Dallas Cowboys: The Cowboys are always involved in Super Bowl talk, this season is no exception.
Schedule:
The Cowboys first four games are against the Giants, Eagles, Falcons, and Saints. The Giants and Eagles are currently a mess; there are miss matches all over the board against those two NFC East teams. The game after will be against the Falcons. This may be a tough one to handle, the Falcons are looking resurgent and Matt Ryan and Julio Jones always pose a significant threat but now the Falcons have the pieces to put together a run game.
This game should be a high scoring affair that could go either way. Then we get to the Saints in week 4, a team that is currently rebuilding. Drew Brees is dangerous but this is a version of Drew Brees no one will be used to seeing, the Brees without Jimmy Graham. I would suspect the Saint would put up a good fight but in the end the Cowboys will be too much for them.
Week 5 brings the biggest challenge on the schedule, facing the defending Super Bowl champions. The Patriots lost just about every corner back they added in free agency last year which doesn't bode well for their defense covering Dez Bryant. This game also marks the return of Rolando McClain and Greg hardy so im sure some sparks will fly. This is followed by a trip to MetLife Stadium to face the Giants for the last time of the season. The Cowboys will get to stay home for this season's matchup with the Seahawks the following week.
The Seahawks will act as a litmus test for the Cowboys; if they win or come close they may be ready for the big dance. In the weeks after the Cowboys get somewhat of a reprieve facing the Philadelphia Eagles and Tampa Bay Buccaneers; this should be an easy two games before the home stretch. The next few weeks will bring the Dolphins, Carolina, the Jets, the Bills, and the Redskins twice. The only team in that final stretch that could outscore the Cowboys are the Packers which will make for an entertaining game. All in all Dallas schedule puts them at a promising 12-4, 13-3 range.
Defense:
The Cowboys biggest perceived hole was their shoddy defense. Now that defense has been given some new blood to help fill the holes. Byron Jones will be a game changer to that secondary. Jones can play left or right side at cornerback or safety the choice is up to Rod Marinelli however it will probably be package dependent. The Cowboys also added edge rusher Greg Hardy and Randy Gregory two players who should be having opposing quarterbacks pretty terrified.
Hardy was released from the Panthers after being suspended for an entire season. Gregory is a troubled college player who fell to the second round of the 2015 NFL draft. Now the both of them will be rushing the opposing quarterback alongside Demarcus Lawrence, Rolando McClain, and Sean Lee. This defense suddenly looks infinitely better than last season and the Cowboys were only a play away from making it to the NFC Championship game. The Cowboys should get enough pressure to disturb opposing quarterbacks which should give Jones and the rest of the Cowboy's secondary a shot at getting more turnovers.
Offense:
The offense of the Cowboys was shaken with the loss of DeMarco Murray but a big reason why Jerry Jones and the rest of the Cowboy's brass was not worried was simply because they know he can be replaced. If it were not for the Cowboys new offensive line Murray would still be a nameless, injury prone, third round pick. Now the Cowboys will have to utilize Joseph Randle, Lance Dunbar, and Darren McFadden to help replace Murray's lost production. There is definitely more pressure having to prove yourself in a new offensive scheme, with a new offensive line, splitting my carries with other capable running backs than to just run behind the same four guys who have been making the same holes together for almost 3 seasons.
Now the Cowboys have added La'el Collins a first round draft pick who fell out of the draft due to the NFL's reactionary nature. The wide receivers have all bought into Jason Garrett's culture and can be playmakers when called upon. The main question will be at the running back position and even that should not be that difficult. The offensive line has clearly gotten better, so has the defense, and Dez Bryant has been signed to a long term deal, the Cowboys are rolling but let's see if they get Tony Romo his title before time runs out.
