Dallas Cowboys Rumors: Tony Romo Planning To Dominate NFC East As Defense Focused On Training Camp, Sean Lee Key For 2013 Success

The Dallas Cowboys suffered a loss in the last game of the season for the second straight year to lose out on the NFC East division in 2012 and after giving quarterback Tony Romo a new long-term extension the team is hoping for big improvements in 2013, including possibly a playoffs appearance.

One of the biggest factors for the Cowboys this season will be the play of the defense under new coordinator Monte Kiffin after Rob Ryan was let go and the most important player for the unit could be linebacker Sean Lee. Last season Lee missed time after getting injured and played in only six games and made 58 tackles just one year after making over 100 tackles and 71 solo. Lee missed only three games in his first two seasons and the Cowboys will need him to stay healthy for the season to get back on track, as he has been a leader and one of the most consistent players on defense.

The only chance the Cowboys will have as a Super Bowl contender is for the defense to be in the top half of the league and they likely will need a solid and healthy season from Lee to keep it up. Lee has shown that he has recovered from his injuries well in OTA workouts and he was solid in minicamp practice as well, showing some athletic plays against both Jason Witten and Miles Austin. The linebackers should be improved with Lee back in the fold and Bruce carter could have a solid season if he remains healthy. Many were critical of the Cowboys last season for their inconsistent defense, but with Kiffin in the fold, the team is expecting much better play from everyone, including DeMarcus Ware and Anthony Spencer.

Last season the Cowboys were hugely inconsistent on offense while dealing with injuries at the running back position, including with starter DeMarco Murray, and they ranked third in the league in passing yards per game while being 31st in rushing yards. The team gained just under 80 yards per game on the ground and that forced Romo to pass much more, as the Cowboys averaged nearly 300 yards per game through the air. The team can score and they can pass with Romo, but the running game will be the biggest question for the Cowboys and they hope that Murray can stay healthy all season, while rookie Joseph Randle will be expected to step up.

The Cowboys drafted a lineman with their first round pick and then went offense with their next two picks at tight end with Gavin Escobar and wide receiver with Terrance Williams, who had a big year at Baylor. Witten is obviously the stalwart at tight end, but the team sees Escobar as another solid option and possibly the tight end to take over in the future for Witten once he retires.

The Cowboys have a decent early schedule after opening the season for the second straight year against a division rival, as they are home against the Giants, and then they will travel to Arrowhead (always tough) against a new-look Chiefs team with Andy Reid and then they will play the upstart St. Louis Rams. The team doesn't have its bye until Week 11 and the next stretch of games is tough with matchups against the Chargers, Eagles, Broncos, Redskins and Vikings before playing the Saints heading into the bye. The final stretch of the season may make or break the year for the Cowboys, as the team plays the Giants, Redskins and Eagles in the division with other matchups against Oakland and Green Bay as well as a road tilt against Chicago.