The NFL is back, and Sportsnet is breaking down everything you need to know about each of the 32 teams—including why you should or shouldn’t be rooting for them this season—in the month leading up to kickoff on Thursday, Sept. 10. Today, the Dallas Cowboys.
Last year’s record: 12-4
Head coach: Jason Garrett
Core players: Tony Romo (QB), Dez Bryant (RB), Tyron Smith (LT), Travis Frederick (C), Zack Martin (RG), Jason Witten (TE), Greg Hardy (DE), Sean Lee (LB)
2015 is about… Forgetting “The (Non)Catch” and building off what was otherwise an expectation-exceeding 2014 season. The Cowboys were knocked out of the post-season in controversial fashion, but it’s time to forget that. Tony Romo is coming off arguably his best season as a pro and Dallas still boasts one of the league’s best offensive lines along with one of its top playmakers in Dez Bryant. With question marks all throughout the NFC East, the division should be considered the Cowboys’ to lose.
They lost… The league’s leading rusher in 2014. Seeing DeMarco Murray in the uniform of a bitter division rival is going to sting, and the Cowboys haven’t made any significant moves to replace the nearly 400 carries No. 29 had last season. A less high-profile, but still significant, loss is that of offensive line coach Bill Callahan, who ironically also left for an NFC East opponent, making the move to Washington. Callahan played a big part in turning the Cowboys’ offensive line into the juggernaut that took the field last season.
Yeah, but they got… Darren McFadden…? Like I said above, the biggest question mark as the 2015 season draws nearer is who will make up for the huge hole Murray has left behind. Since being selected fourth overall in 2008, McFadden has been ravaged by injury and has barely made a dent when healthy. On the other side of the ball, controversial defensive end Greg Hardy was signed in May after being released by the Carolina Panthers following domestic violence charges (which were later dismissed). Hardy will miss the first four games of the season, but could make a big difference along the defensive line when he returns, as he was a game-changing presence two seasons ago when he recorded 15 sacks.
FOOTBALL PICK’EM: Play for a chance to win $3,000! It’s FREE and easy to play
Growing from within: The core of the Cowboys offensive line — Tyron Smith, Travis Frederick and Zack Martin — is expected to take another step in the right direction in 2015 after they were nothing short of dominant last season. With all three yet to reach the age of 25, the future is bright. Also look out for a couple of rookie lineman the Cowboys could be rewarded for taking a chance on. First is Randy Gregory, a second-round pick (60th overall) who had top-10 talent at defensive end but plummeted in the draft due to off-field issues. So far in training camp, Gregory has lived up to his on-field potential.
Second is offensive lineman La’el Collins, another projected first-rounder who dropped out of the draft after he was questioned regarding the shooting death of a former girlfriend (he was never considered a suspect). Not long after the draft, the Cowboys signed Collins and it looks like he’ll fit right in along that vaunted offensive line.
Other young, Cowboys-grown talent to watch: DeMarcus Lawrence, Byron Jones, Damien Wilson, Ryan Russell.
Why this team? After years of late-season collapses and disappointment, the Cowboys may have turned a corner last season, winning every December game, finally recording a post-season victory and coming one actual catch away from a trip to the NFC championship game.
Why not? Because last season could very well have been the outlier. Would anyone really be that surprised if Tony Romo and the 2015 Cowboys got back to blowing games late, and then winning everything in November only to eventually miss the post-season? Me neither. Maybe more worrisome is a lack of a solid No. 1 runner. The Cowboys’ offence relied on a threatening ground game in 2014, which is not likely to come from McFadden. Meanwhile, Joseph Randle and Lance Dunbar combined for just 80 carries last season. If none of these runners break out this season, it will be Dallas’ demise.
Perfect for fans of… Drama. If there’s one constant with “America’s Team,” it’s that nothing happens quietly. Last season’s playoff games are a perfect example: playing in January for the first time since 2009, both of the Cowboys’ games ended in spectacularly controversial fashion.
Even training camp has seen its fair share of spectacles, including $70-million man Dez Bryant fighting a teammate and getting punched in the face by a St. Louis Rams player.
https://twitter.com/jasonrmcintyre/status/633816604086796288
How much hope? 7/10. There are two important pieces to the Cowboys returning to the playoffs in 2015: finding an adequate solution at running back and keeping Tony Romo healthy. If Dallas can manage that, a second-straight trip to the playoffs this season should be in the cards.
Will you be mocked for front-running? Without a doubt. Large numbers of loud Dallas Cowboys fans + a lot of success 20 years ago, but little recently + endless media attention = haters.
A Meme to Remember: Exhibit A.
Download it now: iOS | Android | Windows
