Dallas Cowboys Clinch NFC East—Is A Super Bowl Appearance Next?
The Dallas Cowboys seemed determined to settle the question once and for all of whether or not their 2014 season was a mere fluke.
The Indianapolis Colts proved to be the sacrificial lamb in this quest to make what could only be a statement of intent to the rest of the NFL.
The Dallas Cowboys were flawless offensively. By the early stages of the 2nd quarter, Tony Romo had thrown three touchdowns.
In the same window of time, the Cowboys denied the visiting Colts offense even one first down.
It was an awesome display of dominance that continued into the second half.
The Indianapolis Colts managed to save face with a late touchdown when Zurlon Tipton caught a one-yard pass by Matthew Hasselbeck, who was brought in to replace the struggling Andrew Luck.
It represented the first true misstep by the Dallas Cowboys, however with such a dominant lead it was of little consequence.
The game ended in a 42-7 victory for the Dallas Cowboys, making them the NFC East division champions. The Cowboys will make their first playoff appearance in nearly five years.
The Cowboys have clinched the NFC East! #FinishTheFight pic.twitter.com/BdaE82yBbR
— Dallas Cowboys (@dallascowboys) December 22, 2014
It’s the first time the Cowboys have taken their division since 2009. Another consequence of the Sunday afternoon win was that it knocked the Philadelphia Eagles out of playoff contention.
Since the early season decline of the Dallas team, many thought a mere playoff spot beyond them. Prior to the start of regular season, fans anticipated that the Cowboys would be lucky to end the 2014 season with an 8-8 record.
However, the Cowboys have exceeded everyone’s expectations.
With the NFC East firmly in Dallas’s hands, and a definite playoff spot, there are already whispers about the Cowboys continuing onward towards a possible Super Bowl appearance.
Could the Dallas Cowboys feature in, or maybe even win a Super Bowl at this stage?
Hey @dallascowboys, See you in January!!! pic.twitter.com/stXtSCbMuW
— NFL (@nfl) December 22, 2014
Well, it’s been a strange season.
We only need glance at the NFC South, where every single team still in contention for the division title has a losing record.
In fact, the team that succeeds in winning the NFC South division title will have a losing title.
Johnny Manziel, who many expected to lead Cleveland Browns to the post-season, suffered a humiliating debut and was forced out of the game against Carolina with an injury.
This season hasn’t turned out quite like anyone has anticipated and with things being so unpredictable, it isn’t beyond the realm of possibility that we could be witnessing the rebirth of the Dallas Cowboys.
As such, the Cowboys could go far in the playoffs, and possibly even win a Super Bowl for the first time since 1995.
It’s been nearly ten years since Dallas had a major say in the NFL and were a truly respected (even feared) football team.
Do you think this dominant NFC East-clinching performance by the Dallas Cowboys is a sign they have a chance at making it to the Super Bowl?
[Image Credit: NFL On Fox Official Twitter]
