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Of course, nobody expected Dallas to be 3-8, but it's an unpredictable game, and the NFC East—a division that hasn't been won by the same team in back-to-back years in over a decade—is as capricious as pro sports divisions come.
Even with the offseason loss of reigning Offensive Player of the Year DeMarco Murray, the Cowboys were supposed to do damage with the league's reigning passer-rating leader, the league's reigning touchdown receiver and an offensive line featuring three young Pro Bowlers.
Throw in that, on paper, the defense was healthier and stronger than in 2014, and there were myriad reasons to be confident in America's Team.
Instead, the Cowboys are essentially out of contention before the month of December, stuck in last place in the entire NFC and facing the likely loss of Pro Bowl quarterback Tony Romo, who on Thursday reinjured the collarbone that cost him seven games—all losses—earlier this season.
But the good news for the Cowboys is their 2015 demise had nothing to do with Murray's departure or letdowns from the budding offensive line. It had nothing to do with defensive lapses or poor play from the receiving corps.
In other words, there's nothing systemically wrong with this roster.
Instead, this season can be written off entirely because of injuries suffered by Romo and Bryant. No team in this league can lose its starting quarterback for at least half the season and live to tell about it. But on top of that, Bryant has missed six games.
That's simply too much to overcome.
According to a report from Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio, there's "most likely" a small fracture in Romo's pesky left collarbone. And if that's the case—and ESPN's Ed Werder reported along the same lines—it should spell the end to his 2015 campaign.
In fact, Romo should be shut down now regardless of the severity of this injury. Per Mark Maske of the Washington Post, Romo said after the loss that this injury had a "similar" feel to the one he suffered in Week 2, so it's obvious something's not right. And although it's tough to throw in the towel when you're still mathematically in contention, Dallas can't afford to further risk Romo's long-term health by chasing a far-fetched playoff spot.
It's time to turn to 2016.
That doesn't mean you stop game-planning for the Commanders, Packers, Jets, Bills and Commanders (again). But it means you preserve expensive and invaluable cogs such as Romo and Bryant while treating the final five weeks as a dress rehearsal for next season.
A healthy Romo can still be effective at 36, which is by no means beyond the expiry date for your typical star pocket passer. That talented line will remain intact, and Bryant and stud tight end Jason Witten will return as well.
Dallas will have some decisions to make, especially on defense. Pass-rusher Greg Hardy has been a nuisance off the field. He and the talented but sometimes unreliable Rolando McClain are scheduled to become free agents. Can Hardy avoid negative buzz? Do they bring him back? What about McClain? Or cornerback Morris Claiborne? Should Darren McFadden be the lead dog in the backfield entering 2016?
These are the types of questions the Cowboys should be asking themselves as they audit the roster over the next five weeks. That way, they'll have a head start on a very important offseason—one of the advantages of bowing out of the race early.
I'm not saying the Cowboys were lucky to lose on Thursday, but considering the unsightly circumstances surrounding the 2015 season, Dallas fans might eventually be thankful for the fact that—for the first time since 2010—they've been put out of their misery prior to the final Sunday of the regular season.
Brad Gagnon has covered the NFL for Bleacher Report since 2012.
Follow @Brad_Gagnon
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