The Dallas Cowboys have a long path in front of them to get to the Super Bowl. That goes without saying.
All the chips are sitting in the middle of the table.
While no one in the front office has said this, it feels like a make-or-break season for Coach Mike McCarthy.
Dallas’ roster is one of the most robust assemblies of talent he has had in a long time. He has a top-rated defense, a veteran-laden offense, and an experienced coaching staff.
He has to take advantage of this opportunity because it may be fleeting.
This team will have some pitstops to overcome starting in The Golden State. The San Francisco 49ers, Los Angeles Chargers, and Los Angeles Rams all present different challenges in October.
I am confident that Dallas will be ready for the opportunity, but it’ll take some work.
It’s Time to get over the recent San Francisco 49ers Hump
There is a misbelief that the 49ers have owned the Dallas Cowboys because of the last two playoff losses.
Unfortunately, for San Francisco fans, that is not an accurate statement.
Since 2016, with Dak Prescott at the helm, Dallas has gone 3 – 0 in the regular season against the west coast foe.
They averaged a little over two passing touchdowns. Not to mention, the team has scored 35 points per game in those wins.
Unfortunately, Mike McCarthy has not been a part of that success story.
He has been a part of the playoff losses, and that has been the kick in the midsection.
Pro Football Focus shared the statistics for the last two playoff stinkers.
For better or worse, the great storylines and internet clicks come from discussing Dak’s play on the field.
However, cleaning up the penalties could have altered the results of both games.
It’s never fun to be the coach of a team that appears to be less disciplined. For Mike, that’s where perception will become his reality.
Getting the majority of those yellow flags means that your team needs to be more prepared for the ball game.
Losing to a Kyle Shanahan-led team for a third consecutive time will give the major media outlets another reason to discount Dallas’ ability to go deep in the playoffs.
Dallas and San Francisco will have everyone’s undivided attention on Sunday Night Football on October 8, 2023.
Granted, it’ll be early in the season, but credit is up for grabs, and criticism will be at an all-time high.
Kellen Moore has A New Quarterback to help exact some revenge
This game will get a lot of attention and for good reason.
I’m sure everyone knows where I’m going with this. The Los Angeles Chargers hired former Dallas Offensive Coordinator Kellen Moore for the same role.
I would bet my last dollar he has this game circled on his mental calendar.
There was a divide among the fanbase on whether or not Kellen should have been relieved of his duties in Dallas.
Some will point to the way he calls plays in different situations. The end of the Jacksonville Jaguars game last season stands out.
Supporters, however, will point to the results he accomplished.
Having a 4th ranked scoring offense when your starting quarterback missed five games is hard to overlook.
McCarthy will call the plays, and new Offensive Coordinator Brian Schottenheimer will aid him in game planning.
With that, the spotlight still won’t be on Dallas’ offense. It’ll shine brightly on the Los Angeles Chargers.
Call Kellen what you will, but he found a nice landing spot.
With a young quarterback in Justin Herbert and skilled players in Austin Ekeler, Keenan Allen, Mike Williams, and newly drafted Quentin Johnston, Moore will have pieces for his offense to erupt.
Mike McCarthy will need Dan Quinn and the defense to be on their A-game to slow that nucleus down.
If they don’t, it may be pie in the face of Dallas’ ball coach.
That won’t look good. It won’t be an indictment of McCarthy. However, it will be a reminder to Jerry of what he had in the combination of Kellen and Dak.
Not a great memory for a billionaire owner who wants a chip so bad he can taste it.
It’s combustible, at the very least.
THE INTERIOR OFFENSIVE LINE WILL NEED TO BE SOLIDIFIED BY THE WEEK 7 MATCHUP VERSUS AARON DONALD
The last time the Dallas Cowboys played the Los Angeles Rams wasn’t fun for Head Coach Sean McVay.
Frankly, it won’t be a blast for him this year.
Cooper Rush consistently led the Dallas offense, the defense was on the attack, and the special teams were exceptional.
However, Dallas must find a way to deal with Aaron Donald again.
As OTAs are ongoing, it doesn’t appear that Tyler Smith will play on the interior. It’s early, but it’s been Chuma Edoga, Josh Ball, and Matt Farniok thus far.
We’ll see what shakes once it’s all said and done.
Donald had a few impactful plays on Cooper Rush that made the game more competitive early on.
Two sacks and a forced fumble made the highlight reel, but the overwhelming talent of Dallas ultimately rose to the top.
The 2023 matchup cannot be a game in which the franchise quarterback gets hurt because the left interior side of the line is a work in progress.
Dak had the right thumb last season and a calf strain in 2021. Prescott must remain as clean as possible, especially up the middle.
Most quarterbacks want the traffic directly in front of them controlled as much as possible.
They also want to keep the defensive linemen away from their extremities to prevent any weird nix and bruises.
After playing a Monday night game, the noon game against the Rams won’t be a cakewalk.
The cherry on the top is that the Philadelphia Eagles will be watching and waiting.
Dallas has a chance to do something special this year. They have the pieces in place. There will be hurdles, especially in California.
How this team weathers that storm may determine a lot for this season.
