Is This the Last Hoorah in Big D?

Every time September rolls around, there are teams that we look at and say “Hey, those guys should be really good!” The last few years we’ve seen the Chiefs, Bengals and Eagles become those teams while teams such as the Patriots, Falcons and Steelers have fallen the every year “good” list. But outside of New England, there is really one team in the NFL who pundits have consistently looked at year over year and said before the season started “this team should be really good.” That team? The Dallas Cowboys. For what seems like forever, every summer analysts and people alike look up and down their roster and say that they’re a top five unit “on paper”. But what does “on paper” really mean? Is it the fact that if you made a list of top players at their position, the Cowboys would have a guy on every list? Is it the fact that there are household names seemingly everywhere you look? Or is it just the fact that there is the famous/infamous (however you decide) star on the helmet, and the expectations just come with it?

Regardless of what it is, Dallas has seemingly fell short really since Tony Romo became quarterback. A lot of those teams were littered with 7-9, 8-8 or 9-7 finishes and a few playoff blunders here and there. But the Dallas expectations didn’t really skyrocket until Dak Prescott stepped in and took the football world by storm back in 2016. Since Prescott’s arrival, we have seen the Cowboys offense become elite, then not so elite….then elite again, and then just pretty average. We’ve seen the defense go from a wet paper towel to an iron fist with a top three defensive line in the NFL. We saw Leighton Vander Esch and Trevon Diggs take the NFL by storm for a year before crashing back down to earth. We finally saw the dismissal of Jason Garrett only to bring in an aging Mike McCarthy.

But surely, with all these new pieces and additions etc., things would change. Surely. *Checks Notes* - they have not. Since Prescott took over, the Cowboys have been to the playoffs four times: 2016, 2018, 2021 and 2022. The Cowboys playoff record is 2-4, but still haven’t reached that elusive NFC title game for the first time in almost thirty years. The 2023 season starts tomorrow for Dallas on Sunday Night in New York against a reinvigorated Giants team. A team that has lost to Dallas 11 of the past 12 times (since 2017) with the lone win coming when Prescott was hurt during the 20-21 season. Ezekiel Elliott is now in New England. Kellen Moore is now in Los Angeles. Travis Frederick had to retire. Tyron Smith is older. As is Zach Martin. McCarthy is undoubtedly on the hot seat, as is Prescott. The former responded by making the executive decision to call his own plays this season. He has been successful in the past doing that - although when he was doing that consistently, it was with Aaron Rodgers. But McCarthy does have a Super Bowl on his resume; albeit it was 13 seasons ago. The league has changed much since then.

What hasn’t changed is the expectation in Dallas. Yet again, analysts, pundits and Jerry Jones are giving the Cowboys lofty expectations. Many playoff and Super Bowl predictions are pouring in, and while a lot people aren’t picking the Cowboys to win the big game, people are predicting them to go there, or go to the NFC title game. That isn’t new. That shouldn’t change how Prescott and McCarthy approach this season. What has changed is the roster - and the talent level. And you’d be a fool to believe otherwise. The Cowboys, even at full strength, are third in terms of talent in their division. For years and years, the “on paper” people would point to Dallas as the best team. Not anymore. So for the first time in a long time, the Cowboys will have to find a new way to win games. Prescott will have to stop turning the ball over. Receivers outside of Ceedee Lamb will have to fight to get open and create separation. The offensive line will have to play better and commit less penalties. The secondary will have to be better and not give up as many big plays. A lot of these things aren’t easy.

But what happens if things go sideways this season? What happens if the Cowboys finish under .500 and miss the playoffs? Here’s a fun fact: The Dallas Cowboys haven’t made the playoffs three consecutive seasons since the 94-96 seasons. That’s 28 years. The Cowboys have made the playoffs two years in a row - so somethings gotta give. The heat is on this year in Big D, and everyone knows it. And it’s not just making the playoffs for Dallas. They have to win. Even last season; beating an under .500 Buccaneers team and then having horrendous mismanagement towards the end of the playoff game in San Francisco left a really bittersweet taste in everyone’s mouth. And other than the National Hockey League, no league has more year to year turnover than the National Football League. You look around the NFC and a ton of young teams are on the come up: Detroit, Chicago, New York, Atlanta, Seattle. Hell, even the Commanders have a new owner now! While teams in the conference are making moves and having hope…what does Dallas have? Expectations. Always expectations. Sometimes unfair. But they are always there. And one can’t help but think that many changes would come if Prescott, McCarthy and Jones are watching the playoffs from their couches come January. Things may finally change in Dallas. And it get worse before it gets better. So, this is it Cowboys fans. This is the last hoorah. There’s no two ways about it - its NFC Championship or bust in 2023. No excuses. The Boys have to show out. That means Pollard, Parsons, Lawrence, Lamb, Gilmore and the rest of them. You can’t let Philadelphia be the first team since 03-04 to repeat as NFC East Division champs! This is it. Because who the hell knows what’s going to happen if things don’t go well this year. 2024 may see no McCarthy, no Dak, and possibly. One thing is for certain though. It’s in Prescott’s hands. We’ve all seen him at his best. We’ve also seen him at his worst. If Dak wanted to ball out, this is the year. It may be his last chance to do so.

It all starts tomorrow night at MetLife Stadium, where the Cowboys will look to continue their dominance against the Giants. I can’t remember a more important Week 1 game for the Boys in some time. This should be fun….