Whilst there is a gulf in class between the good and bad teams in the conference this season, the NFC is still wide open at the top. Could we be about to relive NFL history?

The 49ers and Cowboys share 10 Super Bowls between them, with five each.

San Francisco were the team of the 1980s, with four of their five titles coming between 1982 and 1990. Dallas dominated the 90s with three Super Bowls in four seasons. 

This era also saw a historic rivalry take place between both teams. Not only did they also meet in the NFC Championship game twice in the early 1970s, they also met four times at the same stage between 1980 and 1995. 

As historic rivalries often do, this era saw one of the most famous NFL moments. Fans of the sport during the era will never forget the infamous 1981 NFC Championship game and ‘The Catch’, Joe Montana throwing to Dwight Clark late in the fourth quarter. 

However, for years, these teams never met in the big moments. Neither team has won a Super Bowl in the 21st century, with San Francisco 0-2 in Super Bowls post-2000. Dallas have not even made it to the NFC Championship since they won it all during the 1995 season. They have since gone 4-10 in the postseason. 

Before last season, these teams had not met in the playoffs since January 15th 1995. Last season’s game was a taster of what is to come. Whilst they had not met in years in the postseason, the drama never left this rivalry. A strange play call from Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy saw them run a quarterback draw with just seconds left and no timeouts. This led to a frantic rush to spike to ball from Dak Prescott ultimately fail. We could be set for another historic matchup.

And there is no reason why not. When it comes to their offenses, San Francisco and Dallas are ninth and 10th respectively for total yards per game, and both feature in the top 10 for both rushing yards and total points per game. With defenses that are both in the top five for total yards allowed per game, these two should create an explosive encounter.

As it stands, at the time of writing, the 49ers would occupy the third seed in the NFC, with a current 9-4 record whereas the Cowboys would take the fifth seed spot despite having the joint second-most wins in the conference (10-3). This is due to their division rivals, the Philadelphia Eagles, having a 12-1 record as it stands.

There is a lot of belief that the 10-3 Minnesota Vikings are a team that has a better record than they should, but they are still a team with double-digit wins before the start of Week 15. This means that they, the Cowboys, Eagles and 49ers are the best teams in the conference. 

Should the 49ers, Vikings and Cowboys all win in the Wildcard Round in the currently projected matchups, this would see the Vikings host the Niners and the Eagles host the Cowboys off the back of a playoff bye.

Provided the Cowboys and 49ers both win, then once again these two teams would meet in the NFC Championship game. Both teams already lead the NFL for most NFC Championship appearances, and back-to-back seasons with these teams meeting could reload one of the game’s greatest rivalries.

The post How The Cowboys and 49ers Could Restart A Historic Rivalry appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Nathan Nguyen

When defensive coordinator Wink Martindale arrived in East Rutherford, a breath of fresh air blew around Metlife Stadium. His history of creating blitz-heavy schemes (similar to the former DC in the Big Apple, Gregg Williams) made it clear that the New York Giants defense would be different from years past.

So far, so good. After limiting Derrick Henry to just 82 rushing yards on 21 carries, New York held the Carolina Panthers to just 16 points in week two for the win. Even with a pedestrian day from the offense, the defense stood firm against Baker Mayfield (who was roasted by many Giants fans because of his comments on Daniel Jones in the past).

But, let’s think about this for a second. New York has yet to see Kayvon Thibodeaux and Azeez Ojulari on the field in the regular season. But, Jihad Ward and Oshane Ximines have stepped in beautifully and gotten to the quarterback.

There were question marks at the cornerback position heading into the year, especially with Adoree Jackson being the only capable player safe as CB1. But, Darnay Holmes and Aaron Robinson have been serviceable. Xavier McKinney is holding his own back at the safety position, and Julian Love had a sack against Carolina that was key to the Giants’ win.

Overall, the Giants’ defense is very underrated. They don’t have the big-name players other teams have or perhaps top-end profiles that were present on the Giants Championship defense. But, the scheme has put these players in a good situation.

