“Turn out the lights,” is what the great former Dallas Cowboys signal-caller Don Meredith used to serenade us on Monday Night Football. Sunday night I sang it in the bar as the Cowboys’ season ended. I’m sick, I’m mad, and I almost feel like I want to be done with this team.
Another year, another heartbreak, another disgusting performance by almost everyone except the defense. Don’t get me wrong, this season and this game was lost on multiple fronts, and I’ll try to explain that to you.
IT STARTED EARLY
A first-quarter interception on the second possession of the game? What exactly was receiver Michel Gallup doing on that play? Did he quit? Was it a blundered route? Did 49ers corner Deommodore Lenoir know what was coming and jump the route? Or did Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott just make another dumb decision?
Any of those could be true and may be true. Gallup could have had a brain fart and forgotten what the hell route to run or Lenoir could have known what was coming. This wouldn’t have been the first time we have heard that defenses knew what play was going to be run by the Cowboys' protégé offensive coordinator.
Or Prescott could have just made another dumb decision, Hell, I don’t know, I’ve watched it too many times and I can’t decide.
A BAD TOUCHDOWN?
On the next possession, the Cowboys scored a touchdown. How this could have lost them the game? Well, it wasn’t the TD per se, but the point after attempt. I know, I know, it was deflected. But that kick was left and going left before it was touched by 49ers linebacker Samson Ebukam, and the ball was in a flat spin reminiscent of the one that killed Goose in the movie Top Gun. That missed kick affected a lot of players and decision-making going forward.
POLLARD’S BROKEN LEG
On 3rd and 7 from the 49ers’ 38-yard line, Prescott hit running back Tony Pollard for a short three-yard gain. That play call didn’t cost the Cowboys the game, but the Pollard injury during the play had a big impact on the outcome.
The Cowboys inexplicably all but abandoned the run game after that while also losing one of their biggest offensive playmakers. This offensive coaching staff couldn’t figure out a way to make it work. Could I have? HELL, NO! But I’m not a paid professional NFL coach.
But I guaran-damn-tee you most other coaching staffs would have done something other than completely abandon a game plan that was worked on all week in a run-based offense. Good call by the Cowboy’s brainchild offensive coordinator and head coach. … NOT!
NO WAY HE MAKES IT!
On 4th & 4 from the 49ers' 35-yard line, Prescott scrambled off right guard to the 26 for nine yards. How does that play cost the Cowboys the win? It wasn’t that play either, but it was the decision to run that play. If they had a kicker that you trusted even after a missed extra point attempt, they would have run him out there and kicked the 52-yard field goal, taken a 9-6 lead, and given the offense a little momentum. The defense at this point of the game is playing well, and for the first time since 49ers rookie quarterback Brock Purdy took over the reins of the offense, looks somewhat like a rookie.
NO, DAK, NO!
Two plays later was Prescott’s second interception of the game. The ball was thrown into double coverage, tipped by 49ers cornerback Charvarius Ward and intercepted by linebacker Fred Warner. I’m tired of seeing it, I’m tired of talking about it, I’m tired of the dumb, dumb, dumb decisions.
DOES ANYONE SEE A GAME CLOCK?
Clock management – as we’ve seen before – was non-existent on Sunday. We’ve discussed it before, and you’ve read about it from far smarter sports guys than this “Sports Drunk”, but hear me out. It’s nit-picky, but it’s important. This coaching staff can’t figure out how to manage it.
On 3rd and 10 from their own 18, Prescott was sacked for a fourth down situation. Do you know when they got the damn punt off? Forty seconds later. It took this team 40 seconds to get their shit together, get on the field and punt the ball. I understand that they want to save timeouts, but what good are timeouts when there’s no time left?
SPREADING THE LOVE
Let’s spread the LOVE, shall we? On what would be the Cowboys’ last possession of the game, another bonehead play. Tight end Dalton Schultz, what the hell were you thinking? If you are going to go out of bounds and stop the clock, you must be moving forward. But you flat-out quit on the play, and you’re better than that, buddy.
Two plays later, on another out route, Schultz made the catch but failed to get two feet in bounds. He didn’t even try to tap dance or toe drag. Schultz – who most likely played his last game in a Cowboys uniform - didn’t lose the game for Dallas, but he needs to be called out.
THE FINAL PLAY – OR “WTF WAS THAT?”
Then there’s the final play of the game, which was basically a 4th and 76. Dallas had all their playmakers in the game. It’s the biggest play of the year. One they can’t afford to screw this up as they did in the Wild Card game against San Francisco last year, right? WRONG. … Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott was lined up at center, I’m assuming to be the “lateral guy” after the first pass was made.
But it’s hard to be in a position to make a play when your butt planted a full five yards in the backfield. Is that Elliott’s fault? Absolutely not, he’s not an offensive lineman, and not used to making a shotgun snap. He’s not used to taking a block from a three-point stance. That one is on the coaches. It’s on the brain-child offensive coordinator Kellen Moore. It's on coach Mike McCarthy for not overruling that ridiculous play call.
AND THAT IS HOW THE 2022 DALLAS COWBOYS SEASON ENDS
And that’s why I’m sick and I’m mad, and I want to be done with this fucking football team. It’s the same damn thing, game after game, year after year. And frankly, I don’t see it changing as long as team owner Jerry Jones is the GM, and we all know that will never change. I will not quit on this team. I’ll just keep coming back for more punishment. It’s going to pay off someday, I just need to have a little faith.
**SIGH**
I just did a lot of bitching and placing blame. I never claimed to be an expert, maybe just an over-opinionated “Sports Drunk.” But I cannot finish this rant without giving some praise.
This Cowboys defense has been a roller-coaster ride this year. We have seen it be good early in the year, then not so good. But with the season on the line, they were pretty much the only hope.
The Cowboys will most likely lose their best coach from the staff this off-season. Dan Quinn has turned this defense around, and there are a lot of men in that locker room that will miss him. I’m going to miss him. The man is back at the top now and will be a head coach again next season. Good luck, DQ!
