Please Stop Existing: Dallas Cowboys Edition

Dez Bryant caught that pass in last season's NFC Divisional Round of the playoffs. It does not matter what definition the NFL has for a catch, in every other definition of the word "catch" or "possession", Dez Bryant had that ball and the Cowboys would have been inside the Green Bay 5-yard line, looking to take the lead. Unfortunately for everybody involved, the referees called the pass incomplete and the Packers ran out the clock This one downright idiotic call has had a butterfly effect like no other on the NFL in 2015 and has made "America's Team" (Let's stop pretending they own that label) the most dysfunctional franchise in a division that includes Dan Snyder and Chip Kelly's wild ride of transactions. If the team would have somehow won that game over Green Bay (and I really don't think they would have even with the catch), they would not have been motivated to sign Greg Hardy. If the referees would have ruled that obvious reception a catch and Dallas managed to win, Dez Bryant might have signed with another team and toned down his passionate yelling he does on a weekly basis. If, if, if, if, if, if, IF...

Instead, we are now forced to live in a world where a team decided to pass up all of the basic instincts of "maybe we ought to get a better background check on this Hardy character. Quick, ask the league office for the evidence on his domestic violence case." We live in a world where deciding to throw 30+ passes with Brandon Weeden and/or Matt Cassel is seen as a good idea by a head coach. We live in a world where people look at Greg Hardy and Dez Bryant under the same umbrella because Jerry Jones so lovingly refers to both as "passionate" or "leaders" when the two could not be more different inside the locker room and out (at least, with what is public knowledge). We live in a world where Dallas Cowboys exist right now and it sucks.

The latest news from AT&T Stadium is that Dez Bryant went on a locker room tirade after fellow-receiver Devin Street told Bryant that ESPN reporter Jean-Jacques Taylor referred to Street by a racial slur and that sent Bryant on a ten-minute rant witnessed by every reporter inside the locker room this Thursday. I am not here to say that Taylor absolutely did or did not do this but, seemingly all reports from the other reporters (including ESPN's John Clayton among others) is that this is a false accusation. What seems to have occurred here is that Street probably disliked something Taylor said about either Street (like some sarcastic commentary on Street's play) or the team in general (The Cowboys are on a six-game losing streak after all) and decided to take advantage of having an extremely vocal and emotional teammate by falsely accusing Taylor. My point is... Dez Bryant seems to be stepping up for a teammate and all the reporters are twisting his tirade into their own negative stories when once again, it just seems like Bryant is being a good teammate who just happens to not be great with the press or in getting his thoughts across to outsiders. This would have a much different narrative from sports media personalities if Dallas had just beaten Philadelphia on Sunday night. 

Greg Hardy is not a leader. We know what Greg Hardy has done. 

As for the less serious problems with the organization, it is basically time to blow the whole damn thing up and replace everyone. You know what would have stopped Dez Bryant from exploding on a member of the media this past week? A head coach with a spine. Jason Garrett has done an incredible job at being a mediocre head coach for a long time. If he had any type of coaching instincts, he would have pulled Bryant aside at some point in the past and told him to change his demeanor a bit so that we don't have to sit through 50 minutes of discussions about what kind of teammate Dez Bryant is on every single sports-related talk show. Does anybody actually believe these outbursts would still be happening if Dallas had hired a better head coach (Mike Zimmer) at some point?

Dallas Cowboys Owner Jerry Jones

Enough about the Bryant storyline, I've done my yearly rant involving an Oklahoma State alum and a possible racial slur. Let's discuss what's wrong with the once 2-0 team's play on the field. First of all, cut Greg Hardy immediately, it is not that hard to find a pass-rusher in today's NFL that you need to completely tarnish the image of your franchise and erase any good you've done as an owner over the past three decades. For quicker results, Tony Romo needs to come back immediately if this team wants to have any shot at the postseason and quite frankly, once the season is over, the team needs to start scouting the next rookie class for Romo's replacement. They kept trotting him out last season with his bad back and would not even sit him during blowouts for whatever reasons they made up for themselves. It was stupid then and it's stupid now. Fire Jason Garrett, this team cannot go winless simply because their Quarterback got hurt, I don't care if their QB was Joe Montana, it's been too long and this guy has not had the success nor has he made the best coaching decisions (remember when all they did was pass in 2013?) to still be calling plays and leading this team (PS: How many "leaders" does a team need?). The team really needs defensive backs worse than any season previous as the Brandon Carr contract has proven to be disastrous and with Orlando Scandrick out for the year and rookie Byron Jones still figuring out the NFL, the team needs to look for a Cornerback and/or some Safeties for better results from the pass defense. Also, they need a receiving option other than Dez Bryant because Jason Witten does not have much time left and Terrance Williams is a glorified fourth-string receiver listed second on the depth chart. 

Overall, this team needs to do a complete overhaul in the front office (Jerry can't be the GM anymore), in the coaching staff, with their public perception, on offense and on defense. The only things that Dallas has done right since 2010 is bring in Dez Bryant and build an offensive line, those should stay unless the new GM in this metaphorical scenario can get some great returns for Bryant or an o-lineman. Unfortunately, they won't do any of this because GM Jerry Jones is the only person with a say in the organization's staffing and this ship will sink with him. And Dez Bryant made that catch by the way.