Every year when a new football season begins, Cowboys fans around the world are notorious for believing “this is our year.” To be quite honest, this year really seems like it could be.
The Cowboys sit at 5-2 and are now ranked 8th in the NFL with the easiest remaining schedule. We must remember – this is the NFL. Any team can beat anybody on any given Sunday. It's very easy to look at the remainder of the Cowboys' schedule and predict their record come playoff time, but it's not that simple.
In recent memory, the NFC has been a powerhouse with teams like the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Green Bay Packers, the San Francisco 49ers, and the Los Angeles Rams. However, the tides seem to be changing as none of those teams look like the complete units they have been over the last few years.
Those four teams have a combined record of 12-15.
What does all of this mean for the Cowboys?
The Cowboys have a chance to put it all together this year, and the odds lean heavily in their favor if they can continue to stack wins going into January.
What could stop the Cowboys?
The NFC East.
The NFC East has been a lackluster division over the last couple of decades and has not had a repeat division winner since 2004. So far this year, the Philadelphia Eagles are undefeated, the New York Giants are 6-1, and the Washington Commanders are fighting to climb back to .500 on the season.
The Cowboys currently sit in 3rd place in the NFC East, but what falls in favor of the Cowboys is the fact that they play each of their divisional opponents once more this season. If the Cowboys can continue to win games, and beat the Eagles, Giants, and Commanders in the later half of the season, the Cowboys will secure their spot in the playoffs.
Out of all the teams remaining on the Cowboys' schedule, you can make an argument that Dallas is the favorite and has the better team in each match-up. Although the Cowboys did lose to the Eagles earlier this season, the Cowboys were without starting quarterback Dak Prescott, who has a 7-3 record against Philadelphia. If the Cowboys can get their offense in rhythm and continue to play with a dominant defense, there is no evidence that suggests the Cowboys won't be playing in late January when the playoffs roll around.
The 2022 Dallas Cowboys need to be all-in on this year, having arguably the best defense in the league and an offense that was the #1 ranked offense just one season ago.
Time will tell if this will truly be the year for the Cowboys, but it is hard to keep the faith after the heartbreak Cowboys Nation has had to endure over the last 25 years. As long as the Cowboys can continue to win games and stay healthy, then I believe the Cowboys will be the team to beat in the NFC come playoff time.
