Introduction
Hi everyone, u/Bazz27 here back at it again for Year 2. Thanks to everyone who takes the time to read these, and thanks to u/PlatypusOfDeath for giving me the opportunity. You can find my write-up from last year here. Also be sure to check out the great Cowboys write-up for 32 Teams/32 Days from a couple months ago by /u/wittenmittens
Dallas Cowboys
Division: NFC East
Record: 12-5
(1st in NFCE)
Woe to the Cowboys fan who dreams of post-season success -- all of the regular season victories ultimately culminated in yet another January disappointment. During the Dak era, the Cowboys have reached the playoffs several times: 2016, 2018, and now 2021. Those teams, especially the 2016 and 2021 teams, put together impressive regular season resumes only to fall flat when it mattered most.
Last year was particularly heart-breaking though. The Cowboys headed into the wild-card with one of the healthiest rosters of all the playoff teams. They had a defense that was turning the ball over at a ridiculously high rate, and an offense loaded with starpower and all of the potential in the world.
But then, the issues that had plagued them throughout the season reared their ugly heads against San Francisco. Penalties, an offense that couldn't get going before it was too late, a run defense that was masked by an explosive offense throughout much of the season -- all of these things were put in the spotlight during an uninspiring loss to the 49ers. 12-5 is a nice record to have going into the playoffs, but it stops mattering if you can't make it out of the wildcard round in your own building.
The front office, and Jerry, were vocally disappointed with how the season ended. They responded by trading WR1 Amari Cooper for a 5th round pick. They released starting RT La'el Collins, and lost out on keeping Randy Gregory due to contract language. Cedrick Wilson and Connor Williams both signed with the Miami Dolphins. These were all quality starters that the Cowboys now needed to replace.
The Cowboys answered, as they often have, by being picky in free agency and looking to build through the draft and develop the young guys on the roster. Whether this will pay off in either the short-term or the long-term remains to be seen -- but it's not an exaggeration to say that the fanbase's trust in the front office and franchise is at an all-time low.
Offseason Storylines
Jerry Jones had his usual eventful off-season -- from being involved in car crashes to illegitimate daughters, the owner/GM of the Cowboys keeps himself relevant one way or the other.
Second year CB, Kelvin Joseph, got caught up in a murder investigation after a shooting occurred while he was the passenger in the car -- this put his future with the Cowboys, and in the NFL, into question. However, he was recently cleared of any wrong-doing and has been present and participating at training camp.
Dalton Schultz was franchise-tagged, and though the two sides were unable to come to an agreement on a LTD, he has expressed that he wishes to stay with the Cowboys and has been at training camp practicing as usual. The front office will have to revisit the contract situation again with Schultz at some point before next year, again deciding whether to tag him again, work out a deal, or let him walk.
Long-time VP of media relations, Rich Dalrymple, was accused of taking videos of Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders changing in a stadium restroom in 2015 -- Dalrymple, who quietly retired from the team a few months back, was hardly given the fanfare expected for someone who had such a big role behind the scenes with the front office. It was revealed later that the Cowboys paid $2.4M to settle with the cheerleaders making the allegations. Dalrymple was also accused of taking an "upskirt shot" of Charlotte Jones, daughter of Jerry Jones, and a senior VP with the team.
Coaching Changes
The Cowboys kept their coaching staff largely in-tact from last year. Mike McCarthy remains the head coach, and Kellen Moore, Dan Quinn, and John Fassel have all retained their coordinator positions. In fact, the only significant coaching change made by the team is replacing WR coach Adam Henry with Robert Prince, who was Moore's passing game coordinator during some of his years at Boise St.
There is something to be said for keeping a coaching staff together that went 12-5 in the regular season, even if the season was ultimately a failure. That said, if the Cowboys face another early playoff exit or fail to make the playoffs at all, it would be surprising to see McCarthy back -- especially with the oft-rumored Sean Payton to Dallas connection lurking in the shadows.
