Dallas Cowboys can’t keep starting games like this, can they?
One week after playing a quarter of football that would make Dave Campo proud, Melatonin Mike’s crew nearly pulled off the same feat in Seattle.
Whatever the reason — or maybe excuse — as long as the Dallas Cowboys remain committed to beating themselves, and chasing games, we are all looking down the barrel of a Jason Garrett, 8-8 special.
Sure, the Cowboys (1-2) held a late lead, but the Seahawks scored a touchdown to go on top 38-31.
On Sunday in Seattle against the Seahawks, the Cowboys once again came out of the locker room and made the types of mistakes that suggest this team is not well-coached.
Spare me penalties, or questionable calls. People who complain about officiating are losers.
The Cowboys are hurt by injuries, but their roster is poorly designed, and they are not good enough to overcome mental errors.
If the player is a rookie, you get it.
If the player has been in the league more than a year, he’s a knucklehead, and the coach has some explaining to do.
As a refresher, last week against the Falcons, the Cowboys put the ball on the ground on five of their first 16 plays and fell behind 20-0.
Only because of a miracle, otherwise known as recovering an onside kick in the current version of the NFL, did the Cowboys come back to win a game they should have lost.
On Sunday in Seattle, the Cowboys’ start was not that bad, only because their beginning against Atlanta was historically bad.
In the first quarter, Seattle quarterback Russell Wilson hit receiver T.J. Lockett on a 43-yard touchdown pass. On the play, Cowboys safeties elected not to cover one of the better receivers in the league.
Safety Xavier Woods’ feet were stuck not in the turf, but the cement beneath the turf.
He has been in the NFL for more than a year, and he has to know T.J. Lockett is a good player.
On the ensuing kickoff, Cowboys kick returner Tony Pollard did not field the ball cleanly and had the dreaded muff at the 1-yard line. He should have let the ball go. He was not going to return the ball to the 25-yard line.
The Cowboys started their drive at the 1, and on the first play running back Ezekiel Elliott was unable to get out of the end zone for the dreaded safety.
The only reason the score was not completely out of hand was the stupidity of Seattle receiver DK Metcalf.
The talented receiver should have scored a 63-yard touchdown pass near the end of the first quarter after he burned Cowboys corner Trevone Diggs.
Metcalf tried to stroll into the end zone without securing the ball, which allowed a hustling Diggs to punch the ball out of the end zone for a turnover.
Then there were four first-half Cowboys penalties that handed Seattle four first downs.
Then there were two missed point after attempts.
There was a penalty at the end of the first half that should not have been assessed on the Cowboys that led directly to the Seahawks’ final touchdown before the break. It was a bad call on Cowboys linebacker Jaylon Smith.
The Cowboys are not as bad as their starts, but as long as they insist on trying to overcome themselves we are looking at another 8-8.
This story was originally published September 27, 2020 at 9:22 PM.
