The Dez Problem: Why Garrett needs to revamp his offense

If you have tuned into the local radio show that I am a part of in the last year or so, you would notice I really like Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett a lot. I would have to defend him against my fellow co-hosts who think he might be one of the worst head coaches in all of sports. Until last week, I thought they were all crazy. Now, I would be totally in favor of sacking Garrett.

Why the change? This offense has turned into a bland and predictable piece of garbage if someone not named Tony Romo is in at quarterback. Last week’s performance against the New York Giants showed us how bad things really are underneath the surface.

Even with Romo out, it was thought that Dak Prescott would succeed because of all the quality weapons surrounding him.  He had a healthy Dez Bryant, one of the best offensive lines in the league, a young and dynamic running back and a veteran security blanket in Jason Witten.  So how did they manage to score only one touchdown against the Giants?

First off, give the Giants some credit. They spent big money to upgrade their defense and it worked. They were committed to stopping the run and forcing Prescott to beat them through the air. Also, there were times when Bryant and Cole Beasley could have helped the cause by actually catching the football near the end zone. Yet, there was something terribly wrong with the overall game plan and philosophy.

Dez Bryant is your most dynamic weapon and needs to be involved more than just being a decoy. Instead of moving him around the field to create better mismatches, Bryant is mostly lined up to be a deep threat. Here’s a rundown of the type of routes that Bryant ran thanks to Joey Ickes of Blogging the Boys.com.

Final Route #s for Dez full game: pic.twitter.com/k9pNsnyFvQ

— Joey Ickes (@JoeyIckes) September 13, 2016

21 of 44 of Bryant’s routes were Go routes with the next most being 5 a deep over. This is not a winning formula in today’s NFL. The problem is the Cowboys think this is how you have a successful offense. Their philosophy is to allow them to double Dez and then throw to the other weapons on the team. If Dez gets open and makes some game-changing plays, then awesome. If not, they are still moving the ball with their other players.

Problem with that is your other weapons aren’t going to make dynamic plays. Witten and Beasley can move the ball, but they don’t beat the defense effectively. In the end, Bryant has to get more than one catch in the ball game. It is that simple.

So why is this not a problem when Tony is at QB? Mainly because Romo is a seasoned veteran that can adjust the plays at the line of scrimmage and knows how to get the ball to Bryant. Romo has hidden a lot of the warts that Garrett’s offense has. Once Romo leaves the offense, it is clear how predictable it can become.

If Garrett and offensive coordinator Scott Linehan don’t change things fast, they might not have their jobs much longer. Romo can’t carry Garrett forever.

2016 NFL Season Predictions

The NFL season is here and what a game to start week one.  The Denver Broncos defended their championship by edging out the Carolina Panthers 21-20. Though one game is in the books, I still have time to release my really bad season predictions. So here we go!

AFC:

AFC East: Patriots

AFC North: Steelers

AFC South: Jaguars

AFC West: Broncos

Wild Card: Raiders, Colts

NFC:

NFC East:  Cowboys

NFC North: Packers

NFC South: Panthers

NFC West:  Cardinals

Wild Cards: Seahawks, Vikings

AFC  Championship: Steelers Over Broncos

NFC Championship:  Cardinals Over Packers

Super Bowl:  Cardinals over Steelers

MVP: Aaron Rodgers

OPOY: Adrian Peterson

DPOY:  Kahlil Mack

ROPOY:  Zeke Elliot

RDPOY: Myles Jack

Coach of the Year: Bruce Arians

Week 1 Predictions:

TB over Atlanta

BAL  over BUF

HOU over  CHI

GB over JAX

KC over SD

OAK over NO

CIN over NYJ

PHI over CLE

TEN over MINN

SEA over MIA

DAL over NYG

IND over DET

ARI over NE

PITT over WAS

LA over SF

Cowboys go 9-7 in 2016; Win Division Title despite Romo's injury

After months and months of preparation, bad news and some fake football, the NFL regular season is finally here. For the Dallas Cowboys, Sunday afternoon might be the start of one of the biggest transitional moments since 2006.

With starting quarterback Tony Romo sidelined for the first part of the season with a major back injury, a litany of questions regarding the pass rush and a rookie quarterback tasked with shouldering the burden of this team, the Cowboys have a lot on their plate as they open the season with the New York Giants.

Will the Cowboys make the playoffs?  Here is how I think the season will unfold in 2016.

