Dallas Cowboys’ Meltdown – Why Does It Happen?

Dallas Cowboys fans like me were hoping for a big win this past Sunday night versus the New York Giants.  We didn't get it.  It was a close game, as it always seems to be when the two teams meet.  But the Cowboys can't seem to pull out the victories at crunch time.

It's a repeat of the past several seasons.  When it's time to take control of the NFC East in December, when all the chips are on the table, Dallas chokes.  In this particular instance, the Cowboys blew a 12 point lead late in the fourth quarter.  In the process, the 'Boys lost DeMarco Murray to a fractured ankle, which severely fractures the ground game.

Is it coaching?  Is it Romo?  Is it a lack of fire throughout the ranks?  A lack of focus?  It seems to be a combination of these and other factors that doom the Cowboys to watching the playoffs with the rest of us.

I watched the level of intensity in the other Sunday games, and it was a stark contrast to the intensity the Cowboys played with over the past two games.  This time of year, you can see the teams that 'play angry' as one commentator said on Sunday.  The Saints are playing that way.  The Arizona Cardinals are definitely playing that way.  It's evident in the way they come off the line on both sides of the ball.  The way they rush the quarterback, and the way they execute on offense and defense.  There's fire there.  Intensity when it matters most.

I've been a Cowboys fan since 1969, and in general, us Cowboys fans can be a fickle, fair weather lot.  But I'm not giving up just yet.  I hold hope that Dallas will finally figure out what ails them on and off the field while there are still three crucial games left.  Dallas should be able to beat Tampa Bay this weekend.  Philadelphia could be a different story with Michael Vick healthy again.  And then there's the season closer versus the Giants, and a shot at winning the division with a definitive, final, statement game.  Maybe the team will find its identity, its drive, its intensity, and a solid game plan to play in the post season.  In spite of the frustration, I'll be watching.

And by the way, congratulations to our other Texas team, the Houston Texans on clinching their division and heading to the playoffs for the very first time.   There's a team that's played with intensity, despite two season ending injuries to quarterbacks.  It's going to get interesting over the next three weeks.