Dallas Cowboys are true Super Bowl contenders in 2026; plus, three paper tigers
Former NFL player and scout Bucky Brooks knows the ins and outs of this league, providing keen insight in his notebook. Today's installment covers:
• Three purported contenders that could disappoint.
But first, a look at one eternally hyped franchise that could actually live up to the billing in 2026 ...
From 1992-95, Dallas played in four straight NFC Championship Games and won three Super Bowls. But over the last 30 years, the Cowboys haven't made it past the Divisional Round, finishing with a losing record in each of the past two seasons. This, of course, hasn't stopped many from annually hyping "America's Team." I've certainly done my part over the years, erroneously declaring “Dallas is BACK!” on numerous occasions. Yet, I'm ready to go back to the well once again -- and this time, I mean it!
I'm not crying wolf: 2026 is the year the 'Boys re-emerge as true Super Bowl contenders, and here's why.
Dak Prescott is an underrated MVP candidate
The football world might have a love/hate relationship with the Cowboys' franchise quarterback, but Prescott's rise up the charts as an elite player is undeniable. The 33-year-old has led the NFL in completions in two of the past three years, while also posting a league-high 36 touchdown passes in 2023. With 4,000-plus yards in each of his four healthy seasons since 2019, Dak is always a threat to post explosive numbers while directing an offense that features blue-chip talent at the skill positions.
While Prescott's detractors will point to the Cowboys' big-game failures as a reason to dismiss his candidacy, the four-time Pro Bowler has been a spectacular performer with Brian Schottenheimer by his side. Schotty served as Dallas' offensive coordinator in 2023 and '24 before his promotion to the big chair in 2025. And in the past three seasons, Prescott has completed 67.7 percent of his passes to average 263.0 yards per game, logging a 77:27 TD-to-INT ratio in the process. The 11th-year pro's precise passing and timely playmaking force opponents to defend every blade of grass, from sideline to sideline and the line of scrimmage to the back of the end zone.
Additionally, Prescott has mastered the pre-snap chess match, leading to steady gains on audibles and adjustments based on his anticipation and diagnostic skills. With the veteran quickly identifying potential rushers and deciphering safety rotations, the Cowboys can punish opponents for aggressive tactics with minimal risk. As a top-notch distributor from the pocket, Dallas' QB1 is one of the most-feared passers in the game today.
The Cowboys' unstoppable offense is even better in 2026
The 2025 Cowboys' offense was a nightmare to defend, with George Pickens emerging as a big-play machine and co-WR1. The second-team All-Pro posted career-highs in receptions (93), receiving yards (1,429) and touchdowns (nine), while sharing the marquee with CeeDee Lamb, a perennial Pro Bowler with 1,000-plus yards in each of the past five seasons. The duo teams with two-time Pro Bowl tight end Jake Ferguson to create a three-headed monster in the passing game that tests the talent and tactics of opponents attempting to minimize big gains. Despite the fact that NFL defenses are using more two-high-safety shells and umbrella coverages these days to minimize explosives, the Cowboys still have enough firepower to produce big plays on vertical or horizontal routes. The catch-and-run concepts featured prominently on Dallas' call sheet allow Pickens, Lamb and Ferguson to pick up chunk yardage on low-risk, high-percentage passes that keep the offense on schedule.
Opponents paying too much attention to the Cowboys' aerial assault are susceptible to punishment by the ground attack. With Javonte Williams excelling on runs between the tackles behind an offensive line that mashes foes at the point of attack, Dallas can take a sledgehammer to defenses that play light boxes. Last season, the old-school approach not only helped Williams notch his first 1,000-yard campaign, but it also let the Cowboys control games with a “three yards and a cloud of dust” approach that overwhelms opponents in key moments. Given the rugged rusher's success behind an O-line that features a pair of violent interior blockers (Tyler Smith and Tyler Booker), the Cowboys can win with body punches (running game) or knockout power (aerial attack) in a heavyweight fight.
Dallas Cowboys linebacker Von Miller addresses the media about signing with the Cowboys.
Christian Parker is quietly building a real defense
After struggling through a pair of one-and-done seasons from coordinators Mike Zimmer and Matt Eberflus, the Cowboys lured the 34-year-old Parker away from the rival Eagles to run their defense. The first-time play-caller takes over a new-and-improved unit, with talent added to each level this offseason. March's trade for Rashan Gary and last week's signing of Von Miller helped round out a front that now positions Quinnen Williams and Kenny Clark on the inside, with a rotation of dynamic pass rushers (2025 second-round pick Donovan Ezeiruaku, 2026 first-rounder Malachi Lawrence, James Houston and Sam Williams) on the perimeter. The front's versatility and explosiveness will let the Cowboys use more traditional pass-rush tactics and simulated pressures (a four-man rush with a second-level defender blitzing from depth and a lineman dropping into coverage) to attack offenses without exposing the defensive backfield. Using deceptive tactics like sim pressures, Parker will test the instincts, awareness and diagnostic skills of the opposing quarterback and offensive line, while allowing his ball-hawking defenders to play with vision on the QB to make plays on tipped and overthrown passes.
With a collection of experienced studs (Miller, Gary, Clark and Quinnen Williams) playing in a scheme that showcases movement at the point of attack, Parker will lean on the extensive knowledge of the veterans to build a plan that maximizes the overall talent of the defense. A disciple of Vic Fangio, Parker brings an expanded playbook that should provide plenty of big-play opportunities for a group that features playmakers at the point of attack.
