Dallas Cowboys on Columbus Day: The Nation discovers America’s Team
The Dallas Cowboys improved to 4-1 with their win over the Giants yesterday. They now have the league's second-best record, the second-longest winning streak, and the NFL's largest division advantage. It's only been five weeks, but the rest of the country is now taking note.
The national media and fans have mostly ignored the Dallas Cowboys. Going into the 2021 NFL season, the club that meandered to a 6-10 record the previous season was not regarded seriously. The only attention they got was because of the bad division they were in; it had nothing to do with the team they were assembling.
Given Dallas' troubles last season, it's logical that casual viewers would be taken aback. Many outsiders either forgot or chose to overlook why the Cowboys suffered so badly last season (huge injuries). The national media, on the other hand, made no excuses. Dallas was regaining their All-Pro offensive line, their franchise quarterback, a large rookie class, and even a decent coaching staff. Despite the fact that their group was classified as a top-3 roster in the preseason, they garnered no attention.
They can no longer be ignored by the mainstream media…
The Dallas Cowboys are now being recognized as a legitimate contender and a formidable opponent.
It's fitting that America's Team is being discovered on Columbus Day. The Dallas Cowboys were ranked second in overall DVOA entering this week. On offensively, they were third, eleventh on defense, and sixth in DAVE score (all curtesy of Football Outsiders). It's reasonable to say they contributed to many of those figures with their 24-point victory over the Giants.
The Dallas Cowboys lead the NFL in total offense with 2,198 yards. They're only second to the Bills this season with 170 points scored (172 points). Their 864 rushing yards are second only to the Browns, and they also rank second in yards per play.
Dallas is functioning at top efficiency, despite the fact that their big plays are down significantly. Dak Prescott is simply taking what is given to him and crushing his opponents by playing the odds and making the correct decision. In terms of completion %, ANY/A, and projected points added passing, Dak is in the top five. Optimal performance.
Keep in mind that the Dallas Cowboys have accomplished all of this while facing some tough competition. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Los Angeles Chargers, and Carolina Panthers are all serious football teams. These aren't just numbers against a bad team, my friends.
When it comes to bad teams, Dallas has a few more on their schedule. In the next four games, they should be favorites and have a chance to pull away from the pack heading into Thanksgiving weekend.
That was Columbus Day, and many in the national media are suddenly realizing that America's Teams is real. Cowboys Nation celebrates Indigenous Peoples Day because you can't "discover" what's been there all along. We knew the Dallas Cowboys would be this good even before the season began. Nothing could have prepared them for what they had to go through last season.
Dallas was a sleeping behemoth heading into the 2021 NFL season. This behemoth has awoken, and the NFL is taking note. There's no stopping this team as long as they keep the pedal to the metal and stay pretty healthy.
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