LT Sports

Ahh…finally. The Cowboys played the second half like they should have played all along. They relied heavily on their run game,  and they let Romo connect on passes that could get him into a rhythm. They were not perfect by any stretch of the imagination, but they did not beat themselves and that was the key to the victory.

Against the Giants, the Cowboys looked as though they did not care that they were throwing Romo into tough situations. They made it hard for him to succeed based on some questionable play calls, and they aided the defense by being predictable. In my opinion, Romo is not as big of a problem as the offensive coordinator, Jason Garrett.

When Garrett calls a good game, this team looks one of the best in the league. On the other hand, when he calls a bad game, everybody is ready to give Romo the boot. As long as Garrett uses his team to their strengths, which right now is clearly the running game, there is no reason why this team should not contend for a playoff spot.

As was visible, when the offense was able to move the ball effectively against the Panthers, the defense began playing a lot better. Yes, they only gave up 7 points in the first half,  but they were not a disruptive force as they were in the second half. In the second half they recorded multiple sacks and caused some turnovers as well. This team, or any team for that matter, cannot expect to win a boatload of games unless they get sacks and turnovers on a consistent basis. Now that they have shown that they are capable, maybe they will have the confidence to continue the play that they displayed in the second half and be a top defense in this league.

The difference between the first half and the second half is basically a microcosm of the two ways that the Cowboys have the potential to play. They can either look uninspired and lost, or they can look smooth and firing on all cylinders. At this point, that difference begins and ends in the hands of Jason Garrett.

Filed under: NFL