The 2021 season has seen the Dallas Cowboys do a complete 180 from their atrocious 6-10 showing in 2020. They currently sit at 11-4 and are the No. 2 seed in the NFC with an outstanding 9-1 conference record.
Wide receiver Amari Cooper has experienced both sides of the coin since arriving in Dallas in 2018. He’s been a part of squads that were bad or average and he’s also helped take the Cowboys to the playoffs. The four-time Pro Bowler recently spoke on this year’s version, and how it’s different than any team he’s been on.
“I’ve never been on a team like this, and I’ve been in the league, this is my seventh year, so I know how rare it is,” Cooper said. “That’s why I felt the need to say this. Like I said I don’t want it to come and go without us reaching our full potential.”
This is without question the best team Cooper has been on in Dallas. Offensively, the Cowboys lead the NFL in yards (409.5) and points (30.5) per game. Also, they are third in passing yards per game (282.7) and sixth in rushing yards (129.6).
That’s thanks to the plethora of weapons the Cowboys have. Ezekiel Elliott and Tony Pollard provide one of the NFL’s top one-two punches at running back. Cooper, CeeDee Lamb, and Michael Gallup are as talented a threesome at wide receiver as one will find around the league. Dalton Schultz and Blake Jarwin, who could return from injury by the playoffs, are a dangerous combination at tight end.
But the biggest turnaround has been on defense.
In 2020, the Cowboys allowed a franchise-worst 473 points and finished 31st against the run. This season the Cowboys lead the NFL with 33 turnovers and are the best on third down at limiting conversions by the opposing offense.
All three levels of the Cowboys’ defense have contributed to the turnaround. Defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence is back to causing havoc after missing 10 games with a broken foot, and his counterpart Randy Gregory has tied career highs in sacks (6) and forced fumbles (3) while also setting a new high in quarterback hits (16) despite only playing in 10 games.
Linebacker Micah Parsons is the runaway leader for Defensive Rookie of the Year and has a realistic shot to win Defensive Player of the Year due to his 13 sacks, 18 tackles for loss, 29 quarterback hits, and three forced fumbles.
Cornerback Trevon Diggs has snagged a league-leading 11 interceptions and is in the conversation with Parsons for Defensive Player of Year honors. Free-agent signing safety Jayron Kearse has proved he’s more than just a depth guy by leading the team with 95 tackles.
That’s a lot of playmakers on both sides of the ball and validates why Cooper would feel no team he’s been on is as good as this one. Cooper mentioned he believes the Cowboys have everything they need to compete at the highest level.
“Talent, coaching, culture, work ethic…I think we have it all right now. And from what I’ve seen, it’s very rare to have it all,” Cooper said.
Of course, having a bunch of talent doesn’t guarantee anything in the NFL seeing as even the worst teams possess it. However, if the Cowboys can continue their current win streak (won four consecutive games) heading into the playoffs and maximize the talent that they have they can compete with anyone in the league and have a realistic shot at representing the NFC in the Super Bowl.
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