By Flint Wheeler
Finally, the NFL is here. In typical American fashion, let’s now make our picks for the Super Bowl. I can easily make arguments (that make sense) for two great teams to reach the big dance. Who is more likely to make the Super Bowl this season, the Dallas Cowboys or the Green Bay Packers?
It’s a tough discussion between two NFC powerhouses. Each squad won 12 games last year, and they had two of the top three point differentials in the conference. Dallas went 8-0 on the road; Green Bay went 8-0 at home. They each scored in the high 400s for points and allowed around 350 points on defense. We are talking two pretty even teams here.
The Cowboys came out of nowhere to dominate last season. Expectations were very low prior to the season. The defense was supposed to be awful, and there were worries about Tony Romo‘s health. Romo played great, as did the defense. The running game was actually the strength of the squad though.
That running game should be worse this year and could be much, much worse. DeMarco Murray is gone, and the Cowboys will be relying on some mixture of Joseph Randle and Darren McFadden to carry the load.
After a career-best 34:9 touchdown-to-interception ratio, it is also easy to picture a scenario where Romo takes a step back in 2015. Even if Dez Bryant plays like something resembling the best receiver in football, the offense is likely to be a notch or two below last year’s heights.
That leaves the defense to pick up the slack, something I am not comfortable in at all. All this Dallas downgrading is to say that I would have to take the Green Bay Packers as the likelier Super Bowl team out of the pair.
The offense could be even better this season if Eddie Lacy improves, and Aaron Rodgers is still the best in the business. I have concerns about the defense but no more than I have about the Cowboys’ same unit. The Packers are the correct pick here.
And why you ask are the Cowboys the team to beat? – Both will certainly be playoff teams in 2015, but last season is not a great barometer. The Cowboys won a reasonably weak NFC East division. Although the Eagles were solid, both the Giants and Redskins underperformed. Green Bay also dominated a division with only one other winning team. The Lions were strong, but both the Vikings and Bears failed to meet expectations.
This coming season both divisions will be stronger, but the NFC East will be leagues better. The Cowboys have a tougher road to face, as all three of their foes take a step forward. On the flip side is Green Bay, where I believe Detroit slides a bit and Minnesota and Chicago hold steady. What does this mean for their Super Bowl chances? It means Dallas must work harder to achieve the ultimate goal.
The Cowboys are the pick here. They will be tested week in and week out this season. Tony Romo has hit his stride as an NFL quarterback, along with the Cowboys’ offense. I’m not worried about replacing their star running back. Other teams like the Broncos have proven it to be an easy thing to accomplish. Dallas may have surprised and exceeded expectations last season, but they have not lost a step. I expect much of the same from Big D.
In Green Bay I see a strong football team and a solid playoff contender. But once the postseason rolls around I believe Dallas gets over the hump, while the Packers continue to stumble into it. It will be Dallas, Green Bay, and Seattle when it’s all said and done. But if the Seahawks are eliminated, I like the Cowboys to finally return to the big game and represent the NFC.
