Cowboys News: What it will take to win it all, 88 Club goes commercial
The hype around the season-opening rematch between the Cowboys and Buccaneers continues to build, and there’s a lot of intel to gather before helmets clash Sunday night. One of the biggest changes from the last face-off is the exponential production boost from linebacker Micah Parsons relative toD his quiet NFL debut against Tom Brady and company.
Mike McCarthy noted Parsons’ value in this game and our own Mike Crum listed “The Parsons Effect” as a key piece to cracking the code on Brady and coming out with the first win Dallas has taken over the seven-time Super Bowl champ. On the other side of the coin, there’s still a ton of reasons for concern and KD Drummond breaks down the scariest things to keep in mind for the Cowboys in 2022.
Through all the back-and-forth, quarterback Dak Prescott keeps a level head. Tough playoff losses, a ton of fresh faces at receiver and other obstacles don’t phase the seventh-year vet, who keys in despite the noise.
The 88 quartet sits down together, injury updates, and cornerback Trevon Diggs’ high praise of his fellow corners in the latest News and Notes.
10 bad things I'm thinking about the Cowboys 2022 season :: Cowboys Wire
Just a few days away from the Cowboys’ season opener, our own KD Drummond details his biggest concerns for 2022. From high expectations that may go unreached to concerns on the offensive line that still loom, there’s plenty of bad alongside the good to keep in mind.
Cowboys-Buccaneers initial Week 1 injury report lopsided but misleading :: Cowboys Wire
While Dallas has significantly less players on the injury report, it’s misleading for a player on injury reserve like left tackle Tyron Smith. Wide receiver Michael Gallup and cornerback are the only two Cowboys on the list while the Buccaneers have seven players with injury designations.
Cowboys close game mettle should be tested vs Bucs, eyeing first win against Brady :: Blogging the Boys
0-6 against Tom Brady, the Cowboys enter potentially their final chance to take down one of the best players of all time. Will their ability to win a nail-biting, high-profile game be tested to start 2022?
McCarthy: Cowboys' high-energy defense won't 'try to play chess with Tom Brady' :: Cowboys Wire
Brady has seen almost every defensive look imaginable and the Cowboys head coach knows this and doesn’t plan to go for too many tricks, staying to their strengths on defense. On the plus side, linebacker Micah Parsons is the cheat code that Dallas can lean on to get Brady off of his game unlike their last matchup.
How all 32 NFL teams can win Super Bowl LVII :: ESPN
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While it may be a reach to assume any team can take it all, there’s a route to the ultimate glory for the Cowboys in 2022. Dallas ranks as the sixth most likely to win it all and Bill Barnwell has no worries about the roster itself, but instead the curse of playoff losses that must be exorcised.
Chance to win Super Bowl LVII: 5.6%
Chance to make the playoffs: 70.2%The best case includes healthy seasons from quarterback Dak Prescott and running back Ezekiel Elliott, both of whom were slowed by injuries a year ago. The Cowboys have one of the best young cores in football with wideout CeeDee Lamb, corner Trevon Diggs and linebacker Micah Parsons all still on rookie deals. They thrive when their superstars are healthy and play at their expected levels. Losing left tackle Tyron Smith to a serious hamstring injury hurts their chances, but if everyone else does what they’re supposed to do, they should be able to approximate their 2021 performance.
What happens after the regular season is up to the whims of the postseason gods, but let’s not pretend that seemingly cursed teams haven’t managed to win Super Bowls.
WATCH: Cowboys greats Pearson, Irvin, Bryant join CeeDee Lamb in TV ad convening '88 Club' for first time :: Cowboys Wire
No. 88 is synonymous with great Cowboys receivers and the quartet sat down together for a marketing ad for the first time. The group discussed the legacy of the number and what makes each of them special in their own way.
3 Central keys to Cowboys-Buccaneers opening week matchup :: Cowboys Wire
For their season-opening rematch, what are the keys for the Cowboys’ success? Mike Crum breaks down three keys, including the run game that was out of the game plan for this matchup last season and the power Parsons has to flip the game on its head.
Cowboys QB Dak Prescott is having more asked of him after personnel changes :: The Athletic
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While the concern may build up from the outside looking in, quarterback Dak Prescott never wavers when the spotlight is on him. He brought up his constant “pressure is privilege” mantra and detailed how all that matters is what he and the team believes, not the outside noise.
Diggs: Every 'Boys CB Can Do What I Did Last Year :: The Mothership
After his own miraculous 11-interception season, cornerback Trevon Diggs isn’t talking about what he can do himself at the forefront. The third-year corner believes that that lightning in a bottle can be found by his running mates, and defenses won’t be smart to think less of the players around him.
Cowboys defense opens with stiff challenges right out of the gate: The Quinn Report :: The Athletic
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Nobody brings the breakdown like Bob Sturm, and the defense report is back to take a look at the chances the Cowboys can repeat or even improve upon the 2021 version. There are far too many stanzas to quote them all, but before you dive into the why and why not, a look at the Parsons effect.
Given that the Cowboys have added a defender in the middle of the fray that appears to have superpowers in linebacker Micah Parsons, perhaps we should understand that things are going to be different defensively around here for years to come. Take a look at how easily Parsons led the team — and nearly the entire league — in overall splash plays. He reset the mark on what we used to know about this statistical formula of all impactful plays on defense. We have never seen anyone above the 50-mark. We have now. In his rookie season, Parsons changed the math of this defense.
— KD
