Cowboys' Keys to Success in 2021 NFL Season

The Dallas Cowboys were exhibits A, B and C for how thin the margin of error can be in the NFL last season. 

Fresh off a promising 2019 campaign in which they went 8-8 with one of the league's best offenses, they brought in Mike McCarthy as head coach. Things were looking up until the defense collapsed, Dak Prescott suffered a season-ending ankle injury and the offensive line was constantly reshuffled due to injuries. 

Had just one of those things went the other way, the Cowboys may have been able to make the playoffs in a struggling NFC East. But all three things broke the wrong way, and that's difficult to recover from. 

There's reason for renewed optimism, though. All of that struggling brought a pick high enough in the draft to take Micah Parsons. Dan Quinn has come in to guide the defense back to respectability, and Prescott is healed from the ankle injury, although there's still a shoulder issue to consider. 

The ceiling is high for the 2021 Cowboys. The ingredients are there for a divisional championship and maybe more in the postseason.

Here are three of the biggest keys to ensuring they reach those heights. 

Keep Dak Prescott Upright

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If Dak Prescott is healthy and protected, he has the ability to post a top-five season at quarterback. That's a great place to start for any offense. 

Last season, the Cowboys' offensive line surrendered 44 sacks while playing a combination of Prescott, Andy Dalton, Ben DiNucci and Garrett Gilbert at quarterback. 

That's not a direct indictment on this year's group. Tyron Smith only played two games. Zack Martin missed six and La'el Collins missed the whole season. Those three combining to miss 36 games might have hurt the offense worse than losing Prescott. 

At least without the 28-year-old, the Cowboys still have one of the best collections of skill players. Amari Cooper, CeeDee Lamb, Michael Gallup, Ezekiel Elliott and Tony Pollard are enough to make a lot of quarterbacks look good when given time. 

With Smith, Martin and Collins all set to rejoin the lineup, Tyler Biadasz starting in his second season and Connor Williams making strides last year, the offensive line should be much better in 2021. 

They'll need to be. Prescott dealt with a shoulder injury throughout training camp. Too much punishment could lead to more health concerns for Dallas' star quarterback. 

Micah Parsons Energizes Linebacker Corps

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As bad as things got with quarterback play and protection on offense, things were even uglier defensively. 

The Cowboys were in the bottom-third of the league in nearly every defensive category. The run defense was especially bad as it surrendered five yards per carry. It's hard enough when the defense can't stop the pass but when teams are running at will, it's hard to make any stops. 

Leighton Vander Esch finished 50th among 83 linebackers rated by Pro Football Focus. Jaylon Smith finished 44th. Both were soft against the run.

Both are capable of playing at a much higher level. Vander Esch was an All-Pro selection in 2018, while Smith was a Pro Bowler in 2019. 

The arrivals of Dan Quinn as the defensive coordinator and Micah Parsons have to spark the unit to much better play in 2021. The former has coached some good linebackers in his career. In his last stop, Deion Jones was elite, and he got special teamer Foyesade Oluokun to play like a serviceable starter in 2020. 

Parsons was the 12th pick in the draft and the third defender taken. His versatility and athleticism will certainly bring a spark to the group. 

"I would just say you've got to pick the right play at the right time," Parsons said of his role, per Matt Howe of 247 Sports. "I could be coming, I could not be. I could drop back and get a pick. That would be sweet. It's all moment plays and being at the right read at the right time."

If Parsons can have a Rookie of the Year-type season, it could be key in at least bringing the defense up to league average. 

Multiple Players Step Up in Secondary

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At this point, the secondary is the great unknown in Dallas. Bringing in Quinn could help. But it's worth noting that the Falcons finished just below the Cowboys in passer rating allowed last season. Quinn's Falcons gave up a 101.7 rating compared to the Cowboys' 100.4. 

The secondary is, arguably, the only area on the roster that can't blame injuries or coaching for falling short of expectations. Trevon Diggs had a strong rookie campaign, but it's tough to find positives for the rest of the unit. 

With little cap flexibility, Dallas was limited in how it could address the issue. It drafted Kelvin Joseph and Nahshon Wright. It signed Malik Hooker and Damontae Kazee to compete at safety while bringing back C.J. Goodwin and Jourdan Lewis. 

When it hasn't been possible to upgrade a position through acquisition, the only way for improvement is player development. Based on the preseason and camp, players like Maurice Canady—who has shined in the slot throughout camp—will be crucial. 

If the Cowboys don't have multiple players elevate their game in the defensive backfield, they will find themselves in a shootout every week. The offense really just needs the defense to be average to have a successful 2021, but even that leap has to be made by several individuals in charge of covering receivers.