It's easy to say the 2023 season as a whole wasn't a success because they were eliminated in the playoffs, but I'm trying to determine if they made any “progress” in the 2022 season. Yes, there were many individual accomplishments, records, and awards, but did the Cowboys as a team make strides in his 2023? – Dave Nystrom/Loudon, Tennessee
Nick Eatman: It's not an easy question to answer, given the uncertainty surrounding this team right now, especially Dan Quinn's defense. Because no matter what happens in the playoffs, continuity is always important in sports. Sure, they lost badly to the Packers, but I still think they were more successful when looking at the season as a whole because of their young team and the strides made by certain players in particular. Seeing DaRon Bland step up his game was huge for the future. And Micah Parsons showed he can take over games, especially as a rusher, although he struggled to get holding calls. In just three years, he's done something rarely done in the entire history of the NFL. Offensively, CeeDee Lamb and Jake Ferguson showed the type of players who can thrive in this offense. I think Tyler Smith is going to be one of the best blockers in this league, whether he ends up at tackle or continues at guard. For me, those individual accomplishments ultimately help the team progress as a whole.
cart: That's difficult. That's exactly right. There is no doubt that some players have made progress. But when the season ends on such a disappointing note, can you say the team has taken a step forward? There are certainly two areas where he can suggest things could have progressed. One is the Texas Coast Offense. I think my knowledge of Mike McCarthy's play calling and Dak Prescott's system improved over the course of the season. Therefore, when he returns to training camp in July, he will start on a higher floor where he can expect an even higher ceiling. Second, they continued their quest to build a winning culture. Despite losing in the playoffs, the Cowboys won 12 games for three years in a row, including their second NFC East title. As McCarthy said, “We've established a championship program, it's just not a world championship yet.” It's hard to hear it now, but there's some truth to this. Success breeds more success. Again, this may all just be wishful thinking. Because another season like this one would definitely put the Cowboys one step closer to square one.