Fantasy-wise, they are the 16th best defense in the league, averaging 5.5 fantasy points through two games. They have yet to allow their opponents to score more than 20 points in a game, and that could continue as they head into a Monday night matchup against the Dallas Cowboys.

It’s early, I get it. But, this is a good start for a team with new schemes on both the offense and defense. But, to be 2-0 after many expected them to be a rebuilding team this year is a big morale boost.

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By: Jeremy Trottier

The Dallas Cowboys are one of the most storied franchises of all time, and with that, they have had some of the best head coaches in NFL history.  Some were great for their success, others for their ability to develop players at an extremely high rate, and others for their impact on the game itself.  In this article, I will cover the top 3 Cowboys head coaches in their history, as well as why I believe they belong on this list. 

#1: Tom Landry: 1960-1988

It is extremely hard to debate Tom Landry being at the top of the list for Dallas Cowboys head coaches.  A 2-time Super Bowl winner, NFL coach of the year, Ring of Honor recipient for Dallas, most career wins by a head coach in Dallas Cowboys history, 20 straight winning seasons, 5 NFC titles, Pro Football Hall of Fame induction, and a 270-178-6 record.  There is essentially nothing Landry could have done more to add to his legacy as a head coach, bringing the Cowboys to 10 NFC Championship Games in a 13-year span is enough, but his legacy and his impact on the game will always be remembered, as one of the first legendary coaches in Cowboys history. 

#2: Jimmy Johnson: 1989-1993

The next legend in Cowboys head coaching history is Jimmy Johnson, who despite a short 5-year tenure, won back-to-back Super Bowls with the Cowboys, won AP coach of the year in 1990, and has been inducted into both the Pro Football and College Football Hall of Fames.  Despite an early struggle in his first season with the team, finishing 1-15, he would progress the team the next two seasons up until 1992 when he brought the Cowboys their first Super Bowl win since 1977.  He will always be remembered as one of 6 NFL head coaches to coach their team to consecutive Super Bowl titles, and one of 3 to win a National Championship and SB as a head coach.   

#3: Barry Switzer: 1994-1997

One of the other 2 head coaches to win a Super Bowl title and a National Championship, we have Barry Switzer.  Despite not being an exceptionally long tenured head coach comparatively to Tom Landry, Switzer was an exceptional facilitator of talent and was able to bring this team another championship, one way or another.  He was also able to bring the Cowboys to the playoffs in 3 of his 4 head coaching years, and only had one losing season with the team.  Overall, he was a very good coach, who was able to gather another ring for the cabinet for Dallas. 

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By: Jake Rajala

The Dallas Cowboys have a greek god-like cornerback in Trevon Diggs – who went from recording three interceptions as a rookie to obtaining 11 interceptions as a sophomore CB (which led him to garner first-team All-Pro honors). Despite PFF not being a big fan of Diggs (as they gave him a 59.6 grade) in 2021, It was clear that he was sincerely a DPOY candidate at the unique CB spot. It’s clear that Jerry Jones will seek to extend his mythical CB in the 2023 off-season.

The Boys will also anticipate magic from Anthony Brown, Jourdan Lewis, and Kelvin Joseph. Brown was a play-maker in 2021 – as he hauled three interceptions (including a pick-six) and had an FF. PFF nicely gave him a 67.7 grade for his 2021 performance. He is set to be a FA in 2023, so he will clearly strive to have a career season in 2022.

In less than surprising fashion, Lewis also got his hands on the ball last season – whereas he ousted three interceptions. The former Boys third-round pick in 2017 also has 7.5 sacks in the prior three seasons combined. His efforts last season were a big reason why Doug Farrar of Touchdown Wire pegged him as the third best at his spot. He’s unequivocally one of the biggest x-factors on the Boys defense. The Boys made their draft selection of Kelvin Joseph in the second round of the 2021 draft. Joseph was dubbed as a breakout candidate by Cowboys Wire this off-season. He was also cleared by Dallas police in a fatal shooting. The Boys will certainly need him to shine in 2022, especially with the somewhat uncertain contract situation with Brown.

