Dallas Cowboys: 9 Things the Media Just Doesn't Understand

It's not often that teams receive a reprieve for any previous decisions or actions. Most moves are judged from hindsight, especially in the case of the media.

The Dallas Cowboys are a favorite of some pundits as an everlasting punching bag, with team owner Jerry Jones being at the top of that list.

Dallas may be one of the league's most popular franchises—and most hated—but there are a number of misconceptions about the team currently constructed.

For the purposes of setting the record straight regarding some of these inconsistencies, here are nine things that some people just don't get about the Dallas Cowboys.

Tony Romo Is a Choker

I have argued against this many times before, but to no avail.

I said that Romo did not choke against the Jets or Lions, but I was beaten down in my argument.

Against the Jets, he did toss a key interception to Pro Bowl cornerback Darrelle Revis, but it wasn't due to nerves.

He rolled to his right due to pressure, saw his most athletic receiver in the distance, believed that Bryant would be in a position to at least fight to break up the pass, but ended up throwing an interception.

Bryant was gimpy that play, and Romo should have made a better decision like throwing the ball away.

Yet his inability to bring the Cowboys back against the Jets wasn't because his stomach was full of butterflies. It was because he made a bad decision while attempting to do too much at one time.

Romo is simply not a choke artist.

Rob Ryan Was Too Experimental Defensively in 2011

I've said before that Ryan needs to simplify things, and he actually agreed.

Well, not necessarily with me, but you get my point.

Ryan has to dial it down at times just because the players aren't all the way acclimated to the system.

However, Ryan's defense wasn't too complicated to begin the year.

Dallas' defense looked great against the Jets, Niners, 'Skins, and Lions. They even held their own against the Pats.

But soon the wheels started to loosen, and as opposing offenses began to catch on to Ryan's tendencies, he had to change alignments and keep the defense fresh.

Considering what he was working with last year, Dallas' defense did OK.

The Cowboys' Offensive Line Is Too Inexperienced

Right tackle Doug Free is 28 now, which means he's the oldest player on the offensive line.

Tyron Smith is barely old enough to drink, and the rest of that crew has yet to reach the age of 30.

Free is a solid tackle and will continue to bring stability and consistency to the front line.

Smith is very athletic, has great footwork and should serve Romo's blindside well. These men have had some time to grow and gel together, and age shouldn't be an issue for them moving forward.

In fact, I would say that their youth will serve them well.

Dallas Was Soft Against the Run

The Cowboys are no slouches when it comes to stopping the run.

While the secondary received much of the attention due to their lack of effectiveness, I've heard some say that the Cowboys were soft against the run.

This is simply not true.

Dallas ranked seventh against the run in 2011, as Anthony Spencer, Jay Ratliff and the rest of the squad did a great job of stuffing the run.

The Cowboys Secondary Is Fixed

Some, maybe many, believe that the Cowboys have cured what ailed them during the offseason and the draft.

They went out and signed Brandon Carr and drafted Morris Claiborne.

The team added a safety in Brodney Pool, which brings youth and stability to the defensive backfield. But just because there are new parts to the car doesn't mean that everything will run smoothly.

Carr and Claiborne will have to learn the system and play within it. There is no guarantee that either player will perform well for the Cowboys.

Dallas Can Come out of the NFC

Everything is about matchups in the NFL, and if the Cowboys can grab some victories against the softer part of their year, i.e. Cleveland Browns.

Even if the Cowboys do their job and win their division, they have the Packers, Saints, Giants, 49ers and other up-and-coming teams.

The Cowboys will have a hard enough time getting past the Eagles. How do you think this team will make it to the Super Bowl?

Dallas Needs Another Pass-Rusher

Look, I screamed and yelled that the Cowboys need to place more pressure on the quarterback from the front three.

They did at times, but not enough to cause any real damage.

The Cowboys grabbed a defensive end in the draft and an inside linebacker to complement DeMarcus Ware.

It's time for Anthony Spencer to provide more sacks for the stat column and provide help to DeMarcus Ware.

If anything, I thought the Cowboys needed a burly nose tackle instead of a fast pass-rusher.

Dallas Needs a New General Manager

I'm not sure where I fall on the spectrum with this one, because I've argued both points.

Jones has done a great job as general manager, but he's also made some head-scratching decisions.

He drafted Dez Bryant and DeMarcus Ware, yet he's the guy who chose to sign Ryan Leaf and place Troy Hambrick as the team's starting running back.

I think that the Cowboys' main decision-maker has put the team in a great position to compete.

Now it's just a matter of his decisions coming together to bring the Cowboys to a Super Bowl.

The Cowboys Need a New Quarterback

This kind of goes back to the choke-artist slide, but it's totally separate.

Many have argued that Romo isn't the guy to lead the Cowboys to a Super Bowl and that the Cowboys need new leadership under center.

Well, Romo is tops statistically—not many quarterbacks are better than him numbers-wise.

Who can the Cowboys get to replace his production? For all of the heartache that Romo may bring, he makes you feel good because fans know that they have a competent quarterback under center.

If Romo is jettisoned out of town, where will the Cowboys head? Who will take over, and can the Cowboys win a Super Bowl with this phantom quarterback?