Scheme
Offensively, the Cowboys will look to revitalize a run game that was severely lacking down the stretch in 2021. When Elliott was healthy and teams felt like they had to respect the passing attack, the Cowboys used a multitude of run concepts to gash teams on the ground with the two-headed monster of Zeke & Pollard. However, as Zeke's health waned and struggles popped up in the passing game, the effectiveness of the Cowboys rushing attack dwindled and it became reliant on the occasional Tony Pollard big play. The offensive line is built to run-block: Tyron and Zack will do whatever you ask of them at an elite level, while Tyler Smith and Terence Steele are both much more effective at run-blocking than they are at pass protection.
Getting the run game right will be essential, as the Cowboys will not have the wealth of options at receiver and tight end anymore. Going into Week 1, the only proven targets for Dak are CeeDee Lamb and Dalton Schultz -- great players, but until Gallup returns from injury and depending on whether or not Tolbert is able to produce early, it will simplify things for opposing defensive coordinators.
The passing attack will be built on what Dak does best -- option routes for the receivers based on post-snap looks, allowing Dak to diagnose the defense and make the right decision. They'll look to get Tony Pollard involved as well, whether that's coming out of the backfield or lining up in the slot. With Dak coming into the season fully healthy, look for him to be a more effective scrambler than he was last year, picking up first downs and converting in the redzone like he used to, albeit not as frequently.
Defensively, Dan Quinn likes to let his corners play a lot of man coverage -- he trusts in his pass rush to get home, and he likes to give the secondary chances to make plays. The defense is built around the play of a few key players: Micah Parsons, DeMarcus Lawrence, Trevon Diggs, and Jayron Kearse. Generally, Quinn has the defense in a 4-3 look for run fits, and a 'big nickel' look where he can get Jourdan Lewis in as the nickel, and sub Kearse in as the hybrid box safety/linebacker. The Cowboys run far less stunts and twists than they did when Marinelli was the DC, instead trying to disguise where the pressure is coming from and using a superstar like Parsons to keep the QB and OC guessing. Parsons is the key to the defense -- his ability to rush the passer like an elite EDGE while also being athletic and instinctual enough to hold up in coverage and run defense make him an invaluable piece for Quinn to move around the front seven.
Free Agency
| Player | Position | Old Team | New Team |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amari Cooper | WR | DAL | CLE |
| Randy Gregory | DE | DAL | DEN |
| La'el Collins | OT | DAL | CIN |
| Connor Williams | C | DAL | MIA |
| Cedrick Wilson | WR | DAL | MIA |
| Dorance Armstrong | DE | DAL | DAL |
| Bryan Anger | P | DAL | DAL |
| Jayron Kearse | S | DAL | DAL |
| Dante Fowler Jr. | DE | ATL | DAL |
| Greg Zuerlein | K | DAL | NYJ |
| Leighton Vander Esch | LB | DAL | DAL |
| Keanu Neal | S | DAL | TB |
| Damontae Kazee | S | DAL | PIT |
| Carlos Watkins | DE | DAL | DAL |
| James Washington | WR | PIT | DAL |
| Brent Urban | DE | DAL | BAL |
| Luke Gifford | LB | DAL | DAL |
| Malik Turner | WR | DAL | SF |
| Corey Clement | RB | DAL | BAL |
| Maurice Canady | CB | DAL | NYG |
| Ryan Nall | RB | CHI | DAL |
| Liram Hajrullahu | K | CAR | DAL |
| Blake Jarwin | TE | DAL | |
| Ty Nsheke | OT | DAL | |
| Francis Bernard | LB | DAL | |
| Hunter Niswander | P | DAL | |
| Sewo Olonilua | FB | DAL | |
| Jaquan Hardy | RB | DAL | |
| Mitch Hyatt | OT | DAL | |
| Chris Naggar | P | DAL | |
| Darian Thompson | S | DAL | |
| Nick Ralston | FB | DAL | |
| La'Kendrick Van Zandt | S | DAL |
The Cowboys were characteristically quiet during free agency, continuing a conservative trend they've followed for years. They believe in their ability to self-scout and develop the young players on the roster, and try to be thrifty when they do make FA signings. Whether or not this has any merit is debatable, considering the twenty-six year drought currently ongoing for this franchise, but it can't be denied that they draft well and did a good job of signing free agents last year.