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By: Jake Rajala

I firmly believe the Dallas Cowboys have a terrific floor in 2022, but they can really be Super Bowl contenders if they have x-factors ascend into quality contributors next season. With that said, I’m going to simply outline a few breakout candidates for the Boys in the 2022-2023 season.

Tony Pollard

The 25-year-old Tony Pollard has been climbing the ladder over the past two seasons. He unveiled 719 rushing yards and 5.5 YPC in 15 games in 2021. I expect him to garner a bigger workload next season and transition from an efficient RB into a productive 1,000+ yard ball-carrier.

Zeke Elliot may have some gas left in the tank, but I believe Pollard will outmuscle him as the season is in progress. It would make sense for the Cowboys to test/lean on the legs of Pollard down the stretch, as he is likely the future RB in Dallas.

Dalton Schultz

Dalton Schultz had a fine 2021 season (808 yards, 8 touchdowns), but he is seeking bigger numbers in the Cowboys offense. Amari Cooper is out of the building and the mismatch nightmare Schultz could really be in line for more targets. The former Stanford pass catcher will also lay everything out on the line for a new, hefty contract in 2023 (if he doesn’t sign an extension this summer).

Dante Fowler Jr.

I expect Dante Fowler Jr. to be the biggest surprise player on the Boys defense. He will be desperately striving to prove himself in a contract season and he will have better opportunities to be successful in a Cowboys uniform than in a Falcons uni. Outside of playing on a DL featuring Demarcus Lawrence, the reigning NFC East champions will be forcing opponents to keep pace with Dak in the passing game.

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By Chinmay Kulkarni

”˜The Dallas Cowboys are the most overrated team in NFL history ”“ that’s a statement from a Cowboys fan. The magic of “America’s team” has slowly faded away in previous memory. It’s insanity to think that performing the same thing over and over again would ever yield different results, but since the turn of the 21st century, the Cowboys have floundered mightily in the playoffs. As nearly every NFL-fan and Cowboys hater has memorized, previous Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo has two playoff wins in his career, followed by Dak’s one playoff win against the Seahawks in the 2018 playoffs. I will say that Romo was a first-class QB and one of the best-undrafted gems of all time. Nonetheless, Dallas has failed to advance past the divisional round of the playoffs since 1995, the year they won the Superbowl. Many younger fans like me don’t even have memories of their post-season success, and it’s something of a wild card that TV personalities have used to express disdain over the overhyped “franchise”.

However, it’s not worth dwelling on the past. We all should take a long look in the mirror to figure out what needs to be done. Though the kneejerk reaction is to fire everyone, surprisingly, the fish doesn’t stink from the top down. The Dallas play-calling has been abhorrent, playing the wrong plays at the wrong time, and culminating in the QB sneak on 4^th down at the end of their playoff loss to the Niners.

It’s no doubt that Kellen Moore has built an offense with the best weapons in the league ”“ 2^nd best passing offense, 9^th best running offense, best offense by total yards ”“ the accolades don’t stop on the scoring side of the ball. Jones also really deserves credit for adding figures like Ceedee Lamb, Michael Gallup, and retaining Tyron Smith in the past few years. Unfortunately, these players and awards are meaningless without discipline, being the single most penalized team in the NFL and ceding the most penalty yards per game. Does this team not have the hunger, does this team have a bad coaching staff, are they drafting amazing prospects with a disregard for the intricacies of the game ”“ these are questions that the front office must ask.

A surprising bright spot for the Cowboys has been the defense. Atlanta outcast Dan Quinn has managed to convert a weak defensive unit into one of the best in the league, having the most takeaways of any unit on the season. CB Trevon Siggs and LB Micah Parsons have been elite figures and they could very well wind up as Hall of Fame talents. Parsons has been so impressive that he’s garnered comparisons to Lawrence Taylor. Meanwhile, CB Trevon Diggs was an interception machine, despite being burnt toast a lot of the time. The Boys defense was a fine complement to Prescott and they led the league in turnovers for good reason. But, will it be enough to help the NFC East champions conquer pedestrian QBs in playoff seasons ahead?

