The Cowboys are 3-8. On their active roster they don’t have a quarterback with a win in the NFL since 2014. Their leading receiver is a shadow of himself. Only the Browns and Titans have fewer wins, and both started the year with far less expectations.
Like it or not, this is one of the most disappointing seasons in Cowboys' franchise history – and clearly time to begin planning for 2016.
Unless, that is, you’re the eternal optimist/salesman known as Jerry Jones. The owner was on his weekly radio show on KRLD-FM this morning spewing sunshine and butterflies.
A day after head coach Jason Garrett said “There’s a lot of football left to be played in 2015”, Jones upped the irrational ante with more – in his opinion, at least – reasons not to trash this season.
His reasoning?
*The NFC Least, where even at 3-8 the Cowboys are only two games out of first place. “I think we start with the idea that the East is just absolutely staying open, as far as an opportunity,” he said. “I have to pinch myself when I look at the scenarios that can occur, so that's No. 1. We have mathematically the opportunity to compete and actually be in the playoffs.”
*Matt Cassel. Jones has a belief in his backup-turned-starter that hardly anyone else in DFW shares. “Cassel has certainly gained a lot of experience relative to working in our offense over these past several weeks,” Jones continued. “It’s not unreasonable to think that he can come in and play at higher level that we can open our playbook up more, that we can give him a better opportunity to make plays.”
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Sorry, but a crappy quarterback playing in a crappy division doesn’t get me excited. To be using the word “playoffs” at this point is just preposterous.
I know that in 2014 the Panthers started 3-8-1 and made the playoffs. And I realize an 8-8 team might just win the NFC East. But I just haven’t seen any demonstrated consistency of success to make me believe the Cowboys – with Cassel – can win one game in a row, much less five.
“Let’s just see how this thing goes against a good Washington team that did us all right and beat those Giants for us,” Jones said. “So let’s see what we got.”
Not blaming Jones for attempting to sell. I’m just not close to buying.
A native Texan who was born in Duncanville and graduated from UT-Arlington, Richie Whitt has been a mainstay in the Metroplex media since 1986. He’s held prominent roles on all media platforms including newspaper (Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Dallas Observer), radio (105.3 The Fan) and TV (co-host on TXA 21 and numerous guest appearances, including NBC 5). He lives in McKinney with his wife, Sybil, and two very spoiled dogs.