This roster will be worse with the absences of top-tier talents like Amari Cooper and Collins, and losing valuable contributors like Connor Williams and Cedrick Wilson shouldn't be overlooked. They seem to be telling the team and coaching staff that they expect them to do more than they did last year, but with less roster talent.
While other teams make bold plays for superstars in free agency, the Cowboys front office is content to pick up cheap veterans and count on their scouting department to point them to the right guys in the draft.
Draft
| Round | Player | Position | College |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.24 | Tyler Smith | OL | Tulsa |
| 2.56 | Sam Williams | EDGE | Houston |
| 3.88 | Jalen Tolbert | WR | South Alabama |
| 4.129 | Jake Ferguson | TE | Wisconsin |
| 5.155 | Mike Waletzko | OT | North Dakota |
| 5.167 | DaRon Bland | CB | Fresno St. |
| 5.176 | Damone Clark | LB | LSU |
| 5.178 | John Ridgeway III | DT | Arkansas |
| 6.193 | Devin Harper | LB | Oklahoma St. |
Due to the departures in free agency, the front office was forced to draft for need throughout much of the draft, rather than having the luxury to select the BPA as in recent years. Many of these are going to be Day 1 replacements for the players lost during the offseason -- Tyler Smith replacing Connor Williams at LG, Sam Williams replacing Randy Gregory at RDE, Jalen Tolbert replacing Cedrick Wilson -- whether any of these players will pan out remains to be seen, but if the front office has earned the benefit of the doubt in any area, it's the draft process.
Projected Starters
| Position | Starter | Depth | Depth |
|---|---|---|---|
| QB | Dak Prescott | Cooper Rush | |
| RB | Ezekiel Elliott | Tony Pollard | Rico Dowdle |
| WR | CeeDee Lamb | Noah Brown | |
| WR | Michael Gallup | TJ Vasher | |
| WR | Jalen Tolbert(R) | Simi Fehoko | |
| TE | Dalton Schultz | Sean McKeon | Jake Ferguson(R) |
| RT | Terance Steele | Josh Ball | |
| RG | Zack Martin | Matt Farniok | |
| C | Tyler Biadasz | Alec Lindstrom(R) | |
| LG | Tyler Smith(R) | Connor McGovern | |
| LT | Tyron Smith | Mike Waletzko(R) |
| Position | Starter | Depth | Depth |
|---|---|---|---|
| LDE | DeMarcus Lawrence | Carlos Watkins | Chauncey Golston |
| IDL | Neville Gallimore | Quinton Bohana | John Ridgeway(R) |
| IDL | Osa Odighizuwa | Trysten Hill | |
| RDE | Dorance Armstrong | Tarell Basham | Sam Williams(R) |
| LB | Micah Parsons | ||
| LB | Leighton Vander Esch | Luke Gifford | |
| LB | Jabril Cox | Devin Harper(R) | |
| CB | Trevon Diggs | Kelvin Joseph | |
| CB | Anthony Brown | Jourdan Lewis | Nashon Wright |
| S | Jayron Kearse | Israel Mukuamu | |
| S | Donovan Wilson | Malik Hooker |
Roster Analysis
Quarterbacks
Fans witnessed two versions of Dak Prescott in 2021. The first, much-preferred version was fearless -- opening the season by dicing up the Tampa Bay secondary and culminating in a dramatic overtime finish in New England, becoming the first Dallas QB to beat Bill Belichick's Patriots. That spectacular victory came with a price though, as Dak suffered a calf strain that would contribute to the struggles he and the offense faced for the rest of the season.