The biggest question on defense rests with edge rusher Demarcus Lawrence, who is a $19 million dollar question mark. The fact is that they need him to stay and he might know it, too. Lawrence was a fierce run-stopper, sack machine, and a defensive touchdown highlight reel when he was healthy. The Cowboys could look to move Amari Cooper and make sure they can afford Lawrence. If Cooper leaves, they might be able to obtain Tank Lawrence and soon to be free agent WR Michael Gallup.

The coaching faces in Dallas could have a reshuffle. Dan Quinn and Kellen Moore are already interviewing with other teams for head coaching opportunities. Moore is a hot commodity and every team wants an OC that can put up 5,000 passing yards with a QB. But, Kellen Moore could even stay in Dallas in the near future. Mike McCarthy could feel the ole heat Jason Garrett received if he loses another playoff game. With some of the best weapons in the league on both sides of the ball, which young coach in the NFL wouldn’t turn down an opportunity to coach in Dallas?

All in all, It’s predictable that the Cowboys will make the playoffs next year. The question is, what will happen after that?

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Mike McCarthy raised the Dallas Cowboys out of the ashes in 2021. He brought his team from a 6-10 record last season to an impressive 11-5 record and NFC East title this season. Nonetheless, McCarthy will have one more test in his early Cowboys tenure before his 2021 year is in the books. The Cowboys HC will face off against his classic rival in the Philadelphia Eagles. The ring leader on the other sidelines is none other than Nick Sirianni. 

There is no debate over which head coach has a more impressive and respectable legacy. It is none other than Mike McCarthy, who has brought home a Lombardi trophy to Green Bay. But, it is fascinating to witness how McCarthy has performed in Dallas. It’s also worth comparing how each HC has faired in their new NFC East seats. So, let’s rewind the tape and outline the notable highlights for these NFC East rivals. 

McCarthy

• 17-15 in the first two seasons (12-8 with Prescott)
• second in passing yards, 10th in rushing yards, 
• Defense leads league in turnovers
• NFC East title
• DROY favorite in Micah Parsons
• DPOY candidates in Micah Parsons and Trevon Diggs
• CPOY favorite in Dak Prescott
• Enormous wins over Patriots, Saints, and Chargers

Sirianni

• 9-7 record in his first season
• 14th ranked offense in YPG 
• Jalen Hurts improved from 52% in 2020 completion percentage to 61.3% in 2021
• Hurts improved his passer rating from 77.6 last season to 87.2 this season
• Monster victories against the Saints, Broncos, and Washington Football Team

It should seem that McCarthy has a slight edge over Sirianni “at the moment”. Nonetheless, it is impressive how Sirianni has found success and a playoff berth with a much less talented roster than the Cowboys. The Cowboys carry a dream-like team, while the Eagles have a second-year QB and no Zach Ertz. The Eagles have been surprising and positive, but they don’t seem to carry a scary ceiling or the ability to throttle an opponent. McCarthy appears to have his team climbing the ladder of quality play, especially after their 56-14 thrashing of the Washington Football Team. 

The Cowboys will need the Rams and Cardinals to lose if they want to claim the #2 seed. A win won’t likely change anything in the playoff picture, but it would mark a very impressive 12th win on the season ”“ which would be three more than Nick Sirianni’s win tally. Yet, if Sirianni’s team comes out with the upset, they would just be a win behind the much more talented Cowboys. 

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The Dallas Cowboys offense has elite firepower across the board. Dak Prescott, Ezekiel Elliot, Amari Cooper, Ceedee Lamb, and Michael Gallup are all featured on Kellen Moore’s high-flying orchestrated attack.  

There’s no secret that each profile commands a lot of resources to be happy with their situation. Prescott and each weapon are talented and in the prime of their career, so it will be very hard for Jerry Jones to afford to keep each prospect long term. With that stated, it appears that wide receiver Michael Gallup will be the odd man out. Gallup will be a free agent in the offseason and all signs point to the WR taking his talents out of Dallas. 

