Dallas Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy said his team has a 21-game schedule for 2024. That means they want to at least play in the Super Bowl, if not win one.

If McCarthy fails to achieve this, there will likely be changes as the coach is in the final year of his contract.

For the Cowboys to have a successful season in Dallas, these 10 things have to be right:

Early Chemistry

Receiver CeeDee Lamb missed most of training camp due to a contract violation. When he returned, his fitness wasn’t an issue, but rather timing with quarterback Dak Prescott. The early parts of the season will show if Lamb and Prescott can pull together.

Rookie starter as cornerback

A rookie cornerback is no big deal. It happens in the NFL. The Cowboys, however, didn’t expect to use fifth-round pick Caelen Carson at cornerback in Week 1. When DaRon Bland, who led the NFL in picks last season, suffered a foot injury, Carson moved to the first team of defense. How he handles opposing wide receivers until Bland returns in October will tell a lot.

More rookies on the O-Line

First-round pick Tyler Guyton will start at left tackle and third-round pick Cooper Beebe will start at center. That’s two rookies starting on the offensive line. Beebe said Prescott trusts him with line calls and right tackle Terence Steele said Guyton has been fantastic in camp.

Run defense

The Cowboys’ run defense allowed 4.2 yards per carry last season and has struggled to stop the run in key moments in 2023. Mazi Smith and Osa Odighizuwa are the starters at defensive tackle, but late training camp additions Linval Joseph and Jordan Phillips are expected to help the unit.

Running backs

So the Cowboys will use the running game on a running back-by-committee basis. Rico Dowdle is expected to get most of the runs early in the season. Ezekiel Elliott was a limited player in training camp and will be again early in the season. If Elliott struggles, Dalvin Cook is expected to be promoted from the practice squad. Will Deuce Vaughn have an impact on the offense?

Brandon Aubrey

Is Mr. Aubrey someone to worry about? The man made a 66-yard field goal in the preseason. Last season he made 10 of 10 field goals of 50 yards or more. He converted 94.7% of his kicks. Now he has to do it again.

Health

The Cowboys have lost projected defensive end Sam Williams to a knee injury. His spot is expected to be filled by second-round pick Marshawn Kneeland. Bland is out six to eight weeks. That’s two starters out before a game. The Cowboys can’t afford any more losses on their defense. On offense, losing a starter could be devastating. The healthier you are, the better the odds.

Five games in a row

A key stretch in late October/November against four teams that made the postseason last year could tell you where this team is headed. Two of those games are in San Francisco and Atlanta. The back end of that stretch, at home against Philadelphia and Houston, is against dynamic quarterbacks Jalen Hurts and CJ Stroud.

Mike McCarthy and the contract

That’s something that will come up for most of the season. A slow start will add to the attention he’s already facing in the final year of his contract. How he handles everything, especially when the road is bumpy, will show you how he handles the pressure.

Michael Parsons

Can the Cowboys’ best defensive player win the NFL Defensive Player of the Year award? He enters the season hoping to have a successful year so he can pursue one of the biggest contracts in league history in 2025. But he’ll have to perform, especially in the postseason.

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