Entering the season, the Dallas Cowboys were the poster children for mediocrity, having finished each of the previous three seasons at 8-8. In all three years, Dallas entered the final week of the season with a chance at the division crown, only to lose each of those games and miss the playoffs.

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Dez Bryant was there for all of those games, and he gave his opinion about what happened when he spoke with the media earlier in the week.

"I'm going to give my honest opinion," said Bryant. "The years that we did go 8-8, I think - me, because this is just how I am - I don't think we worked hard enough. I'm not saying we didn't work, like, I mean the offseason, during the OTAs - not the coaches. That's on us."

Dez spoke about how he got right back to work after those seasons ended because he did not want to feel like he could have worked harder entering this season. So far, it would appear that he and the rest of the Cowboys have worked harder. Entering week 12, Dallas boasts a 7-3 record and are tied for the NFC East lead with the Philadelphia Eagles.

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Dallas still has work to do in order to make the postseason in a crowded NFC playoff picture. Their best chance will be to win the division, which is certainly possible given that Dallas still has two games left against Philadelphia. Should they win both, they will be a virtual lock to win the NFC East.

The Cowboys can credit their resurgence to a dominant rushing attack. Running back Demarco Murray leads the league in rushing, and the Cowboys have fielded one of the better offenses in the league. The run-heavy approach has also given them a boost in time of possession, which helps keep their defense off the field. That last point is particularly important since the 2013 Cowboys featured one of the worst defenses in NFL history.

Watch the video below for the Cowboys' outlook for the rest of the season.