By Mark Halpern
So football is right around the corner, and I am beyond excited to see my Dallas Cowboys open the season against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on September 9th, 2021. I have been a Cowboys fan since 1982 when my brother bought me my first Jersey of Danny White. In the 80’s we saw the Catch by Dwight Clarke spoil on the best seasons, and then my boys took a horrible tumble until 1989 when they drafted Troy Aikman #1 in the draft. He is my favorite Cowboy of all time, and I even named my son after him. In the 90’s we saw the Cowboys win 3 Super Bowls and make the playoffs five times.
Like any Cowboy fan, we always say they will make the playoffs every year and go far. I have not been this excited about a season in such a long time. Dak Prescott is 100% healthy and is way ahead of schedule from his massive injury to his ankle last year. Ezekiel Elliot has transformed himself from the overweight running back he was last year, and his calf injury is completely healed. He looks like the beast he was when drafted. The Wide receiver core of Cooper, Gallup, and Lamb is the best wide receiver core in football. The tight ends of Schultz and Jarwin are good, but nothing like Jason Whitten was. The most significant improvement is that the offensive line is 100% intact with no injuries. The Cowboy’s success in the ’90s was due to that formidable offensive line, and this year’s line looks equal to them. They should open the floodgates for Elliot and Pollard to run the ball, and if you try to play one on one our receivers will burn you.
Now the game is not all offensive. If you put 42 points on the board and the other team burns through your defense and scores 45, you still lose. The Cowboys went and got Dan Quinn from Atlanta to restructure the defense. The Cowboy’s weakness has been the defensive line except for Demarcus Lawrence. Now they have two good edge rushes, Lawrence and Gregory, they went and got Brent Urban from the Bears, and they Have Gallimore, who, yes, is still young but will work with this scheme. The linebacking crew of Jaylon Smith, Leighton Vander-Esch, and either Parsons or Cox will be the fastest youngest group in the NFL. The secondary is where the cowboys have had some trouble. Jordan Lewis and Trevon Diggs will be on the corners, and Reggie Robinson and Donvan Wilson will be manning the safeties.
It is hard to compare one Cowboys Team to another but, this squad reminds me of what the 92-93 Cowboys looked like, and their return to greatness is imminent. Can I guarantee anything? No, because anyone will tell you in football, any team can beat any given team on any given Sunday. My first prediction is that they blow out the Buccaneers 38-21 and go on to a 13-4 record, winning not only the NFC East but also winning home field advantage for the playoffs and winning it all, and that is how the old man sees it.
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