The main objective in professional sports is winning the championship. And while luck and timing certainly play a part in achieving that objective, the most impactful and effective route to a championship is by building the most talented roster possible.
It’s this roster-building process that captivates so many Cowboys fans over the offseason. NFL free agency and the draft become annual obsessions for Dallas fans. An upgrade here, a player swap there, all sell hope that the roster has improved, and as such, the Cowboys’ championship odds improve as well. The 2023 Cowboys ruined that.
If the Cowboys taught their fans anything in 2023 it’s that having one of the most talented rosters in the NFL doesn’t necessarily matter.
Dallas went into the wild-card weekend with seven Pro Bowlers on the team and depth at nearly every position. It didn’t matter in the least. At the most important position in the game, the Cowboys had arguably the top performing QB of the year under center. It didn’t matter one bit. They had the NFL’s interception leader. That didn’t matter either. They had arguably the best pass rusher in the NFL. Nope. They had nine All-Pros and record breakers and league leaders everywhere. None of it mattered.
The most frustrating lesson the Cowboys taught their fans this past season is that all the upgrades and all the talent in world doesn’t guarantee a thing. Not even a competitive postseason game.
The 48-32 score doesn’t accurately describe the one-sidedness of the day. Despite fielding a far more talented roster than the Packers, the Cowboys were never even a threat on Sunday. It wasn’t just a head-scratcher – it was embarrassing.
Changes will be made, and coaches will likely be made examples of, but faith will not easily be restored. The jaded legions of Cowboys fans are going to have a tough time getting excited about the 2024 offseason. Given the quality of Dallas’ roster, upgrades will be hard to find, and when they are found, what does it really mean based on what was just learned?
Fresh wounds will heal, and memories of that fateful day will fade, but the excitement of the roster-building process suffered enormously in Cowboys Nation because fans know talent wasn’t the problem for the Cowboys. The real issue in Dallas seemingly goes beyond the personnel which makes the upcoming offseason activities considerably less enjoyable.
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