America's Team battle for relevancy while Peyton Manning has a tough job on his hands to better last year's debut for the Broncos
Dallas Cowboys:
Last season: Another season without post-season football doesn’t bear thinking about for the most valuable and biggest name in the NFL. Since Jerry Jones bought the Cowboys in 1989 they have never gone four years without making the playoffs but after a second consecutive 8-8 season, the pressure is really on head coach Jason Garrett this term.
A win over Washington on the final day would have put them over the line but they lost 28-18, a fitting end to a year that at times promised so much but ultimately failed to deliver.
QB Tony Romo was occasionally brilliant but he threw three interceptions in that must-win game against Washington and Cowboys fans have to accept he is very good, but not great. Others in the squad, like defensive beast DeMarcus Ware and tight end Jason Witten are truly great but they need more help, from colleagues and from the sideline.
This season: Despite a tough division (Redskins, Giants and a new-look Eagles) the Cowboys schedule is one of the easiest this year. As well as Witten, Romo also has two of the best in the business in Miles Austin and Dez Bryant to throw at so expect the Cowboys to be very good in the air again this year (they were third best in the entire NFL last term). A player with bags of potential, Bryant could well have the break out year that he's shown himself capable of in flashes, if he can get his head right.
Their run game is nonexistent though, unless rookies Joseph Randle and Kendial Lawrence step up, and they are too easy to score on by high-powered offences.
Verdict: The Cowboys will be tremendous fun to watch, so long as you don’t support them. They are capable of spectacular plays and they are rarely involved in a poor game. But we simply don’t rate Garrett enough to provide the smarts required on the line and that may be the key when you’re in a division with the likes of Tom Coughlin, Mike Shanahan and Chip Kelly. Another close but no cigar year for America’s Team.
Denver Broncos
Last Season: Peyton Manning came in to replace Tim Tebow, and it turns out he's a much better quarterback. Who'da thunk it? 13-3 was a very impressive regular season record, but a loss to the Ravens in an epic divisional playoff brought a dramatic end to the season. This fan video sums it up nicely.
http://youtu.be/FOeL1D8vMiI
This Season: Undoubtedly the best defensive player last year, Von Miller has ended up in a bit of trouble and will now be on the sidelines for six games with a drugs suspension. To describe that as a pretty huge blow is an understatement, but couple that with the fact that Elvis Dumervil is also gone thanks to some sort of strange error with a fax machine, and the defence is looking shorn of its best talent.
Peyton Manning is still under centre this year, but he's now 37-years-old. The clock is definitely ticking on one of the best of all time, however on the other hand, he could be more determined than ever to get himself another ring. It must be incredibly difficult to sit across from Eli at the dinner table...
In terms of weapons to aim at, Demaryius Thomas had a great year under Manning last year, and will be a top target for him again, while Eric Decker grabbed his fair share of touchdowns too. Wes Welker has joined the Broncos from the Patriots, and that will probably mean Manning is going to spread the ball around a bit more, but it's certainly a talented bunch of wide-outs.
Their schedule allows them to get a bit of revenge on the Ravens on the first day, and that could get them off to a winning start against a team that are in transition, but there are tough games in there against the Texans and the Pats. Still, they should beat most of the other teams they're up against, and make a run at the playoffs.
Verdict: Last year's performance was possibly a bit of a fluke, no one expected a 13-3 year. The offense clicked after a few games and they looked very good, and while many are predicting them to do the same again or even better this season, the loss of Von Miller would make most Broncos fans deeply concerned for the defence. They might go one or two games down from last year, but should still comfortably win their division. Peyton in the playoffs is another story though...
