IRVING, Texas — The Dallas Cowboys didn’t expect to be here.

They are 7-3 and tied for first place in the NFC East, coming off a bye week with six games to go. Now they just have to finish.

“Well, I’ll tell you this: We didn’t really think that possibly this year might be the year, but you sure can’t dismiss (a Super Bowl run) at this particular point,” owner Jerry Jones said on his local radio show. “I think we’re going to have some fun here in these last six ballgames.”

The Cowboys begin their final run with a matchup against the New York Giants. It’s the first of four of their final six games that are on the road.

That doesn’t bode well for a Cowboys team that has a history of finishing the season with a whimper. The Cowboys have a 14-22 record after Dec. 1 since Tony Romo took over as quarterback in 2006. The Cowboys also failed miserably in winner-take-all battles for the division title and the playoffs in the final game of the season in each of the last three years.

But this year is expected to be different.

The Cowboys believe they are set up to finish strong for the first time in years because they are healthy and because they have a run-oriented style that should serve them well when it gets cold in December.

“Well, certainly if you can run the football well and you’re a physical team, you travel maybe better than other kinds of teams,” head coach Jason Garrett said. “That’s one of the things we always talk about, playing in the division we’re playing in; you’re going to deal with weather. You’re going to deal with conditions at the end of the year in these critical games to help you try to win the division. So you want to be that kind of a team. Whatever circumstance, whatever conditions you’re playing in, you want to be able to be successful. And I think the bigger and stronger you’re up front and the more able to run the football, it certainly helps you.”

The Cowboys are also 4-0 on the road this year.

The run game has its fingerprints all over that stat and it’s what they will lean on down the stretch.

“I think we feel good,” tight end Jason Witten said. “The bye came at a good time. We are healthy. I think it is set up for us to be successful. But I still think there are formulas within the formula of how you play each week that allows you to be successful. That’s what we have to focus on. I think there is a good formula in place on how we play football. Now, we got to go do it.”

REPORT CARD AT THE BYE WEEK

PASSING OFFENSE: B — Quarterback Tony Romo ranks seventh in the league in passer rating and has 18 touchdowns to just six interceptions. Dez Bryant remains a beast on the outside with 56 catches for 793 yards and eight touchdowns. They will be the go-to combo down the stretch.

RUSHING OFFENSE: A — The Cowboys have the NFL’s leading rusher in DeMarco Murray and the league’s most physical offensive line. They have leaned on that to become the league’s second-best rushing offense, averaging over 153 yards per game.

PASS DEFENSE: B — The Cowboys went from giving up the most yards in the league a season ago and big plays like popcorn to being an average pass defense, ranking 15th in the league. That’s a far cry from a year ago. The big remaining issue is sacks. The Cowboys have just 16 sacks, ranking 28th in the league. But the Cowboys have a chance to get better with the return of rookie defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence.

RUSH DEFENSE: B — The Cowboys rank 12th in the league against the run, giving up 107 yards per game. Credit a 10-man rotation on the defensive line and the coaching of coordinator Rod Marinelli. Also credit the linebacker play of Rolando McClain and rookie Anthony Hitchens.

SPECIAL TEAMS: C — Dan Bailey remains one of the best kickers in the league. But he has had two field goals blocked in the last two games. That is a huge concern. Punter Chris Jones has been average for much of the season and returner Dwayne Harris has not been the difference-maker of past years.

COACHING: A — The thought before the season was that Jason Garrett would be challenged to reach the 8-8 mark of past seasons. Now the Cowboys are 7-3 at the bye and in prime position to make a Super Bowl run.