The Dallas Cowboys finally play a football game that matters in two days. It has come to that point before kickoff where I make my yearly predictions and see how close I can come to nailing them once the season is over.
Look guys, I want to win in January, and that is what I care about the most, but this is meant to be a fun post seeing how close I can get to predicting the season-ending stats of the stars on this football team.
Guys like Dak Prescott, Micah Parsons, CeeDee Lamb and Trevon Diggs.
CeeDee Lamb
Let’s start with the best offensive player on this football team, CeeDee Lamb. Lamb is coming off practically the best season for a Dallas Cowboys wide receiver in the history of the franchise.
Lamb was a 2023 First-Team All-Pro who led the NFL in targets (181) and receptions (135) last year. He finished second in the league in receiving yards (1,749) and receiving touchdowns (12).
Do I think Lamb will touch all of these numbers in 2024, I don’t, but I think he will have more touchdowns.
CeeDee Lamb pic.twitter.com/8zJkB2kqLL
— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) September 5, 2024
I think CeeDee finishes with 119 catches on 170 targets, while putting up over 1,600 yards and 14 touchdowns.
This offense struggled in the red zone at times last season, and I think they are going to do everything possible to at least look for Lamb ONCE every single time down there. Whether it is the first play inside the moneymaker area, or on third down.
Lamb will once again be in the Pro Bowl and hopefully Second-Team All-Pro.
Micah Parsons
Micah Parsons favored for DPOY; Myles Garrett second. Micah Parsons has yet to win the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year award, but bettors can back him as the current favorite in that spot.
According to ESPN, you shouldn’t expect any drop off in production from the All-Pro. The over/under on sacks for Parsons is set at 13.5 by ESPN BET.
ESPN’s projected sack total in 2024 for Parsons: 13.6.
Last season, Micah Parsons mostly played DE and was listed as a LB. This year, Parsons is listed as a DE, but maybe he will be all over the place. pic.twitter.com/9mnIeLWTH8
— Todd Archer (@toddarcher) September 5, 2024
Last season, Parsons recorded 64 total tackles, 18 tackles for a loss, 33 QB hits, and a career-high 14 sacks. Repeating that level of production would be welcomed by Mike Zimmer.
I think Parsons will end 2024 with 70 total tackles, 20 for a loss, 35 QB hits, and a career-high 18 sacks.
Do I think that will make him Defensive Player of the Year? It is hard to tell. T.J. Watt should probably have won it last year, and they gave it to Myles Garrett.
Dak Prescott
Everyone that roots for this team wants Dak Prescott gone, they think they can replace him with the guy we just saw throw FIVE interceptions to a bunch of practice squad players in the last preseason game of the year.
Prescott won’t have the same type of year he did a season ago, but he is going to play well enough to get them to the playoffs and folks will still hate it.
Dak Prescott, Year 9 pic.twitter.com/9jYwIHIJlg
— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) September 5, 2024
With two rookies on the offensive line, he will be under more pressure this season, but I still think he throws for close to 4,300 yards, 33 touchdowns and probably 12 interceptions.
I will take those numbers every single year, and if you won’t then I guess you weren’t happy when he threw for 36 tuddys and 9 interceptions last year.
Trevon Diggs
The return of Trevon Diggs will be huge with the news of DaRon Bland being out for 6-8 weeks. They also let Stephon Gilmore walk, not bad since he signed a one-year deal worth 10 million.
That is just too much to bring him back for.
Diggs was lost last season with that torn ACL, and although he looks good in the offseason, it will probably take a few games for him to get back to his full self.
Sunday will be Trevon Diggs' first game since Week 2 last season because of a torn ACL. Mike McCarthy: I see him healthy, ready to go. As standing here today, I see him slated as a full-time player … I think Trevon’s been right on schedule as far as how much he’ll play."
— Todd Archer (@toddarcher) September 5, 2024
I will guess he finishes with 60 tackles, 20 passes defended and six interceptions. One of those six he will take to the house for a touchdown.
