Cowboys final report card -- 2012: Not good enough to overcome injuries

The Cowboys began the season with injuries and they continued throughout the season. Still, Dallas had a shot to make the playoffs in a Week 17 showdown with the Redskins.

By Nick Eatman

Jan 3, 2013 at 6:00 pm ET • 2 min read

QB Tony Romo threw for nearly 5,000 yards, but it couldn't overcome the Cowboys’ injuries. (US Presswire)

The Cowboys started the season with injuries. They piled up in training camp and carried into the season. They occurred all year and it never let up. Overall the Cowboys lost more than 100 games from projected starters.

And in the end, it just added up to the point where the Cowboys could barely function. They certainly tried and made a playoff push but lost their final two games, including a winner-take-all battle with the Redskins to finish 8-8 for the second-straight year. It’s the third-consecutive season the Cowboys have missed the playoffs.

Offense: B-

The Cowboys ranked sixth in the NFL in total offense, and third in passing, but they only ranked 15^th in points per game. And that's the stat that defines most games. Tony Romo put up all kinds of numbers, including a career-high 4,903 yards. They nearly missed becoming the third team in NFL history to have three 1,000-yard receivers, but Miles Austin suffered an injury in the final game and finished with 943. Still, with a porous offensive line and lack of a running game -- six straight years without a 1,000-yard rusher -- the offense kept them in enough games.

Defense: C

There could be a case for the “I” grade for incomplete. Considering the defensive starters went on IR or missed considerable time -- Sean Lee, Bruce Carter, Kenyon Coleman, Orlando Scandrick, Barry Church and Jay Ratliff -- the defense held together fairly well. Coordinator Rob Ryan was left with a handful of players who were not signed off the street, but hadn’t played all season or in training camp. Down the stretch, DeMarcus Ware couldn’t stay healthy and barely mirrored his usual self. But performances by Brandon Carr and Anthony Spencer kept the Cowboys’ defense from completely cracking.

Special teams: C

Like a lot of things with this team, special teams had some good and bad. On one hand, they lost a game in Seattle where they gave 10 points to the Seahawks with a fumbled kickoff return and blocked punt for a touchdown. They also lost a game in Baltimore where a 108-yard kickoff return for a score was the difference. But K Dan Bailey made 29 of 31 field goals and all 26 attempts inside 50 yards. Punt returner Dwayne Harris emerged as a playmaker, including a game-changing return for a touchdown against the Eagles. The injuries to the team trickled down to special teams, leaving quite a weekly chore for coordinator Joe DeCamillis, who is one of the early candidates for the Chicago Bears coaching job.

Coaching: B-

There is a lot of criticism about the way this season played out, but when you factor in the amount of injuries and how the Cowboys still had a chance to make the playoffs up until the final game, it should be applauded more than criticized. Jason Garrett, while he had his share of game-management issues, called plays for an offense that ranked No. 6 in total yards. And regardless of the situation, Garrett kept his team engaged until the end of every game, where the Cowboys often rallied to either win or get back in contention. At 3-5 at the midway point, the Cowboys rallied to win five of six before dropping the final two.

Cumulative GPA: 2.35

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