History is not on the Dallas Cowboys side in 2019

The Dallas Cowboys once again have Super Bowl aspirations entering the new season. But they’ll have to buck historical trends in order to hoist a Lombardi.

This offseason, the Dallas Cowboys seem to be making all the right moves in order to get them back into playoff contention. The team has been able to keep its core players intact and happy, although some are still in the midst of contract negotiations.

When it comes to offseason additions, the Cowboys appear to have made some wise choices adding veterans such as defensive end Robert Quinn and wide receiver Randall Cobb to an already talented, but very young roster. The return of future Hall of Fame tight end Jason Witten will certainly help to solidify that position for fourth-year quarterback Dak Prescott.

The Cowboys still have the most overall talented running back in the NFL in Ezekiel Elliott, who has led the league in rushing two of his three years as a professional. Dallas traded their top selection in the 2019 NFL Draft for Oakland Raiders’ wide receiver Amari Cooper, who made the Cowboys into a playoff-caliber team last year.

Dallas is certainly hoping for the return of All-Pro center Travis Frederick this season who missed all of last year due to an autoimmune disease. And the offense as a whole is heading into a new and exciting direction under first-time offensive coordinator Kellen Moore, who is getting rave reviews this offseason.

Defensively, the Cowboys inked War Daddy pass rusher DeMarcus Lawrence to a new five-year, $105 million deal this offseason. Then Dallas used their second-round selection on UCF defensive tackle Trysten Hill, who should help solidify the interior of the defensive line. Finally, the Cowboys should field the top linebacker corps in the NFL with Sean Lee, Jaylon Smith, and Leighton Vander Esch.

Despite all the positive momentum the Cowboys seem to have going into the new season, history suggests Dallas will have a difficult time making their postseason dreams come true. Here’s what Todd Archer of ESPN.com wrote recently about the chances the Cowboys take the next step this year.

"“History suggests things will be different this season. The Cowboys haven’t made the postseason in back-to-back years since 2006-2007, and there hasn’t been a repeat NFC East champ since the 2003-2004 Eagles.”"

Under the current coaching regime, the Cowboys have had some turbulent, rollercoaster seasons. Following a forgettable run of three straight 8-8 seasons without a playoff run, Dallas exploded for a 12-4 record in 2014. The following year, the Cowboys dropped to an embarrassing 4-12 mainly due to injuries suffered by then starting quarterback Tony Romo. But that poor season allowed Dallas to land transcendent players like Elliott, Jaylon Smith and Prescott in the draft.

In 2016, the Cowboys rebounded again with a talented rookie class, posting a 13-3 record. But the following year, a six-game suspension for Elliott aided in Dallas recording a 9-7 season without a playoff berth.

Last year, Dallas started the season 3-5 but won seven of their last eight games following the trade for Cooper. Yet, according to recent history, the Cowboys should have yet another down year. It’s one of the reasons head coach Jason Garrett, who only has one year left on his current contract, is considered to be on the hot seat.

After winning the NFC East title, the Dallas Cowboys will face the first-place schedule in 2019. That combined with the growth of their NFC East rivals will make it a difficult task to repeat as divisional champions. But if the Cowboys are the team of destiny this season, they will buck the trend and prove they are worthy to hoist a Lombardi Trophy by overcoming these kinds of challenges.