Dak is coming into this season fully healthy and another year removed from the catastrophic ankle injury. He's had stretches of playing like a top 10 -- at times even top 5 -- quarterback. He spent this offseason trying to build chemistry with his WR corps and throwing from unorthodox platforms, which has never been a strength for him.
The Cowboys are counting on him to play like he did for the first six weeks of 2021 in order to get better results in the postseason. However, they're asking him to do this with a significantly worse group of receivers than last year and an offensive line with several new pieces. Dak is going into Year 7, and while most people can agree that he's a very good QB, his lack of consistency or postseason victories are black marks on an otherwise impressive resume.
Cooper Rush is likely to be the backup for another consecutive year. The long-time NFCE journeyman has spent much of his career in Dallas, and made the most of his opportunity to shine when he was called upon against the Vikings on Halloween in 2021. Behind him, former West Virginia product Will Grier is competing against Ben DiNucci to stay with the team. None of these backup quarterbacks are particularly inspiring, but if Dak goes down again the season is probably lost anyways.
Runningbacks
If you polled random Cowboys fans about the one player that needs more playing time, the answer would overwhelmingly be Tony Pollard. Zeke has been one of the faces of the franchise for years since he was drafted alongside Dak -- he has soldiered on, producing quality seasons with high touch counts almost every year of his career. Is he worthy of the contract that the front office gave him? No. Most runningbacks aren't. Zeke brings a lot to the table as a pass protector, and he showed some of his old flash when he was healthy earlier on last season.
However, it's hard to play the way Zeke plays year after year and not start to feel the effect on your body. Zeke played through last year with a lingering issue and it showed in his play. This is where the coaching staff needs to realize what they have in Pollard -- he received far fewer touches than Zeke, but was a constant homerun threat whenever he got the ball in space. He possesses the burst and evasiveness that Zeke has seemed to lack in recent years. He dealt with his own injury issues -- plantar fasciitis, which former Cowboy Amari Cooper also deals with -- which creates questions about his durability if he's given a heavier load. There's zero doubt that he needs more snaps, and the coaching staff seems aware of that, even in light of Jerry's insistence that Zeke still be the focal point of the run game.
Backing up Zeke and Pollard is most likely going to be Rico Dowdle, who was building momentum during last year's training camp before an injury derailed his progress. He's shown strong traits and the Cowboys will look to mix him into the rotation to keep RB1 and RB2's legs as fresh as possible.
Wide Receivers
This group looks a lot different than it did in 2021. It was once the envy of many teams, with the three-headed monster of Amari Cooper, CeeDee Lamb, and Michael Gallup as the main event. After them was Cedrick Wilson, a very over-qualified WR4, and Noah Brown who is as reliable a WR5 as they come. Flash forward to 2022 and that group has changed dramatically. CeeDee Lamb is the only active WR with an NFL receiving TD. Lamb certainly looks the part of WR1 and has been very impressive throughout training camp so far, but you need more than one competent WR to field a successful passing attack (somebody let the Bears know).
While Michael Gallup received a new contract last year, he won't be available at the start of the season while he rehabs his torn ACL. The Cowboys acquired former Steelers WR James Washington on a mega-cheap one year deal, but he suffered a fracture in his foot on August 1st, and won't be seeing any action for at least six weeks.
Third-rounder Jaelen Tolbert has looked solid so far, but there's a lot of pressure on him to immediately produce now that the cupboard has been stripped bare. Assuming that the Cowboys make no moves between now and the season opener, he'll potentially be WR2 on the depth chart and the team will be forced to depend on him if teams manage to take CeeDee away.
The aforementioned Noah Brown has had a great camp to this point, and is the only other active Cowboys WR with NFL receptions besides Lamb. Mostly known for his blocking, he's going to need to elevate his game and make some plays to take the pressure off of Lamb and Tolbert. Some other receivers that have been making noise in camp include the massive TJ Vasher, a 6'6" former Red Raider and Simi Fehoko, a pick from last year's draft.
