Following the Dallas Cowboys’ week 11 loss to the Houston Texans, I lost all hope for the team and came to terms with the woeful season.
However, in typical Cowboys fashion, the team found a way to give me hope that they could turn things around. In their week 12 matchup against their divisional opponents, the Washington Commanders, the team pulled off a miraculous win. It was one of the craziest fourth quarters of football I have ever seen, with the Cowboys scoring 24 points and returning two kickoffs for touchdowns. I was dumbfounded.
On one hand, I was happy that the team won against a tough divisional opponent; on the other hand, I was disappointed that the team had won. After an awful start to the season and plenty of injuries setting the team back, I was sure they would lose the game. In fact, I wanted them to lose the game in order for them to have a higher chance of securing a top pick in this year’s draft.
No matter what you want as a fan, the team does the complete opposite. I wanted them to start the season strong and show a will to win, but they didn’t. I wanted them to accept reality and switch their focuses toward improving for the future, but they didn’t. No matter what fans want, the team will always choose the worst possible alternative and continue their dark spiral into insanity.
On Thanksgiving, the Cowboys played their division rivals the New York Giants, in what was a boring and unbearable watch for fans. I typically love watching football on Thanksgiving, but this year was a snoozefest — literally. I fell asleep while watching the game halfway through the second quarter. When I woke up, I saw that the Cowboys were on pace to win, so I went back to sleep. The Cowboys won the game, but that’s not what I wanted. The Cowboys sat outside of playoff contention and even farther away from securing a top pick in the draft.
In a best-case scenario, the team would win out the rest of the season, and by pure luck make a wildcard playoff appearance. In a worst-case scenario, the team would win a few more games and still not make the playoffs, meaning they would be stuck with a mediocre draft pick.
Heading into the Cowboys’ week 13 matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals, it was looking more likely the latter of the two options would occur. The Cowboys lost the Monday night football showdown against the Bengals in what was actually an entertaining game. What was not entertaining, but in fact heartbreaking, was the Cowboys botched blocked punt that led to the Bengals game-winning drive.
With just a few minutes remaining in the tied game, the Cowboys were set to get the ball back. In the span of only a few seconds, my heart rose through the roof, then dropped into oblivion, as the special teams unit blocked a punt. The Cowboys muffed the blocked punt, and the Bengals recovered, now in prime scoring position themselves. It was another nail in the coffin for Cowboys fans, as we have had to deal with the rollercoaster of emotions this season.
Following the heartbreaking loss to the Bengals, the Cowboys moved on to face the worst team in the NFL, the Carolina Panthers. The Cowboys came out of their week 15 matchup against the Panthers with a definitive 30-14 win, still holding onto a slim chance of making the playoffs. The best thing I saw from the game is that the Cowboys’ defense has finally kicked into gear; even with only three weeks left in the regular season, it’s a positive in a season full of negatives.
Mathematically, there is still a small chance the Cowboys can make the playoffs, but it would take a miracle. That chance is all I need as a Cowboys fan to keep hope because deep down, I know it isn’t likely the team will make the playoffs. I have to hope for the best because without hope for success, what kind of fan would I be?
Watching NFL football on Sundays would no longer be fun if I wanted my favorite team to lose. Even though I know there isn’t a high chance of the Cowboys doing the unimaginable, I have to have hope that they can.
