The Dallas Cowboys have had a streaky year, to say the least.
After beginning the season 2-1, they lost two in a row, won the next three, then lost three in a row. And after defeating the Oakland Raiders on Sunday Night, the Cowboys are now on a three-game winning streak. Now, there were some strange occurrences in Dallas' latest win including the referees using a folded piece of paper to determine a first down and Derek Carr fumbling the ball out of the end zone, but nonetheless, the Cowboys are back on the winning track.
And in case you hadn't heard, Dallas will get Ezekiel Elliott back in the fold for its final two games (versus Seattle and at Philadelphia) to finish the regular season.
What is Dallas' outlook going forward? And how would the Cowboys stack up with the rest of the NFC contenders if they were to reach the postseason?
Over this latest three-game winning streak, the Cowboys have outscored their collective opponents by 47 points despite only beating the Raiders by three. Dallas is clicking well on both sides of the ball and should be a very difficult team overall to play against going forward. They might just be hitting their stride at the right time in a very competitive conference, but a conference that is also very up for grabs without a clear favorite to get to the Super Bowl.
Let's start with the defense. It's no accident that this unit plays far better when Sean Lee is healthy. In fact, it's night and day when he's on the field versus when he is sidelined (which has happened a lot) over the past several seasons.
But this defense is more than just Lee. In fact, after losing several starters in their defensive backfield, the Cowboys attacked that area of need in the draft. Those young cover men are starting to really shine and have clearly progressed as the season has gone on.
An improved pass-rush from a year ago helps dramatically. Dallas was without David Irving on Sunday, but he should return soon to help give the Cowboys a versatile and often-dominant force up front to pair with Demarcus Lawrence - a player who shouldn't be too far off the defensive MVP candidates.
Dallas' pass defense overall has been poor this year, but with Lawrence and Irving rushing the passer and the improvement in the secondary, they might be turning the corner.
It also needs to be noted that even though Dan Bailey has been injured and hasn't been his usual elite self this year, the Cowboys have been excellent overall on special teams. Such things cannot be overlooked.
But as expected, Dallas is even better on the offensive side of the ball than on defense by a wide margin. That's the way the Cowboys are built with a wealth of resources invested on offense. Their great offensive line lost two starters and isn't where it was a year ago, but it still has flashes of dominance and might have the best center, guard, and tackle in football. However, it should be noted that Tyron Smith injured his ankle against the Raiders and didn't return.
Alfred Morris has done fine in Elliott's stead, but Dallas getting back its featured runner (presumably with fresh legs) could be the boost the Cowboys need to possibly become the premier team in the NFC. This might be the best rushing attack in the NFL thus far, even with Elliott's missed time.
Five teams have more rushing attempts than Dallas, but just two average more yards per game. This is true even though the Cowboys only have 13 runs over 20 yards, ranking in the middle of the pack league-wide. Elliott should bring more explosiveness.
Dak Prescott took a lot of heat during the most recent losing streak, but he has played very well of late and has a very good command of this offense for a second-year player. It stands out how well Prescott is handling pressure of late and the blitz as a whole. Dallas has incorporated designed quarterback runs which have worked really well and put a lot of stress on every defense it's faced. Keeping that up will make Elliott even more threatening.
The receiving corps here is not ideal, however, and Prescott didn't get enough help from this crew against the Raiders. This really stands out in the deep passing game, an area in which Prescott has excelled this year. Dez Bryant is still Dez Bryant, but he doesn't get great separation or run away from anyone.
The remaining pass-catchers are now pedestrian at best and lack big-play ability. That should be an area to prioritize this offseason, but in the meantime, Dallas is strong on this side of the ball and well equipped to wear teams down if its defense can remain stable and continue to improve.
As for the remaining schedule, Todd Gurley ran all over the Seahawks on Sunday. Elliott could do the same. Philadelphia barely got past the New York Giants, but the Eagles did manhandle Dallas in their first meeting. Of course, that was with Carson Wentz behind center. It is also conceivable that Philadelphia could rest players in Week 17.
On Monday night, Atlanta played a tight game in Tampa, but escaped with a win and controls its destiny. The Falcons have two very difficult games to finish the season in New Orleans and then hosting the Panthers in Week 17. Atlanta also has been a very inconsistent team this year.
Like the Cowboys, Seattle and Detroit also have eight wins, so there is no room for error, but Dallas is playing better than those two teams right now and get to play the Seahawks. The Cowboys still have a shot to get into the postseason - and if they do, watch out.
Matt Williamson is a former scout for the Cleveland Browns and spent 10 years at ESPN as a scout and co-host of "The Football Today Podcast." Find him on Twitter @WilliamsonNFL.
(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)
