Dallas Cowboys: Top 10 Surprises of the 2011 Season That Lead to a 7-4 Record

The Dallas Cowboys have finally found stability this season after a roller coaster first four games. That being said, the season has still brought out many strange surprises in terms of team personnel, game results and the win/loss record. Here we go!

DeMarco Murray

Injuries plagued him throughout the offseason which confirmed that he was going to be the third-string back on the team. An injury to Felix Jones and a Tashard Choice trade thrusted Murray into the starter role where he has thrived. Thus far, he has been the MVP of the season for the Cowboys. For more, see here—DeMarco Murray. 

Doug Free

He was supposed to be the best offensive lineman on the team, the guy who was going to bring experience and stability to a shaky line. Turns out, he has been one of the weaker links of the offensive line while, fortunately, the rookies have played really well. 

Perennial Underachievers

Michael Jenkins and Anthony Spenser continue to show sparks of greatness, but often do not have an impact on games. The surprise here is that this year has been no different than in years past. They were trying to emulate their 2009 Pro Bowl form but have not been able to fulfill expectations. 

Diva Dez

Not at all. Dez Bryant has been a great competitor and teammate all season. He has not gotten in any trouble and has performed well on the field. His health is a concern, but the immaturity that was suspected of him has not come to fruition. 

Sean Lee

It was clear that the coaches knew that Lee would be a great player. But not this good, and not this quick. He has replaced a pair of veterans already and has taken over as the manager of the defense. He will continue to make plays and lead the defense to newer heights. For more, see here—Sean Lee.

Bradie James

Yikes! Twenty-two tackles in nine games. Bradie has lead the Cowboys in tackles six years in a row now. Even though he has been replaced by Sean Lee in the starting role, 22 tackles is simply unacceptable.

Laurent Robinson

He has become Romo’s favorite receiver of late which says a lot considering Jason Witten, Dez Bryant and Miles Austin are on the team. He will no longer be hopping from team to team; he is here to stay and here to succeed. For more, see here—Laurent Robinson.

Dan Bailey

All offseason, it was a question of who would kick for the Cowboys. At one time, they had two kickers. It was clear that this was a huge weakness of the team the previous year. Strangely enough, the Cowboys elected to put Bailey as the starter. When he missed the 21-yarder, people were calling for his departure. Just a couple weeks later, we are witnessing an impressive streak with 23 straight field goals. For the season, he is at 96 percent, a far cry from what last year was.

Jerry Jones

Surprisingly, he has not been that active in the media and regarding team issues. He has sort of taken a “Mark Cuban in the NBA playoffs” approach this year by letting his team and coaches play the season out. 

Rob Ryan

He has walked the talk, for the most part. His arrival brought a circus to town, his press conferences are always animated, but his defense plays damn good football. And ultimately, that is what it comes down to.

What will the rest of the season bring for the Cowboys? Will December bring out more losses, or will Romo lead the Boys to the playoffs? Will Dallas win the games they are supposed to but quietly fall out of the season or playoffs against better teams?