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Saddle Up: What the Cowboys need to do to reach the next Super Bowl

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The Dallas Cowboys are a team that is always challenging for titles but never quite gets there. Every season one or two things let them down and bring them crashing back down to Earth from the heights of the division.

Can the Cowboys make it to the next Super Bowl?

Well, the short answer is maybe. For the long answer, keep reading.

Trust In The Coach

The playoffs this past season were a washout for the Cowboys, and this shocked a few names in the industry.

They hired Mike McCarthy based on his Super Bowl-winning past and many expected him to hit the ground running with Dallas and take them all the way.

Fact or Fiction: HC Mike McCarthy Will Be on the Heat Seat Entering the Week Nine Bye

Dreams can quickly become nightmares — the playoffs were not a good time to be the Cowboys.

It is worth remembering their consistency in the regular season when assessing their chances next time out, and McCarthy was the keystone to these performances.

Check the NFL lines on the big sportsbooks like America’s favorite, BetUS, and you will see for yourself that the odds are in the Cowboys’ favor.

As long as Dallas trusts the coach they brought in to take them to the Super Bowl they are in with a good chance.

Fix Dak Prescott, And Fast

It feels like it was seasons ago that Dak Prescott was in contention for an MVP award, but it was only October.

The repetition of Dak Prescott: How do the Cowboys handle their quarterback?

When Dallas decimated the Patriots, they looked like Super Bowl shoe-ins but then all of a sudden they collapsed with a run of mediocre results. Dak Prescott was at the center of their collapse, and his fortunes on the field seemed to reflect the team’s performance in the standings.

Any player that costs as much as $40 million a season needs to be front and center of a team’s recovery.

There is a lot of faith in Prescott among the fans, but he is entering his seventh season and will be 29 years old this year. He does not have much longer to turn around his fortunes and with them the fortunes of the Cowboys.

Make Smarter Deals

The biggest danger of the Cowboys’ advantage in the draft is the Jones family’s habit of negotiating deals that seem insane just a short while later. The specter of Zeke Elliott has only just left the feast.

His incredibly one-sided deal cost the Cowboys millions of dollars and never gave them much in return.

Having a big stadium, a big team, and big draft picks should work in their favor and not the players.

Ezekiel Elliott Chooses Not to Play in Preseason

Zeke’s progression to a free agent with a knee injury could release an excellent running back that they have waiting in their ranks.

Tony Pollard is arguably more dynamic than Elliott ever proved himself to be and is capable of better numbers and better consistency. Dallas doesn’t need the draft to find Zeke Elliott’s replacement.

They need to make smarter deals with players so they can put the money where they need to invest it.

Replace Tyron Smith

It may not feel fair to single any player out, but Tyron Smith has been struggling to perform for a couple of seasons now.

He definitely has the talent to play at the highest level, but Dallas cannot afford to give him the time he needs to pick up his consistency and build up his performance levels. If more time would benefit him at all.

Tyron Smith
Cowboys OT Tyron Smith

Stephen Jones has been talking up the Cowboys’ options in the draft this year, and he and his family need to leverage their advantages to secure an offensive tackle they can rely on.

The Cowboys used to have the strongest offensive line in the game and some commentators still think that is the truth. In reality, they have not been the same team since Travis Frederick had his career cut down by injury and illness.

The draft picks and power that Dallas has this year need to be harnessed to shore up their offense.

The Mighty Dallas D

One of the strongest elements of the Cowboys’ game is their tenacious defense. They need to use this strength as a foundation to build up the rest of the team if they are going to make it to Super Bowl LVIII.

Micah Parsons could be the main character in this storyline. His status as a hard-working hybrid player suits the task in front of him and his team.

Trevon Diggs has been going from strength to strength each season and could reach his peak performance in the coming season. This gives Dallas even more reason to shout about their defense.

Fact or fiction: The Dallas Cowboys are a legit NFC contender
Dallas Cowboys strong safety Damontae Kazee (18) and Trevon Diggs (7) celebrate an early third down stop of the Philadelphia Eagles offense during the first quarter at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Monday, September 27, 2021. (Tom Fox/The Dallas Morning News)

With a couple of smart draft picks, they can reinforce their defensive line and secure a spot at the top of the division.

Every season is an opportunity for a team like the Cowboys.

They have everything a franchise needs to be successful, they just need the things outside of their control to break their way.

Shoring up the holes in their roster in the next draft will be crucial to reaching Super Bowl LVIII but even without fixing those problems, they are still in with a chance.

Nothing gives me greater joy than the experience of being a Dallas Cowboys fan come time to check another victory on the schedule every Sunday. I live Inside The Star every day and blog on it occasionally, as well. I have owned and operated InsideTheStar.com since 2009, reporting on and analyzing Cowboys football ever since. Follow us on Twitter - @CowboysNation

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