FanPost

Health is the key for the Cowboys... and everybody else too!

The same can be said for almost every unit or player on the team that underperformed last season. The linebackers, offensive line, wide receivers, and secondary were devastated by injuries, which forced the team to rely on players who were less talented and/or playing out of position. A lot of every team’s success this coming season will depend on how lucky they are in avoiding those clusters of injuries in multiple position groups.

Injuries are inevitable, but towards the end of last year the Cowboys were starting several players who would’ve been third or fourth on the depth chart at the beginning of the year, if they were even on the roster. It was truly amazing to see the quality of play they were able to coax out of street free agents like Ernie Sims and Sterling Moore, which is the only thing that saved them from a losing season. I think that those players as well as a few others who were pressed into service will provide better quality depth and the experience they gained will pay dividends for them this year.

The odds are that the Cowboys should enjoy better overall team health than last season. According to Football Outsiders, last year the league wide average for games lost was 64.5. The Cowboys lost 86.5, good for fifth most in the league! Even though one or two key injuries could still derail the Cowboy’s hopes, that’s also true for the other 32 teams, but if the 'Boys can simply have an average year in terms of injuries, it will be a significant improvement.




Another user-created commentary provided by a BTB reader.