EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY – NOVEMBER 04: Running Back Ezekiel Elliott #21 of the Dallas Cowboys has a long gain against the New York Giants in the first half at MetLife Stadium on November 04, 2019 in East Rutherford, New Jersey.The Dallas Cowboys defeated the New York Giants 37-18. (Photo by Al Pereira/Getty Images)
Mike McCarthy is back in the NFL as the head coach for the Dallas Cowboys. Here’s a breakdown of the team’s 2020 schedule.
Jerry Jones made a decision to move on from the team’s long-time head coach Jason Garrett this offseason. After failing to bring another Super Bowl back to Dallas, it was time to bring in a new voice.
Garrett’s nine-plus years with the Cowboys can best be explained with the record of 8-8. That was the final record of four of the teams he coached. He also went 9-7 once. See the theme? He could never get over the hump.
Yes, there were playoff appearances and division titles, but those teams never made it deep into the playoffs.
Now, McCarthy is in, Dak Prescott is back and the Cowboys are still positioned to be one of the NFC’s best teams.
How may the 2020 season play out?
5. Cowboys play well against the NFC East
The easiest way into the playoffs is winning against divisional opponents. Each team has six games a year to either make up ground, or distance themselves from the pack. These games are crucial.
Here’s a perfect example of how little room for error you have against the division. Last year, the Cowboys went 5-1 against the NFC East. However, so did the Philadelphia Eagles. That one loss the Cowboys had was against the Eagles, which ended the team’s playoff hopes late in the season.
With the division in a similar place, the Cowboys can have either the same record, or maybe sweep the division. The New York Giants and Washington Redskins will improve, but those two teams are still flawed.
The Eagles will be better in 2020 with health. Some of the additions from the offseason help round the team out too.
Maybe the Cowboys drop one to the Eagles, but they will make noise against divisional opponents again in 2020.