Going into the 2008 NFL season, many league experts picked the Dallas Cowboys to end up winning the Super Bowl. With Week 14 in the books, it’s difficult to find anyone who is still confident in that prediction. And rightfully so.

Although the Cowboys are immensely talented, they cohesion as a group simply doesn’t exist. The lack of cohesion starts at the top. Despite the success head coach Wade Phillips has had as coach, lingering reports indicate that owner Jerry Jones isn’t enamored with the job Phillips is doing. If the head coach doesn’t have the support of the owner, that’s a major crack in the foundation.

Additionally, quarterback Tony Romo has a growing reputation that he can’t succeed in clutch situations. Romo has had a number of blunders late in big games and with each passing blunder, that reputation starts looking more and morel like a fact.

Wide receiver Terrell Owens is a fantastic talent but if your team is crumbling, having Owens on the team is like adding gasoline to the fire. Fellow wide receiver Roy Williams, who the Cowboys acquired in a midseason trade, has been slow to transition to the Cowboys’ offense and his frustration is becoming evident.

At running back, injury is the big problem. Starter Marion Barber III missed Week 14’s game and isn’t a lock to play in Week 15. Backup running back Felix Jones has already been lost for the season.

On the defensive side of the ball, the Cowboys are better than average but far from dominant. Their young players are prone to make mistakes and the veteran players aren’t always playing up to their capabilities. If the Cowboys make it to the playoffs, their defense won’t be much of an asset. Rather, it’d just be another area to worry about.

Making the playoffs got much tougher with the team’s Week 14 loss against the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Steelers outscored the Cowboys 17-0 in the fourth quarter to pull out a 20-13 win. The key play of the contest came when Romo threw an interception late in the fourth quarter and the Steelers were able to return the takeaway for a touchdown.

At 8-5, the Cowboys are still alive for the playoffs. That said, they’ll have to solve a lot of problems and cohesion issues to make the playoffs and have a legitimate shot to do damage in the postseason. If you are a betting man, don’t bet on the Cowboys finding the solutions.

Tags: dallas cowboys, Football, marion barber, NFL, pittsburgh steelers, terrell owens, tony romo
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