In professional sports, the most dangerous disease is the dreaded injury bug that seems to infect one team a year. Being plagued by injuries is something fans in Texas are becoming acclimated to with the Rangers the last two years, but now it seems to be the Cowboy’s turn. At the beginning of the season, everything was on the up for our home team, but after week two there was some reason for pessimism. Shocking the Giants in the fourth quarter in week one was not so sweet after word came back that Dez Bryant had broken his foot, and the agony of watching Romo mutter, “It’s broken,” in week two further advanced the doubt on another winning season. Finishing up to week nine winless after going 2-0 leaves some uncertainty for what the rest of the season has in store. Can the Cowboys turn it around? Will they just be able to finish with mediocrity like the 8-8 seasons, or will all of the injuries and losses be a blessing in disguise?
It’s not over ’til the fat lady sings, right? I bet this is the attitude some of you have for the Cowboys’ playoff hopes, but is it really possible? Well, here is my argument for that: First off, according to CBS Sports, the Cowboys have the “24th hardest schedule” in all of the NFL. Including week 9, the Cowboys are playing 6 out of the last 9 against teams that are sub-.500. The weak schedule the Cowboys have down the stretch should make it easier for them to bounce back, barring further colossal injuries (NFL). The first two games against the Eagles and the Buccaneers are without Romo, but these teams are capable of giving up the Cowboys some wins to squeeze into their record without their starting signal caller. The only truly tough-looking games after Tony comes back are at home against the Panthers and on the road in Lambeau against the Packers. These are winnable games with a good run, but not free wins by any mean. After Green Bay, Dallas goes up against the Jets, Bills, and the Redskins. The Jets are the third team with a winning record, but their offense has sputtered on occasion and they do not look to be real contenders. The Bills could be a tough game if they can tone down their penalties. The Bills are the most penalized team in football, leading the league in a number of penalties, 72, and in penalty yards, 670, which is 77 yards more than the Saints in second (Football Database). So hypothetically, let’s say the Cowboys win one of two without Romo and lose one out of their last seven, then our Boys would be sitting at 9-7. This would be tough to accomplish, but most likely the best possible scenario for the Cowboys. With the weak NFC East, this would most likely land us the division crown, but if not then at least the wildcard. Although that would be a sweet ending to the season for America’s Team, it will be hard to accomplish.
Some people might think that losing all of the challenging games left on the schedule and some of the easier ones may be the worst case for the Cowboys, but is that the case? Realistically even if the Cowboys make it to 8-8 they will not be able to get into the playoffs unless the rest of the NFC East plays like we have the last few games. 8-8 plus no playoff berth spells trouble for the Cowboys. The Cowboys are in “win now” mode and another average season will just hurt them. If they cannot sneak into the playoffs then everything only gets worse. Romo and other veterans will age another year and the front office will have to try to resign upcoming free agents Hardy, Mincey, and Claiborne, all while staying under the cap. All in all, if the Cowboys do not look like they are going to make the playoffs, Jerry needs to swallow his pride and tank for a pick.
Tanking for a pick or pulling a 76er is not the worst strategy. If the Cowboys aren’t looking like a playoff contender after Romo’s return, then pulling the plug may be the best option. Yes, you will have to deal with all of the problems that I stated in the last paragraph, but that pill is a lot easier to swallow with a high first-round draft pick on the roster going into the 2016 season. With a top ten pick, the Cowboys have more options for the next season. They can decide to grab a player at a position of need on the defensive side of the ball, they depth player for the future, or they can fill a hole left by free agency. Future Super Bowl aspirations are brighter with a top ten pick than with a mid-teens pick. The chance to grab Romo’s successor or a tailback that could help lead us to that long awaited 6th Lombardi trophy is much more desirable than the money gained by having a decent record going into the next year. If Jerry can further prove he cares about winning and not just the business aspect of the game by pulling the plug on the season if it starts going even further down hill.
The Cowboys could sneak into the playoffs, try to make it and fail, or tank. If they can make it to the playoffs, great, but the chances are slim and the safer bet is to tank. I think the Cowboys will be on the outside of the playoff picture looking in with just a bad enough record, but only time can truly tell what lies in store for the Cowboys fate.
