Yes, I think they are going to be better than they were last year. I don't know that 100%, and it's just a guess, but I believe they will be more competitive. It's also possible they will have the same record as they did last year, but be a better team. It's also possible that they will do real well. As of now, they are a darkhorse- an unknown nemesis. Some will say they are a "known" nemesis,Yet they are a Nemesis- Perhaps the biggest Nemesis.

I believe this first game of the year to be the biggest game for the Dallas Cowboys this year. How, do you ask? I know alot of people will say "You always say that about every game the Cowboys have", and to an extent, that's true, but please listen to my reasoning.

 This game has to kind of be a statement game for the Cowboys. They have to go out and take care of business. Here are some things to ponder as fans mentally prepare for the Redskins game Sunday night:

1. 7 game stretch- starting with the Houston game in a few weeks, there is a 7 game stretch that is brutal for us, save the detroit game in cowboys stadium, and even that may not be a walk in the park either. And I'm not even saying Chicago will be a "lock" or a "stroll in the park" either- there are no gimme games in the NFL.

2. Setting the tone- let's face it, if we get by this first game hurdle unscathed, and with confidence intact, we can get on a roll. This is a priority, in my opinion. Nothing is more important than getting that groove, if you really want to talk about priorities.

3. The Dez effect- ask yourself this: how important to the team will it be to establish the Dez Bryant threat? Answer: imagine the sleepless nights of opposing D-coordinators suffering from the Dez effect, especially if he turns out to be what we all hope he is.

4. A rivalry lost?- actually, it's not lost. It's one sided. The Redskins view the Cowboys as they're super bowl. You all know that if they lost every game during a season, if they beat the Cowboys once, that season was not a loss for them at that point. Knowing that, I wonder how many people feel the urgency that used to happen with this rivalry? If any of you can remember the Cowboys-Redskins rivalry of the past, I ask you to describe that apprehension now, because we as fans of the Cowboys, and the players too, need to get that sense of urgency back. It's been too long dormant, and we don't want to have the Redskins re-awaken the rivalry, we need to re-awaken it ourselves, within our hearts. That way, when we win, it will still remain a dead rivalry for the Redskins. All that will remain is the "We could have beat Dallas", or "We should have beat Dallas", or "We used to beat Dallas" sentiment, and further prolong they're agony. They don't have to know that the rivalry still exists within our hearts. That's the kind of urgency I want to have for this game. This game is not about the Redskins, this is the Cowboy's game to take. The way the Cowboys play in the game will tell the whole story....