Super Bowl LXI will take place on Valentine's Day next year at SoFi Stadium, home of the Los Angeles Rams and Chargers. Will the Dallas Cowboys be representing the NFC in the NFL's biggest game? Brian Schottenheimer certainly thinks so, or at least that's what he is telling the fanbase.
But for the first time in a few years, supporters of America's Team don't have to talk themselves too heavily into seeing that vision. Dallas returns everyone that matters from an electric offense a season ago, and only a handful of pieces remain from a tragic 2025 defense. This roster is much-improved.
And with the Philadelphia Eagles falling from grace a bit this offseason, between losing A.J. Brown and ongoing tension about the futures of Jalen Hurts and Jalen Carter, the path for the Cowboys to regain the crown in the NFC East isn't filled with as many obstacles as it has been in years past.
As a result of these realities, Dallas is starting to gain the kind of recognition that Philadelphia simply isn't anymore.
The Eagles were entirely left off Super Bowl contender list
In five years under the utterly abrasive Nick Sirianni, the Eagles have quite a track record: A 59-26 regular-season record that includes two Super Bowl appearances, one victory, and five playoff berths. Based on patterns alone, Philly is due for another trip back to the Super Bowl in 2026.
Sports Illustrated's Connor Orr isn't so sure, though. He recently released a list in which he named the 14 NFL teams that could theoretically win Super Bowl LXI next February. This list, which features nearly half the league, neglects to include the Eagles. And it was no oversight.
"While some teams on this list will benefit from a coordinator change, I am taking the Eagles down a notch for the loss of offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland. We’re going to be asking two of the best anchor tackles in franchise history to learn a brand-new running scheme in addition to asking Jalen Hurts to operate without A.J. Brown as a major security blanket. That’s a pass for me at this juncture."
That is pretty much what Cowboys fans have been screaming from the rooftops all offseason. While Philly fans have tried to downplay their massive losses and justify their risky additions, Dallas supporters have seen right through this. And now, the Eagles are on the outside looking in.
The Cowboys continue to garner Super Bowl buzz from the national media
Of course, this article isn't meant to just dunk on Sirianni and Co.; it is meant to celebrate some of the extensive praise that the Cowboys have gotten. For example, on the same list, Orr included Dallas as a team that could actually hoist the Lombardi Trophy at the season's end.
"Definitely the most controversial team on this list, the Cowboys are coming off a 2025 season in which they posted one of the top 10 offenses in the NFL in explosive plays, were third in first downs generated and had a team quarterback rating within a point of the 49ers. Those are attractive bones when held in conjunction with the fact that Dallas took a big swing at a great under-the-radar coach in Christian Parker to be its next defensive coordinator, on top of adding a ton of defensive help via free agency and the draft.
Even if Dallas’s defense rises to the level of mediocre—the Cowboys had a league worst 0.162 expected points added per snap on defense and were equally vulnerable against both the run and the pass—this will be a playoff team. Dak Prescott faced a lot of pressure last season but one would assume that the still very young Cowboys offensive line sees a net improvement, especially with another season under hybrid offensive coordinator and long-time valued offensive line coach Klayton Adams."
Yeah, that pretty much says it all.
Not only do the Cowboys have the right bones, but they've got the fat, muscle, and connective tissue to make a real difference, too (or whatever else goes on inside the body; my history in anatomy class was shaky). At this juncture, the perception is that the Eagles simply don't.
Obviously, the games need to be played, and Dallas knows that Philly won't be a pushover. They should be back in the thick of things, and it would be unwise to think differently until the Eagles prove that they're not capable of winning the division and playoff games any longer.
But the tide is turning in the NFC East and the conference at large. Suddenly, the Cowboys are the team with the hype that has to deliver, and Philly is the underdog who must prove that they haven't fallen from grace. The shoe is on the other foot now, and it fits much better on this side.
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