America's (Most Disappointing) Team

This post is dedicated to fans of the most disappointing team in the National Football League. No team has broken more hearts of recent than America's team, the Dallas Cowboys. Sure, plenty of teams have more losses, less playoff appearances, etc. However, it is not about losing, but rather how they lose; in gut wrenching fashion.

Let's start with the penalties. In the past five years, the cowboys have been one of the most penalized team in the NFL, averaging 7.5 penalties per game. The cowboys are league leaders once again in 2012, averaging a remarkable 9.2 penalties per game. Granted, some degree of holding occurs on nearly every play. An argument can be made for pass interference, either offensive or defensive, almost every time the quarterback drops back. In other words, some flags are forgivable. In fact, there are plenty of cases in which the competitive advantage of cheating a bit is entirely worth the risk of getting called for it. On the other hand, some flags, like false starts, delay of game, and illegal shifts, are inexcusable. Dallas leans towards the latter. From a fans perspective, there is nothing more frustrating than seeing flag after flag as your team has to overcome 1st and 15 or 2nd and 20 situations. Perpetually playing out of a hole sets a discouraging tone on a game early on, negatively affecting the attitude of the players and fans alike. Furthermore, Dallas has created a steadfast reputation as a highly penalized team over the years. I cannot say for sure that this has resulted in the referees keeping a closer eye on the Cowboys, but then again, I cannot say otherwise with any real certainty either.

Missed opportunities round out the perfect storm of discontent. Between untimely interceptions, not that any interceptions come at a good time, and countless mental errors, the Cowboys are masterful at the art of screwing up. From the famous botched snap back in the 2007 playoff game against the Seahawks, to simple miscommunication between quarterback and receiver, Dallas fans have seen it all. Most people are quick to blame Tony Romo for the current era of awfulness, but is this really the case? Perhaps closer attention should be paid to the offensive line that often times force Romo to run for his life from an unblocked defender. Or maybe the receivers are the problem, as the talented receivers often lack the necessary football intelligence and the smart receivers lack the explosive raw talent that would allow Romo to truly showcase his arm. Don't get the wrong idea, I am certainly not letting Romo off the hook. 'Full of talent but riddled with poor decision making' has become the unshakable label next to the captain's "C" on his jersey. The one question in the minds of fans everywhere remains a mystery: Can the Dallas Cowboys ever overcome the mistakes and win a super bowl during the Tony Romo era? Your guess is as good as mine.