The bad news is, the Dallas Cowboys have many problems. The good news is, they can begin to fix them with one solution.
The Dallas Cowboys need a fresh set of eyes. If Jerry Jones the owner won't go down the hall to fire Jerry Jones the general manager, he needs to bring in someone to help him see what's clear to many others.
They need someone to be cognizant of the inept in-game coaching. They need someone to reorganize the scouting department. I laugh when I hear the media elite refer to the Cowboys' premier talent. Where is that talent, exactly? Where is the chemistry or character? Dallas consistently underachieves because it doesn't have top-six talent in the NFC, let alone in the NFL.
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What's the identity of the Cowboys? Think about that for a second. They don't have a prolific passing attack, a consistent running attack or a reliable defense. The Cowboys have been embarrassed by the Seattle Seahawks and Chicago Bears and suffered a depressing loss Sunday to the Baltimore Ravens. The flaws show.
The offensive line has been subpar yet again. The receiver position is thin. Dez Bryant ran a lazy route on that ill-fated two-point conversion attempt against the Ravens. In reality, that's the least of Dallas' worries with regard to its knucklehead receiver.
The quarterback is not elite. Sorry, Tony Romo, but it's true. Heck, he might not even be among the top two in his own division.
The Cowboys do not have a dominant defense. In a related story, defensive coordinator Rob Ryan has never led a dominant defense.
DeMarco Murray is hurt. Felix Jones can't stay healthy. The Cowboys' depth has been an issue for years.
And there's another little problem. Jason Garrett can't coach his way out of a paper bag. That might sound harsh, but frankly, I don't think it's harsh enough.
The Cowboys were inept on a potential game-winning drive in Baltimore. Garrett was totally clueless with his time management and game preparation. This gaffe shouldn't be pinned on Romo. It's on Garrett. There was no urgency. There seemingly was no plan. This was coming off a bye week. Did the Cowboys not practice? There were 22 seconds to go and Dallas needed a game-winning field goal. A team's focus, commitment and togetherness are all key ingredients to succeeding in those kinds of situations.
The Cowboys looked like the Bad News Bears of the NFL. They wasted vital time and yards. Predictably, Dan Bailey missed a 51-yard kick and the Cowboys lost by two.
Sadly, that's Cowboys football.
Last season, Garrett iced his own kicker against the Arizona Cardinals. If you remember the situation, he botched the clock management that time, too. We've seen this movie before.
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NFL Replay
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In 2010, the Cowboys went 6-10. Last season, they were 8-8. In 2012, they are 2-3. I picked Dallas to go 7-9. Why? Because they aren't very good or well-coached. This is not a blip. This is a trend.
As sports fans, we suffer when Dallas isn't good. You always want the classic teams to be in the mix. Sports are more fun when you can love or hate the Los Angeles Lakers, the New York Yankees, Notre Dame and the Dallas Cowboys.
Follow Adam Schein on Twitter @AdamSchein