The Cowboys are likely to remain patient before making a move for another WR -- they want to see what they have with the young guys currently on the roster, and this presents a great opportunity for these players to cement their spot on the roster.
Regardless, the Cowboys are going to need these players to step up in order for the passing attack to be anything like it was in recent years.
Tight Ends
The big news about Dallas tight ends during the offseason revolved around whether or not a long term deal was going to get done with the recently franchise-tagged Dalton Schultz. No deal was reached, but Schultz has been an active participant in camp, and will be featured heavily in the upcoming season as the only proven TE on the roster, and as one of Dak's favorite targets.
The Cowboys released Blake Jarwin due to lingering health concerns during the off-season, which leaves Sean McKeon and rookie Jake Ferguson behind Schultz. McKeon has one career touchdown to his name, and Ferguson played at Wisconsin where they didn't exactly emphasize a vertical role for their tight ends. They also brought Jeremy Sprinkle back for another year, and he'll likely serve in a similar role as the previous season -- mostly a blocker in heavier formations, and occasionally they'll sneak him out on a quick route in the redzone.
These younger guys will need to prove themselves as blockers first and foremost, as Schultz will get most of the attention when it comes to passing patterns. This is definitely an area of weakness, and it will be interesting to see if either McKeon or Ferguson can establish themselves as viable receivers for Dak to look to.
Offensive Line
Long gone are the days of the Great Wall of Dallas -- while two of its namesake still start for the Cowboys, the offensive line in general has become a major area of concern for Dallas' 2022 postseason aspirations. Tyron Smith, when he can remain healthy, is still one of the best left tackles in football. The problem is that he hasn't played a full regular season worth of games since 2015. This is partly why the Cowboys drafted their current left guard, Tyler Smith. Tyler Smith played at Tulsa, and his selection in the first round was widely criticized by fans and analysts alike -- however, he's looked exceptionally strong in camp and seems to be handily winning the competition with long-time Cowboys project OL, Connor McGovern. The rookie excels at run blocking and will need to rapidly improve as a pass blocker in order to help stabilize the interior of the offensive line.
To the right of the two T.Smiths' is the team's center: Tyler Biadasz. Biadasz was up and down last year -- largely improving, but still struggling with the fundamentals, such as getting the snap exchange with Dak clean and consistent. It's still unclear whether or not he'll be the long-term answer at center, but with last year's draft pick Matt Farniok behind him, he's probaby the best current option.
On the right side of the offensive line are Zack Martin and Terrence Steele. There's really not much you can say about Martin that hasn't already been said -- the guy is a perennial All-Pro and he rarely gets beat. If he's healthy, the Cowboys don't have to worry about the RG position. Terrence Steele was a huge welcome surprise last year after struggling heavily his rookie season as an UDFA that was forced into a starting role due to injuries ahead of him on the depth chart. He showed massive improvement in 2021, especially as a run-blocker, and it was enough for the Cowboys to make him the full-time RT and release someone as proven as La'el Collins.
Fililng out the depth chart are Josh Ball and Matt Waletzko -- the latter of which could potentially miss this entire season due to an injury that popped up during training camp.
The offensive line got beaten badly at times last year, and the running game suffered mightily for it. Dallas needs a combination of good injury luck and quality play from the younger linemen in order for this to be anywhere near the unit it's been in years past.
