For most of their history the Dallas Cowboys have been masters of the playoff formula. Since 1966, this franchise has qualified for the postseason 30 times and only twice has gone as many as four seasons without making the playoffs. Few organizations have ever been as adept at retooling to get back into contention over the long haul.
The team is currently in one of those four-year playoff droughts in part because some of the changes made in recent years haven't gone far enough to close the gap, but a review of the game tape and metrics from this season indicate the Dallas brain trust may finally have found four elements necessary to turn this negative trend around and return this team to the playoffs. Let's take a look, heading into the Cowboys' big Sunday night matchup against the Saints in Week 4.
Believe it or not, Tony Romo is protecting the football
Romo has a long-standing reputation for being a risk-taker, and his critics were out in full force after his three-interception performance in Dallas' Week 1 loss to San Francisco. But the truth of the matter is he really has shown an ability to keep his bad decision rate (BDR) in check.