Dallas Cowboys: 10 Things the 'Boys Must Do To Contend in 2011
After an 11-5 season in 2009, the Dallas Cowboys were looking to build on their success through drafting players such as Dez Bryant and improving the talent that they already had. Needless to say, things did not go right this year at all, and they enter tonight's matchup against the Cardinals with a 5-9 record.
Things did not go well from the start; Tony Romo was out for the year after six games, Wade Phillips was fired, Marion Barber is not running like he used to and Dez Bryant also recently suffered a season-ending injury. Despite all this, there is definitely talent to build around, and if the Cowboys do these 10 things, then they will be fine and a contender again in 2011.
Keep Jason Garrett
1 of 10
Let's start by looking at the facts.
First, the Cowboys were 1-7 before Garrett, and are 4-2 since he took over. Those two losses were to the Saints and Eagles, both were close games.
Second, even in just a few years as offensive coordinator, he's turned the Cowboys into a very good offensive bunch, even with Jon Kitna handling quarterback duties.
Beyond that, he's got a good head on his shoulders, both as a Princeton graduate and being a no-nonsense man. Wade Phillips didn't have the attitude that works at the head coaching level, and so far we have seen that from Garrett. Hold on to him, simple as that.
Utilize All Weapons
2 of 10
The Cowboys are loaded with offensive talent. Needless to say, they should be using it. Marion Barber, Felix Jones and Tashard Choice are all capable running backs who can be great on a given day. Mixing them up can throw off defenses, as evident by the split carries in the Boys' last two wins.
Besides that, Miles Austin, Roy Williams, Jason Witten and Dez Bryant have all shown playmaking ability. The Cowboys are already fourth in passing this season, and have the weapons to be first if need be. Let them loose and the wins should come.
Improve The D-Line
3 of 10
The Cowboys' rushing defense isn't that bad, but their passing defense is bad enough that you have to bring in someone who can drop into pass protection. More importantly, you need someone besides DeMarcus Ware who can rush the quarterback and lessen the burden on the draft. Stephen Bowen, Igor Olshansky and Jay Ratliff don't exactly strike fear into a line.
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Draft Prince Amukamara
4 of 10
Terence Newman is 32 years old and might not have much left in the tank, while Mike Jenkins is not going to be a premier cornerback. The defense can make plays, but it blows them sometimes as well. Bringing in a guy like Prince Amukamara will shore up the weaknesses here immediately.
After all, when Rex Grossman lights your secondary up, you know there are problems.
There's a good chance Amukamara will be off the board by then, and it's still too high to take Jenkins. If that happens, the Cowboys may have to improvise.
Don't Overhaul the Team
5 of 10
When a team suddenly has a bad season, it's always tempting to go nuclear and start bringing in new guys to mold and build up. Don't.
A new interim defensive coordinator has been put in, and if the Cowboys want to bring in an experienced one, that's entirely fine. Bringing in a couple of solid defenders to keep things moving works as well. Just as long as there's not a mass firing of the coaching staff or half the players on the roster, things should be fine.
Keep Jon Kitna
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Jon Kitna has played well in Tony Romo's absence, and the Cowboys have put up some wins. He has stated that he is not considering retirement, and he's played well enough that there's no real reason to release him. Should something happen to Romo next season, the Cowboys will at least know that they have a quarterback they can depend on.
Fix the Offensive Line
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The Cowboys have a mostly great offense. The 'mostly' part is thrown in to exclude the offensive line. Their offensive line isn't terrible, but it's not all that good, and has allowed many QB hits.
Luckily, the best of the offensive line prospects could potentially fall to the second round of the draft, so the Cowboys can steal a good one. If that doesn't work, they'll need to find what they can in free agency.
Sign Some Safeties
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The current Cowboys safeties, Gerald Sensabaugh and Alan Ball, haven't been getting it done. More importantly, their contracts expire after this season. If the Cowboys are going to improve their secondary (which they need to do), they are being given a golden opportunity to do so here.
Lock Up Games Early
9 of 10
The Cowboys' last three games were won or lost by three points. Winning the close games is all well and good, but if you have enough of them, then that comes back to bite any team.
Especially in the playoffs.
What the Cowboys need to do is start taking out opponents quickly, rather than hoping the final few plays of a game fall their way.
Play Football
10 of 10
With all the early playoff exits the Cowboys have had in recent years, if they do make it in, they'll be worrying about making sure they can finally break through, and about getting those elusive wins.
If they concentrate on that, they'll lose games.
All they need to do is play football. Romo goes out and throws it, Barber and Jones run it, and Ware tackles the opponents with it. If they just focus on the game, that should be all they need to do, once everything else is fixed.
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