Defensive Ends
The Cowboys were unable to keep Randy Gregory around due to contract language that he and his agent took exception to -- this leaves a hold opposite DeMarcus Lawrence that the Cowboys have tried to fill through free agency and the draft. They signed former Falcon Dante Fowler to be a veteran presence and drafted Houston EDGE Sam Williams in the second round of the 2022 draft. They'll also be looking to get big things out of Dorance Armstrong, who has been with the team since 2018, perpetually on the verge of a breakout season. The Cowboys will also continue to try and work Chauncey Golston back into the rotation after he missed most of last year due to injury. Carlos Watkins rounds out the depth chart as some extra rotational depth. Dallas should be able to generate a solid pass rush with this group, especially considering that they'll be getting a healthy DeMarcus Lawrence in Week 1. It will be exciting to see the hierarchy develop for the RDE spot opposite Lawrence -- will Armstrong finally take the next step, or will the rookie out of Houston come in and impress early?
Defensive Tackles
Dallas has long neglected the interior of the defensive line, but Dan Quinn has made some personnel choices to try and address the long-standing weakness -- Osa Odighizuwa and Neville Gallimore are both strong candidates to take a big step forward after showing promise last year, and the Cowboys have also invested in the large, space-eater archetypical DT with picks such as Kentucky's Quinton Bohana in last years draft and Arkansas' John Ridgeway III late in this year's draft. Trysten Hill needs to have an impressive camp in order to secure his place on the starting roster, as he's a remnant of the old coaching staff's choices and has yet to truly realize the potential he was drafted for.
The Cowboys lack a true superstar on the interior, but the hope is that either Osa or Gallimore will be able to make the leap this year and provide some much-needed pressure, which will make the edge rushers and linebacker's jobs that much easier.
Linebackers
Seeing what Micah Parsons can do in Year 2 should be motivation enough for even the most cynical of Cowboys fans to tune in -- the reigning DROY was one of the lynchpins of last year's surprisingly stout defense, and the team will need him to build on that spectacular start. His value as an edge rusher is undeniable, but the coaching staff has held firm that they want him to remain versatile. If you lock him into just being an edge rusher, or just being a linebacker, you let opposing offensive coordinators off the hook.
Leighton Vander Esch has had an up and down career, but after resigning with the Cowboys for a one-year deal, this is his chance to reestablish his value as a quality starting LB. He's always had the talent to make plays, but persistent injuries and the Mike Nolan year have somewhat stifled his progress. He's undeniably the second-best LB on the roster at this point in time though, so he'll need to stay healthy and continue to build on the positive momentum he was gaining down the stretch in 2021.
Jabril Cox tore his ACL against the Giants last year and his rookie season was largely a wash -- that said, the former LSU Tiger has worked hard to be ready for the start of the regular season, and has looked great in camp so far. He's got great range and hits hard, and this is a team that's hurting for depth at linebacker. They'll likely slow play him throughout the preseason in order to avoid rushing him back, but I expect him to make splash plays and show why the Cowboys were smart to draft him a year ago. Another LSU product, Damone Clark, is apparently on a much faster path to playing time than most expected -- Jerry told reporters after a training camp practice that he's going to be back a lot quicker than everybody thinks. The Cowboys love to take risks on players with health or character issues in the draft, and this is another example of that.
Finally, long-time depth piece Luke Gifford is back for another year with Dallas. Never spectacular, but a reliable special teams player and a depth guy. He's had a good camp so far running with the twos.
Cornerbacks
Overrated or underrated? Everyone has an opinion on Trevon Diggs. His fans will point to his ludicrous interception total from 2021, and the fact that he's still incredibly young and developing while his detractors will bring up the instances where he gets burned by double moves and his struggles in run defense. Regardless, it's hard to deny the value of giving your offense extra possessions almost on a weekly basis. Will he see the same success in 2022 if opposing QBs stop throwing to him? It's highly likely that his interception numbers will dry up, but he'll always be a ball hawk looking to take a chance when the ball's thrown his way.
Anthony Brown and Jourdan Lewis are Cowboys vets at this point, and neither get the credit they deserve. Along with Diggs, they help form a formidable secondary that is a far cry from the broken unit we saw a couple of years ago. Brown graded very favorably with PFFs system last year and has been durable and reliable his entire career. Lewis is an underrated nickel corner with a knack for making plays at the right time.
