Dallas Cowboys: Lined With Silver

As we anxiously wait for the official start of the 2012 season we all hope that our Dallas Cowboys will finally have the kind of season that they are capable of. As fans of the best organization in the world, we come in two different groups. First group consists of people like me that think the Cowboys have a shot of winning the Super Bowl every year. And fans that constantly have doubts almost every year. If you, the reader, are the type to have doubts I would like to point a few things out to you that might make this season a little more hopeful for you.

First of all, I can’t exaggerate how easy their schedule is because it simply isn’t. Not only do the Cowboys have to play the world champions twice, they will also have to avenge their reputation after getting swept by the Philadelphia Eagles. Never count out the Washington Redskins because it seems like every time these great rivals get on the same field together it is always a nail biter and the game is decided by the game’s final few plays. With the Redskins addition of RG3 the NFC East is without a doubt the most exciting and difficult division in the NFL. Romo, Manning, and Vick could possibly be the NFC pro-bowl quarterbacks with Griffin III replacing Romo while he prepares for the Super Bowl. (Very possible)

Next are the teams we have to face outside of the division, which are the Seattle Seahawks, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Chicago Bears, Baltimore Ravens, Carolina Panthers, Atlanta Falcons, Cleveland Browns, Cincinnati Bengals, Pittsburgh Steelers, and New Orleans Saints.  The Cowboys have a lot of work to do knowing that they face 5 playoff teams outside of the division. The three toughest games that the Dallas Cowboys will have to play will be against the Ravens, Steelers and Saints. The other games won’t necessarily be a walk in the park but should be able to come out of them with a W.

As for the Ravens they just lost the team’s MVP in Terrell Suggs. Other than DeMarcus Ware, Suggs is the most feared pass rusher in the game today. Thanks to a torn Achilles tendon in this off-season, Suggs will miss the entire 2012 season. This will be a big relief for Tony Romo come October 14. This will allow the Cowboys to keep more of an eye on an aging Ray Lewis and Ed Reed. Ray Rice and Anquan Boldin are the only big threats on the offense. This should be a great game.

Later in the year the Dallas Cowboys will have to face the Pittsburgh Steelers at home on December 16. This will be probably the biggest game of the year for both teams. Cowboys VS Steelers is probably the biggest rival in the history of the NFL. Them being the two top Super Bowl appearance teams makes sense that they have faced each other for the title of World Champion three times.  This will be a battle of defenses but the Cowboys may have a slight advantage. The Steelers have a defense that is aging while the Cowboys have a young rebuilt defense that should be playing their highest level that late in the season. The 2012 season could possibly be Dallas-Pittsburgh Part 4.

Of course the New Orleans Saints are always a team that goes into games with Drew Brees ready to have a shootout but this year could be different. With the penalties the Saints face this year, making the playoffs won’t be a sure thing. Sean Payton is a very aggressive coach and the Cowboys know how important he is to the Saints. With him gone the Saints will not be the same. When you take Payton away and top it off with the loss of Jonathan Vilma, the Saints will be lost without any sense of direction. I’m not saying the Saints will be a terrible team, just that karma really is a…………. You get the picture.

I hope that all the doubters out there will be a little more thrilled about the upcoming season. I’m not promising that the Cowboys will win the three games I pointed out, I’m just stating the fact that those three teams will not be as good as they were in 2011. One thing I can promise, the Dallas Cowboys will be better than they were in 2011. Just remember you can’t add a silver lining when you already have it. GO COWBOYS!