Dallas Cowboys 2022-2023 Season Preview

Can the Cowboys advance past the divisional round for the first time since 1995?

The Dallas Cowboys have long been one of the premier franchises in the NFL.  Winning 5 Super Bowls and being dubbed “America’s Team” will do that.  Unfortunately for Cowboys fans, all of that success came decades ago, and the team hasn’t advanced past the divisional round since winning the Super Bowl nearly thirty years ago.  In that span, the Cowboys are 4-11 in the postseason, despite having an owner, Jerry Jones, who has stated he would do anything to reach another Super Bowl.

Despite fielding the league’s #1 offense in 2021, the Cowboys were, once again, unable to win a postseason game, losing 23-17 to the San Francisco 49ers.  The ending of that game was surrounded with controversy, as the Cowboys chose to run a quarterback draw with 14 seconds and no timeouts.  Although the play worked out well, as quarterback Dak Prescott picked up 17 yards in just about 5 seconds, the Cowboys were unable to get off another play, as they spiked the ball as the clock expired.

There was plenty of blame to go around.  Cowboys fans would tell you that the referee took too long to get to the line and spot the ball, while also bumping into Prescott and Cowboys center Tyler Biadasz.  Head coach Mike McCarthy and offensive coordinator Kellen Moore were also blamed for calling a run play with hardly any time on the clock and no timeouts.  Finally, Prescott was blamed for spiking the ball rather than attempting to throw it to the end zone.

While it may not have mattered in the grand scheme of things, it was an unfortunate ending to a season that saw the Cowboys go 12-5.  Rather than having a chance to pick up 24 yards and tie the game, their season ended with a spiked ball touching the ground after the clock turned to 0:00.

Can the Cowboys finally make a postseason run?

2022 figures to present the Cowboys with a tougher path to the division title, as the division has improved on paper while the Cowboys have worsened.  The Cowboys traded star wide receiver Amari Cooper to the Cleveland Browns for a fifth-round pick and a sixth-round pick swap.  They also lost pass rusher Randy Gregory in free agency after initially agreeing to a deal that was later called off due to a dispute over contract language.

The Cowboys also lost several other starters in free agency including wide receiver Cedrick Wilson Jr., offensive guard Connor Williams, and offensive tackle La’el Collins, who they released in order to save cap space.  The Cowboys did retain wide receiver Michael Gallup, but it remains to be seen when he will return from a Week 17 ACL tear, and, more importantly, how he will look in his return.

Despite these losses, the Cowboys, on paper, do still field the best roster in the NFC East.  They will look to ride an elite offense and a defense led by first team All-Pro playmakers Micah Parsons and Trevon Diggs to a deep postseason run in a top heavy NFC.  Making the playoffs simply won’t be enough to keep owner Jerry Jones, who will turn 80 early in the season, happy.

The Cowboys remain the favorite to win the NFC East, with odds currently at +135.  They are considered close to a lock to make the postseason, with -250 odds.  They also have the fifth-best odds, +850, to win the NFC, trailing only the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Green Bay Packers, Los Angeles Rams, and San Francisco 49ers.  Their Super Bowl odds, +1800, rank as the ninth-highest, trailing the Buffalo Bills, Buccaneers, Packers, Kansas City Chiefs, Rams, Los Angeles Chargers, 49ers and Denver Broncos.  They are currently being given a win total over/under of 10.

Although Jerry Jones will not want to hear it, the Cowboys NFC title game drought is likely to continue for, at least, another year.  With a roster that has gotten worse and a top heavy NFC, it will be tough for the Cowboys to even advance to the NFC divisional round, which is likely to feature the same four teams as last season.  While anything can happen once you reach the postseason, which the Cowboys likely will, the talent gap between the Cowboys and the NFC’s top four, who all feature units that were dominant on both ends, is likely too large.