The Dallas Cowboys 2010 season ended on Monday Night.
Don’t let the final score fool you. It was nowhere near close to where it actually was.
All the hopes of the Cowboys recovering from their 1-4 start were dashed in the second quarter of last Monday’s game when quarterback Tony Romo was hit by Giants linebacker Michael Boley causing a fracture to the quarterback’s clavicle.
Based on the performance by their defense earlier in that game by intercepting two Eli Manning passes and a second quarter punt return by rookie wide receiver Dez Bryant, it looked like just MAYBE the Cowboys could weather the storm and hold on to win the game.
The Giants were able to score 17 points to take a 24-20 halftime lead. In total, they went on a 31-0 run from Dez Bryant’s punt return with 8:53 in the second quarter until the Cowboys scored again with 3:17 left in the game.
The Giants proved they are one of the two best teams in the NFC with the Falcons also sitting at 5-2 leading the NFC South. The Giants deserve to be in the top five, if not top three, along with the other New York franchise, the Jets, the Ravens, and by sheer luck, the Steelers.
Eli Manning, in his “awww, shucks” mannerism, was able to shrug off two early interceptions and completely dismantle the Dallas secondary by completing 25 passes for 306 yards and 4 touchdowns.
The Giants receiving corps, dubbed “Jet Blue”, tore up the Cowboys secondary. Hakim Nicks and Steve Smith (#12 Giants) each caught 9 passes and went over 100 yards receiving. Mario Manningham had a good night as well catching 3 passes for 40 yards. 25 of those yards happened on this play, where Manningham caught a pass on the far sideline and jukes in between two Cowboys at the 10 and is able to slip in for a touchdown.
The Giants also had 201 yards rushing on 36 carries (technically 200 for 37 carries, but there was one Eli Manning kneeldown). Bradshaw and Jacobs, when they get going, are one of the best running back tandems in the league.
The Cowboys led this game and flat out quit. That is quit: Q-U-I-T, QUIT.
After the injury to Romo, no one stepped up. No adjustments were made to get back into this game. The offense completely sputtered to a halt. During the Giants 31-0 scoring barrage, the offense did ABSOLUTELY nothing to keep the Giants offense on the sidelines.
Once again, a complete abandonment of the running game: only 13 carries for 41 yards. Where was Tashard Choice? Felix Jones wasn’t making anyone miss and Marion Barber was only in for four plays. I was scratching my head during the game… what was going on? I don’t think the Cowboys crossed midfield in the second half until that drive that ended in the turnover on downs in the fourth.
The best offensive drive of the night in the post-Romo injury era occurred in the fourth quarter with the score 38-20 as the Cowboys drove down the field, but were stopped on 4th and goal with 8 minutes left.
The best cheers of the night came from when the cameras showed Texas Rangers Team President Nolan Ryan in luxury suit witnessing this debacle and when there were chants of “Let’s go Rangers.”
Who would have thunk it?! People were right that a Dallas area team would play a championship game in their home stadium… maybe it was the wrong sport they were talking about.
The way things are looking right now, the Rangers 2010 post-season wins (7 in 11 games) might end up greater than the Cowboys 2010 regular season wins (1 win in 6 games with 10 remaining).
Owner Jones, I can imagine you were livid leaving your billion dollar palace knowing that the Giants are 2-0 at the stadium you built with your own two hands (exaggeration, perhaps). Maybe next time you won’t paint over Eli Manning’s signature. I wouldn’t be surprised if he wrote “2 and 0 at Jerry World, Bitches!!”
So… what is next for this disaster the Cowboys in 2010?
If you want one play to sum up their season, it occurred on the final play against the Vikings.
Ladies and gentlemen, THESE are your Dallas Cowboys. A once proud franchise has to rely on Cal-Stanford trickery in order to win games. And, no I don’t see the band coming out onto the field.
Overall: sloppy football. We’ve become the Oakland Raiders… not the ones that blew out the Broncos in Denver, but the always penalized ones.
Do I need to show the final play against the Redskins to show what I am talking about?
The Cowboys should at a minimum .500. If they were 3-3, I might give them a chance to recover from this setback.
So far the theme this season has been the role of the backup quarterback. The Eagles have won a couple with Michael Vick under center. In fact after the Eagles bye week, he will be the starter. The Steelers were 3-1 (32 seconds way from being 4-0) with Ben Roethlisberger suspended for his misdeeds.
Cowboys fans: From what you saw Monday, how do you feel about Jon Kitna under center for the next six games? He was only expected to come in for maybe a quarter at a minimum, maybe hold the fort down for one, two games… but six to eight…
To all of those that think that Romo is not the answer, need I remind you what happened in 2008 when he was lost for three games with Brad Johnson as the starter (an embarrassing loss to the Rams, a miracle home win against Tampa, and a crushing defeat against the Giants).
Do I need to go through the list of quarterbacks in between Troy Aikman and Tony Romo? It’s not pretty…
Now Jerry, Wade, and the players will tell you that they are still in it, and it is true, no one has clinched a playoff spot yet, but only ONE team has started a season 1-5 and made the playoffs: 1970 Bengals.
From here on, it is only going to get worse Cowboys fans.
Up next is the Jaguars, and I see them winning, but it will be more of a pride thing.
Next up are road games in Green Bay and New York. Green Bay was not all that convincing in their win against the Vikings. They should have gotten in one more touchdown against them. The Giants: you know that the Giants D is looking to send one more quarterback to the locker room this season (they have injured five quarterbacks this season). If I was Wade Phillips, I’d get Stephen McGee ready.
By the time they matchup against the Lions, they will probably have the same records. They may win that game, and four days later they play the Saints on Thanksgiving, followed by a game in Indianapolis.
By the time they get Tony Romo back, it is possible that the Cowboys could be 3-9. Maybe Tony Romo’s injury galvanizes the team together and they win their next six games to pull to 7-5. I don’t know, but based on what I have seen so far, it is not looking good.
We do know this: after this season, there will be a COMPLETE turnover of the coaching staff. Head coach Wade Phillips and offensive coordinator Jason Garrett will be given their outright release. Why not now? This is not the best time because who is going to run the team: Phillips is also the defensive coordinator.
And which would be worse: Garrett running the defense or Wade calling plays?
Owner Jones has some of the best players at certain positions, but not having the right coach to utilize that talent is going to cripple this team. Owner Jones MUST relinquish some control in the football operations if he wants to win another Super Bowl. If that means calling Jimmy Johnson and apologizing, so be it.
I think the fans want Jerry to do is sit in his box, sign the checks, and promote the team. It doesn’t help if Jerry is involved with the literal day-to-day operation of the team.
And if you want to know what would be helpful in promoting the Cowboys, Owner Jones? Why do you take a look at what your neighbors have done next door at The Temple? Winning helps.
That is what the Cowboys should be in the business of: winning. If the team is winning, then more people are going to want to flock to his stadium. The next head coach of this team must be able to bring in their own staff, do their own talent evaluations, and coach as they see fit.
Owner Jones, simply put, just leave the football to those who know what they are doing. Obviously, Jerry Jones DOES NOT know what he is doing. If we continue this trend, this franchise will be back to where it was in the Dave Campo error era (2000-02: 15-33 record).
I know there are some diehard Cowboys fans out there, but it may be time to face reality: the Cowboys 2010 season is done.
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