- A top ten running game. AND/OR
- A top ten defense (points per game)
If your team has both a good running game and a good defense you may even win a SB with just a decent QB. I believe Dak Prescott is a very good starting QB but one that is NOT elite. In other words, he needs either a top ten rushing attack or a top ten defense for the Cowboys to have a legit shot at making at least an NFC championship game. Over the last ten NFL seasons this proves out.
Below is the evidence of what I’m talking about. Here are the four conference championship teams the last five seasons, who the starting QBs were, and what kind of running game and defense rankings each team had.
- 2023: NFC TEAMS- SF vs. Det/AFC TEAMS KC vs Balt
- SF: QB- Brock Purdy(not elite) Running game- 4th, Defense- ranked 4th
- Det: QB- Jared Goff (not elite) Running game-6th, Defense ranked 25th
- KC: QB Pat Mahomes (ELITE) Running game-17th, defense 2nd
- Balt: QB Lamar Jackson (not elite) Running game 1st, defense 1st
- 2022: NFC TEAMs SF vs PHil/ AFC TEAMS KC vs Cincy
- SF: QB Brock Purdy (not elite) Running game 7th, defense 1st
- PHI: QB Jalen Hurts (not elite) Running game 4th, defense 7th
- KC: QB Mahomes (ELITE) Running game 20th, defense 18th
- Cin: QB Joe Burrow (ELITE) Running game 28th, defense 5th
- 2021: NFC TEAMS LARams vs SF/AFC KC vs Cincy
- Rams QB Matt Stafford (not elite) Running game 27th, defense 9th
- SF QB Jimmy Garropolo (not elite) Running game 7th, defense 5th
- KC QB Mahomes (ELITE) Running game 13th, defense 24th
- Cincy QB Joe Burrow (ELITE) Running game 24th, defense 13th
- 2020: NFC TEAMS GB vs TB/AFC TEAMS KC vs BUFF
- TB QB Tom Brady (ELITE) Running game 25th, defense 7th
- GB QB Aaron Rodgers (ELITE) Running game 15th, defense 15th
- KC QB Mahomes (ELITE) Running game 16th, defense 10th
- CIN: QB Joe Burrow (ELITE) Running game 24th, defense 21st
- 2019: NFC TEAMS SF vs GB/AFC TEAMS KC vs TENN
- GB QB Rodgers (ELITE) Running game 15th, defense 12th
- SF QB Jimmy Garropolo (Not elite) Running game 2nd, defense 7th
- TENN QB Ryan Tannehill (Not elite) Running game 3rd, defense 11th
- KC QB Mahomes (ELITE)
So those are the last 5 years of teams who made it to the conference championship game. All teams that did NOT have an elite QB had either a top 10 running game or defense – some both. For the sake of time and space, the same is true for the previous 5 years as well. Like 2017 SB champ Philly who had a 3rd ranked running game and a 4th ranked defense with Carson Wentz and Nick Foles at QB.
With all this clear evidence, why hasn‘t our front office at least worked harder to get us a great running game? We do have some good young OL with great upside. But our backfield? Defense could be possibly top ten potentially.
Bottom Line: Without an elite QB, our best chance to playoff glory is a top ten running game or defense. Without an elite QB, the ONLY way the Cowboys can win big in the playoffs is to have either of those.
