Cowboys Poised For Next Level

By Ben Davila | Sep 7, 2015

The Dallas Cowboys are set for one of the most anticipated seasons in recent team history as a long offseason gives way to the season opener on Sunday against the New York Giants.

Former Dallas Cowboys head coach Bill Parcells once said, “Don’t tell me about the pain, show me the baby.”

Parcells had a tumultuous four-year run in this town that ended on January 6th, 2007. Since then, the Dallas Cowboys have been a franchise defined by fits and starts. For every step forward, there would be a step back.

That all changed last season when the Cowboys seemingly came out of nowhere to once again establish themselves as a viable Super Bowl contender, much to the chagrin of Cowboy haters. The formula for dominance had been re-established on offense. The defense, by hook or by crook, found a way to get the job done on most weeks.

Only an unfortunate set of circumstances in the divisional playoff game in Green Bay derailed hopes for further glory among team and fans alike. The pill was bitter. The sense of what could have been was palpable. The sting was real. All we were left with was “next year”.

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Well, “next year” is now. In a matter of days, the games are going to count. Speculation will give way to tangible, on-the field results. Even though few pundits think the New York Giants will seriously contend for NFC East supremacy, they will provide a stern test for a Cowboys team poised to improve on last year’s surprising run.

The offense will be forced to compensate for DeMarco Murray’s absence by employing a committee approach to this year’s rushing attack. And while early returns seem spotty, at best, one must credit the Cowboys’ front office for not standing pat and trading a conditional seventh-round pick to Seattle for former second-round pick Christine Michael, a former standout ball-carrier from Texas A&M.

This signing will only serve to bolster the level of competition in a crowded backfield situation. This is a good problem to have, as Joseph Randle, Darren McFadden, and Lance Dunbar will certainly look to preserve their in-game reps in the wake of Michael’s signing. To be sure, this group must be chomping at the bit to run behind the Cowboys’ dominant offensive front.

Everything points to something Super here.

The other skill positions will benefit from another year of continuity. Dez Bryant, Jason Witten, Terrance Williams, and Cole Beasley collectively embody a formidable threat. It’s enough to keep opposing defensive coordinators up all night trying to formulate ways to stop them.

Last,,but not least, on the offensive side, quarterback Tony Romo will continue to wear out defenses with his uncanny ability to see the field and pick defenses apart. Once the commitment was made to keep him upright and clean, his ability to operate on a much more cerebral level made him a legitimate nightmare to game plan against.

While he still made critical clutch throws throughout last season, he was no longer forced to try to win games by himself. It resulted in his finest campaign as a field general. The balanced attack and rock-solid offensive line allowed his football smarts to come into full focus. If he can stay healthy, there’s no reason to think he can’t duplicate–if not improve upon–last season’s master class.

The defensive front, once a crippling weakness full of no-names, has the look of a deep, quarterback-pressuring, sack-happy bunch. It’s hard not to see the potential similarities between this year’s group and the marauding rotation they employed during the heyday of the early 1990s.

This will allow the secondary to shine. While it hurts to lose Orlando Scandrick for the year, it also engenders a next-man-up philosophy. Byron Jones, Tyler Patmon, and Corey White will get every opportunity to show their wares and fill Scandrick’s absence.

The linebacker corps will still be the deep, hustling, sideline-to-sideline bunch that emerged last season. Sean Lee’s return will give his mates some much needed ball-hawking skill. If he maintains a good level of health, this defense will improve vastly. The sky is their limit.

Everything points to something Super here. For all the lowered expectations the fans have endured over the years, we really have a reason to think this team can build on what they started last year. I think it’s safe to say they’re tired of hearing about the pain. It’s time to put up or shut up.

The fans know what championship-caliber football looks like. I think we finally have it here again. It’s time to take the next step.

Next: Cowboys: Former A&M Running Back Added To Roster

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