By John Sarianides

Led by rookies Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott, the Cowboys surprised the NFL in 2016 by going 13-3. Dallas was the number one seed in the NFC.

The talent is in place for the Cowboys to replicate or even surpass that record in 2017. Obviously Dallas’ chances of doing that will hinge on what happen with Elliott and his six game suspension. Will he serve the whole suspension or will it be reduced? We will find out soon enough.

From a skill set standpoint , Dallas is as good as any group in the league. Dez Bryant has developed a rapport with Prescott and is poised for a big season statistically. Jason Witten, Terrance Williams and Cole Beasley are all reliable targets who are capable of extending a drive or making a big play.

The Cowboys go as their offensive line goes. It is the best unit in the NFL and they will once again pave the way for what should be one of the top offenses in the league.

Defensively, Dallas should be better thanks in large part to the addition of rookie defensive end Taco Charlton. Charlton gives the Cowboys the pass rushing presence they have been lacking in recent years.

The secondary will be scrutinized once again after they were picked up apart by Aaron Rodgers and the Packers in their divisional playoff loss. This group needs to be better in 2017. An improved pass rush should help.

Here are three keys for the Cowboys in 2017. 

1. Prescott Must Avoid the Sophomore Slump: Prescott had a terrific rookie season and is now the man in Dallas after Tony Romo retired this off-season. Prescott was impressive as a rookie but he has to avoid the sophomore slump. He has to play within the offense and not try to do more than expected of him. That is the easiest way to avoid taking a step back. 

2. Survive Without Zeke: The Cowboys have the depth in Darren McFadden and Alfred Morris to survive without Ezekiel Elliott but both backs need to be productive. 

3. Improved Pass Rush: The addition of rookie Taco Charlton should help the pass rush but Dallas will need more from other members of their defensive line if they are going to get consistent pressure on the quarterback. 

In the End: Dallas has the talent to repeat last season’s 13-3 performance but they will need to get off to a good start without Elliott and the defense must be better. The NFC is loaded so replicating last season’s win total could be tough.