Will The Cowboys Return To The Playoffs In 2022?
The Dallas Cowboys made the playoffs in 2021 after missing out in the past two seasons. However, The Cowboys have not had back-to-back playoff appearances since the 2006-2007 seasons. Will they buck the trend this upcoming season?
Despair Once Again In Dallas
The Cowboys are coming off another disappointing end to a season after looking red hot during the early parts of 2021 and going into the playoffs as the third seed. They crashed out in the Wildcard Round after losing to the 49ers in Arlington. Attention is now turning to the 2022 Season and going after the glory of another Super Bowl. The Vince Lombardi trophy has now eluded the team for a quarter of a century. With their last Super Bowl title coming in the 1995 Season.
Dallas always comes into a season with a roster full of stars and ready to compete for the ultimate prize. However, at end of the season, they always seem to choke, mess up, or both. As professional Cowboys hater Stephen A. Smith likes to say, “They always find a way to lose and mess it up.”
A Messy Start
We are a week removed from the start of free agency and the Dallas team is very different compared to the one that finished the 2021 season. The mood among fans is uneasy with some doubt going into the new season. The decision to trade Amari Cooper while keeping Michael Gallup and paying him the big bucks continues to puzzle Cowboys fans. This one hurts as Dallas didn’t get much at all, just a fifth-round draft pick and a swap of 2022 sixth-rounders. All while imagining the connection Cooper and Deshaun Watson may have in Cleveland. Not to mention the mess with Randy Gregory who looked like he was re-signing for 2022 only at the last second he changed his mind and signed with Denver.
I have already voiced concern earlier this month about the Cowboys’ offseason. It has been a mess from the very start. I am one of those disgruntled fans with doubts about what the plans are this off-season.
Forget about the players being traded or cut, the players that have been brought in don’t fuel me with excitement. For the last two years, we have been spoiled with our wide receivers. Lamb, Gallup, and Cooper are explosive and when together rivaled the best wide receiver sets in the league. James Washington comes in after four very quiet seasons with the Steelers, recording 1,629 yards and 11 touchdowns. It is still early days in the 2022 free agency market and with $25 million in cap space, Dallas has the room to make some moves that can unite the fanbase once more and get Cowboy nation believing once more.
Coaching Indecisions
But, and there is a big but when it comes to success in Dallas and that is the head coach. There was a lot of talk in the wake of the Cowboys crashing out of the playoffs on whether Mike McCarthy should go or not. Even Jerry Jones admitted he was thinking about this on local radio. McCarthy divides the fanbase and there are young, smart coaches in the game now. Many see that he is no longer the same coach who won the Super Bowl back in 2009.
There does seem a prickliness between owner and coach, with Jones admitting there are two head coaches already in the building. This does not bode well going into the season as you never see a successful team have owner and coach butting heads and having public spats.
This all is detrimental to the Cowboys’ chances with noise always a constant in Dallas. But, McCarthy is already on the hot seat, and as soon as he loses, the heat will be on and the vultures will circle. This will not bode well for the team that wants to go far into the playoffs. Not many do when they have a head coaching change during the season.
Quinn For President
I personally am of the opinion that Dan Quinn should be leading this team. Quinn walked into the building and immediately turned a god-awful defense into a great one. In press conferences, he has grit, steeliness, and toughness you don’t get with McCarthy. Quinn has what it takes to lead America’s team, and I would not be at all surprised to see him in the position very soon.
It does seem the Super Bowl window is now closed for this Dallas team. Last season was the time but the ship has sailed along with many of its sailors. With a questionable captain at the helm, it now all depends on the question, will Dallas make the playoffs?
Not All Doom & Gloom
It is not all bad for Dallas just yet. Yes, they have lost key players in Gregory, Cooper, and La’el Collins but the roster is still more than good enough to compete. The emergence of Trevon Diggs at corner, who led the league in takeaways. The star of the much-improved defensive Rookie Defensive Player of the Year Michah Parsons. Two very good running backs, both different from one another. Not to mention the leader of the team Dak Prescott, who had another brilliant year personally in 2021. Breaking the franchise record for most touchdowns in a single season with 37.
NFC Least
If this was an article asking the question can the Dallas Cowboys make the Super Bowl? My answer would be hell no! With Brady back, the Rams are still strong and you can never write off Aaron Rodgers. However, this is can they make the playoffs and my answer is 100% yes. The reason is the NFC East is horrible. The division is still very under par compared to many in the league, such as the AFC West or NFC West.
The Cowboys are coming off a 6-0 record in the division last year. But they finished 6-5 against the rest of the league. This showed how weak the NFC East is and gave it the nickname NFC Least. Dallas has a better roster, a better player in individual positions, and the best coach.
The New York Giants still with Daniel Jones do not look like they will make much noise in the division once again. Washington has upgraded at QB with the addition of Carson Wentz but Dak is still the much better quarterback, with more weapons. Finally, the Eagles, while they performed much better than expected, are good enough to make the playoffs. However, Jalen Hurts does not have weapons and his arm strength is nowhere near the level of Prescott.
I would be seriously worried if the Cowboys were not in the playoffs next season. Which would raise major doubts about the coach, the quarterback, and the Jones family. For now, thank the football gods for the NFC East. Come January, Cowboys Nation should be sitting down and enjoying Dallas Cowboys playoff football for consecutive seasons for the first time in 15 years.
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