Cowboys Won't Contend for Some Time

In spite of all that has been written in this space before--about the Cowboys' poor team chemistry, about their lack of heart, and about the ineptitude of the coaching staff--the sheer awfulness of that game Sunday was staggering. With all that has happened over the previous four months, Dallas still, somehow, found itself only 60 minutes away from a playoff berth and a chance to erase the first 16 weeks of the season. But they couldn't do it. The team and coaches couldn't even care enough to show up for one game. When Nick Folk's opening kickoff sailed out of bounds, it was hardly an auspicious omen. Now, the Cowboys are done, and their season, for all intents and purposes, is no better than the 0-16 campaign turned in by the Detroit Lions. Yes, the Cowboys are done, and fans should only expect future seasons to end well short of the NFC championship game as well, unless jarring, sweeping changes are made to the very core of the franchise. As currently constructed, the Dallas Cowboys will not contend for a very long time. Sure, they'll be 8-8 or 9-7 (maybe even 10-6 some years), but they will not be legitimate threats to the Giants, Steelers, Titans, Colts, or Patriots. Now, some may say that this is too emotional, a knee-jerk reaction that won't serve a purpose. Too many people at Valley Ranch, though, are simply distractions to the rest of the team. They are playing for themselves, rather than the other 52 men with stars on their helmets. Currently, I can think of perhaps 10 men who should be guaranteed spots on this team next year. The rest should face serious questions about their ability to help this team in the future. Here are the guys who should get to stay (in no particular order): Marion Barber--one of the toughest guys in football, he can be an elite back. Felix Jones--injuries ruined what was a spectacular rookie season. Tashard Choice--surprising production in final month; provides exceptional depth. Mat McBriar--best punter in NFL, and a key weapon for stagnant offense. Jason Witten--the best TE in NFL, and a team leader. Only consistent offensive threat Dallas has. DeMarcus Ware--set franchise record with 20 sacks; should be defensive MVP. Jay Ratliff--going to the Pro Bowl and may have even higher ceiling. Bradie James--team captain had best season of solid career. Terrence Newman--got paid in off-season and had excellent year when he was on the field. Orlando Scandrick--significantly outplayed fellow rookie Mike Jenkins and should be a starter for next 7 years. Nick Folk--outstanding second season; Dallas hasn't had kicker this good since Chris Boniol, and this is actually a critical position. And that's it. Only 11 men deserve to be guaranteed roster spots for next year. That this number is so small is a scathing indictment of the personnel assembled by Jerry Jones and his coaching staff. How bad did is the Dallas atmosphere? Players cannot wait to leave. Immediately after the game, Tank Johnson (a convicted felon) screamed, "I'm a free agent baby!" in the locker room. In his 1.5 seasons here, Johnson was hardly the productive force that will have teams lining up to court him. Did the players even care that their season had ended? No. That is staggering. Zach Thomas and Greg Ellis also indicated that they are ready to move on; well, good riddance. Jerry Jones needs to determine which men actually want to be here and which are man enough to deserve to be here. This team is a group of gutless cowards, and the Dallas Cowboys will be a joke until they are gone. Let's start with those who must be released: The coaching staff--this is obvious; the players take their cues from the (lack of) leadership at the top, so Wade Phillips, Brian Stewart, Jason Garrett, and the entire staff are gone. A win in Philly might've saved them, but their team was unprepared to play football when it mattered most. That's a coaching problem. Clearly, the NFL has figured out Jason Garrett. Ray Lewis called the Dallas offense "the most simplistic in the league" before the game against the Ravens. Greg Ellis--perpetual complainer doesn't want to be here and really isn't that good at football. Adam Jones--he should be in prison, but, at the very least, NOT on the Dallas roster. When he wasn't suspended, he contributed more to the other teams (with poor coverage, turnovers, and penalties) than the Cowboys. Terrell Owens--this is all about eliminating distractions. Owens had the worst season of his career, with only 10 touchdowns, and he hit the 100-yard mark in just two games. As long as he's here, he will try to draw the focus from the rest of the team. Obviously, this is hardly a complete list. And, I would like to put Tony Romo on it as well. Romo is a good quarterback, but he will not be great until he stops turning over the football. As Brett Favre gets criticized for costing the Jets a playoff berth with his league-leading 22 interceptions, Romo threw 14 picks this year and lost seven fumbles. For those scoring at home, that's 22 turnovers for Favre and 21 for Romo. Guess what? Neither gets to play in the postseason this year. Clearly, Romo likes the celebrity aspect of being the quarterback of the Dallas Cowboys. I would, too; it's quite a gig. But, he seems to relish being a celebrity more than a good football player. He plays his worst in the biggest games and refuses to be accountable for his mistakes. Romo is not the answer for Dallas, but there is simply no one better available (since Cleveland is unlikely to deal Brady Quinn). So, Romo gets another shot. He's not the quarterback the Cowboys need, but he's the one they deserve. Today, Jerry Jones has talked of continuity and keeping this team together another season. That's a mistake. Sometimes, you need to make change for the sake of making a change. If people know that they will not suffer a consequence because of poor performance, they have no need to try to do their jobs well. Most professionals would try anyway, out of personal pride. This team, though, has shown it has not pride. They are cowards, and a group of cowards will never be champions. Brian Smith can be reached at BLSmith@mail.utexas.edu