Dallas Cowboys: 5 Obstacles to success in 2018
By Joel W. Cade
The Dallas Cowboys are gearing up for a title run. But if they are not careful, these five things could derail their championship hopes.
The Dallas Cowboys look like a team primed for success in 2018. The offense is strong based on the running of Ezekiel Elliott behind a very strong offensive line. The defense is young in areas but are primed to put it all together. But for Dallas to win it all, some luck will need to fall in their favor.
The Cowboys offense could be exceptionally strong. Or it could falter. Depending on how the offense is orchestrated, it could put up a lot of points with the pound the ball style offense. However, if it becomes too reliant on the running game, the offense could easily sabotage itself by predictability.
In the same vein as the offense, the Cowboys could ride Ezekiel Elliott all the way to the championship. But if Elliott were to get injured (knock on wood), is the running back depth there to carry the load? If the Cowboys play conservative, can they keep up when things start to fall apart?
The tight end room became a question mark with the retirement of Jason Witten. There are pieces in place to fill the void with the aggregate of skill sets in the room. But where will the leadership for this group come from? If they can emerge as a force, Dallas could go far. If they fail to bring it all together, tight end could become the Achilles heel of the offense.
The defensive secondary got a lot better in the 2017 NFL draft. With that first year under their belts, year two should see the secondary emerge as one of the better in the league. But questions remain if they can pull it all together and who will play free safety. If the room develops as it should, the defense will be successful. If there is a sophomore slump, things may not go so well.
The linebacker room can make or break this defense. There is a good mix of veteran leadership on the team combined with some upcoming young talent. But the question surrounding the unit is can the veterans hold down the fort until the younger players are ready. If the right balance of veterans and younger player can be found the linebacker group could be one of the best in the NFL.
Let’s look at each issue in more depth.