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After several seasons when the offense made us long for the days of the triplets, it looks like the Cowboys are back to their free-scoring days. It’s not Aikman, Smith, and Irvin, but Romo, Barber, and Owens does have a nice ring to it.

The Cowboys have gotten off to a great start on offense, balancing big performances by Tony Romo with a rushing attack that is regularly knocking off yards in chunks, and getting help from a defense that has forced the most turnovers in the league.

How does Dallas hot three-game start match up in Cowboys history? It’s not quite the best, but it’s still pretty darn good, coming in at #3.

1. 1968

Week 1: beat Detroit 59-13
Week 2: beat Cleveland 28-7
Week 3: won at Philadelphia 45-13

Total Points: 132
Per Game Average: 44

2. 1966

Week 1: beat Giants 52-7
Week 2: beat Minnesota 28-17
Week 3: won at Atlanta 47-14

Total Points: 127
Per Game Average: 42.3

3. 2007

Week 1: beat Giants 45-35
Week 2: won at Miami 37-20
Week 3: won at Chicago 34-10

Total Points: 116
Per Game Average: 38.7

But, where does it slot in among the best three-game stretches? This year’s start ranks sixth in Cowboys history, behind the two in 1968 and 1966, and three others, two in 1971, and another one in 1966. That 1966 team was Dallas’ most prolific offense in history, and it claims three of the top seven three-game stretches in Cowboys history, including the top one.

2. 1966

Week 2: beat Minnesota 28-17
Week 3: won at Atlanta 47-14
Week 4: beat Philadelphia 56-7

Total Points: 131
Per Game Average: 43.7

4. 1971

Week 12: beat Jets 52-10
Week 13: won at Giants 42-14
Week 14: beat St. Louis Cardinals 31-12

Total Points: 125
Per Game Average: 41.7

In Weeks 11-13 in 1971, the Cowboys scored 122 points (#5), including the first two victories above, and a 28-21 win over the Rams in Week 11. That ‘71 team, Dallas’ first Super Bowl championship team, remains the only team in Cowboys history to lead the league in points and win a title in the same year. The ‘77, ‘92, and ‘93 teams all were #2 in points, while the ‘95 team was third. So, while finishing at the top of the charts on offense might not guarantee anything, it’s a good sign to at least be among the best offenses in the league. And, if the Cowboys keep up the pace they’re on, they will do that.

This year’s start is tied with a stretch from Weeks 7-9 in 1966, when the Cowboys also scored 116 points (beat Pittsburgh 52-21, lost at Philadelphia 24-23, then won 31-30 at Washington).

Which four-game stretch will Dallas be looking to best when they hit the field against St. Louis on Sunday? The run from Weeks 1-4 by Dandy Don, Bullet Bob, and Co. in 1966 is not only the best start in team history, but also the best overall stretch in team history. In that four-game stretch, the Cowboys scored 183 points, averaging 45.8 points per game.

As I said, that team is the highest-scoring team in Cowboys history, averaging 31.8 points per game (445 points in a 14-game schedule). The 1968 team was the only other Cowboys team that averaged over 30 points through an entire season, as that squad averaged 30.8 points per game (431 in 14 games).

The best scoring team since the 16-game schedule began in 1978 is the 1983 team. Danny White had a team-record season, throwing for 3,980 yards and 29 touchdowns (and rushing for four more), Tony Dorsett rushed for over 1,300 yards and eight touchdowns, and the Cowboys scored 31 or more points nine times in 16 games on the way to scoring 479 points total that season.

Funnily enough, though Tom Landry’s background was as a defensive coach, none of his 29 teams finished as the league’s best in points allowed, though they finished second once (1968) and third twice (1978 and 1982), while the offense led the league in points five times. Just a little something to chew on there.

So, there are some pretty lofty standards for this year’s team to reach, but, from the looks of it, it’s going to be quite a task to slow this team down. And, hopefully the big numbers will translate into wins, wins, and more wins…and maybe throw their name in there with that 1971 team.

When most people think of Mike Ditka, they think of the Chicago Bears. Ditka was the coach of the vaunted 1985 Bears team that went 15-1 and ran over New England in the Super Bowl, and he had a 106-62 record in 11 seasons as the Bears’ head man, leading them back to prominence after the end of the George Halas era brought only two winning seasons between 1968 and 1981, before Ditka came in to turn things around. From 1984 to 1991, the Bears won 10 or more games seven times.

