The Dallas Cowboys now sit at 9-3, tied for the second-best record in the NFL, but warranted or not, many still have questions about their status as a contender.
Some of those concerns are due to the Cowboys' recent lack of playoff success, with the fact that they haven't made an NFC Championship Game since 1996 being beaten more than a dead horse. Others are due to the perceived lack of competition, as Dallas' 41-35 win over the Seattle Seahawks on Thursday night was its first against an opponent at or over .500 this season. While those are a couple of the most prominent criticisms, there are plenty of others that people levy against the Cowboys.
In a recent interview with USA TODAY's Sports Seriously, Cowboys legend Emmitt Smith gave a more level-headed take on the debate. Smith, the NFL's all-time leading rusher, believes that the Cowboys are capable of being on the same level as NFC heavyweights like the Philadelphia Eagles and San Francisco 49ers, but they have to put in the work mentally to get to that level.
“I think they can be – and they have the ability to do it," Smith said. "They have been growing over the last four or five weeks and they’re showing signs of developing the mental toughness that’s going to be required for when we get into the playoffs … and how we finish the rest of the season is going to be a clear indication of how mentally tough and mentally sharp we really are."
Against the other two NFC contenders this year, Dallas has fallen short against both of them. The Cowboys lost to the 49ers 42-10 on Oct. 8, then 28-23 to the Eagles on Nov. 5, with both games coming on the road. They will get another shot at the Eagles on Dec. 10, and playing in the cozy confines of AT&T Stadium, where they've been outright dominant lately, they're hopeful they can get the monkey off their back.
“I think [Philly] they’re built tough inside out," Smith said. "They have all the pieces of the puzzle in place to be a back-to-back Super Bowl-contending team, but I think our Cowboys are coming along. I think our Cowboys are rolling right along.”
When it comes to what the Cowboys need to succeed come playoff time, Smith gave a very blunt, but poignant answer.
“I think the key is matching that level of intensity for four quarters," Smith said.
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