The NFL decided to test the Dallas Cowboys right out of the gate in 2022 by having them play the Tom Brady-led Tampa Bay Buccaneers this Sunday. Dallas has never beaten Brady (0-6), but issues on the Buccaneers' offensive line and better defense for the Cowboys this time around could change that.

For this to take place, the Cowboys will need a plethora of things to go their way. Here are three that are paramount for America's Team to put the Brady nightmare behind them for good.

Make Tom Brady uncomfortable as much as possible

Brady has shown for over two decades that giving him a lot of time in the pocket is like dangling raw meat in front of a Lion in the Serengeti, he's going to feast. With Buccaneers' center Ryan Jensen on injured reserve, the retirement of guard Ali Marpet, and rookie guard Luke Geodoke making his first start, the Cowboys' defensive interior must take advantage.

This will force Brady to move outside of the pocket, making him a target for edge rushers and blitzing linebackers/defensive backs. Regardless of how good the Cowboys' defense is, Brady is going to make plays, he's Brady. However, the Cowboys can't allow him an unlimited amount of time to throw from the pocket consistently, or the season opener won't go as planned.

Be better at running the football against the Bucs than last year

To be clear, this doesn't mean the Cowboys have to have Ezekiel Elliott and Tony Pollard combine for 200 yards rushing. What it means is that the Cowboys need to be creative with their looks when they do run it and pick up key first downs to keep the chains moving.

In last season's matchup, the Cowboys used the short passing game as an extension of the run game seeing as they only gained 60 yards as a team. In this game, Elliott and Pollard being a little more productive will allow Dak Prescott to carve up the Buccaneers' defense with play action, which he does well, and could lead to big runs due to the focus on the passing game.

Score touchdowns in the red zone

Last season, the Cowboys were the sixth-best team at scoring touchdowns in the red zone at 63.64%. That wasn't the case against the Buccaneers as they were inept in that area by only scoring one touchdown in four trips as opposed to the Buccaneers who cashed in on three of their five attempts.

Brady is an assassin, and not scoring touchdowns against him is a recipe for disaster. It's incumbent on Cowboys' offensive coordinator Kellen Moore to devise the right plays to cross the goal line when they get inside the 20. If the Cowboys fail in this aspect, Brady will likely improve to 7-0 against them for his career.

Feature image via Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports