Dallas Cowboys: To be successful, the Cowboys must avoid this above all

One of the main reasons the Dallas Cowboys suffered a dismal 6-10 record in 2020 was because of Dak Prescott going down with a season-ending ankle injury. Injuries plagued the Cowboys before that moment and after, making it the signature qualifier to Dallas’ 2020 season.

If the Cowboys want to avoid a repeat of that disappointing season, they have to find a way to avoid the injury bug. In a physical contact sport like football, injuries are to be expected, but at the end of the day, there is only so much a strength and conditioning coach can do to keep players healthy. The players have buy in too and avoid risks like a mine field.

Take Dak’s freak injury from a season ago, for example. As Dak has done countless times before, he took off running and fought through a tackle, except this time, his foot got caught in the astroturf, and Dak suffered a dislocated/broken ankle.

In one routine play, a freakish accident happened, and the Cowboys season disappeared faster than gun smoke from a turkey shoot.

The Dallas Cowboys must find a way to avoid the injury bug to be successful this season

Entering training camp, the best news is that Dallas’ entire offensive line is finally healthy, and future Hall of Famer/left tackle Tyron Smith has a clean bill health for the first time probably since his rookie season in 2011. La’el Collins returns after missing the 2020 season recovering from a hip injury, and Zack Martin is back after missing out on the latter part of last season with a calf injury.

In addition to the core offensive linemen, Connor Williams and Tyler Biadasz look good and complete one of the best offensive lines in the league. For Dallas’ offensive line to be formidable, the trio of Smith, Collins, and Martin must remain healthy. When those three are healthy, Dak remains upright and protected.

The injury bug of 2020 affected Dallas’ offensive line so bad that they used several different offensive linemen units because of the injuries, even centers Joe Looney and Biadasz took turns nursing injuries throughout the season. As a result, Ezekiel Elliott had statistically his worse year as a pro, and every backup quarterback struggled mightily.

To see the offensive line intact and ready to go sets the tone and foundation not only for the offense but for the team as a whole. The offensive line is the heartbeat of the team, the engine that drives the momentum. The team goes as the offensive line goes.

And when it comes to momentum, wide receiver Amari Cooper is on the PUP list (physically unable to perform) but is on pace to recover from offseason ankle surgery in time for the season opener against the Tampa Buccaneers. Dallas needs the services of Coop to be the offensive juggernaut it aspires to be.

“War Daddy” and edge rusher DeMarcus Lawrence is no longer on the PUP list. That’s a plus for Dallas’ defense because they need all of the help they can get to erase the horrors of last season.

To Dallas’ coaching staff credit, not only will Dak miss the Hall of Fame against the Pittsburgh Steelers, but so will D-Law, Coop, Blake Jarwin, Martin, Jourdan Lewis, C.J. Goodwin, Trysten Hill, Malik Hooker, and Francis Bernard. Hey, it’s better to be safe than sorry for a game that means exactly jack squat.