so far this season is 28^th.   I guess we should be used to this from a non-discipline team. It was a total team loss and it took a mediocre effort to make it happen.

            The last three minutes of the game was mediocre at its best and it made Cowboys fans go on a roller coaster of emotion.

Facing a 4^th and 10 Romo found Jason Witten for 11 yards that kept the drive going.  (Good)

Four plays later a chop block penalty was called on Felix Jones followed by a false start penalty on Kevin Ogletree.  (Bad)

On a 3^rd and 27 Romo finds Bryant for a 17 yard gain where Bryant shows the ability to fight for extra yards. (Good)

On another 4^th and 10, once again Romo finds Witten for 16 yards and the Cowboys are getting on a role with 51 seconds remaining in the game. (Good)

When this play takes place I tweet “Stop giving me false hope!” because I know who the Cowboys are and I knew even if they did score they still needed a two point conversion to tie the game up.

With 36 seconds on the clock, Romo throws a fade to Bryant who once again shows his talent to leap over anyone and be able to get the ball for the touchdown.  (Good)  

Now the two point conversion, Romo basically calls the same play but back shoulders it and it hits Bryant right in the shoulder pads and off his hands.  Even though I was expecting that to happen it was still tough to take. (bad) The onside kick recovery was something I did not expect and it gave me a thought that hey something good actually happened to the Cowboys when the game is on the line. (Good) The pass interference penalty gave me even more hope but once again I tweeted the same thing, except this time in all caps. (Here it comes…)  Only one play was ran in 20 seconds that gained only one yard.  Inexcusable by both players and coaches not having any sense of urgency on running one more play to get a closer field goal attempt (Bad) that of course was missed. Tortuous for Cowboys fans to watch. (bad bad bad)

            The Cowboys were inconsistent those last three minutes with penalties and simple mistakes that good teams don't do.  The last five seasons including this one the Cowboys have had a 36-33 record.  Since 1996 the Cowboys have a 132-129 record.  This is a mediocre and inconsistent team.  One person that should take blame for all of this because this is no longer a coincidence, it's Jerry Jones.  He's the general manager who signs the players, hires the coaches and gives the incredibly high expectations each and every year.  It's just too bad he's never going to resign as general manager and give the job to someone who not only scouts players in performance but most importantly character.  He's going into Al Davis territory where you start to wonder if he even cares about the teams performance anymore or if he's already happy with all the money and publicity he's made with the team.  Cowboys Stadium isn't a homefield advantage for the team.  It's almost a mall now with vehicles being shown, Victoria Secret store openings, art galleries on the wall.  There is more to do at the stadium than to watch the game.  As a fan it's embarrassing to hear Chicago Bears fans on national television be louder at you're own stadium.  I don't think Jerry even cared.  Until the owner changes his ways of running the team, the team will keep being the same.  It's a shame that he doesn't even know.