Dallas Cowboys 2011 Season Preview

By: Carrington Caul

Last year when I was doing season previews I said the Dallas Cowboys would go either 7-9 or 8-8 and a lot of people thought I was saying that because I dislike the cowboys but when I write articles I like to keep my personal feelings out of it and base it on talent, strength of schedules and how the team is used to playing. Meanwhile the rest of the world was excited for the Cowboys, they had drafted Dez Bryant who was supposed to be the missing piece from the Cowboys organization they had finally gotten their playoff win the previous season.

There were reports in camp that the team wasn’t getting along, little feuds and normally you write it off as a bunch of grown men egos in one room and that’s usually what happens on sports teams everybody has their ups and downs. Problem is the downs didn’t stop there opening the season the Cowboys lost week one to the Washington Redskins which was Donovan McNabb’s debut. After losing one game they Cowboys continued to go 1-7 by week 10 which caused the Cowboys to lose playoff hopes and their head coach Wade Phillips. After the firing of Phillips Jerry Jones promoted Jason Garrett to head coach; The Cowboys finished the season with some type of self respect ending their season with a 6-10 record.

Heading into the off season the Cowboys had a list of things they needed to address in free agency but the lockout hindered the moves they wanted to make. Heading into the draft the main needs for the Cowboys were an Offensive Lineman, Linebacker, Cornerback, Safety, and some depth at other positions. During the draft the Cowboys selected T. Smith (OT) USC, B. Carter (LB)North Carolina, D. Murray (RB) Oklahoma, D. Arkin (OG) Missouri State, J. Thomas (CB) Buffalo, D. Harris (WR) East Carolina, S. Chapas (FB) Georgia, and B. Nagy (OL) Wisconsin.

With those picks the Cowboys addressed their offensive line and linebacker situation buy they didn’t address their biggest hole and that was their secondary, the same secondary that ranked 26th in opponents passing yards per game. Leaving them six places from finishing dead last in the league and if you don’t understand how bad that is. The number worst team in the league by record Carolina Panthers who finished 2-14 was ranked 11th in opponents passing yards per game. A week after free agency has started and the Cowboys still hasn’t addressed their secondary problems after trying to go after Nnamadi Asomugha who they lost out on to the Jets, they also cut WR Roy Williams and Marion Barber meaning their top rusher will be Felix Jones a RB who hasn’t reached 1,000 yards in his career or score more than 3 touchdowns a season.

DALLAS COWBOYS 2011 SCHEDULE

Sep 11 @ New York Jets (8:20 PM)

Sep 18 @ San Francisco 49Ers (4:05 PM)

Sep 26 vs. Washington Redskins (8:30 PM)

Oct 2 vs. Detroit Lions (1:00 PM)

BYE WEEK

Oct 16 @ New England Patriots (4:15 PM)

Oct 23 vs. St. Louis Rams (4:15 PM)

Oct 30 @ Philadelphia Eagles (8:20 PM)

Nov 6 vs. Seattle Seahawks (1:00 PM)

Nov 13 vs. Buffalo Bills (1:00 PM)

Nov 20 @ Washington Redskins (1:00 PM)

Nov 24 vs. Miami Dolphins (4:15 PM)

Dec 4 @ Arizona Cardinals (4:15 PM)

Dec 11 vs. New York Giants (8:20 PM)

Dec 17 @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8:20 PM)

Dec 24 vs. Philadelphia Eagles (4:15 PM)

Jan 1 @ New York Giants (1:00 PM)

Reading their schedule you see it won’t be a walk in the park for the Cowboys, and Jerry Jones still has to decide what he’s going to do to that secondary. If the Cowboys line up week one with their roster that they have now then the Cowboys will finish 6-10 again or 7-9. Their weakness right now is their secondary and having games against (Jets, Lions, Patriots, Rams, Eagles, Cardinals, Giants, and Buccaneers) are all against offenses that are pass heavy and will continuously expose the secondary. Hopefully they can pick up a CB like Carolos Rodgers, or Asante Samuels, something that will improve their secondary.

Don’t expect this team to head to the playoffs this season, they have a week secondary, their once powerful running game is in question and they have a first year head coach who didn’t get OTA’s and Mini-Camps to get his offense and defense acclimated to the new styles he’s going to use. The only thing the Cowboys will battle for this year is who finishes in third place between them and the Redskins, and that isn’t a battle we want to see.