There was all of the issues that he had, and his time in Chicago didn’t end on a good note, as he was fired following the 1992 season, despite six division titles, three trips to the NFC title game, and the Super Bowl title. There was also the three-year stint in New Orleans that didn’t go well in the least, as his Saints teams went 15-33 in those three seasons from 1997-99.

Still, Ditka is one of the most beloved figures in the city of Chicago, and one of the most recognizable people in the NFL. And, he’s also got his place in Dallas Cowboys history as well.

There are some people that may not think to remember it, but Ditka is in the Hall of Fame, not for what he did as a coach, but for being one of the best tight ends in NFL history.

That’s where his link with the Cowboys begins.

Ditka started his career with the Bears, where he played his first six NFL seasons. In his rookie year, he had one of the best years by any tight end in NFL history, catching 56 passes for 1076 yards and 12 touchdowns. He made the Pro Bowl in his first five seasons in the league, and in his six years as a Bear, he caught 316 passes for 4,503 yards and 34 touchdowns, totals that might seem modest by today’s standards, but excellent then, when passing was less of an emphasis in the NFC. He set the mold for tight ends to be looked at as primary receiving threats for their teams, and set the table for guys like Kellen Winslow, Shannon Sharpe, Tony Gonzalez and others today, including Dallas’ own Jason Witten, who is one of the top pass-catching tight ends in the league.

In 1967, he was traded to Philadelphia, where he made 39 catches for 385 yards and four touchdowns in two seasons. Then, in 1969, the Cowboys acquired him, and he would spend his final four seasons in Dallas, making 72 catches for 824 yards and five touchdowns. The highlight of the end of his career was being a member of the Cowboys’ first championship team, when Dallas beat Miami in Super Bowl VI, in which he caught a touchdown pass in the 24-3 title-clinching win.

Dallas would be where Ditka got his start in coaching. Immediately following the end of his playing career, Tom Landry brought him on as an assistant coach. He was an assistant coach in Dallas for nine seasons before he took the Bears job, and was a part of six division title-winning teams, eight playoff teams, three NFC champions, and one Super Bowl winner (Super Bowl XII).

He would, however, go back to his roots, as George Halas brought him back to the Windy City in 1982. Unfortunately for Halas, he wouldn’t get to see the fruits of the hire, as he passed away from cancer in October 1983, during Ditka’s second season as coach. Ditka compiled an 11-17 record in those first two seasons, before getting the ship righted the next season, and leading one of the NFL’s most storied franchises back to the promised land.

So, while Ditka is, without a doubt, a legend for what he did in Chicago, both as a player and as a coach, there is certainly a place for him in Cowboys history as well.

If the Wade Phillips era doesn’t officially get underway with a win on Sunday at Texas Stadium against those hated New York Giants, don’t worry; it’s not necessarily a signal that bad times are coming.

In 47 season openers, Dallas is 30-16-1. Pretty good, right? But, the two most decorated coaches in Cowboys history walked off the field losers in their regular-season debuts.

In Dallas’ first ever regular-season game on Sept. 24, 1960, Tom Landry’s Cowboys fell at Pittsburgh 35-28. It was the first of eleven losses in what was a winless debut season, and also one of the closest (the Cowboys lost four games by 25 points or more).

In 1989, Jimmy Johnson started off his NFL coaching career on the wrong end of a shutout, a 28-0 loss at New Orleans. That was the first of 15 losses that season, in the first season in the Jerry Jones/Jimmy Johnson/Troy Aikman era, and also the worst season for Dallas since that 1960 season.

But, things turned soon enough for both coaches, and those losses (all of them) were quickly forgotten.

This isn’t to say that the Cowboys are on their way to winning the first pick in the draft on their own, or that Phillips is going to win two or three Super Bowls (can’t say I’d mind that though), but it is a little something to ponder.

