Last year, the Dallas Cowboys ended the season with a 8-8 record for the third consecutive time. They cut it close but ultimately failed to make it to the playoffs for the fourth consecutive season.
The 2014 season marks the final year in head coach Jason Garrett's contract. If there is no obvious improvement, Garrett could be fired at the conclusion of the season - or sooner, if Jerry Jones feels like things are headed in the wrong direction.
As football season approaches, the Cowboys have some areas that need work if they want to see the playoffs and if Garrett wants to keep his job.
Here are three things that need to improve in 2014:
1. Defense:
Dallas lost DE DeMarcus Ware and DT Jason Hatcher in free agency - two very significant players for the team's defense. They were replaced by DeMarcus Lawrence and Henry Melton. Another important player for Dallas defense is captain Sean Lee, who will miss the entire season after tearing his ACL during a (supposedly) non-contact drill. After a terrible season defensively, the Cowboys must step up this season. There needs to be more forced turnovers and fewer touchdowns allowed.
It's a difficult task to make it to the playoffs solely relying on offense. New defensive coach Rod Marinelli has a tough task ahead of him, but he won't have to do much to improve on last season.
2. Quarterback:
Even the best quarterbacks always have room for improvement, and Tony Romo has...well, quite a few areas he can improve on. Romo hasn't reached his full potential and has taken a major fall - once considered one of the best quarterbacks in the league, years of coming up short have done serious damage to his reputation. Last season, he threw 31 touchdowns and 10 interceptions.
Every once in a while, the great Tony Romo would shine through, but for a majority of the 2013 season fans had to watch a parade of sacks and incomplete passes. This season, Romo needs to get more out of his strongest weapon - Dez Bryant. To do this, he needs to spread the ball around the field in order to keep defenses honest and help Bryant get open more often.
It's important to note that the problems with the Cowboys passing game - especially the sacks - can't all be blamed on Romo.
3. Offensive line:
On passing downs, the job of the offensive line is to block and protect the quarterback, giving him enough time to find an open teammate. There wasn't much blocking going on last season, which led to more turnovers than necessary.
It's an issue that must be fixed in order for the Dallas offense to be more successful. Tyron Smith, Mackenzy Bernadeau, Zack Martin and the rest of the line need to have one thing on their mind: don't let anyone get to your quarterback.
The 2014 season is almost here and Dallas has a lot to prove. Can they do it?
More by Tatum Woods:
The 5 best draft picks by Jerry Jones
Why Jason Witten Deserves to be a Hall of Famer
Back to the Dallas Cowboys Newsfeed