3 reasons the Cowboys will win NFC East in 2023, and 2 they won’t

2. Reason Cowboys will win NFC East: Dallas' run defense catches up to the pass defense

For years, the Cowboys defense has either been good or great at rushing the passer and at times defending the pass. The one area that they've continually had issues, though, is stopping the run. A lot of that had to do with Rod Marinelli's philosophy of finding smaller defensive tackles that can get off the ball fast enough to affect the running game and rush the passer.

Under Dan Quinn that philosophy has changed in a big way, with the team drafting Quinton Bohanna, signing Johnathan Hankins, and now drafting Mazi Smith to add considerable size in the middle of this defense. Now with that size, the Cowboys are hoping that their run defense catches up to the rest of the defense.

Last season teams averaged 4.4 yards per carry and 129.3 rushing yards a game against the Cowboys. Now with a solid rotation of plus-300-pound defensive tackles, Dallas' run defense is poised to make a considerable jump.

If they're able to match the production that their pass rush and secondary have had the last few seasons then it would make this defense one of the best overall in the league and immediately make them a favorite for the NFC East title and a legitimate Super Bowl contender.