As we move on to the NFC East in our 2021 NFL season previews, we begin with the Dallas Cowboys.
The Cowboys were very quiet this offseason, with the only major losses to free agency this offseason being Andy Dalton, Cam Erving, and Xavier Woods. They also saw Sean Lee retire while parting ways with Antwaun Woods.
The big signings were extending Dak Prescott, inking Keanu Neal to a deal in free agency, who then shifted to linebacker, getting Brent Urban to bolster the interior defensive line, and then signing Ty Nsekhe to upgrade the swing tackle position.
The Cowboys’ offense should be one of the most prolific offenses in the NFL, with one of the best wide receiver trios in Amari Cooper, Michael Gallup, and CeeDee Lamb. The two tight ends, Blake Jarwin and Dalton Schultz, are solid contributors as well.
Ezekiel Elliott, despite having his lowest production output in 2020, still has a solid contact balance and can get them an extra yard or two. However, the explosiveness is being seen less and less these days. Although he is struggling as a pass catcher these days, he is still one of the better pass-protecting backs in the league.
Tony Pollard had his emergence last season, and it will be interesting to see now that the Cowboys could loosen the load on Elliott a bit in 2021.
If there was someone to not bet against, it’s Dak Prescott.
He was on an MVP-caliber pace before his gruesome injury. He improved his footwork before 2019, and it paid dividends. His strength is his pre- and post-snap ability to add on to his ability to maximize his time in the pocket and manipulating the rush to create a throwing alley and then releasing. He is one of the most efficient red zone runners in the league, so it will be interesting how much the injury affects how often he is used as a rusher.
The hiring of Dan Quinn as their defensive coordinator was big. The condensed offseason in the 2020 season was bad for them, as the defense looked very off early on, looking like one of the worst defenses in NFL history. Here, they should get better by default.
Schematically, there could be issues, at least from having people in the right place at the right time. However, they are relying on a high-variance second-year corner in Trevon Diggs and either one of Anthony Brown or Kelvin Joseph on the outside. Donovan Wilson had flashes in 2020, but there are still unknowns until Damontae Kazee returns from injury.
Although this defense isn’t likely a top 10 defense, they don’t really need to be. DeMarcus Lawrence and Randy Gregory are still a high-upside defensive end duo. Trysten Hill played well before his injury, and Neville Gallimore has solid upside.
Schedule
Week 1: @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Thursday, September 9, 8:20 PM on NBC
Oh, so now we get a different season opener for the Cowboys! Instead of the same old opener against the Giants, they now get the reigning Super Bowl champs. Fresh off a beatdown of the Chiefs in Super Bowl LV, it’s hard to believe that Tom Brady will start off the season on that Super Bowl hangover. He is working his way on potentially winning his 8th ring. It also helps that the Bucs were able to retain all their starters from the Super Bowl. For the Cowboys, the return of Dak Prescott gives them a boost of confidence, and it gets their offense back their identity that was absent when he was sitting out to heal his injury. Defensively, this is a whole different story. With Dan Quinn as their defensive coordinator, even if he has some interesting schemes, it just won’t be enough to take down Brady and co. Prescott and the Cowboys offense will give the Bucs a challenge, but it all comes down to who has the better all-around talent on the roster. The Bucs have too many offensive weapons to lose a season opener at home against a Cowboys defense that has a lot of question marks.
Week 1 score: Buccaneers 31, Cowboys 24
Week 2: @ Los Angeles Chargers
Sunday, September 19, 4:25 PM on CBS
The Chargers are not a team to be slept on in 2021. The Cowboys traveling across three time zones will take a bit of a toll on them, as will the presence of Justin Herbert. However, Herbert isn’t Brady, and that is where the Cowboys defense could find an edge on. A hungry Cowboys team found its groove when the 2020 season was coming to its close, and Quinn will come up with interesting schemes. Herbert isn’t turnover-prone, however, as he had just 10 picks to 31 touchdowns in his first season, so when he makes a mistake, the Cowboys have to, and must, capitalize and give Prescott and co. as many chances as possible. This is because the offense will be up against a Chargers defense led by star pass rusher Joey Bosa. New Chargers HC Brandon Staley is a defensive genius who will find ways to contain the Cowboys’ pass attack and generate turnovers. The problem for them is that Derwin James is coming back from another major injury. This game will get close, but despite Jerry Jones being familiar with LA, remember what happened the last time the Cowboys faced a Staley-led defense? History repeats itself here.
