5 Things To Be Thankful For: Dallas Cowboys Edition

The countdown for Thanksgiving is underway, and in case you didn’t know or might have forgotten, the Dallas Cowboys play the Washington Redskins while the majority of us are sitting down to eat with our families.

I was thinking about Thanksgiving and some of the traditions that families share during this holiday, which led me to the idea of compiling a list of things I’m thankful for in regards to the Dallas Cowboys. Whether it is a good idea or not, has yet to be seen.

In all honesty, my family has never been one of those that go around the table and share what we are thankful for, but maybe yours is. It’s always felt like it was a little bit forced to me.

I’m sure we can all agree that sending it 9-1 is something to be grateful for, but below are five other things I’m thankful for this season for the Dallas Cowboys. I hope you enjoy.

A dominant offensive line

The Dallas Cowboys have The Best offensive line in the entire NFL. That’s not an opinion, that is a fact.

Jerry Jones had never drafted an offensive lineman in the first round of the NFL Draft before drafting Tyron Smith, but I think we’re all glad that particular trend ended.

Smith was the first, followed by Travis Frederick, and then Zack Martin. All three of these offensive lineman not only anchor the best unit in the league, but are arguably the best players at their positions.

This season they are responsible for opening up the running lanes for the league’s leading rusher, Ezekiel Elliott, and have also had the privilege of giving rookie quarterback, Dak Prescott, all the time he needs to throw the ball.

Honestly, I don’t know what more you could ask of this unit.

The 2016 draft class

Please feel free to correct me if I’m wrong, but the Dallas Cowboys 2016 draft class is already shaping up to be one of the best the team has had in probably a decade.

Ezekiel Elliott is the league’s leading rusher and has made just about everybody forget who the Cowboys could’ve drafted #4 overall instead.

It was pretty much pure luck the way things fell into place for Dak Prescott, but it looks as if the Dallas Cowboys have found their future signal caller for years to come, and in the fourth round surprisingly enough.

Cornerback Anthony Brown and defensive tackle Maliek Collins also look to be future starters for the Cowboys the way they have filled in and played so far this season.

These players alone would be reason enough to celebrate, but it looks as if Jaylon Smith is on the road to recovery. Smith probably would’ve been a top five pick in the draft if not for his knee injury.

Anything else they get from Charles Tapper or Kavon Frazier would be an added bonus.

Will McClay

Do you want to know why the Dallas Cowboys have been so good at putting together a competitive roster these past few seasons? Look no further than the man behind the scenes, Will McClay.

McClay might not hold the official title of general manager with the Cowboys, but he is the meticulously detailed person behind the scenes that makes sure the draft board and scouting department are on the same page when evaluating these potential prospects.

McClay’s work has been noticed around the league and has already earned him job offers to become the general manager for several different organizations. Fortunately, he has turned those down to remain with the Dallas Cowboys.

It may just be a matter of time until he is offered a job he can’t turn down, but you can bet that the Cowboys are thankful for the work he has put in.

Tony Romo

Tony Romo might not have played in any of the regular-season games this season, but he is still a big reason why this team is 9-1.

Romo took on a mentor role with Dak Prescott while rehabbing from his back injury and I think Prescott will be the first to tell you how much it has helped with his preparation/development.

Romo is a team first guy and did everything in his power to help Prescott prepare week in and week out, but probably helped the organization the most by not becoming a distraction and stepping aside for the rookie QB.

I don’t know about you, but I am thankful with the way Romo handled this entire situation. He could have handled this an entirely different way, but decided to swallow his pride and do what’s best for the entire team.

You hate to see this be the way Tony Romo’s time ends with the Cowboys, but unfortunately that’s just the nature of the NFL.

Rod Marinelli

Rod Marinelli might just be the unsung hero for the success the Dallas Cowboys are having so far this season.

Marinelli has pretty much taken a group of unknown players and turned them into a unit that has surpassed anyone expectations.

Sean Lee is the only Pro Bowl player on the defense for the Cowboys, but even he can’t carry the team by himself.

To date, the Cowboys defense has yet to allow a 100 yard rusher and has only allowed one 100 yard receiver (Antonio Brown). That’s an impressive feat for any defense in the NFL, especially for a group of guys that are not really household names.

I’m sure we can all be thankful for how Rod Marinelli has been able to get this defense to bend and not break so far this season. Let’s just hope that he can continue getting these same kind of results from his players.

What are you thankful for?

Please feel free to use the comment section below to share what you are thankful for so far this season in regards to the Dallas Cowboys.