Additionally, the individual and collective talents of Dallas' upgraded secondary mesh well with Parker's scheme. First-round pick Caleb Downs and free-agent signees Cobie Durant and Jalen Thompson are high-IQ defenders with a knack for playing the ball. They will work together to change the pre-snap picture while staying on the same page to play the designated coverage from various alignments, ultimately baiting quarterbacks into critical errors that lead to more negative plays (sacks, tackles for loss and turnovers) from a unit that struggled in all areas a season ago.
Given the Cowboys' high-powered offense, the defense's new tactics and talents could create problems for opponents chasing points in shootouts. In a league where complementary football rules, Parker's defensive prowess is exactly what the Cowboys need to make an unexpected title run.
THREE POTENTIAL PAPER TIGERS
While I'm buying into the Cowboys, that doesn't mean I'm ready to swallow up all hype in optimism season. I think the following three purported contenders could be overrated.
With Titletown natives growing restless for another Super Bowl run, it's high time for Matt LaFleur and Jordan Love to deliver in January. The Packers' thin playoff résumé in recent seasons overshadows the individual accomplishments of the head coach (76-40-1 regular-season record with three division titles) and franchise quarterback (80:28 TD-to-INT ratio over the past three years with an array of sparkling statistics in the advanced metrics).
While Green Bay's offense always has enticing upside with LaFleur calling the plays and Love under center, the unit has question marks at several key positions, including right guard and WR1. Not to mention, three-time Pro Bowl RB Josh Jacobs' status remains uncertain following his May arrest. And how about Tucker Kraft -- will the tight end instantly re-establish himself as the same mismatch nightmare he was before last November's ACL tear?
Defensively, the Packers are transitioning to a fresh scheme under new coordinator Jonathan Gannon. The unit enjoyed success under Jeff Hafley with a simple, single-high-safety approach. Now, Green Bay will use more deception, disguises and multiple looks in an attempt to disrupt opposing offenses' timing. While the constant activity is different, there's no guarantee it will produce better results from a defense that flourished in a straightforward scheme.
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Despite the Chargers' status as perennial contenders under Jim Harbaugh, it is best to take a wait-and-see approach with a team that routinely flops in the postseason. Justin Herbert bears the brunt of the criticism as a widely praised quarterback with a penchant for shrinking in the playoffs. While injuries to his offensive line and playmakers have greatly impacted his postseason performance, the Pro Bowler has not played well when it has mattered most for his squad. Herbert's numbers are brutal in his three career postseason outings (54.7% completions, 2:4 TD-to-INT ratio, 64.7 passer rating, 13 sacks taken), and his inability to come through in the clutch is raising concerns about his ability to take the Bolts to the next level.
The Chargers looked to rewrite that narrative by bringing in Mike McDaniel and his creative schemes, hoping to elevate the quarterback's play while masking some of the unit's deficiencies at the point of attack and on the perimeter. Although McDaniel's system helped his previous quarterback, Tua Tagovailoa, lead the league in passing yards in 2023 and completion percentage in 2024, the smoke-and-mirrors approach faltered down the stretch, when teams buckled down in the winter. As a more talented quarterback than Tagovailoa, Herbert possesses the skill set to excel beyond the X's and O's, but the 28-year-old must show the football world he can do it in the playoffs.
On defense, the Chargers' loss of Jesse Minter cannot be overlooked, given how he resurrected the unit over the past two seasons. The delicate balance of creative schemes and Minter's acute attention to detail enabled the Chargers to suffocate opponents. Although the system remains in place under new defensive coordinator Chris O'Leary -- who worked under Minter in 2024 -- the inexperienced play-caller must adapt on the fly and counter the tactics of the league's offensive gurus. Moreover, he must show the football world that his impressive work last season at Western Michigan translates to the NFL.
After unceremoniously dismissing a head coach who produced eight playoff berths in nine seasons and five straight division titles from 2020-24, the Bills are counting on his former assistant to take them to the promised land. While Joe Brady did a fine job as offensive coordinator under Sean McDermott, assembling a top-five scoring unit in each of the past two seasons, the first-time head coach takes over an imperfect squad with the kind of "Super Bowl or bust" mentality that puts him squarely on the hot seat from Day 1.
Despite Josh Allen's routine heroics under his guidance, Brady must help the quarterback play championship-caliber football by building a more balanced offense that can steamroll opponents with or without the 6-foot-5, 237-pounder dominating the game as a dual-threat playmaker. Additionally, Brady must find a way to integrate offseason trade acquisition DJ Moore into the offense as WR1 without upsetting the chemistry and continuity of a unit that features the NFL's reigning rushing champ (James Cook III), as well as a pair of playmaking tight ends who also demand touches (Dalton Kincaid and Dawson Knox).
Meanwhile, Jim Leonhard takes over a defense that overachieved under his predecessor due to McDermott's fanatical commitment to the fundamentals and bulletproof tactics. The transition to an aggressive 3-4 scheme prioritizes showcasing star power at pass rusher, linebacker and cornerback through creative blitzes and simulated pressures. Without elite personnel at his disposal, Leonhard will need to be masterful with the pen to outscheme some of the juggernauts on the Bills' schedule.