Cowboys Are Built for the Long Run
When Tony Romo went down with a back injury in preseason, Dallas Cowboys fans could not believe the news. Cowboys fans just went through a miserable 4–12 season last year and now they could be witnessing a repeat performance this season. Various NFL “experts” projected the Cowboys to be back in the top five for the 2017 NFL Draft and an eventual complete rebuild but that is not the case anymore.
The Cowboys are 11–1 and they are currently riding a franchise record 11 game winning streak. Just like they were during the 2014 season, the Cowboys are Super Bowl dreaming but it is not with Tony Romo and DeMarco Murray this time around.
Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott have been this year’s rookie sensations and they are now the future cornerstones of the Dallas Cowboys.
Coming out of the tough defensive-minded SEC with Mississippi State, Dak Prescott has shined in his rookie season and he is on pace to break numerous rookie passing records. Through 12 games this season, Prescott has completed 67.9% of passes with 8.3 yards gained per pass attempt, a solid 19 passing touchdowns to two interceptions ratio, totaled 2,974 passing yards, and has a 108.6 quarterback rating. Prescott is on pace to set the following NFL rookie records: QB rating (RG3’s 102.4 in 2012 is the current record), completion percentage (Ben Roethlisberger’s 66.4% in 2004 is the current record), and passing touchdowns (Peyton Manning in 1998 and Russell Wilson in 2012 hold the record with 26).
Dak Prescott really does not play like a rookie. Prescott has good (for the millionth time you will hear this) poise in the pocket and his ability to be a dual-threat quarterback has had defenses stressing for weeks on how to stop him. Prescott has been successful in being patient with his receivers and avoiding rookie mistakes such as forcing passing into double coverage downfield or deciding to hold onto the ball too long. He has also pleased his receiving unit as he has equally distributed the football to his top three targets as Dez Bryant, Jason Witten, and Cole Beasley have each had at least 60 targets this season. Prescott has committed minor mistakes such as missing wide open receivers but then again, he has not even completed his 1st NFL season.
With Ezekiel Elliott, the Cowboys have hit the jackpot with the NFL’s newest superstar. Elliott leads the NFL in rushing yards with 1,285 and total touchdowns with 13. Through just 11 games, Elliott has garnered comparisons to fellow Cowboys legend Emmitt Smith and he has received growing support to become MVP.
You can not talk about the Cowboys success this season and their bright future without talking about the best offensive line in the NFL.
With solid run blocking as shown during their matchup against Washington, the Cowboys offensive line have done of all of the dirty work in helping the Cowboys elite… yes, elite offense take off this season. This team has proved time and time again this season that they are not a fluke team or a one-hit wonder.
Dallas has averaged 27.8 points per game, over 400 total yards per game, and the most impressive statistic is that heading into the Vikings game, they led the league in offensive scoring drive percentage with 51.8% of drives. Think about that for a second… the Cowboys have scored on over half of their drives and… they are 0.9 percentage points behind the NFL’s “gold standard of elite offenses” 2007 New England Patriots mark of scoring on 52.7% of drives.
The Cowboys offense have “quietly” done the job when they needed it the most. Cowboys need a game-winning drive to beat the Steelers? They did it. Cowboys need a quick two minute scoring drive against the Ravens at the end of the 1st half and keep the pressure on Baltimore? They did it.
Looking on the other side, also give credit to the Cowboys defense for their improved play this season.
They have not played up to the elite caliber that the Cowboys offense have been playing like so far but the defense has been efficient. The Cowboys defense have allowed 19.4 points per game, which ranks in the top 10 in the NFL.
Enhanced play by Brandon Carr, Byron Jones and the rest of the secondary have had the Cowboys perform much better in coverage compared to last season as they have only allowed two 100-yard receivers this season (Antonio Brown and DeSean Jackson). With the defensive front, tackling (especially in the open field) has had significant progression this season. Lead by Sean Lee, who had recorded 112 tackles, the Cowboys have done a better job of decreasing the missed tackles and stopping the run. The Cowboys have also not allowed 100-yard rusher this season… impressive for an overlooked defense.
