FRISCO, Texas -- It had been said so often that it just became accepted as fact: The Dallas Cowboys have the best offensive line in football.
When you look at names such as Tyron Smith (6), Travis Frederick (4) and Zack Martin (5) and their combined 15 Pro Bowl appearances, a case certainly could have been made for the Cowboys. But by statistical measures and eyeball tests, they weren't the best line in the NFL the past few years.
Some of last season's issues can be pinned on the season-long absence of Frederick to an autoimmune disease, and some of the fault can be traced to a subtle switch in philosophies brought in by O-line coach Paul Alexander, who was replaced by Marc Colombo after seven games.