The young guard consists mainly of last year's draft choices: Kelvin Joseph and NaShon Wright. Joseph dealt with some serious potential legal issues during the off-season after being investigated as part of a murder case, but was recently cleared of any wrong-doing. He's shown potential to be a quality starting CB2 or CB3 in his limited playing time. Wright is more of a project, but the Cowboys are still optimistic about his growth. Both corners fit Quinn's preferred defensive back mold -- tall, with long arms. The Cowboys also drafted DaRon Bland as a developmental piece out of Fresno St. in this year's draft.
Safeties
Along with DT, this is another position group that has long been neglected by the front office. They've seemed to finally put together a competent unit though, spearheaded by Donovan Wilson and Jayron Kearse. Kearse was a thrifty FA signing last year, and along with Parsons and Diggs, was one of the defense's best players in 2021. Bringing him back was a big success for the front office. The team also added Malik Hooker, who began to really come on throughout the season as he worked back from injury. If he can stay healthy, he can be a big part of this defense as well. With the cornerbacks, this safety group helps bolster the secondary in a way that the Cowboys haven't had in a while. It's been a long time since the secondary hasn't been an area of concern going into the regular season.
Special Teams
The days of sending Dan Bailey out for a field goal and just innately knowing he'd split the uprights are in the past. Greg Zuerlein struggled frequently last year and was subsequently released heading into the off-season. Now Dallas looks to either Liram Hajrullahu or the rookie Jonathan Garibay to establish themselves as the team's answer at kicker. Neither has been stellar in camp so far, but it's still early, so the Cowboys are likely to stand pat for the time being until the situation is more clear.
Bryan Anger will be staying with the team after an impeccable 2021. This was an underrated victory for the front office, as Anger was one of the best punters in the league last year and keeping him allows them to worry about one less roster spot.
LS Jake McQuaide will return for another year of long-snapping duties, at age 34.
Schedule
| Week | Game | Date | Prediction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | TB @ DAL | 09/11 | L |
| Week 2 | CIN @ DAL | 09/18 | L |
| Week 3 | DAL @ NYG | 09/26 | W |
| Week 4 | WAS @ DAL | 10/02 | W |
| Week 5 | DAL @ LAR | 10/09 | L |
| Week 6 | DAL @ PHI | 10/16 | L |
| Week 7 | DET @ DAL | 10/23 | W |
| Week 8 | CHI @ DAL | 10/30 | W |
| Week 9 | BYE | ||
| Week 10 | DAL @ GB | 11/13 | W |
| Week 11 | DAL @ MIN | 11/20 | L |
| Week 12 | NYG @ DAL | 11/24 | L |
| Week 13 | IND @ DAL | 12/04 | W |
| Week 14 | HOU @ DAL | 12/11 | W |
| Week 15 | DAL @ JAX | 12/18 | W |
| Week 16 | PHI @ DAL | 12/24 | W |
| Week 17 | DAL @ TEN | 12/29 | L |
| Week 18 | DAL @ WAS | TBD | W |
Regular Season W/L: 10-7
I have the Cowboys finishing with a worse record than last year due to a weaker roster, and a more competent NFCE -- Philadelphia has been aggressive during free agency, and should be a threat even if Hurts doesn't take a step forward. The Giants have a significantly improved coaching staff, and I think they'll sneak a win in early against a Cowboys team still trying to find it's new identity. I have them sweeping the Commanders, but I could see that series being split depending on which version of Wentz shows up and if that defense can have a return to form. I don't see the Cowboys being able to compete with the cream of the crop early on, which is why I have them losing to recent Super Bowl participants -- Tampa Bay, LA, and the Bengals -- but I do think that they'll get hot towards the end of the season as they get players back from injury and are able to build confidence with wins against AFCS opponents. I think they'll make the playoffs again but whether they find success beyond the wildcard this year is the true mystery. All of the regular season success in the world won't convince me this team can break the postseason curse until I see it for myself.
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