What loss to the New York Giants means for the Dallas Cowboys
The 2020 NFL regular season, with all of the obstacles that the league and its teams were forced to overcome, has now concluded. The Dallas Cowboys made a late push to be in the playoff hunt in week 17, but the Cowboys ultimately fell to the Giants, eliminating Dallas from any contention. Washington will represent […]
The 2020 NFL regular season, with all of the obstacles that the league and its teams were forced to overcome, has now concluded. The Dallas Cowboys made a late push to be in the playoff hunt in week 17, but the Cowboys ultimately fell to the Giants, eliminating Dallas from any contention.
Washington will represent the NFC East division in the playoffs with a 7-9 record after knocking off the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday Night Football. Washington has tons of questions surrounding their quarterback play, but Ron Rivera and company have one of the nastiest defenses in all of football. Their matchup against Tom Brady and the talented Tampa Bay Buccaneers offense is intriguing.
As for the Cowboys, an eventful season has officially come to a close. From hiring Mike McCarthy to replace Jason Garrett as head coach to the number of injuries that piled up on the roster to a late three-game winning streak that put the Cowboys back into the playoff hunt, there were no shortages of twists and turns.
There is good news: offensive coordinator Kellen Moore will be back calling plays in 2021, turning down an opportunity to be the head coach at his alma mater, Boise State University. Moore is widely regarded as one of the bright stars in the coaching profession, and it will be exciting to see what he draws up next season.
Furthermore, there is a rising expectation that Dak Prescott and the Dallas Cowboys will come to an agreement on a long-term deal. Prescott was on pace to shatter numerous passing records before injuring his ankle in week five, and the belief is that number four will make a full recovery. Prescott and Moore have the potential to be a very fun pairing for the foreseeable future, assuming that the Cowboys do not botch this.
Additionally, the Cowboys learned where they will be drafting come April's 2021 NFL Draft.
Cowboys locked up top-10 pick in upcoming NFL Draft.
With Washington knocking off Philadelphia, all of the playoff teams were set and the top-18 draft picks were put in stone — barring, of course, a trade. The Jacksonville Jaguars are slotted to pick at the very top of the draft, while the Miami Dolphins will pick twice in the top-20.
In regards to the NFC East, the Dallas Cowboys will pick at number 10, giving the team its first top-10 draft pick since 2016 — where running back Ezekiel Elliott was selected fourth overall. Many expect the team to address the defensive side of the ball, but do not be surprised if the Cowboys throw us a curveball.
The Eagles, meanwhile, are set to pick just outside the top-5 at sixth overall. Philadelphia has a number of different team needs — offensive line, wide receiver, and secondary, to name a few — so it will be interesting to see which route that they ultimately take. Could they even take a quarterback?
Joe Judge, Jason Garrett, and the New York Giants will be drafting just one spot behind the Cowboys at 11th overall. Much like the Eagles, the Giants have a handful of needs and it will be fascinating to see how Judge and company attack this draft. Do not be surprised if they add an offensive weapon to help Daniel Jones' development and pair with the return of Saquon Barkley.
All-in-all, it is not a bad time to be a Dallas Cowboys fan, despite what the final record may indicate. Dak Prescott will almost surely be the man behind center in 2021, the team showed improvement down the stretch of the season, and the front office has a top-10 draft pick to play with.
Featured image via Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports
