Dallas Cowboys Face 2016 With Optimism, Uncertainty
By Ben Davila
The Dallas Cowboys enter the 2016 regular season with concerns at key positions. An elite offensive line and ground game look to offset those worries.
Fans of the Dallas Cowboys got a little sick to their stomachs on the evening of August 25th. Haters seemed to think a man getting his back broken was funny. Quarterback Tony Romo lay on the Seattle turf, writhing in pain. Despite assurances that Romo could have returned to the game–and the quarterback lobbying to do just that–we later learned that Romo would miss six-to-ten weeks. Enter rookie quarterback Dak Prescott.
After 2015’s disastrous, injury-riddled campaign, optimism reigned supreme during this year’s training camp. After all, the Cowboys boast what is widely considered to be the best offensive line in football. While some draft wonks questioned the drafting of rookie running back Ezekiel Elliott, early returns suggest they will deliver a punishing running attack hearkening back to 2014.
It is this potential return to form that generates the most optimism. The conventional thinking once again dictates that Dallas will be able to grind out yards on the ground. This will keep their defense off the field. It will shorten games. Opposition defenses won’t be able to stand up to the pounding and will wilt late in games. On paper, it is a sound philosophy.
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Here’s the problem: Dak Prescott is a rookie. For all the deserved optimism over how he played before and after Romo’s injury, his performances were against decidedly vanilla defensive schemes. It is a dead certainty that NFL defensive coordinators will make young Prescott’s head spin with exotic blitzes and coverages. At some point, Dak will be called upon to make plays with his arm. That’s where things can become dicey.
No one doubts Prescott’s athletic ability. He dazzled everyone with his arm, his feet, and his poise. His actions on the field suggest a football IQ years ahead of his rookie status. Things change once the games get real, though. There’s a reason rookie quarterbacks typically don’t succeed in the NFL. Expectations should be tempered. You don’t hand the keys to the Ferrari over to a sixteen-year-old and expect it to end well.
Another thing: the defense should give everyone pause as well. To put it kindly, this bunch struggled to generate turnovers or pressure the quarterback last season. In reality, they were historically bad at doing both. Furthermore, there has been no discernible upgrade via free agency, and they are going into this season as largely the same group. Nothing suggests a marked improvement is in the cards.
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So while everyone tries to talk themselves into handling life after Romo, keep in mind that this thing could go off the rails pretty easily. And that doesn’t even take another injury-riddled season into account. Another prolonged Dez Bryant absence could have the same effect on this season as it did last year. In the meantime, be very cautiously optimistic. Success this season is anything but a dead certainty.