Why a prediction for the Cowboys to win the NFC should not be discounted

The Dallas Cowboys have gotten off to a pretty remarkable start this season. After being left for dead when Dak Prescott suffered an injury in a Week 1 loss to the Buccaneers, the Cowboys have gone 6-1 since. Dallas currently sits at 6-2 overall, tied for the third-best record in the league.

The Cowboys have been led by their dominating defense that has recorded the most sacks in football (33) and allowed the third-fewest points (133).

With Prescott back in the fold and the offense putting up 73 combined points since his return, it’s looking like the Cowboys could have a truly special rest of the season. So much so that in their “Bold Predictions For The Second Half” article, Alex Ballentine of Bleacher Report predicted the Cowboys to go on and win the NFC.

Here’s what Ballentine had to say about why he believes the Cowboys can reach the Super Bowl for the first time since 1995.

The Cowboys have had every reason to struggle this season. They lost several key contributors this offseason including Amari Cooper, Randy Gregory, Connor Williams and Cedrick Wilson. They lost Dak Prescott for two {five] games and have missed others with major injuries including Tyron Smith, Michael Gallup and now Ezekiel Elliott. Yet, the Cowboys have still found a way to go 6-2. The mark of a great team is one that can win even when conditions don’t favor them. Based on ESPN’s football power index, the Cowboys have faced the 14th-toughest schedule in the league so it isn’t as though the schedule has helped them out.

By contrast, the Eagles have seen the league’s easiest-ranked schedule so far. That doesn’t mean they are fraudulent by any stretch. It just means they may be a little riper for a playoff upset than their record would indicate.

Dak Prescott hasn’t had the most success in the playoffs. He’s 1-3 as the starter. But when you look at the other potential quarterbacks in the NFC playoffs there aren’t many better options. Tom Brady and the Bucs are going to have to fight just to get in. Jalen Hurts only has one playoff start to his name. If the playoffs started today the other quarterbacks in the postseason would be Hurts, Kirk Cousins, Geno Smith, Marcus Mariota, Daniel Jones and Jimmy Garoppolo.

This could be the year Dallas lives up to the hype.

Their prediction is not far-fetched. Currently, the Cowboys have the second-best odds to win the NFC, sitting at +450 behind only the division rival Philadelphia Eagles at +175, via DraftKings.

If the playoffs started today, the quarterbacks representing the NFC would be Jalen Hurts, Kirk Cousins, Geno Smith, Tom Brady, Dak Prescott, Daniel Jones, and Jimmy Garoppolo. While you could make an argument the Cowboys may not have as good of an overall team as someone like the Eagles, Vikings, or 49ers, it’s pretty clear they have one of the hottest quarterbacks in that potential group. With Prescott playing the way he has since his return and Dallas having their best defense in 20 years, the Cowboys are as big of a threat to win the NFC as they have been in quite some time.

This may be the best Cowboys team we have seen since 2007. If they stay healthy, they have a legit shot at getting out of a weaker-than-normal NFC and finally making their return to the Super Bowl.