2012 NFL Preview: Dallas Cowboys

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Jun 12, 2012; Irving, TX, USA; Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo (9) during minicamp at Dallas Cowboys headquarters. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-US PRESSWIRE

This time in our tour through the NFL, we come to the Dallas Cowboys, the most overhyped team in all American sports. The Cowboys are coming off yet another disappointing season, and most likely going into yet another disappointing season. That’s what happens when there is never a realistic assessment of just how good a team really is.

Doing the heaving lifting on this preview is Steven Mullenax from The Landry Hat

Biggest Team Need Heading Into Offseason: Defensive backfield, Offensive Line, Defensive Pass Rush

Key Free Agents Retained: LB, Anthony Spencer.

Key Player Additions: CB, Brandon Carr. LB, Dan Connor. S Brodney Poole. QB, Kyle Orton. FB, Lawrence Vickers.

Key Players Leaving: CB, Terence Newman. WR Laurent Robinson. TE, Martellus Bennett. LB, Bradie James. LB, Keith Brooking.

Quick Thoughts on Draft: The Dallas Cowboys’ draft can be summed up in two words: Morris Claiborne. The top defensive back in the draft will help the Cowboys’ ailing defensive backfield. Outside of Claiborne, no other drafted player is expected to become an immediate starter on a team with lingering holes on both the offensive and defensive lines.

Quick Thoughts on 2012 schedule: The Cowboys will have a tough time making the playoffs this year. Not only are they smack dab in the middle of arguably the most competitive division in football, the NFC East, but they will also face some very tough non-divisional opponents. They include the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Baltimore Ravens, and the Atlanta Falcons. Combine that with facing newcomers the Carolina Panthers and the Cincinnati Bengals at home, and you have one of the toughest schedules in the NFL.

Most Interesting Roster Battle: Although I believe it is a moot point, the battle for the third wide receiver position is a hot topic within the Cowboy fandom. The vacancy left by wideout Laurent Robinson has been a point of wide speculation since he left for Jacksonville in free agency. Currently, five different receivers are in play for the open roster spot.

Biggest Strength Heading Into 2012: Unbelievably, it appears to be the quarterback position. Romo had a great statistical year last year and the addition of Kyle Orton adds quality veteran depth as he is probably the best back-up in the NFL.

Biggest Weakness Heading Into 2012: Offensive Line. The Cowboys added two mediocre lineman in free agency, Nate Livings and Mackenzy Bernadeau, in an attempt to get bigger and wiser at the guard position. They did not address the O-line issues at all in the draft. Instead, they signedundrafted free agent and walking injury concern, Ronald Leary out of Memphis, Even with these additions, Dallas still has major issues at center.

Biggest Question Still To Be Answered: Can the Cowboys improve their pass rush under Rob Ryan without making any major additions to their defensive line?

2012 Prediction: If DeMarco Murray can stay healthy, I can see the Cowboys finishing 9-7 and making the playoffs via a wildcard bid.

It’s refreshing to someone who covers the Cowboys locally in Texas not buying into the hype that the national media constantly spews out about them. This is not a dominant team. It has talent in some key places, but one of the league’s worst offensive lines, and a fairly weak front 7 on defense will keep them from utilizing the talent they have.

One thing that I like, and don’t like, about this roster is that there’s really no player (other than perhaps DeMarco Murry) who would be a catastrophic loss if that player got injured. For instance, Tony Romo isn’t that much better than Kyle Orton, who while a Romo injury would hurt, it wouldn’t cripple this team. It speaks to both their depth, and their lack on truly remarkable and irreplaceable players.

Topics: Cowboys, Dallas Cowboys, Tony Romo

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Hawkman

I hope not, I have disliked Dallas since the game against the Vikings back in ’74 I believe ( maybe 75)
when Pearson? pushed down the vikings DB and scored the winning TD. Dallas SUCKS!
Keith_12thMR

@Hawkman don’t worry, I dont see any way that 9-7 wins a wild card spot this year. too many good teams, and too many bad teams. All 4 divisions have at least 2 teams good enough to win 10 games.
ctcowboysince1968

Two reasons that the media hypes the Cowboys so much are: one, they hate the Cowboys and set them up so that they (the media) can spew on about the Cowboy’s under achievement and failure; two, the Cowboys are national news. Unlike the Seahawks, who frankly, no one outside of Seattle cares about.

Regarding your comments at the end of the story, now that ILB geezers James and Brookings are gone, the Cowboys may have the best LB unit in the league. Ware (top 1 or 2 D player in the NFL), Lee (one of the best LBs in the league last year), Connor, Spencer and Carter. Romo is a top ten QB. Orton is the best back up QB in the league according to the talking heads on ESPN.

Other than Lynch, name one Seahawk offensive skill player that is better than a Cowboy starter.

