Cowboys 2013 - Apagen Las Luces (Turn Off the Lights)

By A. Govea

As I write this I’m witnessing one of the biggest collapses in Cowboy history.

The score at halftime was Cowboys up 26-3.  It seemed like for once this year they would cruise to an easy victory against the Rogers-less Packers.  And guess what, more good news; the Eagles lost earlier.  Coupled with a Cowboy win, that would put them atop the division.  Given the Cowboys’ recent history, I half kidded my son: “Don’t worry, they will find a way to let Green Bay back into this game.”  Of course, I was not serious, but my words proved to be prophetic – UGH!!

Again there’s enough blame to go around; however, we have to start with Tony and Jason.  Though football, as we all know, is a team sport, only the head coach and quarterback have all team wins and losses permanently tattooed next to their name.

As for the defense, it seemed, based on first half, the Cowboys had learned something from Monday’s embarrassing loss to Chicago, when Dallas could not stop Chicago even once.  The Bears’ punter never made it on to the field.  The Cowboys had not learned much.  They managed to make another backup quarterback look like Tom Brady and a fair-to-middling runner into shades of Emmitt Smith.  The loss, again, was due to a combination of bad coaching, Romo’s now patented four quarter picks and a defenseless defense.  I asked myself, “why do I still watch this team?”  Just the previous Monday I said to no one in particular: “That’s it I’m done.”  As I watched again in disbelief, I recalled an old C&W tune: “Mommas, don’t let your babies grow up to be Cowboys.”

Believe or not, the Cowboys were once one of the top teams in the NFL.  In fact, they were once like the Patriots of today, with an unequaled 20-year winning streak, 58 playoff appearances with 33 wins.  And they made eight Super Bowl appearances, with five wins, three coming under the ownership of Jerry Jones.  Indeed, the Cowboys are the only team to win three Super Bowls in four years.  The present incarnation has contributed one playoff win to that number.

If you listen to Sports Talk, I’m sure you heard Jones say in response to a comment about his less-than-stellar job as Cowboys G.M.: “Did you like those three Super Bowls?  I hope you did; I hope you did very much.”  Yea Jerry, we did, but that last Super Bowl was during the 1995 season.  In the 2013 season, the team is setting records for most points given up.  Against the Packers, they equaled their worst loss after leading by 23 points at half time.  Sports pundits are even asking: “Is this the worst defense ever in NFL history?”  And if the general manager has the last word on personnel, and he says he does, many observers -- including this writer -- have to blame him.

So again, why do I continue to watch?  I guess the reason is, as a true fan, you have to.  The Cowboys are your, our team!  Maybe, just maybe next season.?  As for this season, I’m reminded of another great Dallas quarterback who just didn’t have enough team to get it done.  Don Meredith, later as an announcer on “Monday Night Football,” at the end of a game or when a game was out of hand, would sing “Turn out the lights, the party’s over.”  I think we all know this, but this Sunday -- as on all game days -- I will don my Staubach throwback jersey and support my Dallas Cowboys . . . and, just maybe? . . .