2017 NFL win/loss projections for all 32 teams

Dallas Cowboys

So how bout them Dallas Cowboys, huh? How are they going to do this year? Well, they went 13-3 last year and had the best record in the NFC last regular season. However, that didn’t translate to a playoff victory. You can thank Jared Cook for that. That being said, this team isn’t going to bottom out like the 2015 Cowboys that went 4-12 and had the worst record in the NFC.

Overall, Dallas should be one of the better teams in football. The Cowboys return the three best pieces on the best offensive line in the game. Thankfully, Travis Frederick, Zack Martin and Tyron Smith aren’t leaving Arlington anytime soon. Whether or not running back Ezekiel Elliott is suspended for a few games, he’s a transcendent talent at running back. Look for quarterback Dak Prescott to grow in year two. Take it all in stride with the kid. He’s young and he’ll be a star in Dallas for a long time.

However, there are major concerns with other parts of their football team this fall. First, Dallas plays an absolutely brutal schedule. The Cowboys have first-place one that include dates with Atlanta and Green Bay, probably both losses for Dallas. They draw the AFC West in the conference rotation, as well as an NFC West that couldn’t have been worse than it was last year. Add in that the NFC East is always competitive and there really is no way the Cowboys finish with the best record in the NFC. Last year was an anomaly.

Frankly, Dallas will be sub-par defensively and there’s really no way around that. The unit was coached up by Rod Marinelli last fall, but he benefited from a clean bill of health from his players. Dallas has a great coaching staff, but what exactly does head coach Jason Garrett bring to the table? Bill Callahan and Wade Wilson are great position coaches for an outstanding offensive coordinator in Scott Lineman. What does Garrett do besides toss the red flag for the occasional challenge?

That being said, Dallas is just too good offensively to be a bad football team in 2017. It’s just not possible. The Cowboys will be the best team in the NFC East again, as the division will do what it always does and cannibalizes itself. Dallas is technically a Super Bowl contender, but the Cowboys need to win a playoff game or two first, so pump the breaks.

Projected Record: 9-7, NFC East Champion (No. 4 seed)