If there’s one word that you could use to describe the Dallas Cowboys in 2019 it would be “inconsistency.” That’s not how you want to be defined as a team or as a player, but that is what this team has been this season. It’s the reason they’re 6-6 instead of running away with the NFC East. Whether it’s been play calling, execution, in-game coaching, game planning, or mental mistakes, the Cowboys have struggled to put it all together for pretty much every game this season.
The only game this season where this team displayed winning football from start to finish was the week seven win over the Philadelphia Eagles. That Sunday night, the Cowboys jumped out to a 14-0 lead over their division rival after getting two early turnovers that provided the offense with a short field. From the opening kickoff to the final whistle, the Dallas Cowboys absolutely dominated that game.
Unfortunately, that’s the only game where that can be said.
Though they rank really high in both total offense and total defense, the reason the Cowboys are 6-6 is that they’ve struggled to put together complete games week in and week out. And that’s what has been maddening about this team this season. They’re a team that at times looks like one of the best teams in the NFL. For a quarter or a half, they look like a team that can beat anyone they line up against. Then, often in the same game, they look like one of the worst teams in the NFL. Sure, their competition has made them look foolish, but a lot of what has gone wrong for the Cowboys has been self-inflicted.
They’ll be tested again tonight on Thursday Night Football.
The Cowboys will go on the road to face the 6-6 Chicago Bears in the Windy City in an effort to maintain control of the NFC East. Few places in the NFL are as difficult of an environment as Chicago when you consider the fans, the atmosphere, and the weather that the Cowboys will have to deal with.
Chicago has had its struggles, especially on the offensive side of the ball, but the Cowboys will have to overcome themselves and their inconsistencies to win a difficult game on the road in a tough environment.
In order to come out on top and move to 7-6, the Cowboys will have to get off to a quick start in order to take the Chicago crowd out of it. They’ll have to avoid the drive-killing penalties that have hurt them so much this year. With Khalil Mack on the other side, the Cowboys can’t afford to find themselves in second and third and long situations very often or it will be a long night for Dak Prescott and the offensive line.
As it’s been with every game this season, the Dallas Cowboys can absolutely win this game. The question is, will they?
