T.O.

And thus, it ends. Terrell Owens is now a former Dallas Cowboy, or put another way-he is not a Buffalo Bill (and that just sounds weird). Bills fans (all eight of them) are now getting their popcorn ready.

It's really not terribly shocking, I think the day TO signed in Dallas most folks knew how this story was going to play out, and for the most part (overdose aside) it played out according to the script written in both Philadelphia and San Francisco before. A productive and fairly quiet season, followed by a productive season with a few headlines, and the last act being a productive season in which his paranoia gets the best of him and he wears out his welcome and he is released and moves on to the next city and does it all over again. On top of that, I think most folks expected it to last about three years, which it did. And now he takes his circus to Buffalo for a season or two.

I don't hate the guy the way a lot of people do. In fact, I rather enjoy watching him-he is one hell of a football player, and entertaining to boot. Furthermore, I think people are under-estimating what a loss for the Cowboys-as far as on the field play goes-this will be for Dallas. In 2008 he caught 69 for 1052 and 10 TD. Compare that to his best statistical season in Dallas, 2007, where he caught 81 for 1355 and 15 TD and factor in the three game abortion that was the Brad Johnson experiment, and the numbers work out fairly similarly. This is a man that might be beginning the eventual decline in production that all players experience, but to say that he is washed up is dishonest and reaks of a personal agenda.

Does he drop too many passes? He sure does. Is he who you want to go to in the clutch as opposed to say, Jason Witten? Nope. But is he a top 5 or top 10 NFL WR? Damn right he is. For all his antics off the field (and on the sideline), he is an extremely talented WR and a weapon most teams would kill to have. The problem is that the "other stuff" eventually mounts up to the point that the team just can't take it anymore. In the case of Dallas, most of the "other stuff" related to locker room chemistry, as TO's paranoia got the best of him and led him to fracture the locker room by publicly calling out not only his coaches, but also his QB and the best TE in the NFL.

It's a shame really, if the man wasn't so paranoid and neurotic he could've ended his career in Dallas, and I believe there would've been a few more productive years here before he retired and waited for the call from Canton. But in the end, a man is what he is, and because of that TO is now a Bill.

Where does that leave the Cowboys? With some questions, for sure, but overall I think they can absorb fairly well the talent loss. Their passing game will suffer, as I'm really not sure Roy Williams is ever going to achieve the productivity his talent hints to and ever be a true #1 NFL reciever, but he may surprise us all and prove me wrong-in which case the passing game will be fine. Miles Austin makes a suitable deep threat (even if he looks like A-Rod) and Crayton is a decent #2 (though a much better #3 and slot reciever). Regardless of WRs, the passing focus goes back to Witten and I would think you'll see a lot more Martellus Bennett next season as the Cowboys use the TE position to make the transition from the TO-centric offense.

The biggest difference though, is I believe you'll see Dallas transfer from an aerial attack team to a ball control running team. In the wake of the TO release, you immediately hear murmurs of moving Marion Barber back to his original role as a part-time RB/closer with Felix Jones transitioning into Julius Jones' old role (hopefully better though) and Tashard Choice peppered into the game plan where needed. This would be very similar to the "Earth/Wind/Fire" approach used by the Giants last season with much success (until they lost Burress, allowing teams to crowd the line). The prayer for Cowboys fans is that Roy Williams can occupy in Dallas the role Burress did in New York last season, the role which allowed this running attack to be so effective.

So that's where it leaves Dallas, but what of Buffalo? For Buffalo, it's a brilliant signing. This should get them much more media exposure, help them sell some tickets, and could very well translate to an extra W or two if Trent Edwards can figure out a way to actually get TO the ball. History says TO will be on his best behavior in year one, atleast until he gets a bigger financial commitment, and that this should work. For TO though? Well for him, this is sad...this is like being cut by the Yankees and ending up with the Brewers-Buffalo is the siberia of the NFL. And it's just the latest chapter in a maddening career.