The Dallas Cowboys have suffered some heartbreak over the past two seasons, losing in the final week of the year each time to end up out of the playoffs, watching the rival New York Giants and Washington Redskins win the NFC East and then into the postseason and now they are hoping to get back in 2013.
Tony Romo will be the key once again after signing a long extension and if he plays well, the team will have a chance, just like they did last season when he threw for 28 touchdowns and nearly 5,000 yards and Dez Bryant had a big year too. This season the team is overhauling the defense with a new coordinator and trying to get a more consistent running game after dealing with injuries last season.
Jason Witten will once again be a prime player and Romo will have to show that he can win in the postseason to justify his contract. As usual, the schedule is tough for the NFC East and after losing their final preseason game, the Cowboys will head into the season to face the Giants on Sunday night football. The team ranked third in passing yards last season behind Romo and Bryant and to keep that up they need the running game to be better.
The team passed for nearly 300 yards per game, but rushed for only 79 on average, ranked number 31 in the league and if DeMarco Murray and Joseph Randle can stay healthy, those numbers should improve. The defense took a step back and that is why they fired Rob Ryan and now they will have the chance to improve their stats in the passing defense, which ranked 19th in yards allowed per game, as well as the rushing, which allowed over 120 yards per game, ranked 22nd in the league.
After playing the Giants the team will travel to Kansas City and then will be back home against the Rams before flying out to the West coast to take on the Chargers. The team has a late bye week this season and then will play the Denver Broncos and the Redskins before road games against the Eagles and Lions. The Vikings will come to town and then they will travel to play the Saints before their bye week. The Giants wait next and then the final stretch of the season has home games against the Raiders, Packers and Eagles with road games against the Redskins and Bears.
Prediction: 9-7, out of the playoffs again.