The Cowboys are back in the conversation, and this time it’s not for the usual frustration. ESPN’s Ben Solak just slotted Dallas at No. 6 in his ranking of the NFL’s most watchable teams, a sign that Dak Prescott and company are drawing real attention heading into the season.
That kind of praise lands a little differently for a team that has had a rough few years. Dallas still hasn’t been to the playoffs since the 2023 season, but this offseason looked like Jerry Jones treating the moment with real urgency. He added help on defense, including a trade for Green Bay Packers edge rusher Rashan Gary and a signing of Arizona Cardinals safety Jalen Thompson, along with other moves that gave the roster a different feel.
Solak’s case for the Cowboys starts with how rough things were last year. “The Cowboys were not a pleasant watch last season,” he says, adding that “the defense was so poor that an at-home viewer endured second-hand embarrassment through the television screen. Dallas was dead last in EPA per drive (minus-0.86), points allowed per drive (2.88) and explosive play rate allowed (13.4%).”
But the whole point of the ranking is watchability, and Solak sees Dallas as a much better TV product this season. “The defense will be good enough to not shame The Star but still poor enough that opposing offenses can put up points and force shootouts,” he says. “Meanwhile, one of the league’s most dangerous passing attacks (featuring George Pickens, one of the league’s most watchable receivers) returns in full force.”
Prescott is right at the center of that appeal. Solak notes that he was “sixth in EPA per dropback last season, and when targeting either Pickens or CeeDee Lamb, he had a QBR of 90.9 and an explosive pass rate of 14.5%.”
Dallas has the talent, and now the question is whether the defense can finally do enough to let it show.
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