I am a realist. I don’t buy the media hype. It’s highly unlikely that the Cowboys go to the SB. They have a brutal schedule and play in the toughest division in football. Unlike the Seahawks that play in the weakest division in football.
Hawkman

@ctcowboysince1968Who had a #9 defense in the league last year? Hawks and they will be at least as good if not better this year. Other than QB the thing holding back the Hawks on O has been injuries for 5 straight years at one place or the other. The NFC least (west)that is now a falacy and all you have to do to know the truth of it is look at the actual (not projected) strength of schedule and the Results( pay close attention to scores also). The rest of the league will aso know the truth of that fact this year -can bet on it!
PLus what has Dallas done since Jimmy Johnson !
Keith_12thMR

@ctcowboysince1968 how is the NFC east the “toughest division in football?” Only one team was above .500, and they barely scraped together 9 wins. The idea that the NFC East is tough is part of the media hype. Both North Divisions (AFC and NFC) are far tougher then the NFC East.
Hawkman

@ctcowboysince1968
I guess we will find out alot on week 2 Sept. 16th- Can’t wait!
ctcowboysince1968

Yes, let’s hope it is a well played game by both teams. Seahawks have an amazing homefield advantage.
ctcowboysince1968

True about Jimmy. Great coach and motivator. He put together the greatest football team in history. One TD short vs 49ers to winning 4 SBs in a row. Unfortunately, Jerry Jones’ ego ruined the whole situation.

Injuries are an unfortunately part of the game. Every team has them and they can be crippling to the team. I am sure that we both could come up with a long list of injured stars over the past several years for our teams.

Srength of schedule is based on prior year results. In the era of FA and injuries, teams can change considerably from year to year. This calculation is not completely accurate.

It’s a QB driven league. Without one, then a team is going no where.

The NFC least still exists. Excluding the 49ers last year, it’s been years since any team in that division could play well against a team outside of that division. Even when the Cards were good, they could not win on the road. A good team in the NFC west should have 5 to 6 victories from divisional play to pad their record.
ctcowboysince1968

@Keith_12thMR AFC North has two very good teams (Steelers and Ravens). Bengals had one decent year with a loser’s schedule. I am not convinced by a one year wonder. The Browns are awful. We will see head to head this year as the NFC East plays the AFC North.

NFC North has really come on. The only bad team is the Vikings. Again the Lions have only had one good year. Let’s see what they do this year.
Keith_12thMR

@ctcowboysince1968 I disagree. Look at the Seahawks. they had wins against the NFL champion Giants (on the road, with a backup QB at the helm) the Ravens, Eagles and Bears. Thats 4 good wins. Plus they gave the Falcons and Bangles and they could handle (two other playoff teams) Had the Seahawks padded their record on the NFC West with say a 5-1 record instead of going 3-3, they would have been playoff team.

AZ had wins over Dallas and and Phili. Had they padded their record on the division foes, they’d also have been a playoff team.

Your thinking about the West is inaccurate. Especially considering all those wins against the NFC East that you’re saying is so much stronger. The 3 best teams in the West went 7-2 against the 3 best teams in the East.

oh man… football can start soon enough, can it?
ctcowboysince1968

@Keith_12thMR I can’t disagree with the facts. Now they did beat the Eagles and Bears without their starting QBs. Both back ups are no longer with those teams they are so bad.

I did see them put a smack down on the gaints which I completely enjoyed.

Interesting that the Seahawks beat the top two East teams and lost to the bottom two. Crazy game this football. And the perennial cellar dwelling Redskins went 3-1 vs the West.

I could say that the Cowboys should have had 3 more wins and should have made the playoffs, if their own HC was not such an idiot. But it is what it is.

Enjoy your 4th of July.
Hawkman

@Keith_12thMRExactly what I was talking about with the true schedule , the scores and results. This is no longer the NFC least.
Boy I wish it was the end of August already, I haven’t been this excited for a season since 2003 when I could see the beginnings of something good. Just wish we had this D on that Offensive team – could you say multiple super bowls.
Hawkman

@ctcowboysince1968
Every time I bring up bad calls ( they happen) or real reasons for losses that are out of the teams control people slap me down , but if you think it is the head coach then he should be gone.
Hawkman

@ctcowboysince1968 What he said- HA ha, See when you look at what actually happened (Can go back too) not what is perceived but what actually is the strenght of conferences not media hype it is inaccurate – No more NFC least
ctcowboysince1968

@Keith_12thMR I just checked last years results and the East beat the West 9-7. Not that that is anything impressive. Dallas and the Skins both went 3-1. Gmen went 2-2 and Eagles went 1-3. If it weren’t for the Cowboy’s HC icing his own kicker vs Cards, then Dallas would have been 4-0. Jason Garrett is a butt head.
Keith_12thMR

@ctcowboysince1968 ya, the Rams and ‘Skins skew things from what I posted earlier. Still, it does show that the 2 divisions are really similar. Much more so than the media would have you believe.