How Previous Dallas Coaches Fared in Regular-Season Debuts

Tom Landry: 1960- lost 35-28 at Pittsburgh
Jimmy Johnson: 1989 - lost 28-0 at New Orleans
Barry Switzer: 1994 - won 26-9 at Pittsburgh
Chan Gailey: 1998 - won 38-10 vs. Arizona
Dave Campo: 2000 - lost 41-14 vs. Philly
Bill Parcells: 2003 - lost 27-13 vs. Atlanta
Wade Phillips: 2007 - ? vs. New York Giants

Another thing to ponder is that recent history hasn’t exactly been favorable towards the Cowboys when it comes to season openers. Despite that pretty lofty record in season openers, Dallas has lost six of their last seven curtain raisers. Dave Campo lost all three of his, including getting blown out in his first regular-season game as head coach in 2000 and a just as forgettable 19-10 loss at Houston in the Texans’ first regular-season game. And, Bill Parcells lost three of the four he was on the sidelines for, with the lone win coming in a 28-24 thriller at San Diego two seasons ago.

But, Sunday’s opener offers up a great chance to break a couple of bad trends, while continuing a good one.

The Cowboys have played the Giants four times in season openers, and have won all four of the matchups, with three being resounding routs.

In 1965 and 1966, Dallas picked up 31-2 and 52-7 blowouts over the Giants in season openers at home. In 1986, the Cowboys won 31-28 at home in the closest of the matchups, and the last time the two teams tangled to kick off a season, Dallas left the Meadowlands with a 35-0 shutout victory to begin their last Super Bowl championship season in 1995. That game was one of two occasions when the Cowboys recorded a shutout to start the season (the other was a 38-0 shutout of the then-Baltimore Colts in their 1978 season opener).

So, you’ve got to feel pretty good about what’s going to happen on Sunday night. Of course, the games are played on the field, and the Giants have a pretty solid team, so 35-0 or 52-7 might be asking a little too much (but 27-10 isn’t).

And, if not, well, it’s never too early to start putting away some champange for a little celebration in early February.

The Dallas Cowboys have had a great run in their first four decades of existence, which has seen them become arguably the most successful franchise in NFL history - five Super Bowls, several more appearances in conference title games, many of the most memorable moments in NFL history, and some of the greatest players the game has seen.

But, you can’t help but wondering what if things might have been a little different. Not that I’d want to trade any of the great moments in Cowboys history for some others, but this is just a little something to think about.

What If the NFL Hadn’t Brought a Franchise to Dallas?

Lamar Hunt desperately wanted a pro football team in his hometown of Dallas. And, when the NFL owners said no to his attempt to buy the Cardinals and move them to Dallas, he decided to start his own league, so that he could have a team in Dallas. Thus came the birth of the AFL, and soon after, the Dallas Cowboys. It may well have only been a matter of time before Dallas became home to an NFL franchise anyway, but if not for the NFL owners retaliating against Lamar Hunt’s efforts to rival the NFL, who knows what would have happened? It was a shrewd business move, and maybe a low blow, but you know how history can change on one decision.

Hunt’s Texans stayed in town for only a few seasons before being moved to Kansas City in 1963. That move was partly due to the presence of the Cowboys in Dallas. If the Cowboys weren’t in Dallas, the Texans might have stayed.

If the existence of the Cowboys had been delayed, or even not happened, there would have been no Bullet Bob or Dandy Don, no Staubach, no dynasty of the 90s, no America’s Team, and no five Super Bowls.

What If Herschel Hadn’t Been Traded?

Herschel Walker was a Pro Bowler as a Cowboy in 1987 and 1988. In 1988, he finished second in the league with 1,514 rushing yards. There wasn’t any doubt that he was one of the premier players in the league.

But, he was a great player playing on a bad team. From 1987 to 1989 went 11-36, including records of 3-13 and 1-15 in 1988 and 1989.

So, Jerry Jones and the new regime (which I’ll get to soon enough) decided he’d trade the team’s biggest asset, and there just happened to be a taker, and a gullible one at that - the Minnesota Vikings. The Vikings got Walker and a few draft picks, but the Cowboys got five players and a draft’s worth of picks, including their first-round picks from 1990-1992.

Through those picks, Dallas got Emmitt Smith, Darren Woodson, Dixon Edwards, and Alvin Harper, all of whom were influential parts of Dallas’ success from ‘91 to ‘95. Minnesota did get receiver Jake Reed with one of Dallas’ picks, but the trade ended up being overwhelmingly one-sided in the Cowboys’ favor.

Given that Walker was at the height of his career, the Vikings may have figured it was even at the time, but it didn’t take long for it to basically blow up in their faces. While the Cowboys went on to win three Super Bowls, the Vikings did have moderate success, but had trouble getting past the first round of the playoffs.

So What If Jerry Hadn’t Bought the Team in the First Place?

