Heading into the 2020 NFL season, the Dallas Cowboys were widely projected to win the NFC East and make some noise in the playoffs.
That didn’t end up happening as the Cowboys finished with an 8-8 record and trailed behind the Philadelphia Eagles in the final division standings. Dallas ended up missing the playoffs altogether.
A key factor in the Cowboys’ underachieving overall results in 2019 involved the defense. The unit was under-par in execution and lacked consistency and that ultimately resulted in the firing of former pass defense coordinator/secondary coach Kris Richard.
One of the main issues in Richard’s approach was the fact their pre-snap alignment was too transparent for other teams. During a recent press availability, Cowboys corner Chidobe Awuzie alluded to this issue when discussing the changes the team has made on defense.
The Cowboys appear much better positioned from a coaching standpoint than they were just a year ago. Dallas moved on from Jason Garrett and hired Mike McCarthy to be their next head coach. Additionally, Mike Nolan was hired to take over the role of defensive coordinator.
Creating advantages is crucial in the NFL and disguising coverages can create some by forcing the quarterback to have to make more advanced reads, especially against young quarterbacks. Keep in mind, there will be two second-year quarterbacks starting in the NFC East in 2020, too.
Overall, the Cowboys appear well-positioned to have a bounce-back season in 2020. For that to happen, the changes they’ve made to their coaching staff and, in conjunction, to their defensive strategy will be key.
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