Who would have thought the Cowboys would hit the halfway mark at 7-1 and tied for the lead in the NFC? There were a lot of high expectations heading into the season, and it’s safe to say the Cowboys have exceeded those expectations.

The Cowboys are heading into one of the biggest games this season, traveling to the Meadowlands to face a New York Giants team that is only one game back in the NFC East. The first meeting between these two teams fell in the Cowboys favor, but this match up should be very different considering the Cowboys went into that first game without their best cornerback and the Giants went into it without their best defensive end.

They also head into the game ranked second in total offense with an average of over 400 yards per game. They are also the second best scoring offense and the third best passing offense.

And let’s not forget the defense. After starting off a little shaky, the Cowboys defense has improved with each game. They are now ranked fifth in the NFL against the run and eighth in total defense. They are also tied for third in the NFL for most interceptions with 12 and eleventh in the NFL in sacks with 21.

When you factor in that the Cowboys are ranked tenth in rushing offense that makes for a pretty balanced team. They can kill you with the pass, but also run the ball effectively. They are one of the best at stopping the run, good at putting pressure on the quarterback, and great at intercepting the ball.

Ultimately, it is that balance that puts them at the top of the pack (and on top of the Pack) in the NFC.

And how are the stars doing? Let’s take a look at what the stars on offense and defense would do if we take their first half stats and project it out for the whole season:

Cowboys Offense:

QB Tony Romo, 4,600 passing yards, 38 TDs

WR Terrell Owens, 1,460 receiving yards, 12 TDs

WR Patrick Crayton, 800 receiving yards, 8 TDs

TE Jason Witten, 1,234 receiving yards, 10 TDs

RB Marion Barber, 1,070 rushing yards, 12 TDs

RB Julius Jones, 706 rushing yards, 4 TDs

Cowboys Defense:

OLB DeMarcus Ware, 14 sacks

OLB Greg Ellis, 11 sacks

CB Anthony Henry, 10 interceptions

FS Ken Hamlin, 6 interceptions

Also, bear in mind that Marion Barber is on pace to rush for over a thousand yards while splitting time at almost a 50-50 ratio with Julius Jones. And take into consideration the number of games Ellis missed in his projected 11 sacks. If he continues to perform as he has in the limited time he has been playing this year, he may very well top DeMarcus Ware in that category.

Also, Henry’s 10 interceptions come even though he has missed a few games to injury. And, while Terence Newman has never been the type of cornerback that amasses good statistics, I can’t recall him giving up a single touchdown pass this year. I could be wrong on that one since I am going off memory, but if there is one stat I really wish they tracked for the secondary, it would be TDs scored off of them. If they tracked that statistic then Newman would be mentioned in the same breath at the Champ Baileys of the NFL.

So, at the halfway point, what do we know about these Cowboys? We know that Romo is the real deal, something there were still question marks about at the beginning of the season. We know that Terrell Owens can be a good teammate, though we still may wonder what might happen if the Cowboys go on a losing streak. We know that Crayton is a solid number two receiver. We know that Witten continues to improve, and that Marion Barber is one of the toughest guys to bring down in all of football.

We also know that the Dallas defense makes this team Super Bowl caliber. They’ve been without key players for most of the season with Ellis and Newman both missing significant time, with Ferguson out since game one, and with Henry a little banged up these last few games, and yet they have gotten a little bit better and a little bit better as they get more comfortable in the Phillips 3-4.

And think on this: These Cowboys are not as good as they could be. They are starting to get healthy with Newman, Henry and Ellis all set to play against the Giants. And they are also going to start working Tank Johnson into the lineup to make up for the Ferguson injury and give the Cowboys a little more punch in the middle.

They are also waiting for Terry Glenn to make his debut. Glenn was a 1,000 yard receiver last year, and is a deep threat that not only helps take some pressure off of Terrell Owens, but will improve the running game by forcing safeties to stay deep more of the time.

Yes, that’s right, one of the best offenses might be getting better. And a defense that is great against the run, can put pressure on the quarterback, and is opportunistic in coverage might also be getting better.

At the halfway mark, there is one thing that is certain: It’s a good year to be a Cowboys fan.