The Dallas Cowboys are 2-5, and reeling with five straight losses. The offense has struggled mightily without Tony Romo. Romo will be back soon, so all hope is not lost. With that in mind, here are five things that will determine the remainder of the Cowboys' season.
5. Defense
The Cowboys' defense has been roughly a league average unit. That's good enough to win games with Romo, but the defense must step up with Romo out. The defense doesn't have to be Top 10, but it must do better than it did against the Saints, Patriots and Falcons earlier this season for the team to survive until Romo is back. It did its job against the Seahawks, but the offense failed the Cowboys.
4. Dez Bryant
Bryant is back from his foot injury. He didn't do much against Seattle, but that wasn't really his fault. The wide receiver corps has struggled without Bryant and Romo, and getting Bryant back gives them the playmaker they lack. With Bryant, the team has a player who Cassel can just throw it up to and expect a play to be made. The most important thing Bryant can do is stay healthy and continue to contribute. The offense needs him out there.
3. Running Game
This one part running backs and one part offensive line. Darren McFadden is the new starting running back after he took the job from the now-released Joseph Randle. The offensive line has been good, but Cowboys' fans are expecting more than that. The O-Line is supposed to the best in the league, but they've barely been a Top 10 unit. The line must start improving, and if that happens, the Cowboys might be able to win a game before Romo is back.
2. Romo's Return
The Cowboys are just trying to tread water until Romo's return. Romo is the most important player on the team, and the results are quite clear how bad this team is without him. When Romo returns, likely around Week 11, the Cowboys' win chances will change dramatically. The team needs him out on the field. I can't shake the feeling that Dallas would be at least 7-1 if Romo had stayed healthy. If Romo comes back and plays at the level he was before the injury, the Cowboys can still make a playoff push. Of course, that's dependent on the Cowboys getting decent play from their temporary QB.
1. Matt Cassel
Brandon Weeden wasn't the problem with Romo out, but he wasn't the solution either. That's why the Cowboys turned to Cassel. Unfortunately, Cassel doesn't look like the answer either. The Cowboys can't turn back to Weeden now, so Cassel MUST find a way to get the Cowboys one or two wins before handing the controls back to Romo. Dallas can't afford to have Romo back but with a 2-7 record. For Dallas to save their season, they need Cassel to deliver at least one win before Week 11.
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