So, where could Gallup land in 2022? Let’s take a look. 

• New England Patriots 

The free-agent whisperer Bill Belichick could swoop in and sign the 25-year-old WR. Mac Jones has taken the league by storm and truly put on a clinic at the rookie QB spot. Jones has tossed 3,313 yards, 18 passing touchdowns, and he’s captured a 94.6 passer rating. The 9-6 Patriots are so close to taking the next step. If the emperor Belichick can sign a young and very talented wideout, Jones could be looking to put up monster points with Gallup, Henry, and Kendrick Bourne for years to come. 

• Dallas Cowboys

Jerry Jones knows that he has a QB with hall of fame potential and a RB on the decline of his career. I’m not saying that Elliot will be ditched to open up cap space for Gallup, but the Cowboys identity lies with their passing attack. When Gallup is healthy, he is a big reason why Dak puts up league-leading numbers and helps the offense keep pace with any team in the league. The Cowboys could very likely toy with Zeke’s contract and Tyron Smith’s deal to help the “young and ascending WR” stay on the roster. 

Jones will want Dak to be a QB worthy of MVP consideration year in and year out and Gallup is a big reason why Dak can conquer that step. 

• Green Bay Packers

The Aaron Rodgers-led team makes a lot of sense for Michael Gallup. Whether or not Davante Adams stays in Titletown long-term, Gallup would be a great asset to the Packers new direction. Gallup would be a tremendous number two WR for A-Rod across from Adams. If Adams hits the road, the Pack could have their franchise WR1 in the Cowboys stud. All in all, I believe that Rodgers will be around for another “last dance”, but he will be coming with more firepower the next time around. We witnessed Brady gifted with a dream team offense. It’s a strong possibility that Rodgers and his reunited GM load up for another Super Bowl run in 2022 (regardless of this season’s outcome).

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Football guys always preach that defense wins championships. While defensive success has translated to Superbowl winning results over the past decade, having a dominant defensive unit can translate to fantasy football playoff success or failure for the rest of us non-players. As we near the end of the fantasy regular season, teams will attempt to navigate a gauntlet schedule and chain together three to four wins in a row to win their respective league championships. With respect to roster building for the playoffs, it’s generally necessary to have a consistent D/ST that presents favorable matchups for their respective teams. Some of the best D/ST units in the league may not be the best for the fantasy playoffs on the lone statistic of matchups. Therefore, here are 5 D/ST units that will be reliable towards the end of the season.

1. Dallas Cowboys – @WFT, @NYG, WFT

The combination of Micah Parsons and Trevon Diggs has been pivotal for the success of this unit, creating tough matchups while throwing the ball, and averaging the third-worst QBR for respective quarterbacks. The unit ranks 5^th in QB hits, has the most interceptions of any defensive unit, and has scored 6 touchdowns on the entire season. However, it’s important to step back from the clear stat-dominant performance of the Cowboys D/ST, having played a relatively easy schedule thus far and project one of the easiest remaining schedules going down the stretch against Washington, the Giants, and Washington. This D/ST should continue its dominance as they look to improve their playoff standing against the general incompetence of the NFC East, and as such should be started with confidence each week in fantasy.

2. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – @ATL, BUF, NO

The Tampa defense started the season getting completely exposed, as injuries in the secondary were being exploited by better quarterbacks like Dak Prescott and Matt Stafford. As of late, the schedule for the Bucs has been easier, creating better defensive matchups and allowing them to improve. Atlanta, Buffalo, New Orleans, Carolina, and the Jets are some of the upcoming matchups, and as such project to win 4/5 of those games. Start this unit with confidence, as competition from an NFC south heavy schedule should not faze them.

