Are the Dallas Cowboys just not good in 2019?

For all the blame being heaped on head coach Jason Garrett, is it possible that the Dallas Cowboys roster has just been grossly overrated?

The Dallas Cowboys offensive line is supposed to be the best in the NFL, but when the quarterback needs time to pass, there is none. Also, when the running back needs a few yards, there are no holes whatsoever.

Speaking of that running back, Ezekiel Elliott is putting up a whole lot of yards this season but he isn’t making the splash plays that a $15 million per season running back should. His longest run this season is just 31 yards and since his rookie season, he hasn’t gotten a single run to go for more than 41. He’s also averaging just 6.1 yards per reception.

And let’s not even get started on the team’s continual belief that Jason Witten is still the Jason Witten we remember from his prime. That’s just a couple of issues on offense that come to mind.

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On defense, it seems even worse. Byron Jones, for example, is often considered one of the better corners in the game yet he has just two career interceptions. Sure, there’s more to a receiver’s game than just picks, but Jones was beaten several times this past Thursday against the Chicago Bears receivers.

There are also many missed tackles from their linebackers and while DeMarcus Lawrence does more than just rush the passer, he hasn’t exactly lived up to the $20 million contract he signed this season.

All this being put together begs the question of whether or not this team just isn’t as good as they get credit for. From offensive linemen holding and collecting false starts to grabby defensive backs, the Cowboys players are often making huge errors.

Of course, coaching plays a part in a lot of this and there are far less talented rosters than theirs. However, there probably needs to be more blame placed on those making the roster decisions.

From avoiding free agents to giving in to high demands from their own players, the Cowboys personnel errors are starting to show.

They erred in drafting Taco Charlton over T.J. Watt and so far it looks to be the same with Trysten Hill being taken over Taylor Rapp or Juan Thornhill. IN addition to those mistakes, they took linebacker Leighton Vander Esch in 2018 and while it looked brilliant last season, his red flag just popped back up.

As is the case with all three of their top linebackers, LVE had a medical issue when drafted as his neck injuries were a concern. Dallas didn’t agree and now in his second season, he could be done for the year with a neck injury.

None of this is being said to pardon Jason Garrett. He has had his share of issues and should be held accountable. But again, the problem here falls on owner and general manager Jerry Jones. He wants to be right about Garrett so bad that he has ignored red flags for 10 years and is now mad that he’s starting to see the flaws the rest of the world has been pointing out since 2011.

So if anyone out there thinks firing Garrett and hiring a new coach will fix everything, they could be in for a rude awakening. As much of a problem as he can be, there are far bigger concerns in Big D. From their ownership down to the over-valuing of players, this Cowboys team isn’t as good as many want to believe.