Jason Garrett hasn’t been a perfect head coach for the Dallas Cowboys by any means, but you can’t fault what he, Will McClay, and the Jones’ have built these last few years. They’ve put together arguably one of the most talented rosters a lot of us have ever seen, quite possibly the best in the history of the organization. In fact, the 2019 Cowboys roster is remarkably similar to their 1995 team who won Super Bowl XXX.
The mid to early 1990s where the Dallas Cowboys glory days. They were Super Bowl champions in ’92, ’93, ’95, and just missed out a couple other seasons during that time span. They had a dynasty going for themselves, much like the present-day New England Patriots. Unfortunately free agency, age, injuries, and the salary cap era put an end to all of that almost as quickly as it had gotten started.
Since that 1995 Super Bowl team, the Dallas Cowboys have struggled in the playoffs, thus failing to make it back to the promised land. That of course could change here shortly if you believe in the talent Jason Garrett and company will put into action once the 2019 season gets underway. It may surprise you to learn, but I see a lot of similarities between this year’s roster and the team who last won the Cowboys a Super Bowl.
Let’s take a look…
OFFENSE
| Position | 2019 | 1995 |
|---|---|---|
| QB | Dak Prescott | Troy Aikman |
| RB | Ezekiel Elliott | Emmitt Smith |
| FB | Jamize Olawale | Daryl Johnston |
| WR | Amari Cooper | Michael Irvin |
| WR | Michael Gallup | Kevin Williams |
| TE | Jason Witten | Jay Novacek |
| LT | Tyron Smith | Mark Tuinei |
| LG | Connor Williams | Nate Newton |
| C | Travis Frederick | Ray Donaldson |
| RG | Zack Martin | Larry Allen |
| RT | La’el Collins | Erik Williams |
If you look at the Dallas Cowboys 1995 starting roster and the projected starters in 2019, you may notice a lot of similarities. It’s a matter of opinion, but the Cowboys look have their new Triplets. They have the best running back in the NFL in Zeke like they did with Emmitt Smith. They also have arguably the most talented offensive line full of Pro Bowl caliber players. Surprised?
The similarities don’t end there though. Tight End Jay Novacek was a key factor in the passing game, much like Jason Witten has been for more than a decade. And let’s not forget about Fullback Daryl “Moose” Johnston. He was a major part of the Cowboys offense, and if rumors are true, Offensive Coordinator Kellen Moore is expected to use Jamize Olawale in the same manner in 2019.
The talent and similarities between the projected 2019 Cowboys roster and the 1995 Super Bowl team is pretty uncanny, at least on offense. Both rosters are stockpiled with Pro Bowl talent. We can just hope this year’s talented offensive squad can help hoist the Lombardi trophy like they did back in ’95.
DEFENSE
| Position | 2019 | 1995 |
|---|---|---|
| LDE | DeMarcus Lawrence | Tony Tolbert |
| RDE | Robert Quinn | Charles Haley |
| DT | Antwaun Woods | Russell Maryland |
| DT | Maliek Collins | Leon Lett |
| SLB | Sean Lee | Dixon Edwards |
| MLB | Jaylon Smith | Robert Jones |
| WLB | Leighton Vander Esch | Godfrey Myles |
| LCB | Chidobe Awuzie | Deion Sanders |
| RCB | Byron Jones | Larry Brown |
| SS | Jeff Heath | Darren Woodson |
| FS | Xavier Woods | Brock Marion |
We’ve all heard that “defense wins championships”, or so they say, so I was pretty surprised to see how the Dallas Cowboys 2019 projected starters stacked up against the talent they had on the ’95 team. I’ll admit, I like what I see.
I think it all starts up front with the defensive line. No, this year’s team doesn’t have the players who stack up to the likes of Haley, Tolbert, Maryland, or Lett, but they are formidable in their own right. That’s especially true with DeMarcus Lawrence and Robert Quinn, who should terrorize opposing quarterbacks this year.
The Cowboys projected trio of linebackers this year has a chance to be something really special. That ’95 team would probably salivate over the idea of having Sean Lee, Jaylon Smith, and Leighton Vander Esch play with them. But, Dallas’ projected secondary has nothing on what they rolled out back then. They are a pretty good group, but not Darren Woodson/Deion Sanders good.
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Overall, there is a lot to like about the talent the Dallas Cowboys have been able to put together here recently. It’s probably not fair to compare them to the 1995 Super Bowl champions, but it does kind of put things into perspective.
This year’s team has Super Bowl aspirations. They believe they have the talent to get them there, and I think I would have to agree. Do you?
