Fresh off two straight 12-5 seasons, it shouldn’t be hard to imagine why a fanbase and the league as a whole may be bullish about the Dallas Cowboys prospects in 2023. However, in recent years, the team has struggled to get over the hump despite the regular-season success, falling short of expectations and failing to make deep playoff runs which creates a healthy amount of skepticism when it comes to their legitimacy.

As the 2023 NFL season approaches, there is a sense of measured optimism surrounding the Cowboys. A team led by star quarterback Dak Prescott and a roster filled with talented players on both sides of the ball, many fans and analysts alike believe that this has a chance to be the year that the Cowboys finally break through and make a deep playoff run.

We asked some of the BTB staff to offer a ‘way too early’ record prediction. Naturally as writers who cover the team and understand the nuances that come with this perplexing squad it’s not hard to look at a team with a high-powered offense that features some of the league’s best skill position players, and a defense that has shown dominance in the past, and have widely-shared optimism.

Of course, only time will tell if these predictions come to fruition. But if the Cowboys can stay healthy and play up to their potential, there’s no doubt that they will be a team to watch in the upcoming season.

Tom Ryle (@TomRyleBTB) - 12-5

It is way too early, but the oddsmakers have the Cowboys favored to win 12 games this season. It would be a statistical oddity for the team to win 12 games three years in a row, but I’m going to roll with that. The schedule looks to get easier for them in the second half of the season, so they may have to pile up wins then. Still, I think the roster is better overall than at this time last year, so I think they will be able to get back to the playoffs and contend for the NFC East crown. This is still so backward looking, and I always am skeptical about projecting too much off last year, but I’ll eat the cheese and predict another 12-5 campaign.

Mark Lane (@Therealmarklane) - 10-7

The Cowboys jump out to a 3-1 start with a couple wins over the “New” teams and the Cardinals. Weeks 5-10 are the most defining for their season in terms of public perception and power rankings as Dallas falters against San Francisco and Philadelphia on the road. The Thanksgiving stretch bolsters confidence in Dallas once more, and the Cowboys cobble together enough wins in the final five games to force a 4-5 seed Wild Card bout with the Giants. The Cowboys finish 10-7.

Matt Holleran (@HolleranMDH) - 12-5

I think the schedule makers did the Cowboys some favors this year. Outside of having San Francisco + Los Angeles and Philadelphia + Buffalo back-to-back, there aren’t too many extended periods of tough games on Dallas’ schedule. From Week 10-14, I see the Cowboys winning four in a row, sitting at 9-3 heading into December. The final five games of the season aren’t easy, but I believe the Cowboys are talented enough to go 3-2 in that stretch, giving them another 12-5 regular season.

David Howman (@_DH44_) - 12-5

The Cowboys filled their two biggest holes from last year by trading for Stephon Gilmore and Brandin Cooks. So they’re a better team than they were last year, but the schedule is harder than last year.

I think that balances out for a third straight 12-5 finish. I think they’ll get off to a hot start and then struggle a bit with the back half of the schedule, but still finish strong.

Brian Martin (@BrianMartinNFL) - 12-5

I may or may not be a little too optimistic about the Dallas Cowboys win/loss record in 2023, but right now I can realistically see them finishing 12-5, their third consecutive 12-win season in a row. I have them at 4-2 entering the bye in Week 7, losing to the Aaron Rodgers-led Jets and 49ers. After the bye I have them losing to the Eagles in Week 9 and then going 2-2 in the most brutal part of their schedule in Weeks 14-17 with back-to-back losses to the Eagles and Bills in early December. There of course unknown elements that could change the outcome of any of these games, however, this is the way I envision things going as of right now.

Chris Halling - (@Cowboys_Squad) 14-3

The Dallas Cowboys had one of the more talented rosters in the NFC heading into the offseason. While they lost to the San Francisco 49ers in the Divisional Round of last season’s playoffs, the team had an impressive regular season record of 12-5. Jerry Jones and company were able to significantly improve their roster this offseason, while the NFC continued to get worse. The front office added veterans WR Brandin Cooks and CB Stephon Gilmore, while also addressing their need for a player to stop the run in the first round of the 2023 draft by selecting Michigan DT Mazi Smith.

This Cowboys team has Super Bowl expectations in the 2023 season. It would certainly be considered a disappointment if the team couldn’t at least reach the conference championship game, something the team hasn’t done since the 1995 season. The Cowboys will have a very strong regular season. They will drop their first matchup to the Philadelphia Eagles in week 9 on the road. They will later lose to the Buffalo Bills in week 15, in Buffalo. While the hype will be surrounding the “Diggs vs Diggs” matchup, considering the game will be in December, the weather and atmosphere will favor the Bills tremendously. That will have the Cowboys sitting at 14-2 heading into the final game of the season against the Washington Commanders. The team will likely rest their starters as they will have already clinched the first seed in the NFC, resulting in a loss and finishing the season with a 14-3 record, with the NFC running through AT&T Stadium.

Tony Catalina (@Tony_Catalina) - 11-6

I respect and admire every writer that has chimed in here, however most of them single are at least slightly to significantly more optimistic about the Dallas Cowboys than I am right now. As a Cowboys fan who is starving for greatness, who is desperate for a championship, I need to see more from this team before I am both feet in on the hype train.

This years schedule is tougher than last season as they face the AFC East, coupled with the fact that their own division foes were two of the four remaining teams in the conference last year as well and both have gotten better in the offseason too. This will not be an easy season and even if the record is slightly worse the Cowboys could very well still accomplish everything we hope from them.

Now, I completely expect this team to a be playoff team, I even expect the bare minimum to be to win a playoff game, but what I need and I am sure most of the fanbase needs, is to see it rise to another level. Take this talented roster to heights we haven’t seen in over 28 years. We’ve seen 12-5 twice now and we’ve see it end in the same way twice now as well. The next step needs to be taken. The window is open but in the NFL it can close very quickly and burned opportunities are not something any of us want to continue to see.