3. Arizona Cardinals ”“ @CHI, LAR, @DET

The Cardinals are another top-5 fantasy defensive units that make a name for themselves with lockdown passing coverage, boasting 3^rd best in the category, and ranking in the top 10 in sacks. However, don’t think that the Cardinals are slouches in run defense ”“ they’ve held opponents to the 3^rd fewest rushing TDs on the season. Arizona is already head and shoulders over the rest of the NFC West, with injuries piling up for the 49ers, fraudulent play from the Rams, and the Seahawks offense playing uninspiring football. The next games for the Cardinals should allow them to increase their lead on the NFC west, with only the Rams posing a threat. The Bears and the Lions rank as teams allowing some of the most points for fantasy D/ST units, and therefore should be locks in fantasy lineups in the late regular season and playoffs.

4. Miami Dolphins ”“ NYG, BYE, NYJ, @NO

The Dolphins are not a sexy D/ST starting option. They stand as one of the worst passing defenses in the league and middle of the pack against the run. However, what the Dolphins have done over the past 4 weeks is the equivalent of catching lightning in a bottle. Sacking the Panthers 5 times, Lamar Jackson 4 times, and Houston 5 times – the Dolphins pride themselves at rushing the quarterback and causing havoc. As likely the best streaming D/ST and worthy of a roster spot, the Dolphins can be comfortably started against Daniel Jones and the Giants, and the quarterback carousel approach that the Jets and the Saints have resorted to.

5. New England Patriots – @BUF, BYE, @IND, BUF

The Patriots stand as the premier D/ST in fantasy. With several multi-interception games on the season, several fumble recoveries, and rank second best in points allowed, the Patriots are almost in plug-and-chug status with respect to their position. Where there’s room for speculation is attributed to their remaining schedule, playing the Bills twice, and the superhot Colts down the stretch. As Buffalo looks to reclaim their lead in the AFC East, and the Colts will look to make their final playoff push, these matchups present a large possibility for losing fantasy points on defense. However, this unit still deserves a mention as the best D/ST in fantasy football. Starting this unit is risky, but there are worse units to play.

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By: Adam Hulse

There was much concern about Ezekiel Elliot heading into the 2021 NFL season. He was coming off his worst year ever in 2020, setting new career lows in many different categories. His 979 rushing yards, four yards per carry, six rushing touchdowns, eight total touchdowns, and 6.5 yards per reception were all new career lows for Elliot. He did set one new career high last year, but unfortunately it was in a negative category, losing five total fumbles. That’s the same amount of turnovers that he had in the rest of his entire career combined.

2020 Struggles

It was a rough 2020 campaign for Elliot, but there were reasons why some of it could be somewhat understandable. With Dak Prescott being injured in week five and missing the rest of the season, defenses were stacking the box against the run without the threat of a real passing game. In addition, the Cowboys suffered a ton of injuries to their offensive line last year as well, including to their top two blockers in Tyron Smith and Zack Martin.

All of the injuries to key players in the Cowboys offense may have made Elliot feel extra pressure to perform last season. He may have been trying to to force things a bit too much, would could possibly explain the fumbles. Playing with a backup quarterback and loaded defensive box for the majority of the season can in a way explain why his production averages fell off. Regardless, it was clearly the worst season of his career by far and the concern about him no longer being the same dominant force that he used to be was justified, especially considering the short life span of running backs in the NFL.

2021 Campaign

Elliot entered the 2021 NFL season determined to prove that 2020 was a fluke and that he still has plenty left in the tank. Week one was an unimpressive performance, touching the ball 13 times and only producing 39 total yards against one of the best rushing defenses in the NFL, the Tampa Bay Bucs. He improved in week two against the LA Chargers, getting 18 touches for 97 yards and a touchdown. His big breakout was in week three against the division rival Philadelphia Eagles on Monday Night Football, producing 116 total yards and two touchdowns on 20 touches.

It was a much needed dominant performance by Elliot on a big stage. He helped the Cowboys demolish the Eagles in a premium game. This performance should provide him with a huge confidence boost moving forward. Additionally, the emergence of Tony Pollard should help keep Elliot more fresh. He can now receive a few less touches so he will have an opportunity for a quality over quantity situation. Pollard has been explosive as the second back in Dallas this year, turning his 35 touches into 248 total yards and a touchdown. His contributions will take some of the burden off of Elliot while keeping him at full strength.

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