IRVING, Texas — Little was expected of the Dallas Cowboys in 2014.

Even owner Jerry Jones opened the season telling fans they would be challenged to be successful and their backs were up against the wall.

The Cowboys surpassed expectations with a 12-4 record, NFC East title and first playoff win since 2009.

This team maximized its potential like none other in recent Cowboys memory.

As much as coach Jason Garrett was disappointed in how the season ended with a loss in the divisional playoffs, two games short of their first Super Bowl appearance since 1995, he was proud of how the team fought, performed and didn’t let the low expectations of others determine its worth.

“We don’t go compare teams very much,” Garrett said. “But I think at different times the group of guys we had really maximized their potential, and that’s one of the things we’re most proud of as a coaching staff is to be able to do that. That’s what we strive to do more than anything else. I certainly think this team maximized itself. But again, our goals are higher than what we accomplished this year, we have higher aspirations than that and we’ve got to be bound and determined to refocus and get back to work so we can really achieve our ultimate goals.”

The Cowboys believe they have a lot to build on in reaching their ultimate goal of making the Super Bowl, starting with an offensive line that proved to be the best in the NFL, led by a trio of Pro Bowl linemen: tackle Tyron Smith, center Travis Frederick and guard Zack Martin.

Quarterback Tony Romo should be better even at the age of 35 next season because he will have a healthy offseason for the first time in three years.

The Cowboys have some decisions to make in how they retain running back DeMarco Murray and receiver Dez Bryant. Both are scheduled to be unrestricted free agents.

Bryant likely will get the franchise tag if the Cowboys can’t sign the two-time Pro Bowler to a long-term deal.

Inking Murray may be a little tougher after a record-breaking season in which he led the NFL with a team-record 1,845 yards.

Murray, a third-round pick in 2011, is sure to want to cash in on his first chance at a big free-agent contract.

The Cowboys want Murray to return, but they aren’t going to break the bank to keep him because of the diminishing value of running backs and the number of options available in free agency and the draft. A number of backs could have great success behind the team’s offensive line.

The Cowboys know they must improve a defense that succeeded on heart and effort more than on talent in 2014.

They are looking forward to the return of linebacker Sean Lee, who missed the season with a torn ACL. They would like to pair him with Rolando McClain, a free-agent find who helped solidify the defense in Lee’s absence.

McClain is a restricted free agent and will be a top priority in the offseason.

The Cowboys will look for pass rushers in the draft and free agency to upgrade a defensive line that was long on numbers but short on production.

The linemen embodied the defense as much as anything because they adhered to the teachings of coordinator Rod Marinelli by playing hard and staying fundamentally sound.

They played better than their talent, which was the realization of the message Garrett gave his team last offseason.

He urged them to fight and show mental toughness. It showed in the team’s 8-0 record on the road and 4-0 mark in December as the Cowboys secured the NFC East, killing the demons of past failures in the final month of the season.

“I went back and grabbed my notes from April 21, 2014,” Garrett said of his final team meeting on Monday. “I had all these notes that I had written down, and I actually read a lot of those notes and a lot of it had to do with fight, mental toughness, trying to share a story with them, what this team is all about, what we’re aspiring to do.

“When I was done with it, I said, ‘We did this. We did this. We got together on April 21, 2014, and we talked about doing this. We did this.’ Did we accomplish our ultimate goal? We did not. I get that. But we accomplished all these things we talked about.

“Our goal is to win the Super Bowl, but maybe the more over-arching goal is to be part of a team that everybody that was associated with the team — players, coaching staff, anybody in the organization, fans, anybody associated with the National Football League — is proud of. That’s a big thing for me. We pride ourselves on how we represent ourselves, how we play, and I told them that. I’m really proud to be a part of it. It started way back when, and we accomplished a lot of those things.”

NOTES: The Cowboys are making moves to keep their staff together and prepare to coach in the Pro Bowl. New deals for defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli and offensive play caller Scott Linehan are in the works if not all but done. … Offensive coordinator/offensive line coach Bill Callahan has drawn interest from at least eight teams as offensive coordinator with full play-calling duties. He plans to pursue those options before deciding to come back to the Cowboys. … DE Jeremy Mincey will undergo surgery this week to clean up his right elbow. He led the Cowboys with six sacks and should be ready for the start of the offseason program.