From the inception of the franchise in 1960 until 1984, owner Clint Murchison and coach Tom Landry were the driving forces behind the Cowboys, and during that time, the Cowboys became one of the NFL’s most successful and followed teams. But, he sold the team to Harvey ‘Bum’ Bright in 1984, and that signaled the end of one era in Cowboys history.

For the next few seasons, the Cowboys began to struggle, and also during that time, Bright and the other mainstay of the franchise, Coach Landry, had, at best, a strained relationship.

With the Cowboys on the slide, along came Jerry Jones, who not only purchased the team, but took on a hands-on approach that the previous owners hadn’t. That approach included supplanting GM Tex Schramm, and then ended another era by letting go of Landry, in favor of bringing in his former teammate at Arkansas, University of Miami head coach Jimmy Johnson.

Those moves might not have been well-accepted by all of the Cowboys’ faithful, and a 1-15 record in Johnson’s first season couldn’t have helped confidence in the new ownership. But, it wasn’t long before things turned around, and success came back to Big D.

Some of his moves haven’t been too favorable (like the firing of Landry, and the way he’s handled things with some coaches, like Johnson), and some of them haven’t worked out (sorry, Dave Campo, Quincy Carter, David LaFleur, and others), but I don’t think anyone would trade him for any other owner. There’s three Super Bowl rings, and future Hall of Famers Smith and Woodson, and current Hall of Famers Troy Aikman, and Michael Irvin, among others, to show for what he’s done. And hey, that new stadium he’s building can’t hurt either.

Other What Ifs

What if the Cowboys had went outside of the organization after Chan Gailey left, instead of hiring Campo? Campo was great as an assistant coach, but the franchise suffered with him as the head coach.

What if the Cowboys hadn’t drafted Steve Walsh in the 1989 supplemental draft? They’d have kept their 1990 first-round pick, which, given their 1-15 record, would have been the #1 overall pick. That pick could have been used on someone else, like Penn State running back Blair Thomas. But then, we could have been talking about another draft bust, as Thomas’ NFL career was over within just a few short, injury-affected years.

Walsh might have been Johnson’s QB at Miami, but he didn’t work out in Dallas, as the other rookie QB, Aikman, won the job over him, and persevered through a rough first season to have a Hall of Fame career. Walsh was traded to New Orleans in 1990, and threw more INTs than TDs in his NFL career.

What if Bart Starr had come up an inch short in the Ice Bowl? Dallas might have been known as ‘Titletown’ before Green Bay was.

What if the ball had gone off of Dwight Clark’s fingertips or sailed over his head instead of into his hands? That would have affected not only the Cowboys, but also the 49ers as well.

He doesn’t show up in the highlights, box scores, or game recaps every week. He’s not a face you’d recognize on the sidelines. If most people were asked who he was, they probably wouldn’t know. But, if they were told all of his responsibilities, they’d more than likely think he was pretty important.

And he is. He’s a part of every play, every touchdown, every kick. He’s got a big part in every forced fumble, sack, broken tackle, and big play. If Dallas has a big year on defense, he’s going to deserve a lot of credit for what he does, but he may instantly get it from many outside of the locker room. And if they have a big year on offense, he’s going to deserve the same amount of credit.

Who is he? None other than strength and conditioning coach Joe Juraszek.

If the offensive line is keeping hungry defensive linemen off of Tony Romo and the running backs, he‘s a part of it. If Marcus Spears is bursting past a helpless offensive lineman to lay a hit on a quarterback, he’s a part of it.

He’s gotten a lot of praise for what he’s done to help the defense slim down, tone up, and beef up for the first season in the Wade Phillips version of the 3-4, where speed, size, and strength are the keys to a dominant, aggressive defense, instead of just being big, big, and big.

The starting defensive line has already experienced a great change, with Jason Ferguson, Chris Canty, and Spears all shaping up for the new defense. Ferguson and Canty haven’t had to do as much shedding weight as they have beefing and toning up, while Spears has been busying shedding pounds off of what was a 315-pound frame.

All of the linebackers have worked on getting themselves in tip-top shape, from the starters to the backups. The linebacking corps has the potential to be one of the best in the league, and with slimmer, faster bodies, they’ll be able to rack up the tackles and sacks.

Even Roy Williams is getting his weight down in order to optimize his effectiveness in both pass rushing and pass coverage.

