The Tribune

By INIGO 'NAUGHTY' ZENICAZELAYA

ATTENTION Dallas Cowboys fans here in the Bahamas, we can’t be delusional any longer, at present we are a bad football team.

The situation is fixable however, at this very moment, considering what I saw in the season opener in Carolina against the Panthers on Sunday - an 8-8 record this season would be amazing in my opinion.

NO MORE EXCUSES

No longer can we blame the defence and use them as a scapegoat to let an underachieving, lacklustre offence off the hook.

What ales us is a stagnant, bland, unimaginative offensive unit, headed up offensive coordinator Scott Linehan.

The first part of the remedy is showing Linehan the door ASAP.

Linehan has been given numerous opportunities to make it happen on the offensive side of the football.

Despite a few minuscule moments of brilliance, the majority of the time Cowboys fans have had to witness the alarmingly predictable play calling that led to opposing defences calling out the Cowboys’ plays on the field.

Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant echoed the same sentiments on his way out of town.

In fact, blaming the downturn of his career on Linehan and his ‘vanilla’ predictable play calling.

STOP DEFENDING

MEDIOCRITY

Surprisingly, the Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett and the Cowboys have given Linehan more power than ever this offseason, leading to the headline decision to move on from All-Pro wide receiver Dez Bryant. The team has been built more “Dak-friendly” (referring to QB Dak Prescott) who, by the way, was handpicked and drafted by Linehan. I think Bryant’s departure had more to do with Bryant offering public criticism regarding Linehan and the offensive scheme. Along with the remarks concerning Linehan’s unwillingness to adjust or change.

Now coincidentally, months after Bryant’s release, Linehan admitted the offence was too limited last season, basically repeating Bryant’s original point entirely.

SOMETIMES

CHANGE IS GOOD

Linehan’s failure to adjust both in game and post game also cost the Cowboys several games last season, often having the lead going into the half, only to be blitzkrieged in the third quarter.

And it only appears to be getting worse this year.In the season opener in Carolina the defence played lights out, sacking Panthers QB Cam Newton three times, forcing him into an outing worse than Prescott’s and holding the Panthers’ offence to a 33 per cent third-down conversion rate while also forcing a key red-zone turnover.

Unlike the defence, Linehan’s offence was clearly missing in action on Sunday.

The last four regular season outings have seen the team now register an average of only 11.5 points per game. If that’s not a red flag, I don’t know what else is. Enough is enough!

THE CAT’S GOT

YOUR TONGUE

Linehan had nothing to say following the Cowboys’ sickening offensive display against the Panthers.

Maybe Linehan knows, we the loyal Cowboy fans have heard enough from him already, we’ve also seen enough of his ineptness!

BYE FELICIA

It’s time for Linehan and his passive playbook to exit stage left, and a young innovative, dynamic, offensive mind brought in to salvage the offence.

• Naughty presents ‘Mischief and Mayhem in da AM’ from 6am to 10am, Monday to Friday and ‘The Press Box’ sports talk show on Sunday from 10am to 1pm, on KISS FM 96.1. Comments and questions to naughty@tribunemedia.net