2018 has been deemed a do-or-die year for much of the Cowboys roster and coaching staff. Whether it's quarterback Dak Prescott or head coach Jason Garrett, the Cowboys' success (or lack thereof) in 2018 will play a critical role in decisions made about leaders in the organization going forward.
In order to make this season as successful as possible, the Cowboys are going to have to go through some of the best quarterbacks in all of football. The majority of which, by the way, come from right within their own conference.
If it's not enough the Cowboys open up against a former NFL MVP in Cam Newton, they then face Russell Wilson, Matthew Stafford, and Deshaun Watson three of the next four games. They then get a bit of a break from the top tier quarterbacks before dealing with Matt Ryan, Drew Brees, and Carson Wentz late in the year. Depending on the health of Carson Wentz and Andrew Luck the Cowboys could see what many consider to be a top 10 quarterback during 6-7 of their 16 games.
And when they finally get a week off from this level of quarterback play? Well, you get to deal with the Jaguars defense.
In a league which is littered with such average-to-poor quarterback play, the Cowboys will have to stop most of football's best. On the bright side, they'll avoid a regular season match up with Aaron Rodgers for a change. And considering how annoying Rodgers has been to the Cowboys during his career, that is certainly something to be happy about.
Of course, if the Cowboys get where they want to go this season, they'll most likely have to see Rodgers and the Packers anyway. Let's just hope that their hypothetical match up can be played in Dallas, rather than in the freezing temperatures of Green Bay.
If the Cowboys are to reach their 2018 goals, they'll need to take advantage of the Tampa Bays and Tennessees on their schedule, while also remaining competitive against some of the league's best offenses.
It's a tall task, but one that a playoff team should be able to handle.
