The Quest for Even Keel

Quest for Even Keel

(One man’s quest to remain calm during a Dallas Cowboys Football season)

By William C Walker Jr.

September 17, 2013

                It’s that time of the year again when the temperature falls into that last remnants of summer, and the burgeoning of the fall.  It’s also the time when my neighbors may hear shouts of exaltation or cries of despair.  It’s football season and being a football fan, especially a Dallas Cowboys fan it comes with the territory.  Yet after another crushing blow of disappointment last year, I lied to told myself this year was going to be different.  Different, as to meaning I was all in with my belief of Dallas winning the Super Bowl?  No, I’m passionate not delusional despite what some may claim.  It’s going to be different because I’m determined to remain even keel.

                Now to many my goal or quest may not seem like a big deal.  But trust me, for those that know me.  Staying even keel during a Dallas Cowboys football season, is akin to saying a fat man will only eat salad at an all you can eat buffet.  Chances are slim at best.  Yet I’ve made my mind up told my girlfriend “I’m going to stay even keel this season”.  It doesn’t matter if Dallas loses a game when they’re up by 14 with less than 5 minutes to go in the 4^th quarter ala at home versus the Giants in a 2011 defeat.  Nope no matter the mind melting infuriating circumstance I’m going to stay even keel.

                So how am I doing two games into the season?  Before I answer let’s take a look at what I’ve witnessed thus far.  Let me start with game one, after a satisfying win versus the New York Giants.  The first victory for the Cowboy’s inside Jerry’s World (recently named AT & T stadium) it’s hard not to be pleased.  Especially due to the manner of which they achieved said victory.  A football team that had a total of 16 takeaways for the entirety of the 2012 season, kicked off the 2013 season with 6 takeaways.  Last year Dallas didn’t have 6 takeaways until Week 6.  So while it’d be easy to jump for joy with this new found determination to get the ball.  Keep in mind that Big D only won by 5 points and it took that sixth turnover to clinch the game.  At a moment when it was less than 2 minutes left and Eli (aka Droopy) Manning had the ball at midfield only down by 6.  

It’s a scenario that’s become all too common to Cowboys fans.  While I could feel my blood pressure rise, neck tightening, and a few choice words resting against my tongue, Brandon Carr erased said feelings with an electrifying 49 yard interception return for a touchdown to seal the game.  So even with happiness at starting the season off 1-0 in a very good not great way, I decided to temper my excitement.

So after week 2 and an extremely frustrating (not infuriating) one point loss on the road to the Kansas City Chiefs the reason for my temperance was front and center.  In fact the loss to the Chiefs revealed all the same ingredients which have led this team to back to back seasons of mediocrity at 8-8, adding 3 consecutive seasons of missing the playoffs.  Missed opportunities, bad play calling, inconsistent line play, and failing to step up and make a play when it matters most.  Yet with all these elements present the Cowboys still had a very good chance at winning the game.  

The defense after giving up a 77 yard drive for a touchdown to Kansas City, where the defense made Alex Smith look like his replacement in San Francisco (Colin Kaepernick) the Cowboys D then hunkered down.  The offense after another wasted trip to the red zone in their first drive, remembered that Dez Bryant is a man among boys and fed the X-factor.  The defense made stops even though the turnovers were missing, yet they still made a great play in blocking a FG attempt to take a 10-7 lead to halftime.  The first drive of the 2^nd half the team marches to the Kansas City 5 yard line.  So with first & goal from the 5 what does Dallas do?  Run the ball, of course not let’s pass not even play action pass just straight pass, and then Romo is sacked.  On 2^nd down the line get’s a false start which backs them up 5 yards, after a decent play by DeMarco Murray to give you 3^rd and goal from the 9.  

What does new Offense coordinator Bill Callahan call? Let’s see to the left you have Dez Bryant 6’2 222lbs and already having 5 catches 100 yards and 1 TD against corner back Brandon Flowers 5’9 187lbs and given up 5 catches and 1 TD.  To your right you have Terrance Williams rookie WR who’s been inconsistent at best also on that side Miles Austin in the slot Jason Witten at Tight End, so the majority of the Chiefs defense is to that side.  So given what’s on the left side & what’s on the right I asked what does Bill Callahan call?  Answer a WR screen to Terrance Williams from the 9 yard line.  The result a 3 yard loss and Dallas kicks a FG instead of scoring a touchdown.

 I decided to focus on that series of events because in a nutshell that’s your ball game.  Yes Dallas continued to have opportunities that they squandered with complete lack of running game, and a 4^th Quarter where Romo’s pain shot for bruised ribs must’ve worn off, because he couldn’t hit the broad side of a barn.  But essentially during that series you saw pretty much everything that continues to make Dallas a mediocre team.  Flash of good execution and balance (they actually ran the ball that drive) which moves you into the red zone, then abandonment of said run, and then a mind boggling play call that leaves you scratching your head.  The Chiefs game reminded me all too well of the team I’m dealing with.

So I asked how am I doing 2 weeks into the season?  Proudly EVEN, I didn’t scream and shout and explode with F-bombs after the Dallas loss.  Now some in my family will say it was due to the angelic presence of my new baby niece Laila.  But I adamantly profess it’s this new sense of calm and perspective, that after Tony Romo threw an interception on 1^st & 10 last year in the last game of the season against the Washington Redskins.  When the team was only down by 3 points with a chance to win the division, after one of the rants to end all rants washed through me.  I said let it go my friend embrace the sense of even keel.  So thus far I’ve remained perfectly content and calm, that is at least until Week 3.