And, the offensive line, one of the biggest in the NFL, isn’t just a bunch of buffet blitzers. He’s in charge of making sure those guys can hold their own on every down, every game. If there’s one group that needs more than anything to not just be strong but be in the right shape, it’s the O-line. Lineman have been getting bigger in recent years, and for some, the weights are spiraling out of control. That’s something that Juraszek has to make sure doesn’t happen to his line, and he has.

He’s not only responsible for keeping people fit, he’s also responsible for helping players return from injury.

He may well never be a head coach, but he’s as important as one.

And, he’s been the one constant, besides anyone in the front office, through the end of the Barry Switzer days, through Chan Gailey’s short tenure, the woeful Dave Campo era, on to the Bill Parcells days, and now to the new Wade Phillips’ regime. In a day where you more often than not see people come and go just like that, Juraszek has been around for a decade, and seen it all. And, while he’s tailored his programs to each coach’s needs and wants, he’s always kept the players’ individual needs in mind first and foremost. That’s why you don’t have to worry too much when the injury bug hits like it has in the preseason, because Juraszek is doing all he can to ensure the players return to full strength as quickly as possible.

The preseason is a time when Juraszek is most important, not only because he’s helping the players get themselves in shape for the grueling 16-game season, when their bodies will be susceptible to wear and tear, but also because he has to make sure the players’ bodies are in shape to stand up to the blazing heat during the Valley Ranch portion of camp. After the deaths of Korey Stringer and Thomas Herrion and so many other deaths on the college and high school level related to the summer weather or health-related issues, having the players well-conditioned has been made all the more necessary, not just for the sake of their livelihoods, but their lives.

So, all in all, if Dallas has a big year, thank Joe Juraszek. You may not be able to have him on your fantasy team, but he is certainly worth a lot of points every week.

There’ve been some great quarterbacks in Dallas history, from Meredith to Aikman (and hopefully Romo soon), and part of the reason why they were so good is that they had some good targets to throw to.

From Bullet Bob to ‘The Playmaker,’ Dallas has been home to some explosive receivers.

1960s

In the first few years in Cowboys history were rather unforgettable, as Dallas was a woeful 25-53-4 from 1960-65. But, during that time, Don Meredith emerged as a star at quarterback, and the Cowboys had their first star at receiver in Frank Clarke. Clarke played for the Browns from 1957-59, and made only 10 catches in his brief Browns career before moving to Dallas for their expansion season. He made only nine catches in his first season, but those nine catches were for a 32.2 yard average and three scores.

But, he took off in 1961, and from ‘61-64 was one of the NFL’s top receivers. In each of those seasons, he finished among the league leaders in at least one of the main receiving categories. In ‘61, he caught 41 passes for 919 yards (8th) and nine touchdowns (6th). In ‘62, he had his best season, catching 47 passes for 1,043 yards and a league-leading 14 touchdowns. In ‘63, Don Meredith’s first full year as a starter, his numbers dropped to 43-833, but he still finished fourth in the league with 10 TD catches. In 1964, his numbers went back up, as he caught a career-best 65 passes for 973 yards and five TDs.

His numbers dipped the next year due to the emergence of a rookie from Florida A&M named Bob Hayes, but he still caught 41 passes for 682 yards and four TDs. He would finish out his Dallas and NFL career in 1967, having caught 291 passes in his career for 5,426 yards and 50 touchdowns.

Where Clarke left off, Hayes picked up and sped off. Hayes came into Dallas with the lofty distinction as the world’s fastest man, having won two gold medals in the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, including one in the 100-meter dash, where he tied the world record at the time. Hayes put that speed to great use in his rookie year and immediately became one of the league’s top receivers, after hauling in 46 passes for 1,003 yards and a league-leading 12 TDs. He topped those marks in his second season, catching 64 passes for 1,232 yards and 13 touchdowns. Those marks were fourth, second, and first in the league. Hayes made the Pro Bowl in each of his first three seasons, and would reach double-digits in touchdowns three more times in his Cowboys career, which lasted until 1974. He played his final season with San Francisco in 1975, and finished his illustrious career with 371 catches for 7,414 yards and 71 touchdowns, a Cowboy record that still stands today.

