The Cowboys' defense isn't Super Bowl worthy, but will that matter?
It's said so much that it's taken as truth: defense wins championships, particularly in football.
We've seen it happen so many times, there's no reason to question the logic behind it. We saw the Denver Broncos win on little more than an all-time great defense and guile last year, and three of the four Super Bowl champions preceding (Seahawks, Ravens, Giants) were defense-first teams.
So, sure, defense wins championships.
The Dallas Cowboys don't have a championship-level defense. If you're being generous, the Cowboys' defense this year is average.
It probably won't matter through.
Dallas has won nine straight games on the back of an incredibly balanced and explosive offensive attack. The Cowboys are overwhelming defenses with their run game (one that should see the team's offensive line win MVP) and then adding insult to injury with the Dak Prescott-led passing game.
The Cowboys entered Sunday's game against the Ravens with the third-best passing and second-best rushing offense in the NFL – there are other good offenses in the league, but no one can match the balance of the Cowboys.
There aren't going to be too many defenses around the NFL that can stop that unit from scoring points, especially with Prescott playing so well in the fourth quarter: he's completed 24 of his last 26 final-frame pass attempts.
So who cares if the Cowboys' defense entered the week with the 25th passing defense in the NFL? What does it matter if the defense is ranked 19th in the NFL?
The Cowboys have lost one game this year, and that was by one point in Week 1.
Who is going to beat this team in the NFC playoffs? The Eagles? Their defense might be up to the task, but their offense relies on Carson Wentz to make an unfair number of plays to be successful.
The Giants? Not unless Odell Beckham scores three or more touchdowns.
The Falcons can't stop the Cowboys' offense, Washington isn't going to beat Dallas in a serious game so long as Kirk Cousins is the quarterback, and the Vikings and Lions are messes.
It might just be the Seahawks that pose a serious threat in the NFC, and their game would almost certainly be played at the Cowboys' stadium.
There just aren't good, all-around teams this year. The Seahawks, frankly, might stand the best chance of being one this season, but their offense is temperamental and the defense isn't as dominating as years past.
The Patriots are an offensive team whose front seven has faded (New England's defense is worse than Dallas' this year); the Chiefs have the defense, but no reliable offense; the Raiders have a reliable offense, but no such luck on defense; and the Broncos are starting Trevor Siemian at quarterback (for now).
This Cowboys' team might not have a great, championship-level defense, but in the NFL in 2016, that probably won't matter. It all has to play out, but Dallas' biggest problem might not be much of a problem at all.
