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Thinking back to the year 2007 Youth Brett Maher Jersey , the Dallas Cowboys were the top-seed in the NFC, but lost to the New York Giants who were a fifth-seed Wild Card team. in Super Bowl XLII. How did the Giants pull off the David vs. Goliath upset? They simply followed a formula that works really well in the NFL - they got hot and healthy at the right time.That’s the position the Cowboys find themselves in right now. After a 3-5 start, this Cowboys team has now won eight of their last nine games. Head coach Jason Garrett has his troops prepared and playing with a lot of fight. This is a very focused football team. And they’re getting healthier. They were able to give Tyron Smith and Zack Martin some rest towards the end of the regular season and both those guys were back on the field on Saturday against Seattle. Dallas has all their key pieces healthy right now and are poised for a big playoff run, but can they pull it off? Here are three reasons fans should feel pretty good about their chances.OFFENSE - The Dak FactorThe offense has been an enigma this year as they’ve been a little Jekyll and Hyde-ish over the course of the regular season. Things like third-down conversations, red zone scoring, and the inability to protect Dak Prescott all played a big role in the team’s offensive failures this season.But all these things seemed to correct themselves on Saturday. The Cowboys made some key third down plays, including an epic 3rd-and-14 quarterback QB draw that broke the Seahawks back. Dallas was great in the red zone, scoring three times. The only misstep was when Prescott was intercepted after Seahawks linebacker K.J. Wright got away with a pass interference. And as for protecting Dak, he was only sacked one time against Seattle.There are many reasons to feel good about this offense. Connor Williams had a great game returning to his old gig at left guard. He had several key blocks in the game. Amari Cooper has been a godsend to the passing game. He was getting open left and right against the Seahawks secondary. While these things are nice, the Cowboys live and die by the play of their quarterback.After losing Dez Bryant, fans were worried about the offense, but last season Prescott became fixated on targeting the team’s #1 WR, however entering the new season, the stats showed that Prescott is better when he spreads the love.Prescott’s decision making was great on Saturday as he spread the ball around to eight different receivers. Cooper might be the main target, but Prescott seems to find Cole Beasley and Michael Gallup at the most opportune times.With nothing to lose, the team made it clear that they are not holding back when it comes to using his legs to make plays. Dak had a couple plays that were designed runs all the way. The team cut him loose against Jacksonville earlier in the season and it worked out pretty well. Whether the results are favorable or not, this team will continue to rest their postseason lives on their new franchise quarterback.DEFENSE - A complete effortThe Seahawks had 12 drives in the game and half of them were three-and-outs. That’s impressive and there are a lot of people to thank for that. It all starts up front and the Cowboys defensive line was outstanding. Rod Marinelli used a mixture of defensive line arrangements. The flexibility of Tyrone Crawford to play inside-out helps them put the right pieces in place based on the situation. From run-stopping packages featuring Antwaun Woods to pass-rushing downs with Randy Gregory, the Cowboys mix it up extremely well. Sometimes DeMarcus Lawrence is on the left side Youth Maliek Collins Jersey , sometimes on the right side. Everyone’s contributing. Woods had a big tackle for a loss, as did Gregory. Even the mostly quiet Maliek Collins came away with a big sack against Russell Wilson.The Seahawks were the league’s top rushing team this season, averaging 160 yards per game. The Cowboys held them to 73 yards rushing, including just 22 yards in the first half. Strangely, the Seahawks biggest running play came when Sean Lee was on the field.When the duo of Jaylon Smith and Leighton Vander Esch were on the field, the Seahawks simply could not run on them. Expect more of Van Jaylon and less of Lee going forward.Even when Seattle came up big, they had to come down with some amazing plays to get them. Both Tyler Lockett and Doug Baldwin made remarkable catches at the sidelines. Make no mistake about it, this Cowboys defense is making it tough on opposing offenses.It’s hard to recall watching a cornerback smother his man as much as Chidobe Awuzie has done this season. If he could just get himself turned around to make a play on the ball, he’d be one of the best corners in the league.Photo courtesy of NFL Game PassThe Seahawks scored two touchdowns on Saturday, but both times they had to convert a fourth-down play to do it. The Cowboys held them to just two for 13 on third downs. This defense is clamping down and making it really difficult on their opponent.SPECIAL TEAMS - Making playsSpecial teams can be crucial in close games in the playoffs so it’s important to have the team playing well on all levels. There was some concern about new kicker Brett Maher, but he was solid in his playoff debut. Sure, he missed a 58-yard attempt in the first half, but those kicks aren’t high percentage kicks. He was right down the middle on the shorter stuff, knocking down a 39-yard field goal and three extra points, which oddly is what concerns us fans the most.The Cowboys got a great boost from the return of Tavon Austin as a punt return as you can see how dangerous he can be. At the end of the first quarter, Austin ran a punt back for 80 yards, but it was nullified by a holding penalty. He got another chance in the fourth quarter when he took a booming 60-yard punt by Seahawks All-Pro punter Michael Dickson 51 yards to the Seahawks 38-yard line. He lost his footing at the end or else he would have taken it all the way for a touchdown.There have been moments this year where it’s easy to miss Ryan Switzer. Cole Beasley just doesn’t pose the same