Now that the Dallas Cowboys are done for the year, many questions remain as to what went wrong during the 2021-2022 season and what changes need to be made for a successful run for the Lombardi Trophy next year.

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The Cowboys front office is more than likely already looking at next year and trying to develop a plan to move a lot further than the Wild Card round of the NFL playoffs. Obviously, free agency will be a big part of their decision as well as a hard look at other players as well as coaches. But what's all on the table?

What changes do the Cowboys need to make for next season?

Personally, I think there need to be quite a few changes in order for the Cowboys to have a successful run next year. Sure they had their bright moments, but most of those came at the expense of some pretty bad teams. We just were not good enough against good teams. And to me, that all starts at the top of the coaching tree.

Send Coach Mike McCarthy Packing

I wrote an article on this a few weeks ago where I talked about McCarthy needing to go. I still stand by that for many reasons. Mainly because his management of the game is garbage. Also, many times the Cowboys shot themselves in the foot because of lack of discipline and the lack of halftime adjustments. Not to mention we were the most penalized team in the league. Though I would love to see him go, my guess is that he has at least a year left before Jerry and Stephen tell the dude to hit the road. Sean Payton just stepped away from the Saints and I'd love to see him come in as the man in charge.

Dak Prescott Needs to Get Better

Statistically, Dak had a great year. On the field, his season was filled with ups and downs. The dude would throw 5 TD's in one game, then not be able to hit the broad-side of a barn in the next game. Consistency is key here and Dak didn't have that. We all saw his game management skills during that heartbreaker against the 49ers in the Wild Card round. While I give him mad props for coming back after that gruesome injury, his accuracy was way off. He needs to get better.

Kick Our Kicker to the Curb

Greg Zuerlein needs to go...like now. Sure he has a powerful leg and can hit a 60-yard field goal, but his lack of consistency cost us some games. Whether it was extra points or field goals, you just couldn't be sure if he was going to make them. I say boot him and get a better kicker.

We Need a Running Game

It's a hard pill to swallow knowing that we have two awesome running backs to hand the ball to yet our running game was the worst I've seen in years. Ezekiel Elliott and Tony Pollard should have been the best running back tandem in football but for some reason, we couldn't run on anybody (with exception of a few games). We do know now that Zeke was playing hurt. But I think it goes beyond that. We abandoned the running game way too early in a lot of games. And, why were we not using two-back sets with both of them in the game at the same time?

Better Offensive Line

One of the reasons for a lousy running game this season was the offensive line. While Zack Martin and Tyron Smith are still beasts, the rest of the line was horrible. From bad penalties to not blocking, we were just manhandled by other teams. Dak was sacked 33 times and that number could have been a lot higher. Plus, as I mentioned above, we couldn't run the ball. We have to get some quality offensive linemen in Dallas or we'll see the same trend next year.

Kellen Moore Needs to Call Better Plays

In the first 6 games of the season, the Dallas Cowboys offense was on fire. But that was before opposing defensive coordinators figured out Kellen Moore's scheme. Once that was figured out, all teams needed to do was stop the run, which they did, and make Dak try to beat them. Moore has a great offensive mind, he really does. I think he is just young and doesn't make the necessary adjustments when teams figure him out. A good offensive coordinator design plays that get the ball to their playmakers. He is just way too predictable in his play calling.

Jerry Jones Needs to Give Up Some Control

I know you laughed when you read that. We could only hope, right? To me, Jerry Jones is a genius at marketing and branding. He is the head of one of the biggest and most recognizable sports franchises in history. That is a fact. However, he is not a coach. I truly believe that if Jerry would not be so controlling, Jimmy Johnson would have never left and we would be looking at possibly 4 or 5 Super Bowl wins in the 90s. Parcells even tried, but couldn't break that grip that Jerry has on the team. Until Jerry gives up a little control, I'm afraid that we will live in the land of mediocrity for years to come.

Now, I'm no expert. I'm just a die-hard Dallas Cowboys fan that has seen my team fall well below expectations over the past two decades. Things need to change.

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