For the Cowboys, 2019 is largely the inverse of 2018.
Last season Dallas wasn't expected to be very good, and halfway through the year – they weren't. Sitting at 3-5 the season felt over for the Cowboys, with most expecting Jason Garrett to be fired and the Eagles to run away with their second consecutive division title.
Instead the Cowboys turned their season around, went 7-1 over their last 8 games and even won a home playoff game. They had all the “momentum” in the world, and were on their way to Los Angeles with a chance to clinch an NFC title game birth.
Then things fell apart.
CJ Anderson, Todd Gurley and the Los Angeles Rams ran all over a Cowboys defense most thought highly of heading into their match up. Dallas had no chance at slowing down the Rams offense, and their own offensive unit was sluggish for much of the first three quarters.
Sean McVay and the Rams demolished the Cowboys, ending their season and sending them home disappointed yet again.
Fast forward to 2019.
High expectations, a fast start, and an allegedly talented team. But, when push comes to shove, the Cowboys are now just a 6-7 team. Below average.
Still, due to the largely incompetent NFC East, the Cowboys season is far from over. If they can begin to turn things around on Sunday, they could potentially start a run through the postseason again. If they could find a way to beat McVay's Rams for the first time in his tenure, they could possibly find that same magic they found halfway through 2018.
And if, they can stop Todd Gurley and the Rams run game which caused them incredible issues a year ago, Garrett and company could put themselves in a position to save their jobs.
Rams, Eagles, Redskins. Three traditionally tough games, but games a true NFC contender should be able to take care of come December.
In the end, it's all out in front of the Cowboys if they want it.
But there's one problem – the Cowboys are nowhere close to a true NFC contender.
