Super Bowl LVIII matchup shows Cowboys what they lack to contend

As the Cowboys gear up to watch Super Bowl LVIII as spectators, they would be wise to take notice of what it took for these two teams to get there. Kansas City and San Francisco didn’t exactly come out of the blue and shock the world by winning their respective conferences. They were among the favorites before the ball was even kicked off in Week 1.

The 49ers are perhaps the most talented team in the NFL. Not only are they loaded with talent on both sides of the ball, but they also boast an elite coaching staff and front office. The Chiefs aren’t quite as talent laden as San Francisco, but they have the best QB on the planet, a strong defensive unit and similarly elite coaching staff.

The obvious takeaway is great personnel and great coaching produces great results. Not exactly breaking news right there but noteworthy, nonetheless.

The Cowboys are believed to have an elite roster of players. They may not always play like it, but by pure talent, the Dallas roster ranks comfortably in the NFL’s top-five.

The coaching staff isn’t quite so cut and dried. Mike McCarthy has been a point of contention in Cowboys Nation and offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer is generally regarded as someone in a supportive role to McCarthy rather than an independent asset.

The Cowboys appeared to make a solid hire in the defensive ranks by bringing in Mike Zimmer to replace Dan Quinn. Zimmer is one of the most respected defensive minds in the NFL and will no doubt look to tighten the many bolts that came loose late in 2023.

While very few will put the Cowboys coaching staff in the same tier as Andy Reid and Kyle Shanahan’s, McCarthy’s offense was the highest scoring offense in the NFL and Zimmer’s defense is far more talented than their play in the postseason suggested. The coaching staff has the potential to be much more asset than liability in 2024.