Can the Jaguars Follow the Footsteps of the Dallas Cowboys?

The Dallas Cowboys are living proof that with the right adjustments, any team can go from the bottom of the pile to a playoff contender.

In 2015, the Dallas Cowboys ended their season with a depressing 4-12 record. It was known as one of the most disappointing seasons in franchise history with a .250 win percentage. The Cowboys at the time were among the worst teams in the NFL winning only one out of eight home games. Fast forward one year later, Dallas has claimed the division title, won 13 games, earned a spot in the playoffs, and became known as one of the best teams of the 2016 season.

Though the Cowboys ended their season with a playoff loss on Sunday, the team accomplished what takes most teams three or four years to achieve. When a team usually ends their season at the bottom of the pile, it usually takes them a couple seasons to climb out and make it to the top. Dallas took down some of the toughest teams in 2016 and earned a lot of respect from fellow competitors and even division rivals. The most impressive thing was the fact that they did all of this with two starting rookies on offense the entire season (a quarterback and a running back). Could it be was that two rookies were the difference between a four-win season and a 13-win season? That is the ultimate question.

The Cowboys season gives a lot of hope to teams with tons of talent, but not-so-great records. Many teams think they could be years away from being a playoff contender, when in reality they just need that extra player/coach or two that could make a world of difference. The Jacksonville Jaguars are a prime example. Despite the Jaguars’ three-win season in 2016, their roster is loaded with some of the best young talent in the NFL. With the hiring of head coach Doug Marrone and executive vice president Tom Coughlin, there is a lot to look forward to from the Jaguars in 2017.

After the firing of former head coach Gus Bradley, the Jaguars looked like an entirely different team in the last two games of the season under Marrone. With free agency right around the corner and the NFL Draft in sight, the team is going to have an excellent opportunity to reload in the off-season. In addition, the hiring of coaches Perry Fewell and Pat Flaherty are nothing but good news for the Jaguars. Both coaches have established solid reputations and also years of experience.

The Houston Texans awful postseason performance proved that you don’t need to be the number one team in the league to win the AFC South. With the right coaching hires, solid free agency acquisitions, and smart draft moves, the playoffs could be a lot closer for the Jaguars than most people think. The Jaguars could easily be the Dallas Cowboys of 2017. The future is bright in Jacksonville and the teams best years are yet to come.

Can the Jacksonville Jaguars follow in the same footsteps as the Dallas Cowboys?