Dallas Cowboys Team Preview & Predictions for the 2015-16 NFL Season

UPDATE 2015/08/26: CB Orlando Scandrick out for the season with right knee injury

Little was expected of the Dallas Cowboys last season. With Tony Romo fresh off a back surgery and their much-maligned defense still in shambles, Cowboys fans had every reason to believe that their team was headed for another early elimination. That didn’t turn out to be the case at all as the Cowboys embarked on a memorable playoff run that saw them grab their first postseason win in five years.

Can the Cowboys go one step further this season and win their first Super Bowl title in 21 years? Read on below as we breakdown Dallas’ chances this season. While you’re at it, you can check out our NFC East preview as the start of the NFL season draws ever closer.
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2015-2016 Dallas Cowboys Preview

Overview

[sc:NFL240banner ]The Dallas Cowboys will enter the new season with high hopes after their excellent performance in the league last campaign. The Cowboys are coming off of their first winning season in four years after posting an impressive 12-4 slate in 2014. They grabbed the NFC East crown in the process, their first division title since 2009.

Key to the Cowboys’ strong showing last season was their superb offense. Dallas finished seventh in the NFL in scoring last season, averaging 29.2 points per game. The Cowboys also finished seventh in total offense last year, averaging 42.5 more yards per game than they did back in 2013, when they were 16th in the entire league.

There’s plenty of uncertainty of though, with regards to the Dallas offense with DeMarco Murray’s shocking departure to the Eagles. It will be interesting to see if the Cowboys can generate the same kind of offensive production without one of the NFL’s best running backs on their side.

Offseason Review

The Dallas Cowboys had a rough start to the offseason when they lost DeMarco Murray to the Philadelphia Eagles. The 2014 NFL Offensive Player of the Year signed a $42 million, five-year deal with the Eagles after the Cowboys slapped the franchise tag on wide receiver Dez Bryant. Murray was the best running back in the league last season and it wasn’t even close.

He rushed for 1,845 rushing yards last year, nearly 500 yards more than the next-best rusher (Le’Veon Bell – 1,361). Murray also had 13 rushing touchdowns last season, tied with Marshawn Lynch for the most in the NFL. With Murray’s departure, the pressure is on Bryant to deliver the goods this season. Bryant, who finally signed a $70 million deal with the Cowboys, led the NFL with 16 touchdown receptions last season.

The Cowboys also bolstered their defensive ranks by signing a combination of returning veterans (Sean Lee) and new talent (first-round defensive back Byron Jones and several new pass rushers, including 2015 second-rounder Randy Gregory and 2013 Pro Bowler Greg Hardy). Jones shot up the draft boards after his amazing combine performance and he will definitely be one player to watch this season.

Hardy, on the other hand, will make his Cowboys debut sooner than expected after his 10-game suspension was reduced to just four games. That is great news for a Cowboys defense that generated just 28 sacks last season. Hardy recorded double-digit sacks in the 2012 and 2013 seasons. His quick return will be a major boost to a Dallas defense that will be missing the services of Orlando Scanbrick for the rest of the season. The star cornerback tore his ACL and MCL in his right knee during the Cowboys’ training camp practice on Tuesday evening and will miss the entire 2015 campaign.

Scandrick is the best defensive back on the team’s roster and arguably one of the best players on the Cowboys defense. Last season, Scandrick finished with 56 tackles, two interceptions, two forced fumbles, and nine passes defensed. With the 28-year-old out, there’s more pressure on rookie Byron Jones to quickly deliver for the Cowboys.

Key Player – Tony Romo

One of the main reasons behind the Cowboys’ deep run last season was the excellent form of Tony Romo. He completed the most efficient season of his NFL career, passing for 3,705 yards with 34 touchdowns and nine interceptions. He led the NFL with a passer rating of 113.2 and completed a league-leading 69.9 percent of his passes.

He may be the oldest man on the roster but he’s still the most important Cowboy heading into the new season. To the Cowboys’ relief, Romo’s health is not an issue for him this offseason.  His surgically-repaired back looks to be in perfect shape this time around. In fact, he was able to participate in the team’s organized activities. He called this year’s offseason the best he’s had in the past couple of years.

For Romo to be successful this season, the Cowboys once again need to have a balanced offensive attack. The Cowboys ran the ball 49.9 percent of the time last season which meant Romo shared the offensive burden for the first time in his 12-year career. In the previous three seasons, Dallas ran the ball 35.1 percent (29th in the league), 33.8 percent (31st) and 40.1 percent (23rd).

Key Game – @ Green Bay (December 13)

The stage is set for one epic rematch as the Cowboys return to the site of their controversial playoff loss last season. The Cowboys looked to be on their way to the NFC Championship game after Dez Bryant caught a lofted pass by Tony Romo near the goal-line late in the fourth quarter. The referees overturned the ruling, though, and called the pass incomplete.

It was a bitter blow for the Cowboys, who went on to lose the game, 26-21. They can avenge that painful defeat on December 13 when they lock horns with the Packers at Lambeau Field in a marquee Week 14 clash.

Best/Worst Case Scenario for the Season

Best Case Scenario

“We’re going to win a Super Bowl next year.” That was the emphatic statement of Tony Romo in his acceptance speech for the Nancy Lieberman Lifetime Achievement Award last April. After coming so close to the title last season, only a Super Bowl triumph will satisfy the long-suffering Dallas faithful this year.

For the Cowboys to achieve that feat, they need Romo to be perfectly healthy. If his back holds up for the rest of the season, the Cowboys stand a great chance of winning the Vince Lombardi Trophy next year.

Worst Case Scenario

The Cowboys struggle offensively with DeMarco Murray now out of the lineup. To make matters worse, Tony Romo’s back problems start acting up again. The Cowboys are eliminated early, finishing the season with an even 8-8 record.

Complete Schedule

WEEK | DATE | OPPONENT | TIME (ET)
1 | Sunday, Sep 13 | New York Giants | 8:30 PM
2 | Sunday, Sep 20 | @ Philadelphia Eagles | 4:25 PM
3 | Sunday, Sep 27 | Atlanta Falcons | 1:00 PM
4 | Sunday, Oct 4 | @ New Orleans Saints | 8:30 PM
5 | Sunday, Oct 11 | New England Patriots | 4:25 PM
6 | BYE WEEK | |
7 | Sunday, Oct 25 | @ New York Giants | 4:25 PM
8 | Sunday, Nov 1 | Seattle Seahawks | 4:25 PM
9 | Sunday, Nov 8 | Philadelphia Eagles | 8:30 PM
10 | Sunday, Nov 15 | @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 1:00 PM
11 | Sunday, Nov 22 | @ Miami Dolphins | 1:00 PM
12 | Thursday, Nov 26 | Carolina Panthers | 4:30 PM
13 | Monday, Dec 7 | @ Washington Redskins | 8:30 PM
14 | Sunday, Dec 13 | @ Green Bay Packers | 4:25 PM
15 | Saturday, Dec 19 | New York Jets | 8:25 PM
16 | Sunday, Dec 27 | @ Buffalo Bills | 1:00 PM
17 | Sunday, Jan 3 | Washington Redskins | 1:00 PM

Writer’s Prediction

Dallas wins the NFC East for the second year running with an 11-5 record. Create a betting account now and put your NFL predictions to the test!
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