Despite finishing just one game back from first place in the lowly NFC East, the Dallas Cowboys are looking to put the 2020 season in the rearview mirror as quickly as possible. “America’s Team” posted a 6-10 record in Mike McCarthy’s first year as head coach, a season in which everything seemed to go wrong, first and foremost with the season ending injury to franchise QB Dak Prescott.
An inconsistent quarterback rotation of Andy Dalton, Garrett Gilbert and Ben DiNucci behind a badly beaten offensive line did not allow the Cowboys’ dynamic playmakers to be nearly as effective as they should be. Ezekiel Elliott posted his worst season in his young career, and wide receivers Amari Cooper and CeeDee Lamb were not able to realize their full potential. Despite these inefficiencies on offense, Dallas’ woes on the other side of the football are what really kept them out of games. The Cowboys surrendered the fifth most points per game and finished only ahead of the Texans in run defense; not a good combination with an injury-riddled offense that struggles to put points on the board.
This offseason, however, the Cowboys were able to hit the reset button and address some of their biggest flaws, most noticeably on the defensive side. Jerry Jones wasted no time in the 2021 Draft with building up his defense, drafting a defensive player in his first six picks. First round draft pick Micah Parsons (LB) will add some much needed depth to the pass rush and rush attack. The Cowboys averaged under 2.0 sacks per game, last in the NFC East and well below the league average. If the Cowboys want a chance at reclaiming the division, it has to start on the defensive side, and the Dallas front office clearly made that a priority during the offseason.
The biggest question mark on offense remains the health of Prescott. While most expect him to be ready for Week 1, the Mississippi State product’s long-term durability following a devastating injury is going to be paramount to the team’s success. The Cowboys will also be looking for a bounce back year from Elliott, who suffered statistically as much as anyone from the Prescott injury. If Prescott is healthy, that will take a lot of pressure off of Elliot and should open up some running room for the fifth-year running back. The Cowboys are likely to benefit again from what should be a weak NFC East, so while I consider the Washington Football Team as the slight favorite entering 2021, Dallas has a strong chance to get back in the postseason for the first
time since 2018.
2021 Record Prediction: 9-8