My Quick Thoughts on Cowboys at Chiefs 2013

(GIF originally posted to Deadspin.com by Samer Kalaf)

• Yes, the Chiefs are a much, much improved team – and Arrowhead Stadium is one of the toughest places to play in the NFL – but that was a game the Cowboys really should have won.
• I’ve been one of Tony Romo’s biggest defenders throughout his career – a group that’s becoming a dying breed with each passing season – but not even I can defend how poorly he played in the second half of this game (after a very good first half).  So many of his throws were way off-target, many thrown behind his receivers, and he simply held the ball too long on the play where he fumbled on a strip sack.  He’s not solely to blame for the loss, but he definitely deserves a significant share of it.
• There was some speculation that Romo’s sore ribs could have contributed to his poor throws, but the only inside scoop we were able to get from sideline reporter Jennifer Hale was that Romo had eaten a granola bar.  These in-game reports don’t have to be Woodward and Bernstein-level stuff, but c’mon!
• Meanwhile, Alex Smith spent much of the day doing a shockingly convincing impression of Johnny Football by running so free he led the Chiefs in rushing.  Unlike Romo, he didn’t turn it over all day, although Bruce Carter dropped an easy Pick 6 at one point.  Smith has been considered a disappointment by many over the years, mainly because he was the first overall player taken in the 2005 draft, but being paired with Andy Reid may finally enable him to have some sustained success for the first time in his career.
• Dez Bryant was phenomenal all day…EXCEPT for that uncharacteristic and completely inconceivable drop of what might have been a 79-yard touchdown, or at the very least a huge gain.  The timing of that drop was especially painful, as it came on the Cowboys’ first drive after the aforementioned Romo fumble, and was with the Cowboys trailing 17-13 with 9:00 left in the game.
• For the second straight game, the Cowboys’ most reliable player was Dan Bailey.  It’s great to have such a dependable kicker, but when your most reliable player every week is your kicker, that points to significant issues with the rest of your team.
• The Cowboys’ offensive line again provided Romo with solid pass protection most of the day, surprising us all once more.  What wasn’t surprising was yet another week of awful run blocking.  But that being said, Bill Callahan and Jason Garrett simply must figure out a way to try and run the ball more than they have in each of the season’s two games so far.
• Orlando Scandrick blocked a ton of kicks in college at Boise State, so it was good to see him finally get one yesterday as a Cowboy.  Special Teams has been the Cowboys’ best unit by far through two weeks of the season.  Both Bailey and punter Chris Jones have been very good in each game, and Dwayne Harris continues to dominate in coverage, while giving the team some solid returns on punts and kickoffs.
• If this game had been played closer to Thanksgiving, I would have called Macy’s to alert them to the fact that their “Bob The Tomato” float had gotten loose and drifted all the way to Kansas City…before realizing it was just Andy Reid in his bright red pullover tarp from the Charlie Weis signature collection.  He’d be much better off raiding Jerry Glanville’s closet, because let’s face it, black is slimming.
• Looking at the glass as half-full, the Cowboys remain tied for first in the NFC East heading home to face the St. Louis Rams next week.  Hopefully, it will more closely resemble Week 1 than Week 2 – especially in terms of the final outcome.