Week 2 score: Chargers 30, Cowboys 27
Week 3: vs. Philadelphia Eagles
Monday, September 27, 8:15 PM on ESPN
The Eagles are now a rebuilding team, even if they won’t want to admit to that. It’s now Jalen Hurts’ show in Philly, but Eagles fans are wanting to know if he is the long-term face of the franchise. He was 1-3 as a starter, with one of the losses coming against the Cowboys, where Trevon Diggs had two picks. While Hurts is a nice passer, it has yet to be seen that he can attack secondaries on a consistent basis. Four games are not enough. On the other end, Diggs now has Kelvin Joseph opposite him, Micah Parsons is a possible Defensive Rookie of the Year candidate, Leighton Vander Esch is healthy once again, and Jaylon Smith should be motivated and ready for the season. Offensively, expect the receiving trio to overwhelm the Eagles secondary as Prescott goes off for at least 300 yards and three touchdowns.
Week 3 score: Cowboys 38, Eagles 20
Week 4: vs. Carolina Panthers
Sunday, October 3, 1:00 PM on FOX
The Cowboys haven’t played their best at home in 2020, so they have a shot at rebounding in 2021. The Panthers are another one of those teams with a lot of question marks and are at the most important position in football. Things didn’t go as planned in Matt Rhule’s first season as the Panthers HC with Teddy Bridgewater under center, so they went out to acquire Sam Darnold while sending away Bridgewater to the Broncos. If you’re looking for a game that involves lots of highlights and scoring, this is a game to watch. The Panthers should be more consistent in 2021, but this comes out to inexperienced and star plays will make plays. Previously, Darnold helped the Jets to a win over the Cowboys while returning from mononucleosis, which can be viewed as motivation for a Cowboys defense that hasn’t forgotten. They want revenge, and they would be wise to get it once they figure out Rhule’s system. The biggest threat that they will face is Christian McCaffrey in a matchup that could see the two running backs going off. However, the Cowboys have a lot in their offensive arsenal to handle the Panthers.
Week 4 score: Cowboys 34, Panthers 17
Week 5: vs. New York Giants
Sunday, October 10, 4:25 PM on FOX
Maintaining a four-game win-streak is hard, but it’s even harder when you have to play a rival who also had one of the better offseasons of 2021. However, if the Cowboys and Giants swapped quarterbacks, the Cowboys would be tanking for a top 10 pick every year, while the Giants would be a perennial playoff contender. The Giants have a strong defense, especially on the secondary, but the pass rush couldn’t get consistent last season and struggled against the run. The Cowboys are playing at home and have the firepower to get past the Giants.
Week 5 score: Cowboys 24, Giants 20
Week 6: @ New England Patriots
Sunday, October 17, 4:25 PM on CBS
The Cowboys offseason was quiet, while the Patriots were aggressive in their offseason, bolstering the team by adding more weapons around either one of Cam Newton or Mac Jones and also stacking up the defense. They still have Bill Belichick, who doesn’t play between the lines. It’s a possibility that the Pats bounce back from a Tom Brady-less season last year, but this is a game that is up for grabs, even if the Pats have both the homefield and coaching advantage. This should be interesting, but it all comes down to quarterbacking and who has the better offense.
Week 6 score: Cowboys 26, Patriots 20 (OT)
Week 7: BYE WEEK
Week 8: @ Minnesota Vikings (SNF)
Sunday, October 31, 8:20 PM on NBC
It’s always fun when the Cowboys and Vikings play against each other, but only when one of the two sides don’t suffer heartbreak. Whether it be Dez Bryant’s catch in 2016 that helped the Cowboys put away the Vikings or CeeDee Lamb doing it in 2020, the Cowboys have found ways to win games in Minneapolis. While Lamb has proven to be a high-upside wide receiver in his rookie season, but Justin Jefferson has done the same. So, there can be a rivalry brewing there to add on to the rivalry between Ezekiel Elliott and Dalvin Cook, as the two quietly want to outplay each other, as is the case between two running backs when they face each other. While there are question marks on the Cowboys’ secondary, their front seven will cause problems for their opponents this season. No matter how this game goes, the Vikings want revenge for 2016 and 2020, but they have to hope that they can get to Prescott and assume he won’t take off and run, and that Kirk Cousins can put up a similar or better effort from 2020. The Vikings defense is a weakness, while the Cowboys have the speed and the strength to run away with the win.
