Best thing about 2016 for Cowboys is it’s not 2015

The best thing about this year for the Cowboys is it’s not last year.

A year ago, the Cowboys had just ended a seven-game losing streak. They beat Miami 24-14 on Nov. 22 in Tony Romo’s return from a fractured left collarbone, but the quarterback re-fractured the bone in a loss to Carolina on Thanksgiving Day.

This year, the Cowboys are in the midst of a regular-season team record nine-game winning streak. It marks the fourth time the Cowboys have started a season 9-1, with only the 2007 team going 10-1. The 1976 and ’83 teams lost the 11th game.

But the Cowboys have re-written the record books all season after going 4-12 last season.

“That’s the great thing about playing sports each year is you get to clean the slate off and try again,” cornerback Brandon Carr said Monday. “We learn from last year. We learn from years past. These veteran players have been around for some time, so we’ve been through it all. We’ve been through the ups and downs of a season and each and every season something different.

“But we’ve done a good job of just staying focused on the task at hand this year — laser focused on one day at a time, carry over to Sunday.”

While the winning streak has given the Cowboys swagger, they also believe they have accomplished nothing so far.

“That’s how I feel,” defensive end Jack Crawford said.

The schedule says it gets harder from here.

Of the first nine opponents on the Cowboys’ schedule, only the Giants (7-3) and the Redskins (6-3-1) currently have winning records. The Cowboys’ nine victories are over teams with a combined 31-58-2 record.

The Cowboys’ final six opponents have a 35-24-1 record. All six of their remaining opponents stand .500 or better. Three made the playoffs last season.

The Cowboys, though, have bought into Jason Garrett’s one-game-at-a-time mantra. The Redskins are the only team on the Cowboys’ minds this week.

“We don’t look ahead at all,” Carr said. “We take it one day at a time. Thursday is going to be a big battle, a big challenge for us. We’re excited for it.”

The Cowboys love where they are, but they know the work has only just begun.

“There is no question that this group is a special group,” Garrett said. “These guys really enjoy coming to work. They work very hard. They want to be part of a team. They’re receptive to coaching. I think they really like each other, and they really like football. They’ve got a great passion for it.”

This story was originally published November 21, 2016 at 8:54 PM with the headline "Best thing about 2016 for Cowboys is it’s not 2015."