Now there is a lot to discover about this team considering that Prescott and Elliott have not yet had the challenge of playing in an NFL playoff game and Dallas has a defense that is still vulnerable to giving up substantial big plays but they are the real deal. At 11–1, the Cowboys can continue to run the table and extend their unbeaten run all the way to Houston. As of now, the road to Super Bowl 51 will go through the Dallas Cowboys and they matchup well against any NFC team whether it is going with Dak Prescott to carry the team in an offensive shootout against the Falcons or old school football with Ezekiel Elliott running the football against the Seahawks defensive front.
Now regardless of whether or not the Cowboys make it to Super Bowl 51 and win it all, this team is built to be a serious contender for years to come and it’s all because of their strong under-30 core.
Even though some NFL fans still can not believe it, Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott are just rookies and the Cowboys have them under control over the next five years. Ezekiel Elliott is signed through the 2019 season with an option for the 2020 season. Dak Prescott is signed through the 2019 season and will be an unrestricted free agent in 2020. Who knows by then — the Cowboys could be celebrating a couple of Super Bowl championships or will still be hungry for their 1st as a group but there is no doubt that Jerry Jones will be a rational general manager and do his best to keep them both in Dallas for at least the next decade.
By 2020, Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott could possibly cement their mark as the next faces of the NFL. Prescott could become the next Russell Wilson and that’s not a far-fetched comparison. Prescott has the ability pass outside of the pocket like Wilson does on a regular basis but not even close yet to how accurate and successful Wilson does it. With Elliott, he can continue to develop as a powerhouse all downs back and begin to rack up Offensive Player of the Year awards with numerous 1,800+ rushing yard seasons. Now this is all just hypothetical but at this point, why not? The rookie dynamic duo have showed never before seen progression in their 1st season in the NFL.
It is also the same story when discussing the Cowboys offensive line. The unit is one of the youngest offensive lines in the NFL with right tackle Doug Free being the oldest at 32. Pro Bowlers Tyron Smith(25) and Travis Frederick (25) are signed until the 2024 season while 2014 1st team All-NFL nominee Zack Martin(26) is signed until 2018. The 5th member of the Cowboys elite offensive unit, at the moment, is Ronald Leary. Leary will be a free agent this off-season and the Cowboys will attempt to keep him for depth but the left guard position is reserved for the talented La’el Collins. The safest investment in the NFL is building up an offensive line and the Cowboys have a group that can dominate the line of scrimmage for years to come.
Along with Dez Bryant who is signed until 2020, the Cowboys will have all of their core players on offense for at least four more years. Watch out NFC..
Looking ahead on defense, they have a respectable group of developing players but just imagine if Jaylon Smith and Randy Gregory live up to their expectations? Both have the potential to be part of the next generation of defensive stars in the NFC but they do have a tough hill to climb. Smith is coming off a devastating knee injury but the talent is there and alongside Lee, Smith could become the next Luke Kuechly as a linebacker that has tremendous range and is one of the better tacklers in the NFL. With Gregory, personal issues have halted his playing career but to anyone that has seen him play while at Nebraska, he can be a force as an edge rusher.
While the Cowboys do have one of the youngest cores in the NFL, this team will continue to add more and more talented prospects. In free agency, Dallas will now become a lucrative place to play with long-term success on the horizon. And let’s say that the Cowboys cut Tony Romo, it will then open up more cap space and potentially help the Cowboys use the money to invest in other aspects of their team. With the draft, they have been one of the best in finding starters as each of their last seven 1st round draft picks are current starters.
What you are seeing from the Dallas Cowboys this season is just the beginning and it should frighten the rest of the NFC. This team has a tremendous core of players that can rule the NFL just like the Patriots have done over the past 15 seasons. This team is not just a one hit wonder but who knows, it could be the beginning of a long-lasting dynasty. Looking around the NFC, the Seahawks will at least be one obstacle for repeat success and just looking at this season, they could begin the NFL’s newest rivalry in a showdown in the NFC Championship game. Whatever happens in the near future, one thing is for sure, the Cowboys will be a long-term contender in the NFC.
Writer’s Note: Video credit to Fox Sports/NFL. Contracts info courtesy of Spotrac. Some of the stats in this article are courtesy of Pro Football Reference.