Week 8 score: Cowboys 33, Vikings 27
Week 9: vs. Denver Broncos
Sunday, November 7, 1:00 PM on FOX
The Cowboys will face both of the top CB prospects from the 2021 Draft, first with Jaycee Horn in Week 4 and now with Pat Surtain II in Week 9. Surtain is a key piece to a Broncos defense that is already dangerous when healthy and will get both Von Miller and Bradley Chubb back. Prescott has to be aware of his whereabouts on each and every dropback, and it’s not just Surtain, Miller, Chubb, and Justin Simmons. However, there is no clue on if Drew Lock is the man in Denver. He has shown his highs, but he also had his fair share of lows, and the latter can be exploited by Dan Quinn and the Cowboys defense. The new-look run defense isn’t going against a superstar talent in Melvin Gordon, but he is still a running back to not be slept on. On paper, this should be similar to the Patriots game, but as the game goes on, the usually strong Broncos defense could get exhausted by the Cowboys offense as Lock makes key mistakes and the Cowboys shut down key weapons like Jerry Jeudy.
Week 9 score: Cowboys 23, Broncos 13
Week 10: vs. Atlanta Falcons
Sunday, November 14, 1:00 PM on FOX
Revenge is one of the best dishes out there, and it is likely that Dan Quinn is serving it here. The Falcons fired him during the 2020 season, which left him wondering where he would go next, and the Cowboys called him with the job at defensive coordinator to replace Mike Nolan. The former DC of the Legion of Boom has his stamp of approval on the roster-building process, and that can scream trouble for the Falcons. With Julio Jones gone, that means the Cowboys will have to take care of Calvin Ridley and Kyle Pitts. Without Jones, the Falcons offense is more manageable, but they are still capable of putting up plenty of points. However, Mike Davis isn’t as big of a challenge as Christian McCaffrey or Dalvin Cook, and the Falcons have one of the thinnest defensive depth charts in the NFL. Although it might not be the outcome that was seen from last year, expect Prescott to deliver some clutch 4th quarter passes.
Week 10 score: Cowboys 34, Falcons 27
Week 11: @ Kansas City Chiefs
Sunday, November 21, 4:25 PM on FOX
“There’s no way the Cowboys are winning eight straight,” you say. Remember when Prescott led the Cowboys to 11 straight wins in the 2016 season? If this means anything, then 8 straight wins is not impossible. It’s good that they rebounded from an opening night loss to Tom Brady and the Bucs, but the Chiefs not only reloaded, but upgraded their roster. Upgrading their offensive line is going to make it difficult for the Cowboys’ pass rush to get to Patrick Mahomes. Add to the fact that Mahomes puts up mind-blowing numbers at Arrowhead Stadium, and the Cowboys are in for a rough night. There is no way to relax against Mahomes, and a defensive unit that both gets after opposing QBs and takes the ball away ties to a special teams unit that can be a game-changer at any moment. It is still a winnable game for the Cowboys, but it’s not a matter of can they win, it’s if will they win. The answer is no, as this defense isn’t ready yet for the Chiefs, but expect Prescott to get something interesting after halftime.
Week 11 score: Chiefs 37, Cowboys 26
Week 12: vs. Las Vegas Raiders (Thanksgiving Day)
Thursday, November 25, 4:30 PM on FOX
The Cowboys didn’t get a lot better this offseason, but the Raiders are a lot worse. However, when the Raiders said that they believe in Derek Carr, they weren’t kidding. He isn’t the problem in Vegas. They had a hard time trying to get a receiving core to step up. This led to Mike Mayock calling them out, but this is only going to work in favor of the Cowboys, who they believe upgraded their pass defense. If Darren Waller was removed from the conversation, then that means the Cowboys will take care of Josh Jacobs and Kenyan Drake to give Carr a bad time. It’s not easy, but it's doable if the Cowboys can set the edge to keep both running backs on the inside where the interior linemen can clog the lanes. Expect some of that happening as well as the defense generating pressure on Carr as Ezekiel Elliott runs all over the Raiders defense. This should be over by the 3rd quarter.
Week 12 score: Cowboys 35, Raiders 23
Week 13: @ New Orleans Saints (TNF)
Thursday, December 2, 8:20 PM on FOX
The Saints are Jameis Winston’s team now. It’s going to be interesting how he fares in his first time as a full-time starting quarterback since his 2019 campaign. However, if he is still his mistake-prone self, then the Cowboys should be able to generate turnovers to help keep Jameis, Alvin Kamara, and Michael Thomas on the sideline while the Cowboys offense exhausts the Saints defense. They will have to keep an eye out on Cameron Jordan, Marshon Lattimore and Malcolm Jenkins, but it’s going to take a lot of work for the Saints to contain the Cowboys offense. If this game was played at the Cowboys’ home, they would win by double digits, but all in all, this is a game the Cowboys can win, especially when you take into account the personnel changes to the Saints defense.
