Cowboys Riding High Into Playoffs
The Cowboys have had an amazing regular season.
Quarterback Dak Prescott, phenomenal.
He leads the NFL in touchdowns with 36 and dropped his interceptions from 15 last season to just nine in 2023.
Wide receiver CeeDee Lamb, historic.
His 135 catches, 1,749 yards, 181 targets, 7.9 catches per game and 102.9 yards per game are all single season franchise records, with several others that land in the franchise’s top 10 – touchdowns (12), longest reception (92) and catch percentage by a wide receiver (74.5%).
Kicker Brandon Aubrey, also historic.
The Cowboys found the former soccer player in the USFL, signed him in the offseason and sat back and watched him hit the first 35 field goals of his career. An NFL and franchise record.
The Dallas secondary, missing All Pro Trevon Diggs since Week 3, has been the defense’s strength behind the All-Pro play of cornerback DaRon Bland and his nine interceptions, five returned for touchdowns. An NFL record.
They also got top level play from tight end Jake Ferguson, right guard Zack Martin, left guard Tyler Smith, center Tyler Biadasz, defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence, linebacker/edge Micah Parsons, wide receiver Brandin Cooks, linebackers Damone Clark and Markquese Bell and safeties Jayron Kearse, Donovan Wilson and Malik Hooker.
And while we’re at it, let’s give some credit to the Cowboys old ball coach.
Mike McCarthy made the changes to the offense that he thought was necessary in the offseason by installing a new system to help his quarterback, taking over the play calling and bringing in offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer. They’ve all worked to near perfection.
But enough with the ass kissing.
There have been some things the Cowboys have had to overcome.
The run defense has been a problem all season, exposed badly on the road in Arizona and Buffalo. The struggle is real away from AT&T Stadium, where they allowed teams to rush for at least 100 yards in six of nine games. Unfortunately, the struggle was real at home as well, where the Cowboys allowed four teams to do it in eight games.
The offensive line, if not healthy, is suspect at best, despite the play of T.J. Bass and Brock Hoffman on Sunday in Washington.
Running back Tony Pollard has been as average as his 3.98 yards per carry average this season, 12th in the league among backs with at least 185 carries.
The 2023 draft class has been invisible, except for second round pick tight end Luke Schoonmaker, who has eight catches for 65 yards and two touchdowns. But nothing much to speak of from top pick Mazi Smith, who they were hoping would be able to solve some of the run defense issues. He gave the team just 13 total tackles and one sack.
However, put it all together — the good and the bad, and it earned the Cowboys a 12-5 record, the conference’s No. 2 seed and an NFC East championship, the second under McCarthy.
And all that guarantees you this season is one playoff game on Super Wild Card Weekend.
So, now they turn their focus to Green Bay and matchup with the Packers that holds a lot of great storylines, including McCarthy against his former team, where he won his only Super Bowl as a head coach, the two teams storied playoff history against each other, going all the way back to the 1967 NFL Championship game (the year before Super Bowl I) and the always present Cowboys current lack of playoff success – about 28 years’ worth.
Hopefully a home playoff game, and a playoff curse exorcism a few weeks ago by the owner when he put Jimmy Johnson in the Ring of Honor, will destroy nearly three decades of bad juju.
That is if you believe in that sort of thing.
Regardless, this is the time of the year you live for as a fan of professional football.
It begins for the Cowboys today at the Star, but for you and the rest of the fan base it kicks off at 3:30 p.m. on Sunday afternoon in Arlington.
Let’s enjoy the ride, we’ve waited 18 weeks for it!