Cowboys 10 Big Roster Questions: ‘Super’ Answers for Giants - Preview
FRISCO - The Dallas Cowboys are looking to make their mark in the win column as they travel for a showdown at the New York Giants on Sept. 10 on “Sunday Night Football.”
Are they ready? Regarding the roster, the coaching staff and other big decisions, the Cowboys are about to answer these 10 questions …
1 - Can Micah Parsons play at an MVP level? That’s right: it’s not just can he win Defensive Player of the Year … But rather, can he take it to a level even above that?
That’s Lawrence Taylor/Aaron Donald/Alan Page territory. His teammates are believers.
Said Cowboys safety Jayron Kearse: “I expect a Defensive Player of the Year type of year from him. Hands down. If I was a betting guy, my money is on him. I’ve just seen the way he’s come in this year, different than the previous two. He has the ability to wreck a game at any given moment when he wants to. The type of impact I’m expecting him to have is not only for the defense, but for the team is tremendous. …
“He comes in like, ‘I’m the lion.’ … just like, ‘I’m the baddest guy out here.’ He has shown that. That’s the biggest difference I’ve seen from him.”
2 - Dak Prescott’s picks. The standout QB has vowed to lessen his interception numbers from a year ago, when he led the league with 15.
That is actually a no-brainer; picks are not “in his DNA,” as has been a Alleged… He averages only nine a year.
simple math tells you that “nine” would be a magic number here.
3 - The “Texas Coast Offense” ready to roll? Dak and the QBs coined the phrase. The T-shirt is popular. If this modified version of the West Coast Offense that coach Mike McCarthy favors works? Horizontal throws. Yards after catch. Easy reads. Ball control and electricity. … it’ll become the talk of the league.
4 - Will the top rookies help? Mazi Smith, the first-round defensive tackle, doesn’t have time to be a “project”; containing the Giants’ Saquon Barkley is Job One In Week 1. Maxi needs to contribute.
There is less demanded of second-round tight end Luke Schoonmaker - … but even on a deep roster, the No. 58 overall player taken in the 2023 NFL Draft shouldn’t stay third- or fourth-string.
5 - Is there “tricky” help for CeeDee Lamb? Dallas loves the results of its Brandin Cooks trade, likes the rehab of Michael Gallup and is pleased with the “Year 2 Leap” of Jalen Tolbert.
But guess which other receiver is in Year 2?
KaVontae Turpin will be the Cowboys' primary returner this season; the ex-USFL MVP was arguably the NFL’s best return man in 2022, and the TCU product was rewarded with a Pro Bowl selection in his first NFL season.
But McCarthy has suggested that he can be a “rocket ship” with the ball on his hands on offense, too. Are there enough balls to go around to make that happen?
6 - Is 3 at CB enough? The trade for former All Pro Stephon Gilmore pairs him with Pro Bowl ball-hawk Trevon Diggs. And DaRon Bland is a fine slot corner.
But after that? Kids. Maybes. And a rehab guy. Is three enough to get Dallas in and out of New York unscathed?
7 - Is 5 OLs enough? Big-time players in the O-line? The Cowboys, led by Zack Martin and Tyron Smith, can argue that they have five of them.
But what if they need a sixth?
8 - Can ‘Hunter & The Deuce’ pitch in? For many, the thought of late-round rookie Deuce Vaughn being the No. 2 back behind Tony Pollard was a little farfetched. So was the idea of UDFA rookie Hunter Luepke being anything at all.
And … suddenly Dallas has used two roster spots on two kids who were truly college superstars … with delighted Cowboys fans hoping “Hunter & The Deuce” is something more than just a ‘70’s-private-eye-sitcom-sounding nickname.
9 - Does Brandon Aubrey calm your kicker fears? Did the Cowboys convince themselves that Aubrey is "the guy" … or is he ready to go whether they don't want to spend the money on getting a veteran kicker, on Saturday, answers to both are about due.
Aubrey was solid against the Jaguars and, by all reports, had a steady week kicking in Oxnard, as John Fassel stated that his kicker "has game."
10 - Does history matter? Dak’s lifetime record against the Giants is 10-2. In the last 10 years, Dallas is 16-4 against New York.
Want it short-term? The Cowboys have a four-game win streak against the Giants. Want it long-term? Dallas’ overall record vs. New York is 73-47-2.
Prescott says a “hot start” is imperative for Dallas. We agree, and while the Giants are no patsy, history says 10 positive answers might await us on Sunday night, Sept. 10, in New York.
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