threat and Jihad Ward (who Switzer was traded for) didn’t even make the team. But the Cowboys have Austin, it’s just he hasn’t been around because of a groin injury. The team was extra cautious with him and now he’s ready to do whatever he can for this playoff run.The Cowboys special teams also made a great play in punt coverage. Seahawks returner Tyler Lockett might have been off to the races had it not been for a great shoe-string tackle by Joe Thomas.Photo courtesy of NFL Game PassAnd in Dallas Youth La'el Collins Jersey , everyone tackles. Even the punters and kickers. Maher might’ve saved a touchdown on this play.Who knows what’s in store for us fans over the next few weeks, but it’s a great sign to see them playing well. They got past the Wild Card round, but it’s been 23 years since they have gotten past the Divisional Round. They’ll have a shot to do just that next weekend. We’re only in the second week of the offseason and we’ve already had to deal with public comments from a Cowboys wide receiver. Fortunately, well not really, we’re rather well-versed in how to handle it all. It’s true that Cole Beasley spoke his mind, and later clarified it, this week. In his words, the Dallas Cowboys front office are the ones who dictate where targets go which is something that Stephen Jones shot down when asked. As mentioned, the Cowboys have a bit of experience when it comes to their receivers voicing their opinions to the world. Considering how often this subject is covered you’d have thought it would be on Weezer’s new album full of them. Walk with me down the last year, if you will.Brice Butler questioned why he wasn’t used more (January, 2018)Rewind all the way back to last offseason’s beginning. Things were terrible as the Cowboys failed to make the playoffs and we were watching the Eagles march to an eventual Super Bowl title. It was in the middle of all that when Brice Butler, an impending free agent, went on FS1’s Undisputed and called into question why he wasn’t used more.Butler’s point wasn’t exactly irrational. He was simply being honest about the “follow the money” philosophy that exists in the NFL. It wasn’t incorrect but it wasn’t exactly the greatest idea to go on television to say it to the world.Ryan Switzer found his role in Dallas confusing (May, 2018)Dallas traded then second-year wide receiver Ryan Switzer to the Oakland Raiders during the draft, a confusing move considering Cole Beasley was entering a contract year with the team. The Cowboys did also trade for Tavon Austin, but confusing nonetheless.In an interview with 247 Sports where he discussed the trade, Switzer expanded on the role he was asked to fill in Dallas. It was... interesting for a wide receiver.Switzer’s comments were the least aggressive of all we’re talking about here but they were still born of some doubt. He has an excellent point that he, a wide receiver Youth Antwaun Woods Jersey , had several rushing attempts in the NFL before he recorded a reception. Dez Bryant does... he said... a lot of things happened (July, 2018)One of the bigger events of last offseason was indisputably the Cowboys releasing Dez Bryant. Thanks to signing on with the New Orleans Saints late in the season and a horribly-timed injury, he didn’t play at all in 2018.Before all of that went down though, Dez went on a diatribe for the ages when the Cowboys were in Oxnard (this wasn’t the first Dez outburst just the most infamous). He called Sean Lee a snake, insinuated that Travis Frederick was partly behind the move to release him, and said that “everybody lined up in the same spot for 17 weeks” in a mocking manner.Maybe this was when the crack in the dam of Scott Linehan’s offense started to spread. Who knows.Allen Hurns criticizes a play call from the Houston loss (October, 2018)One of the lower points of this past season for the Cowboys was their road loss against the Houston Texans. It was the first time in 16 years that they lost to their in-state little brother.The performance was not a very good one for the offense, nor for boldness in overtime but we’ve moved on, and this was something that Allen Hurns (in his first season with the team) felt necessary to vocalize.Allen Hurns is a pretty mild-mannered wide receiver so the fact that he spoke up, and so very intentionally on the record, perked ears. Hurns defended his comments that week when he spoke to the local media which shows how much conviction he had in his thoughts. The crack was spreading.Amari Cooper vents frustrations to Dak Prescott mid-game en route to a 75-yard touchdownWhile Allen Hurns had his first full season with the Cowboys in 2018 the same cannot be said for Amari Cooper. Dallas traded for Cooper in late October and as a result the Pro Bowler played only nine games with the team.Perhaps the biggest of those games was the home contest against the Eagles. Dallas knew that a win over Philly would all but cement them as NFC East winners and the game was quite tight as it even went to overtime. One of the day’s more momentous moments came when Cooper scored a 75-yard touchdown, but what was interesting was what we found out about the play after the fact.To be crystal clear here, Cooper wasn’t speaking in any sort of disrespectful manner. His frustrations were something that he clearly felt but didn’t let overrule him as he followed Dak Prescott’s instructions to “just run it.” Dak ultimately changed the play himself, a credit to his ability to trust his receiver, and the amazing play happened.Counting what Cole Beasley said this week these are six different instances since January of 2018 where a Cowboys receiver has publicly disclosed an issue of some sort that they had with the team’s offense. It was not a shock that Scott Linehan was fired, but this is not exactly a great tradition to have so many instances of happening.The most interesting detail here is that it isn’t just old guard receivers like Bryant or Beasley that were the ones making comments. Even Hurns and Cooper felt the need to publicly acknowledge what they thought when their spots on the team were more green.That says a lot. Custom Green Bay Packers Jerseys