3 things the Dallas Cowboys must address in 2022 offseason

The Dallas Cowboys dominated the NFC East and were back in the playoffs for the first time since 2018. But it was a very short stay for Jerry Jones’ team.

The franchise was back in the playoffs for the first time since 2018. The Dallas Cowboys dropped their season opener at Tampa, won seven of their next eight contests, and finished 12-5. Mike McCarthy’s team won twice as many games as in 2020 when the team was plagued by injuries at quarterback and finished 6-10.

But a closer look at the team’s overall performance in 2021, which ended at home with a 23-17 loss to San Francisco in the wild card playoffs, shows quite the discrepancy when it comes to the opposition. The bottom line is that while the Cowboys managed to crush their competition in the NFC East, they were mediocre against the rest of the league.

In six games versus Washington, Philadelphia, and the New York Giants, McCarthy’s team was a perfect 6-0 and outscored their rivals by a combined 240-107. On the other hand, including the setback to the Niners, McCarthy’s club was 6-6 vs. the rest of the NFL.

So what does this team do going forward? Here are three suggestions as the NFL playoffs continue.

3. Dallas Cowboys must address the kicking situation

After eight seasons with the Rams, veteran specialist Greg Zuerlein signed with the Dallas Cowboys. Since his arrival in the NFL in 2012, he’s been one of the league’s best kickers and known for his long-distance heroics. But in 2021, he suffered through a less-than-scintillating showing.

While he led the team in scoring with 129 points, he not only missed six field goal attempts but also failed on a half-dozen PAT tries. In two seasons in Dallas, Zuerlein is a disappointing 5-of-14 from 50-plus yards. The team could be shopping for a new specialist despite the fact the 10-year pro is under contract for 2022.