The Implosion of the Dallas Cowboys

Coming off a 13-3 season, albeit one involving a first round playoff loss, and 13 players in last season's Pro Bowl, the Dallas Cowboys appeared to finally be ready to get to the NFL's postseason and win a playoff game for the first time since the late 90's. With a surprising home loss to the defensive-minded Baltimore Ravens in the last game at Texas Stadium and a thumping in Philadelphia at the hands of the suddenly soaring Eagles, the Dallas Cowboys will now be sitting at home watching the NFL playoffs on TV, just like millions of us. So what happened to the 2008 Dallas Cowboys and what can Owner/Coach Jerry Jones do to right the Cowboys' ship as they move into the plush new stadium in Arlington, TX?

First, a synopsis of what went wrong for the Dallas Cowboys in 2008. Forget the broken pinkie of QB Tony Romo in the middle of the season. While Romo's injury didn't help, Brad Johnson might have been a decent backup quarterback a few years ago but not now, Romo came back in plenty of time for the 'Boys to clinch at least a wildcard berth and make a run. After all, wildcards have won a couple of Super Bowls in recent years, including the Giants just last season. So just what did cause the Cowboys to implode?

For starters, Terrell Owens did what he does. TO dropped passes, complained loudly when things didn't go his way, apparently had an altercation with teammate Jason Witten, and complained some more. Owens had a good season as far as statistics go, the guy works hard and makes plays few receivers can make, but can it be that TO has worn out his welcome in Dallas just as he did earlier in Philadelphia and San Francisco? When the Minnesota Vikings had a thing called the "Randy Ratio" a few years back when Randy Moss was a Viking, a system in which receiver Randy Moss was to be thrown the ball once every so many plays, it was roundly ridiculed around the NFL. But is that not what the Dallas Cowboys do with Terrell Owens in effect?

After the much ballyhooed trade for receiver Roy Williams in October, about the only thing that trade did for anyone was allow Williams to escape being part of the only 0-16 team in NFL history in Detroit, Williams and Tony Romo never developed any kind of chemistry on the field. Williams had had a couple of really good seasons in the Motor City and seemed poised to supplant journeymen like Patrick Crayton as the complimentary receiver to TO, but actually Myles Austin had a better rapport with Romo and put up better numbers than Williams before Austin was benched in favor of Roy Williams.

The midseason injury to Felix Jones didn't help, but fellow rookie Teshard Choice performed admirably in relief of first Felix Jones and then Marion Barber. So what were the problems that derailed Dallas' season?

Admittedly not a Dallas Cowboy fan, here's the view on the outside:

1. While the Cowboys had more injuries than normal, there were three overriding factors in my opinion. The injury to Marion "The Barbarian" Barber took the heart out of the Dallas team. Barber's hard-running, hell-for-leather running style seemed to inspire his teammates and set the tone for the Dallas offense. After Barber went out, to make matters worse, Owner/Coach Jerry Jones questioned Marion Barber's toughness, a ridiculous proposition to anyone who has watched Barber play. That seemed to create even more chaos in the Dallas lockerroom according to reports.

2. Pacman Jones and the inevitable circus around Jones and Terrell Owens. Apparently, Jerry Jones had hired a bodyguard/babysitter to stay with Pacman Jones 24/7 to keep Jones out of trouble. Trouble was, Pacman Jones got into a scuffle with the bodyguard/babysitter and received yet another NFL suspension. The focus in Dallas became off the field matters such as this farce and the Owens soap opera. And Pacman Jones didn't contribute much, if anything on the field in 2008.

3. Back in the 70's Reggie Jackson became known as Mr. October for his exploits on the baseball diamond, mostly in the batter's box. Football's Mr. October has become Tony Romo, who always seems to play his worst in the biggest games, or at least become turnover prone. In the season ender in Philly, Dallas turned the ball over 6 times, mostly by Romo. Romo seems like a good guy, reportedly changing a tire anonymously for an elderly couple after a game and other such good works. But, primarily, Tony Romo is known for his love life off the field and fumbles, interceptions and the like on the field.

So how do Owner/Coach Jerry Jones and figurehead Wade Phillips (if Phillips keeps his job) go about fixing this team? If I were in Jones' very expensive shoes, I'd give the boot to Wade Phillips if he wouldn't take a demotion to defensive coordinator (as I assume he wouldn't), and throw my shoes at Pacman Jones and Terrell Owens. The Dallas Cowboys are in dire need of discipline both on and off the field and it won't come from "players' coach" Phillips, especially not with Owens and Pacman Jones on the roster. There are plenty of talented football players on the Dallas Cowboys' roster without those two and plenty more who would like to come to Dallas as free agents.

With a lot given up for Roy Williams in the trade, next Aprils' draft won't bring that much immediate help with the picks given up for Williams, so bring in some free agents with an emphasis on the player's character and willingness to be a team player. Any players with a history of drama ala Owens or Pacman Jones or a habit of showing up on the police blotter should be avoided at all costs.

As for coaching changes, I'm not sure "boy genius" Jason Garrett is the answer to the Cowboys problems and Garrett has already been named as the coach in waiting when Phillips leaves. Like Al Davis of the Oakland Raiders, Jerry Jones scares off many qualified head coaches due to constant meddling on personnel matters and coaching decisions, so Jones may have to stick with Jason Garrett due to a lack of more disciplined coaches willing to take the job. Wade Phillips is a very good defensive coordinator, but Dallas is Wade's third stop as a head coach with no playoff success at any previous stop. Whoever the Dallas coach is in 2009 must instill some discipline or it'll be deja vu` all over again with the same cast of "characters".

Wade Phillips as a head coach may always be known as the guy who benched Doug Flutie in Buffalo in favor of pretty-boy Rob Johnson, the most sacked quarterback in NFL history. That and the 2008 implosion of the Dallas Cowboys. It isn't easy to take such a talented team and finish 9-7, out of the playoff picture. I hate to say, okay, I don't hate to say it.I warned Dallas Cowboy fans two years ago about head coach Wade Phillips and some fans weren't shy about reminding me in comments on that article when things were going well for the 'Boys. Oh well, shoot the messenger, fans of "America's team".

Oh yeah, Coach Jones, it wouldn't be a bad idea to draft a quarterback in April and prepare him to take over if Tony Romo continues to fizzle in December and beyond. If Romo gets hurt as he did this year, a rookie could be a better option than ancient relic Brad Johnson. Matt Ryan and Joe Flacco both lead teams with good supporting casts to the playoffs as rookies in 2008.