5 Biggest Storylines Of The Cowboys Season
CBS 11 Sports Anchor Keith Russell breaks down his Top 5 takeaways from the Dallas Cowboys 2015-2016 schedule:
1) Showdown with DeMarco Murray…..In week two, the Cowboys get to see Murray up close and personal in his new home. As heartbreaking as it was for Murray to leave and head to a team that has been the Cowboys biggest rival over the last couple years, losing the first reunion would be even worse. Eagles head coach Chip Kelly will make it a point to run DeMarco…again and again….and again….just to prove a point and stick it to the Cowboys. Dallas must not get overly hyped on stopping Murray. They must remember what has worked so well for them in their last two trips to Philly. If the Cowboys don't give up any big plays, the Eagles will struggle to score. As nice as it would be to make Murray regret what he left behind, beating his new team will be more devastating than any hit they can deliver to him.
SEE THE COWBOYS FULL 2015 SCHEDULE
2) Keep Dez Bryant's head in the game. It is no secret that Dez is not happy with the idea of his one year franchise deal that is due to pay him 13 million this coming season. I see why Dez could be a little perturbed because with NFL salaries not guaranteed, should he get hurt this year, there goes his multi-year deal with millions in guaranteed money. He is flat out one of the top 3 receivers in football. He may very well be the best one not named Calvin Johnson (Detroit). He deserves to be compensated on that level, but the Cowboys don't have to do that this year or next year (they can franchise him again). My only fear is if you combine the contract situation with a slow start for the Cowboys and he's not getting a lot of catches and yards at the beginning of the year, he may shrug his shoulders and then it could be a long season. My hope is that Dez plays even angrier than normal because of that enormous chip on his shoulder and he leads the league in touchdown receptions again with the Cowboys signing him to a long term deal before season's end.
3) Can Tony Romo continue his surge as one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL? Last year, he stayed on the field and put up amazing numbers. Frankly, he became the clutch quarterback Cowboys fans have been waiting for. There is some belief the reason he performed so well is because DeMarco Murray took a lot of pressure off his shoulders. Whomever, the Cowboys end up with as a starting running back, if his name is not Adrian Peterson, the pressure on Romo will return to the same level as before Murray's record setting season. Romo must stay healthy which is more on his offensive line than him. But more than anything, he must be the unquestioned leader on and off the field. At age 35, he can't afford to regress. Nor can the Cowboys afford him to.
4) Getting to the Thanksgiving game against the Panthers with a good enough record to justify signing former Panther Greg Hardy in the first place. The outpouring of anger and frustration from Cowboys fans, upset the team signed one of the players at the heart of the NFL's crackdown on domestic violence was apparent. The Cowboys clearly showed they value a good player over a good reputation. Question is can Hardy play enough (depending on how long his NFL suspension is) and get enough sacks and are the Cowboys right in the thick of things when Turkey Day arrives. If not, they will look like Turkeys for a gamble, that alienated a big portion of the fans base, only for that gamble to not pay off.
5) Can the Cowboys measure up against the best the NFL has to offer? Last year was a surprise in many ways, because the Cowboys were one catch (even though I still think it was) away from playing for a right to go to the Super Bowl. Looking at their schedule, there's no reason they shouldn't have the same chance this season. There are three games that stick out…that will tell you how good the Cowboys are and how good they can be. None of those game are against the NFC East. In order….Patriots….Seahawks….Packers. The defending Super Bowl champs will certainly challenge Romo's statement at the American Country Music Awards that "The Cowboys have real balls". The Seahawks may be even better this year with the addition of tight-end Jimmy Graham. The Cowboys beat them in Seattle last year. To beat the Super Bowl runner-ups two years in a row would state the case that the Cowboys are a force to be reckoned with in the NFC. After what happened at Lambeau Field, I'm glad the Cowboys have to go right back there this season. The best way to get a bad taste out of your mouth is to replace it with the sweet taste of victory. It promises to be a season with plenty of storylines. Only time will tell how they'll play out.
