There are some who see positive things for the Cowboys in 2022.
Things have turned a little dark around the Dallas Cowboys football team since the end of the 2021 season. The loss in the Wild Card Round to the San Francisco 49ers was a stunner that left a 12-5, NFC East-winning season in tatters. Then there was the whole kerfuffle about the head coaching position with Jerry Jones providing uncertainty, and opening people to the idea that there may be a rift between coaches, or coaches and the front-office.
The boatload of free agents for the Cowboys mixed with being $21 million over the cap is also a downer for fans. Plus Stephen Jones is looking like he will continue his cheap ways in free agency and has made comments that leave the fates of stars Amari Cooper and DeMarcus Lawrence in somewhat of a precarious position.
So you can excuse fans for feeling a little down. But let’s try to let a small ray of sunlight into the room. When ESPN asked 12 NFL analysts to predict the 2022 Super Bowl teams, the Cowboys actually made the list three times. No one predicted that they would win it, but hey, at least they were mentioned as getting there.
Let’s see what they had to say about the 2022 ‘Boys.
Tristan H. Cockcroft, fantasy football writer: Bills over Cowboys. What?! The Cowboys in the Super Bowl?! Consider it more the product of a wide-open NFC in my estimation — though an Aaron Rodgers-led Packers team would remain tough to bet against — but it’s the Bills who stand out as one of the game’s most balanced overall teams, with a quarterback in Josh Allen who is an absolute superstar.
There is a thought that the NFC is going to be a very wide-open contest with Tom Brady retired and the possibility of Aaron Rodgers on the move. This would be a classic-revisited as the Cowboys and Bills met in the Super Bowl twice in the ‘90s.
Jason Reid, senior NFL writer, The Undefeated: Chiefs over Cowboys. After stewing all offseason about the Chiefs’ stunning second-half collapse in the AFC Championship Game, Patrick Mahomes will return better than ever. Just like they rebuilt their offensive line last offseason, the Chiefs will move to add pass-rushers this spring. Wide receiver Mecole Hardman will finally take a big step forward to help future Hall of Famers Travis Kelce and Tyreek Hill. For Dallas, Dak Prescott will lead a dominating offense. On defense, linebacker Micah Parsons will be second to none in the game while taking charge of a top-five unit.
Prescott vs. Mahomes. Who ya got? Not only does Jason Reid have the Chiefs, but Mike Tannenbaum joins him.
Mike Tannenbaum, NFL front-office insider: Chiefs over Cowboys. Patrick Mahomes remains the best player on the planet. The Cowboys will finally get over the hump by correcting their biggest problem — discipline — and dramatically cut down on penalties (they led the league in 2-21). Continuity will serve Dak Prescott well, and the Cowboys will be in the top five in the league in offense and defense.
If the Cowboys could become a disciplined team as Tannenbaum suggests, then they would certainly be in contention. That was one of their biggest issues in 2021, constantly getting behind the chains on offense and giving up important conversions on defense.
You buying it?