Dallas the Favorites - Faulk

[DC Cowboy]

Building them up so he can happily knock them down if they don't win it all. Or happily take credit and say I told you so if they do win it all. Its a win win situation.

how about this is his honest opinion? who on this board doesn't think we are one the leading teams in the NFC?

 

[Fletch]

Saw him on NFLN last night talking highly of our Cowboys and wondered if he had been hanging out with McNabb to much lately.

Faulk and McPuke were sharing cough syrup.

 

[Garrettop]

I think it usually makes more sense to speak of tiers than team v team ranks (often the same way with players).

NFC

Tier I:
Green Bay
Dallas
Seattle

Tier II:
Arizona
Carolina
Detroit
Philadelphia
Minnesota
NY Giants
San Fran*

Tier III:
Everyones else.

San Fran is an enigma right now, and could easily drop out of the mix. St Louis could subsequently rise instead.

AFC

Tier I:

Pittsburgh
New England
Colts
Broncos**

Tier II:

KC**
Buffalo
Cincinnati
Baltimore
Miami
Houston
San Diego**

Tier III:
Everyone else.

** The AFC West could be a weird bloodbath this season. In general, the AFC looks to have less distance both within and between tiers than the NFC.

 

[big dog cowboy]

I think our defensive talent is going to surprise some folks this year. I think we might have a really good defense if a few things go our way.

I think you are right.

 

[perrykemp]

In terms of the matchup between the Packers and Cowboys? I'm taking the Cowboys. Call me a homer, but I think Dallas has improved upon it's weaknesses much better than Green Bay has from the last time the two teams met.

Whatever improvement the Packers will have this year will come from within and the draft.

To me the Packer's biggest weaknesses last season were:

• Weak against the run
• Average pass defense
• Lack of dynamic TE
• A special teams unit that truly awful and ultimately caught up to them and cost them Seattle game and a berth into the Superbowl

Their solutions to these problems seem to be:

• Improve run defense with the return of BJ Raji who missed all of 2015 as well a potentially playing Clay Matthews at ILB more if not all season
• Improve pass defense by continued growth of Ha Ha Clinton Dix as well as the additions of #1st round and #2nd round draft pick CBs
• They have done nothing to improve TE unless they think their rookie from last year Richard Rodgers is going to get better. Quarless looks like he will miss games due to the legal trouble he recently got himself into
• No idea what they've done to shore up special team other than replace the ST coach

So on paper, I guess you could argue they've made maybe small improvements. Nothing like a Hardy, etc. The question will be whether those Cowboy's improvements will allow them to pass up the Packers in overall talent / depth / etc.