Dallas Cowboys and October Overtimes

The unpredictability of the NFL (well any sport really) is what makes it exciting. With 11 players on each side, there is no way to accurately predict what each player will do at a given moment. It just takes one mistake by one man at one moment to turn the tide of a game and perhaps a season.

For the Dallas Cowboys, I have argued that their 2008 season was lost in mid-October when they lost in overtime to the eventual NFC champion Arizona Cardinals. That was one of the wackiest games the Cowboys have played in recent memory.

I remember Arizona taking the opening kickoff for a touchdown.

I remember the officials bailing out the Cowboys by calling some fumbles incomplete passes.

I remember Felix Jones getting injured.

I remember Nick Folk missing a chip shot field goal right before the half but nailing a 50+ yarder to send the game to overtime.

However, in overtime the Cowboys not only lost the game but also lost Tony Romo (broken pinkie) and Matt McBriar (broken foot).  

It was hectic. If those early fumble calls go the Cardinals’ way, they blow out Dallas and there is no overtime. With no overtime, the Cowboys don’t lose Romo or McBriar. If the Cowboys don’t lose Romo, they don’t lose to the St. Louis Rams the next week.

However, the Cowboys would go on to lose two of their next three, including that terrible loss to the hapless Rams, who by the way would not win another game until their victory over the Detroit Lions just 9 days ago.

In my opinion, the Cowboys’ season was lost in that mid-October overtime game. Not having a capable backup QB caused them to lose a game to the worst team in the NFL.

That was inexcusable. If the Cowboys can somehow manage to win that game like they should have, they make the playoffs and 44-6 isn’t even relevant.

And who knows what could have happened in the playoffs. Just ask the Cardinals.

All you have to do is get in. All of these overrated “statement” games and “quality wins” are no more important than winning games against lousy teams. I have already written how last year’s Cardinals failed in every “statement” game only to make it all irrelevant by taking care of business in the playoffs.

I apologize for revisiting 2008. But I just couldn’t help myself to highlight how even though the NFL is unpredictable, it also displays some parallelism and irony.

As the Cowboys arguably lost their 2008 on that fateful mid-October afternoon in overtime, they may have sparked a magical season with a mid-October overtime victory in 2009.

Strange? I thought so too.

As we all know, this current four-game Cowboy win streak was started on October 11 in Kansas City. Romo to Miles Austin connect big and the Cowboys get hot. Although the Cowboys should have killed a lousy Chiefs team, perhaps winning in overtime was better for them. Perhaps it woke them up.

Perhaps that celebration at the end of an unexpected tough battle provided the glue for this Cowboys team to stick together.

I know Austin had a pretty big day even before overtime started, but maybe that game-winning touchdown catch, the second long one of the day, is what convinced the coaches to start him the following game versus the Atlanta Falcons.

If Austin doesn’t start the last three games I am not sure the Cowboys win all three.

If the Cowboys defense isn’t forced to defend a very short distance in overtime, the most cutthroat of situations, to prevent a Chiefs field goal attempt, maybe they don’t regain their confidence (remember they failed to close out the Chiefs in regulation).  

Maybe Keith Brooking, who made the play to stop the Chiefs on their final drive, isn’t seen as a leader. Maybe his teammates don’t buy into his hardnosed attitude that he brings to the table.

If Patrick Crayton doesn’t handle punts well, he doesn’t lose his job then gain it back again. Maybe he gets complacent instead of coming back and making two big punt return touchdowns in consecutive weeks.

A lot of crazy and frustrating things happened on that cold day at Arrowhead Stadium. No one can deny the Cowboys’ improved play since then. Maybe going to overtime and beating a bad Chiefs team is what this team needed.

As I believe that the Cowboys would have been better off by being blown out in Arizona last October and not going to overtime, I similarly believe that they are better off this season by not blowing out Kansas City and winning in overtime.

I know it’s strange and there is lots of season left but keep this in mind if the Cowboys can keep up this hot streak.