With Dak Prescott running the show for at least the first six games, Cowboys will find success but the growing pains of starting a rookie will be prevalent. Look for the Cowboys to go 3-3 entering the bye week in week 7. I think any Cowboys fan would love that situation.

By Week 8, Romo will make his return and lead the Cowboys to two straight victories over both the Eagles and the lowly Browns. Unfortunately, expect back-to-back losses to the Steelers and Ravens and the Cowboys enter Thanksgiving 5-5.

Romo then returns to his winning ways on Thanksgiving, beating the rival Redskins. They follow it up with two straight victories over the Vikings and Giants before losing to a young and talented Bucs team at home.

With two games left in the season, the Cowboys split the final two games in the season beating the Lions and losing the finale at home to the Eagles.

Cowboys finish the season at 9-7 and squeaking in a NFC East title.

Will this happen?  Most likely not, but there is some hope for this team this season. Health and luck will have to play a big part in 2016. Either way, this will be a season to remember for Cowboys fans.  

Sorry Tony, It is time to hang them up

For the few minutes that Tony Romo lay on the ground in the first quarter of last Thursday’s preseason game against Seattle, Dallas Cowboys fans were worried that the end had come for the Romo window. Romo did get up, but it was later revealed he suffered a fracture in his vertebrae and could be out 6-10 weeks.  Though he will be back later in the season, it is apparent now that he must seriously consider retirement.

A little disclaimer before we get started, I love Tony Romo. Since 2006, when I started my interest into sports, he was the first player I identified with. Since then, I would defend him at all lengths and applaud when he would make those Houdini-like plays. He was my quarterback, borrowing a phrase from former Romo teammate Terrell Owens. Yet, in the last few years, I was in total denial about the long-term health issues that seemed to be plaguing him. The hit that happened last Thursday finally woke me up.

The Romo-Era is coming to an end.

Why the change?  The numbers simply told the story to me. With the current injury, it will be the sixth time since 2008 that Tony Romo won’t play a full season.  That doesn’t count the multiple times he has suffered major injuries and still played through them. Remember when he had a punctured lung? This shows us two narratives; Romo is one of the toughest players in all of sports and he is also one of the most fragile.

It has gotten worse since the start of the 2013 season. He had four surgeries and two separate fractures on his back. It seems every time he gets hit, fans have to hold their breath to see if he will get back up.

As he gets older, it will get worse.  Football is a brutal sport and it is much worse to those who are older. It is a young man’s game and Tony is tempting fate every time.

He will return this season and could be fine and lead the team into the playoffs. Romo could return for next season and play at a high level. But, the next hit could also be the one to knock him out forever.  No player should have to retire that way. Lifting up your children is much more important than lifting the Lombardi Trophy. 

EA: Striving for Greatness

Joining the sports media world might be a tougher task than actually playing in a professional league. It has been one year since I have graduated from college with a journalism degree. I was actually excited back then to get into sports media. I started to fill out job applications like no other, sometimes filling out 20 in a day. It didn’t matter where the job was, I was going to apply and make a name for myself. I was going to be the next Peter King or Dan Patrick. Visions of grandeur filled my head and helped me sleep at night.

I never heard back from anyone. A year vanished as I tried to find work, while my parents worried over my future. In my household, you were expected to be a lawyer or a doctor, something with job security. I was a rebel though; I wanted to get into the sports world as much as possible. It was my dream since I first turned on 105.3 The Fan back in the summer of 2009.  Against all odds, I chose a different path to make a name for myself.

It hasn’t been the easiest decision in my life. Multiple people inside and outside the business have told me that it is a dying business and I have made a mistake. One person told me that I wasted a lot of money with my Journalism degree. On top of it, I see multiple colleagues of mine getting jobs right here in Dallas with big time organizations, while I struggle to get just an interview. It caused me to doubt myself and wonder did I ruin my future.

I won’t lie; this past year has been extremely hard on my psyche. I am man enough to admit, I have had to cry myself to sleep over what this dream of mine has cost me. 2015 was not a good year.

The biggest question that kept running through my head was, Should I quit?

There was only response back. Never.

I haven’t given up once in life and I am not going to stop now. I know I am one step closer and I know it will be worth it in the end.

I am writing this to all those struggling with their dreams and just asking them to keep at it. Anything worthwhile in this world must be paid for with blood, sweat and faith.

The time we have on this planet is short and it could all end in a blink of an eye. So spend it doing something you love and that is how you make your life worthwhile.

