Tyron Smith absence was felt Sunday on the road against the Miami Dolphins. 

Now, I understand we as fans like to poke fun sometimes and say he should retire because he can’t stay healthy. 

Yet, after what we saw on Christmas Eve, I will take him at 80% over anything else this team has on the roster. 

Dak Prescott was sacked 4 times in the loss to Miami, but it goes far beyond that. 

Chuma Edoga

Chuma Edoga made Bradley Chubb look like Lawrence Taylor on Sunday. 

At times he even allowed Chubb to go unblocked by trying to take the inside release. 

See video below. 

We don’t appreciate how valuable a Hall of Fame left tackle can be. 

The Cowboys are going to need Smith for the home stretch and the playoff in January. 

On Monday, Mike McCarthy and Jerry Jones said Smith could possibly play on Saturday against the Lions. 

Smith received an epidural in his back last week, according to Jones.

“That usually works, so we could have him,” Jones said on his weekly radio show on 105.3 The Fan, via Todd Archer of ESPN. 

“He’s a huge difference-maker.”

No kidding he is a difference maker, and it was clear as day that he is needed for this team. 

They cannot go into the playoffs without a fully healthy offensive line. They are going to get rolled if Smith and the rest of the guys aren’t out there. 

The offense looked really solid on the opening two drives, a fumble at the goal line costed them 7, and Prescott found Lamb for a 40 plus yard touchdown.

Mike McCarthy then called the game not to lose, and this is what bothers me. 

They traded field goals in the second half, and when the offense needed a touchdown to take the lead Prescott connected with Brandin Cooks with under 4 minutes left. 

I knew the team to have the ball last would win. 

It is so easy for teams nowadays to get into field goals range, and Jason Sanders had a career day and hit the game winner. 

When the offense is aggressive like on the first few drives and the last offensive drive, they score at will. 

I know it’s there, and it always is, but at some point McCarthy has GOT to stop calling the game to lose. 

The offense honestly looked okay to me without their Hall of Fame left tackle.

Smith didn’t play and I think his value went up because we saw how BAD Edoga was. 

Going forward this team is still going to have to win on the road in the playoffs.

I’ll be honest, and tell you the only team I don’t think Dallas can beat in the NFC is the 49ers.

Although they took a beat down against the Ravens on Christmas, the NFC is just weird.

Teams look dominate for a couple weeks, then lay an egg.

Cowboys finish at home against the Lions and on the road against Washington.

If they win both and the Eagles drop one game either to the Cardinals or the Giants, Cowboys will win the division and earn the 2 seed.