2. Dallas Cowboys
Sure, the 2016 season ended in disappointment. But entering 2017, Dallas has a ton of promise.
It starts, of course, with a pair of super rookies who are not afraid of the big stage, Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott.
Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott: 1st pair of rookie teammates to have 300 Pass yds & 100 Rush yds in a playoff game in the Super Bowl era. pic.twitter.com/07xcleXyM3
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) January 16, 2017
Each man will have a year’s worth of experience under his belt in 2017. Behind the NFL’s best offensive line, both should be expected to take a step forward. The Cowboys also have a talented group of receivers, anchored by Dez Bryant and future Hall of Fame tight end Jason Witten.
Fulfilling the promise will come down to solidifying the defense. By and large, the Dallas defense was solid throughout 2016, but it got exposed in the playoffs. The good news is that problems aren’t so glaring that they can’t be fixed with some smart signings and draft picks.
With the possible exception of the Patriots, the Cowboys were the NFL’s best start-to-finish team during the 2016 regular season.
Expecting a big dip in production from such a young team is not a good idea. Dallas will be one of the NFL’s top teams again in 2017 and could well go all the way.