Week 13 score: Cowboys 23, Saints 17
Week 14: @ Washington Football Team
Sunday, December 12, 1:00 PM on FOX
The no-name football team boasts one of the best defensive lines in the league, even with Ryan Kerrigan heading to the Eagles in free agency. Washington HC Ron Rivera prepared for this when the team added William Jackson III and Kendall Fuller to the club to help aid Landon Collins in the secondary. Things are still iffy at the linebacker position in Washington, and they’re hoping that Jamin Davis becomes an impact player. However, if Washington wants to win this game, it starts with the defensive line to take away what the Cowboys do best. Chase Young and co. should have little problems getting to Prescott. With an improved secondary, they should create a game-changing turnover and do just enough to win this game at their home field.
Week 14 score: Washington 20, Cowboys 17
Week 15: @ New York Giants
Sunday, December 19, 1:00 PM on FOX
This rivalry should be one to watch considering the talent in the Giants’ secondary going head-to-head with the Cowboys receiving corps. Beating your rival twice in a year is difficult, especially when their greatest strength is their defense. The biggest factor in this head-to-head series is homefield advantage. That and the fact that Daniel Jones, under extreme pressure, has proven that he is willing to give up the ball. This time around, the Giants control the clock, limit the Cowboys’ offensive tempo and have the homefield advantage. It’s a matchup that will come down to the final minutes, but much like last season, the Cowboys take the home game and lose the away game.
Week 15 score: Giants 26, Cowboys 23
Week 16: vs. Washington Football Team (SNF)
Sunday, December 26, 8:20 PM on NBC
The big question considering Washington is their quarterback situation. The head-to-head series shifts to AT&T Stadium for the second game, and the Cowboys have the homefield advantage this time around. However, if Washington’s defense holds up like it did last time, that might not matter. In the two games last season, Washington had 10 sacks and basically lived in the backfield. Washington’s secondary is better than last season. However, the downside is that they saw Trent Williams and Morgan Moses leave in the last two seasons, and that could be a recipe for disaster no matter how talented that defensive front is. While this game can go down to the wire, the Cowboys get the advantage since they’re playing at their home field as they face a Washington team with question marks offensively. If Washington wants to win this, they need something special from Ryan Fitzpatrick. That doesn’t seem to be the case here.
Week 16 score: Cowboys 27, Washington 17
Week 17: vs. Arizona Cardinals
Sunday, January 2, 1:00 PM on FOX
The last time the Cowboys met with the Cardinals was in the 2020 season, where he led the team to a 38-10 win over the Cowboys at AT&T Stadium. The problem for the Cowboys here is that Kyler Murray isn’t just arm talent, but he is also a speedy dual threat QB, and the Cowboys have had problems with mobile QBs in the past. It could be solved with the additions at LB, but even so, Murray is not the only problem. The Cowboys also have to account for DeAndre Hopkins, Christian Kirk, AJ Green, Andy Isabella, and Rondale Moore, along with running backs Chase Edmonds and James Conner. The Cardinals also loaded up on defense, with JJ Watt joining forces with Chandler Jones, Budda Baker and Isaiah Simmons. Given that Tyron Smith has durability issues, the Cowboys have to hope that he is healthy for this game, or it’s going to be a long night for Prescott. This is a bad matchup for the Cowboys on paper.
Week 17 score: Cardinals 34, Cowboys 27
Week 18: @ Philadelphia Eagles
Sunday, January 9, 1:00 PM on FOX
The Draft Day trade between the Eagles and Cowboys that saw the Eagles taking DeVonta Smith and the Cowboys taking Micah Parsons is initially going in favor of the Cowboys, and there is no telling on if Smith will be successful despite being the reigning Heisman Trophy winner. However, the Cowboys are way too deep and talented in their receiving core for the Eagles to handle and Prescott won’t miss on big play opportunities. With the Eagles not able to keep up with the Cowboys, the Cowboys will get a win at Lincoln Financial Field.
Week 18 score: Cowboys 27, Eagles 20
Final Record Projection: 11-6
Projected Starters
Offense
QB: Dak Prescott
RB: Ezekiel Elliott
WR: Amari Cooper, Michael Gallup, CeeDee Lamb
TE: Blake Jarwin/Dalton Schultz
OL: Tyron Smith/Ty Nsekhe (LT), Connor Williams (LG), Tyler Biadasz (C), Zack Martin (RG), La’el Collins (RT)
Defense
DE: DeMarcus Lawrence (LE), Randy Gregory (RE)
DT: Carlos Watkins (LDT), Neville Gallimore (RDT)
LB: Leighton Vander Esch (WLB), Jaylon Smith (MLB), Micah Parsons (SLB)
CB: Trevon Diggs (LCB), Anthony Brown/Kelvin Joseph (RCB)
S: Donovan Wilson (SS), Damontae Kazee (FS)
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