I wanted to thank Walter Chism, Tovash Hatcher, Marcus Mays, Quincy Fraser, Glenn Jackson, Mike Fisher, Gavin Dawson, Chris Arnold, Jeff Cavanaugh, Ben Rogers, Cory Mageors, Mark Lane, and countless others who have given me a chance or the support I need for my dream. I will never forget it.

Dallas Cowboys desperate pass rush options

Well, that escalated quickly. The Dallas Cowboys, who desperately need a pass rush, struck out on another free agent defensive end as Chris Long skips dinner with head coach Jason Garrett to sign with the New England Patriots. So what happens next? There is a possibility of a trade or going into the draft and taking guys like Joey Bosa or Noah Spence.

The free agent market is dried up, but there are some names that could be of some help for the ailing pass-rush. Let’s look at some of the names.

1.)  Jason Jones- He is a 30 year-old pass rusher that is basically the best of the eh. He was decent in Detroit last season and was considered their second-best pass rusher. He had 4.5 sacks in 2015 and was decent against the run. It looks like the Pittsburgh Steelers visited with him and is interested in signing him, but if the Cowboys want to make a move to stop the bleeding, they could do it with Jones.

2.)    Jeremy Mincey- We all know and love Mr. Mincey. While sacking quarterbacks in 2014, he also produced music that was quite entertaining. Unfortunately, Mincey didn’t have much of an on-the-field impact for the Cowboys as he didn’t record a single sack. That could be because Greg Hardy was getting a lot of the snaps, but it is a worrisome sign that Mincey might not be an impact player anymore. Yet, as desperate as the Cowboys are, the team might have to return to the veteran defensive end to help solidify the pass rush and bring leadership to the defense.

3.) Dwight Freeney- OK, this is getting bad. Do we really think Freeney can be a savior for the Dallas’ pass rush? He might not be the solution, but he could be a rotational player and can hold down the fort until Randy Gregory returns from his four-game suspension. It is very unlikely the team will sign him, but he is out there.

Troublemakers:

1.)    Greg Hardy- He may be the most talented of all the defensive ends that were in this free-agent draft class, but he is also the most troubled. After a turbulent season with the Cowboys, Hardy seems to have soured his relationship with a lot of teams. We know Dallas won’t sign him, at least if it was head coach Jason Garret’ call. According to Mike Fisher of CowboysHQ.com and CBS DFW, the Cowboys will not bring back Hardy. Hardy also hasn’t visited or had any interest from other teams as well. According to “The Dallas Morning News”, Hardy is back at Ole Miss finishing his degree. It seems safe to say that Hardy won’t be a Dallas Cowboy.

2.  Aldon Smith- UMM NO.  He’s suspended for at least half the year. No thanks.

Looks like it might be Joey Bosa in the NFL Draft. No bueno.

Elliott to the Cowboys?? Not so Fast!

How can the Dallas Cowboys royally screw over their draft this year? Oh by drafting Ohio State phenom running back Ezekiel Elliott with the No. 4 overall pick.

Recently, ESPN Dallas writer Jean-Jacques Taylor had an article out that detailed why the Cowboys need to take Elliott in the first round. He had some valid arguments that almost swayed me to switch over and take the Buckeye at No.4.

Taylor pointed out that Dallas Quarterback Tony Romo had his best season in 2014, when he was attempting 30 or fewer passes in games. That was thanks to the marvelous season former Cowboys running back Demarco Murray, who rushed for 1,845 yards en route to winning the AP Offensive Player of the Year Award.

With Murray grinding out yards during the game, it allowed Romo to pick where to attack and gave him a lot of breathing room to help carry the team to 12 wins and a playoff victory in 2014. It was truly the best combination the Cowboys have had in recent years and I get why Elliott would be a guy that could help bring back that magic.

My problem is that I think you can still find that kind of running back later in the draft and still use current starting running back Darren McFadden. Did we forget that during this dreadful 2015 campaign, McFadden still ran for 1,200 yards behind an offensive line that declined in play? Add in a young running back in second or third rounds and the team can still churn out that 2014 magic.

If Elliott was a top-5 player in this draft class, I would be happy to bring him in, but he isn’t. There are far better players to choose from. The Cowboys have to stick to their board and take the best player available and at pick No. 4, Elliott isn’t that player. Players like linebacker Myles Jack, defensive back Jalen Ramsey and defensive end Joey Bosa are all better than Elliott.

Fans and media alike used to kill the Cowboys for drafting for need because it led to reaching on players and that is exactly what will happen if they draft Elliott.

Be smart and take the best player on the board at No.4. It’s a safe bet it won’t be the phenom running back from Ohio State.