NFC East Leading Dallas Cowboys: Time to Wake the Sleeping Giant

Are the NFC East leading Dallas Cowboys just delaying the inevitable or are they sharpening their claws and preparing to pounce? We discuss…

It may not feel like it but the Dallas Cowboys are in position to win the division and consequently get a crack at the postseason. After two humiliating losses and a winless record against winning teams, this seems to defy logic, but in a floundering NFC East, here we are.

Philadelphia’s on-brand loss to the Miami Dolphins has kept the unlikely 6-6 Cowboys in the driver’s seat. In a division in which seemingly no one wants or deserves the crown, Dallas’ season is far from done. In fact, they are statistical favorites to win it, earning a home playoff game in the process and keeping hope alive for the team we recently said had “the most talented roster since the 90’s”.

In the binary game of “contenders or pretenders”, even the most optimistic of Cowboys fan would have to land on the latter over the former. But just because all evidence points to the Dallas Cowboys as pretenders, doesn’t mean they will remain that way going forward.

Dallas Cowboys fans have been comforted by the most unlikely of sources – the New York Giants. In 2007, the Giants were 6-6 and just barely clinging to playoff hopes. Not many people would be so bold as to consider them legit contenders. Yet, the Giants would go on to win the next six straight, squeak into the playoffs as a Wild Card team, and eventually upset the historically great 16-0 New England Patriots in the Super Bowl.

It happened because New York possessed arguably the two most important traits:

They had a dominant pass-rush
and a quarterback capable of clutch play.

Franchise Arm

Say what you will about the overwhelmingly pedestrian play of Eli Manning but the dude has been huge on some of the biggest stages. Manning found a way to produce when pressure was at its peak and Dak appears to have that same clutch gene ingrained in his DNA. Since entering the league, Prescott has been among the NFL’s best in comebacks and may end up one of the best all-time if he continues his current course.

Dominant Pass-rush

Dallas’ 32 sacks rank only 15th in the NFL, but the low total has more to do with their reluctance to blitz than it has to do with pass-rushing talent. Before last week Robert Quinn was the NFL’s top-ranked edge rusher in ESPN’s pass-rush win rate (33%). DeMarcus Lawrence wasn’t far behind, winning within 2.5 seconds on 26% of his opportunities. And inside, Maliek Collins ranked in the top-3 in pass-rush win-rate.

That’s three of their starting D-linemen and these are ridiculous win-percentages, people. No one else in the NFL can claim this kind of pass-rushing success so it stands to reason, the Dallas Cowboys are perfectly equipped to be a dominant pass-rushing team down the stretch.

Compare and Contrast

The Dallas Cowboys have the necessary ingredients to make some serious noise in the playoffs, ala the 2007 New York Giants, but many question Dallas’ coaching and postseason track record. I myself have lost faith in Jason Garrett and his staff and wholeheartedly believe major changes are needed this offseason. But the New York Giants had the same if not bigger reasons to doubt them back in 2007.

You see, New York lost their star running back Tiki Barber that year. Jeremy Shockey and Mathias Kiwanuka fell to season ending injuries. And Coach Tom Coughlin was under fire for in game decisions and player discontent. And after losing in the Wild Card round in his past two appearances, many questioned whether the team had what it takes to win in the postseason.

From a talent and health perspective the Dallas Cowboys appear head and shoulders ahead of where that Giants team was. And despite Cowboys Nation’s loss of faith in Garrett, this team still appears to be on board with his message.