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Machota takes a look at both sides of the coin in this pair of posts regarding what the future holds for the Dallas Cowboys. Both views have merit and having them presented by the same writer rather than in a point/counterpoint format makes for an interesting read. Here's one reason from each article:
Worry - Tougher schedule: After going 4-12 in 2015, the Cowboys got the benefit of one of the NFL's weaker schedules. Going 13-3 means there will be more games against first-place teams in 2017. As was already mentioned, the six division games will be no walk in the park. Instead of the schedule-makers giving them last-place teams from the previous season, the Cowboys will get the teams playing Sunday for a spot in the Super Bowl, Green Bay and Atlanta.
Hope - Dak Prescott: The Cowboys have identified their quarterback of the future. For a while, it seemed as if they would ride Tony Romo until he retired. Recent Romo injuries made that a risky plan. Many thought last year's draft would be a good time to pull the trigger. But when they weren't able to trade up to get Paxton Lynch late in the first round, it seemed they'd wait another year. Not many franchise quarterbacks are found after the first two rounds. However, the Cowboys might have landed the best one in the class with the 135th overall pick.
The head coach of the Dallas Cowboys left AT&T Stadium feeling unfulfilled after Sunday’s contest with the Packers, but the Pro Football Writers Association still feel that he accomplished enough to be honored as Coach of the Year. Not too bad for someone whom writers were writing off just a few seasons ago. Garrett, who stresses ‘the team, the team, the team’ would no doubt trade the honor for a chance to walk the sidelines one more time this season, is deserving of the award, but you can bet he will share the credit with everyone in the organization.
Following a franchise-record tying number of regular-season wins and the NFC’s best record (13-3), Garrett has been voted the 2016 NFL Coach of the Year and Elliott has been voted 2016 Rookie of the Year and 2016 Offensive Rookie of the Year.
It is not a far stretch to say that more ink gets spilled on draft related topics than any other in pro football. With Dallas out of the hunt, the next thing we have to look forward to is the first round selection the Cowboys will make. Mel Kiper joins in with his first of what will be many projected picks for Dallas. Though the pick will change multiple times over the next few months, it will get the conversation started.
Kiper's Thursday mock draft predicts the Cowboys take a cornerback with the 28th pick of the draft. Washington's Sidney Jones started three years at Washington and per Kiper is "agile and fast with nice ball skills" at 6-1, 170 pounds.
"Dallas has a glaring defensive end, but don't count out a corner here," Kiper said. "Brandon Carr and Morris Claiborne are free agents."
And with that we move on to the other topic of much discussion; what to do with Tony Romo.
Tony Romo deserves to start in the National Football League. That goes without saying. So does Dak Prescott. Obviously there cannot be two starters in Dallas and the Cowboys are going to go with the young passer who gives them a future. It is the nature of the beast. One of three things will happen. Romo will become a highly paid back up, he will retire, or he will play somewhere else next season. Until a final decision is made, there will be much discussion of what the future holds for #9.
The Romo thing, however, isn’t going away until somebody at the Frisco Planetary Headquarters figures out how to split the baby.
Can Romo still play? It sure looked like it in his brief cameo in Philadelphia.
How long can he last? Here’s the dice. You tell me.
The guess here, though, is that Owner Jones will release Romo in a few weeks, swallow the salary cap hit and let Tony pick his new team. The Broncos or maybe the Cardinals. Just guessing.
Conflicting reports: Did NFL admit mistake in crucial penalty against Cowboys? - Landon Haaf, WKYC
Maybe Brice Bulter will go on to have a career that will make the unsportsman-like conduct penalty a short footnote to his career; maybe he will become best known as an answer to a Cowboys trivia question. Who knows?
If you ask veteran front office member and TV analyst Michael Lombardi, the NFL has admitted a bizarre but crucial 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty against Cowboys wide receiver Brice Butler shouldn’t have been called.
Lombardi said on Twitter Thursday that the league has told multiple teams the call should not have been made.
A tweet sent less than an hour later by NFL Vice President of Football Communications Michael Signora, however, stood by the call and said the rule has been in place for decades.
Chris Christie on Eagles Fans: "Generally Angry, Awful People" - Kyle Koster. The Big Lead
New Jersey governor and former presidential hopeful Chris Christie has good taste in football teams and does not care who knows it.
VIDEO: Draft Show 2017 Kickoff; Senior Bowl Preview - DallasCowboys.com
The Senior Bowl is the next opportunity for college prospects to make an impression on NFL scouts and front office personnel. The staff over at the Mothership kick off their Draft Show series with a look at some of the players that coaches will be taking a look at.