4 things the Cowboys must do to be Super Bowl contenders

Quarterback Tom Brady just won his seventh Super Bowl since 2001. While the Dallas Cowboys haven’t appeared in a Super Bowl since that time, Brady won more Lombardi Trophies than any franchise in the NFL.

Just this past offseason, many analysts put the Cowboys as a contender. Instead, half the team got injured, and they finished with a 6-10 record. What does Dallas have to do to return as Super Bowl contenders?

The roster must be healthy

The offense was arguably the best in the NFL heading into the 2020 season. That was due to a dominant offensive line, a cheat code group of receivers, a top quarterback, and arguably the best running back in the NFL.

In the first half of the season, multiple linemen, one tight end, and their starting quarterback were out with season-ending injuries. At one point, Dallas had their fourth-string quarterback protected by multiple linemen with no NFL experience.

The Cowboys were described as an average team defensively. A new defensive coordinator with a more aggressive scheme and multiple new defensive linemen meant the team had a new look and identity.

It ended up being a historically poor group that gave up the most points in Dallas Cowboys history. Multiple defensive players missed time with injuries, headlined by defensive tackle Gerald McCoy’s season-ending quad injury during training camp.

With as many injuries as Dallas had, there was no way the team could compete. How valid of an excuse that remains up in the air. That’s because of how bad the defense played.

Not one team will play well without their top players. That is a fact. The San Francisco 49ers suffered many injuries as well and underperformed due to that. For some reason, America’s Team is beaten up for excuses, while San Fran gets a free pass.

While healthy, the Dallas Cowboys own a top-notch offense. There aren’t many teams with as much firepower as Dallas. Their defense could have played better had key players remained in the lineup too.