Authored by Rodney Southern in American Football
Published on 08-31-2009
The 2009 edition of the Dallas Cowboys are right on the cusp of being a great team. Unfortunately, they are also in a position that they could fall squarely into mediocrity. Such is the life of a Dallas Cowboy in recent years. Every season it seems they have all the talent in the world, and yet they never seem to get anywhere with it. Could this be the season that Dallas finally puts it together? Will losing Terrell Owens to Buffalo actually help this team, or will the Cowboys find that life without T.O. is not as good as they thought it would be? Lets take a look:
Offense
The Dallas offense is in a position to really shine this season if they find a legitimate replacement for Terrell Owens. Owens was loud, obnoxious, irritating and prolific. He talked the talk, but he walked the walk. Now Dallas quarterback Tony Romo has to hope that former standout Roy Williams is able to take over the role. Running back is a strength in the Dallas offense, however. Felix Jones, Marion Barber and Tashard Choice would likely start on the vast majority of NFL football teams. With Dallas, they will be sharing the lion’s share of the carries. Jason Witten is set to reprise his role as the best tight end in the NFC, at least as far as catching passes.
Defense
The Cowboy defense is up and down. The linemen are down, in spite of the fearsome Jay Ratliff at nose tackle. The linebackers are as good as it gets with DeMarcus Ware and Bradie James. The secondary is in a bit of a transition year and is very uncertain. The Cowboys could get lit up in the secondary this season. In spite of these issues, they have a ton of talent on the defensive side. The defense of the Dallas Cowboys is likely to be what decides the season. Can they pull together?
Special Teams
With Felix Jones returning kicks, it is likely that the Cowboys will shine in this area. The guy is simply magical in the open field. The Cowboys also have three of the best kickers in the game so that unit should be solid. Rookie DeAngelo Smith will take over punt returns in 09.
Coaching
Wade Phillips has got to be approaching win or get out territory. Perhaps no team in football has had the level of talent to work with that Phillips has, and yet he still can not seem to get a playoff win. Getting rid of Owens will be a win in the long run, if for no other reason than team chemistry. Now he has to find a way to keep Jerry Jones out of the locker room and in the front office where he belongs. This is not likely.
Prediction
The Dallas Cowboys are going to have a very good year in spite of some of the issues that are floating around. Tony Romo will have his best year as a pro, and the incredible talent the Cowboys have at running back will keep the Boys in most games. In spite of this, they will still finish second to the Eagles in the highly competitive NFC East. I do think the Cowboys will win the NFC wildcard this season and will win a game or two in the playoffs.
