Like Sand Through the Hourglass, So Are the Days of Our Lives…at Valley Ranch

What a week it’s been at Valley Ranch…and it’s only Wednesday. After playing two sloppy games against Washington and Cincinnati, the Cowboy go to Arizona and, again, play a very sloppy game and end up losing the game in a way no team in the history of the NFL has lost (punt blocked for a TD in overtime). As if that weren’t bad enough, Dallas, who was already without Terrance Newman, lost Tony Romo, Matt McBriar, Felix Jones and Sam Hurd to various injuries. But that’s not the end of the goings and comings of the Cowboys this week.

The soap opera continued yesterday as Pac Man Jones was suspended, again, by the NFL commissioner indefinitely, but at least 4 games. This stemmed from an incident that happened last week where Jones ended up getting into a fight with one of HIS own body guards. Pac Man must be dumber than a bag of hair. He knew what would happen if his name appeared in any kind of headlines that regarded anything other than his play on the field. The NFL commissioner suspended him last year, for the whole season, for running afoul of the NFL’s personal conduct policy…basically being an idiot. When he was reinstated, he was told that he would be suspended and possibly banned from the NFL if he was brought discredit to his team or the NFL in any way.

In the off season, Jerry Jones, took a flier, and traded for Pac Man because he is such a naturally gifted athlete and Jerry thought, erroneously, he could keep Pac Man under control. Jerry went to great lengths to try to make sure Pac Man kept his nose clean by even hiring personal body guards who went everywhere with him. These body guards not only helped to keep people away from Pac Man but also helped to keep out of trouble as well. But, obviously, Pac Man just doesn’t get it. He was playing for a team that most thought would be a front runner in the NFC and possibly a Super Bowl contender. He had a new lease on life. He had a GOLDEN opportunity just handed to him on a silver platter. But he still couldn’t keep his nose clean. How in the world could he screw this up? I wish all I had to do, to make million and millions of dollars, was stay out of trouble and play football. The guy is absolutely hopeless.

I so wish that Jerry would just cut bait and cancel Pac Man’s contract. I think everyone can see this experiment didn’t work out and this is not a distraction the team needs to be dealing with, especially if they think themselves a Super Bowl caliber team. However, I would bet a large portion of my next paycheck that Jerry will welcome him back if/when he is reinstated by the NFL…because he needs him. But there has to be a line where you say, enough is enough. Pac Man, enough is enough.

If the Pac Man suspension wasn’t enough for everyone, the Cowboys made an addition to their team yesterday when the traded, just before the deadline, for Detroit WR (and former Longhorn) Roy Williams. This was something that had been rumored for a long time but since they didn't get it done in the offseason, I really thought they would roll with Owens, Crayton, Austin, etc. at that position this year. Dallas gave up a 1st, 3rd and 6th round pick for Roy, who is probably doing cartwheels right now going from a winless Detroit team to the Cowboys. I think it was a good trade though. This will open things up for TO Owens a little more because teams can't just double Owens...they will have to throw some coverage to Williams. So if they do both (cover Williams and Owens), then who will be covering Witten in the middle of the field or Crayton (when he catches passes) or Miles Austin running crossing routes or seam routes? I think Roy is a younger, less volatile version of Keyshawn Johnson...not a TD machine but will keep the chains moving. I think Roy is so glad to be out of Detroit that he will do whatever is asked of him and if that means acquiescing to TO Owens as the alpha-male WR, then that is what he will do.

However, if the o-line still plays like warmed over dog poo (the way they have the past 3 games), then it won't matter if Jerry signs Ladanian Tomlinson, Randy Moss or Peyton Manning. The o-line MUST play better in order for this to work...at all. And it all starts this weekend in St. Louis. If Dallas can’t beat St. Louis, then I don’t think they will have much of a prayer to beat Tampa Bay the following week or New York after that. And if that happens, the season really will be in doubt. So, the way I see it, this week’s game vs. St. Louis is a “must win” not in the sense that if they lose their season is over but in the sense that if they lose, their season will hang in the balance.