1970s

When you think of Cowboys receivers in the 70s, one name stands above the rest: Drew Pearson. Pearson was the go-to guy on the teams that went to three Super Bowls in four years from 1975-78. Pearson broke Hayes’ catch and yardage records in his 11-year career (1973-83), totalling 489 receptions for 7,822 yards, and 48 touchdowns. He had two 1,000 yard seasons (1974, 1979) and made three Pro Bowl appearances (1974, 1976, 1977). He also led the NFL in receiving yards in 1977, with 870.

But, he’s most remembered for his clutch catches, most notably his game-winning touchdown catch against Minnesota in a 1975 NFC Divisional playoff game. His 50-yard catch and run from Roger Staubach in the final seconds carried Dallas to a 17-14 win and was one of the most memorable plays in NFL history, not only because Pearson set off a controversy with an apparent pushoff that wasn’t called but also because it was when the term ‘Hail Mary’ was coined.

1980s

As Pearson’s career wound down, Tony Hill emerged as the new go-to guy at the end of the 70s and into the 80s. Hill, the Cowboys’ third-round pick in 1977, led the team in receiving yards eight straight seasons from 1978-85. His best seasons were 1979, 1980, and 1985, when he went over 1,000 yards each season. 1985 was his next to last season, but his best as well, as he caught a career-best 74 passes for 1,113 yards and seven TDs. He broke Pearson’s yardage record late in his final season in 1986, and finished with 7,988 yards receiving. He came up just short of Pearson’s receptions mark, hauling in 479 passes. And, he finished his career in second in touchdowns, just ahead of Clarke and Pearson with 51. In his 10 seasons, he went to the Pro Bowl three times (1978, 1979, 1985), and was also a solid postseason performer, with 46 catches, 618 yards, and four TDs in 13 playoff games.

1990s

Without a doubt, the main man in the 90s was Michael Irvin. He was Troy Aikman’s go-to guy on three championship teams, and obliterated the previous marks for catches and receiving yards. In twelve seasons, he caught 750 passes for 11,904 yards. He finished his career in second behind Hayes in touchdowns with 65. In his career, he had seven 1,000 yard seasons, made five Pro Bowls, and was one of the NFL’s most unstoppable receivers from 1991-95.

Of the stars from the first four decades, only Irvin is in the Hall of Fame, though the late Bullet Bob is certainly worthy of a bust. His numbers may not have been spectacular, but there’s no getting around how great he was from 1965-71, when he was unquestionably one of the league’s top pass-catchers and reached double digits in touchdowns five times in that seven-season span. And, Pearson has yet to be inducted into the Cowboys’ Ring of Honor, which is baffling given how pivotal a part of Dallas history he is. Hopefull he’ll get his due soon, because he deserves it.

The current decade has seen a revolving door of receivers in Dallas. Antonio Bryant was drafted in 2001 with the hopes that he would become a star, but after an unsuccessful three-year stint, he departed to Cleveland.

They haven’t had any trouble luring some of the NFL’s top and most headline-grabbing names in, but it’s been a mixed bag of results. Joey Galloway didn’t go over 1,000 yards in his four (minus one injury-shortened season) years in Dallas, and was traded to Tampa for Keyshawn Johnson in 2004. Galloway has gone for 1,000 yards in his last two seasons, while Johnson didn’t go over 1,000 in his two as a Cowboy.

But, things have turned for the better in the last couple of seasons. Terry Glenn came in 2003, after a bitter end to his career in New England and a one-year stint in Green Bay. Glenn suffered an ACL tear in his second season, but has come back strong and rejuvenated his career with two straight 1,000+ yard seasons.

Terrell Owens came on board last season, and despite the controversy surrounding him coming in, and the ones that arose during the season, gave the Cowboys only their second 1,000+ yard receiving duo in their history (Michael Irvin and Rocket Ismail were the first, with 1,057 and 1,097 in 1998).

Glenn and Owens are getting older, but there’s no doubt both have plenty of catches left in them, and by the time they’re done as Cowboys, both have the chance to become two of the top receivers in Cowboys history.

Who will follow them? It could be Patrick Crayton, who could have his chance to shine in a few more seasons when Glenn and Owens are done. Or Sam Hurd, who’s still developing his skills in only his second season, but has great potential.

Or will Dallas get their star of the next decade through the draft as soon as next season, and build up the next Hayes, Pearson, Hill, or Irvin? Or will the recent trend be followed, and acquire him (or them) through free agency or trades, as with Glenn and Owens?

But, no matter who he is, he certainly has some lofty expectations to live up to, without a doubt.