What’s the Problem in Big D?

     “Last game of the season. Winner takes the division. Loser goes home. Cowboys vs. (NFC East team). Cowboys lose. 8-8.”

     That is the exact script for the past three years for the Dallas Cowboys. Sure, there are some minor differences, but the end result is the same. 2 years ago aginst the Giants it was Tony Romo’s swollen hand. Last year it was Tony Romo’s 3 interceptions, including a game killer. This year it was a hurt defense and Romo and a killer Kyle Orton interception.

     This year has been a little bit different though. The reason being, the blame has been on pretty much every single person in this organization. Let’s recap:

• ·      Tony Romo throws a killer interception against the Broncos after passing for 506 yards
• ·      Miles Austin can’t live up to his contract as hamstring injuries make him ineffective.
• ·      Sean Lee first injures his hamstring then his neck, which keeps him out for long stretches of time
• ·      Demarcus Ware deals with injuries and is not effective
• ·      The defensive line plays 19 different players
• ·      Morris Claiborne can’t stay healthy
• ·      Brandon Carr gets torched by Calvin Johnson and is then never the same (Peirre Garcon also torched him)
• ·      Dez Bryant fails to control emtions while going off on sideline or walking off (Personally, I don’t think those were major)
• ·      Tony Romo misses key game
• ·      The play calling (Callahan, Garrett, and Monte Kiffin) is constantly in question on both sides of the ball
• ·      Jerry Jones talks “moral victories” and putting on a “show”

      

     So yes, the Cowboys have had their issues, but who hasn’t? The Patriots and Bengals are just as injury depleted, if not more. The Saints have road problems. Packers played half their season without Aaron Rodgers, arguably the most talented quarterback in the game. 49ers didn’t have Michael Crabtree. The Colts lost Reggie Wayne. But all of those teams made it to the dance, so why not the Cowboys?

     You can point the finger to many people in the organization but I don’t think anybody is more responsible than Jerry Jones. The reason for that is because the biggest problem with the Cowboys is the culture. Mediocrity is accepted. The past three seasons have been 8-8. Since 1997, they are 136-136. Shoot, even their backup quarterback has a career record of 35-35! Mediocrity runs through the organization and that culture is acceptable to Jerry. If it weren’t, he would bring in some winners. But he won’t because he knows in order to win consistently, the owner MUST STAY OUT OF IT. Think about it. Team of the 70’s: Steelers, Chuck Noll. Team of the 80’s: 49ers, Bill Walsh. Team of the 90’s: Cowboys, Jimmy Johnson. Team of 2000’s: Patriots, Bill Belichick. You never heard much from the Rooney’s or the Robert Kraft. Jerry can’t say he didn’t have it because as I said above, he had it in Jimmy Johnson. But it wasn’t working with him, because he can’t take not getting all the credit. So he sacrificed a coach who had a winning culture for mediocrity. Why could he never make it work with Johnson or Parcells? Those are guys who have winning cultures. Jerry let go of Parcells and he went and turned a 1-15 Dolphins team into a playoff team the very next year.

     What needs to happen in Dallas is a culture change. The man who won’t let it happen: Owner, General Manager and Businessman, Jerry Jones.