Even by their own lofty standards, the Dallas Cowboys are coming off a heavily scrutinized season that ended with a disappointing 9-7 record that left them out of the playoffs. After a year that garnered more media attention than usual, stemming from the Ezekiel Elliott suspension, Cowboys defensive end Tyrone Crawford said it has been a relief to put last season behind them.

“You pick the good and bad, you look at it and analyze it and then you kind of just throw it out and move on to the next,” Crawford told TSN.ca. “We’re going to have a completely different team next year.”

Crawford said the Elliott saga didn’t distract the Cowboys, but it was on the players’ radar. It finally ended when the star running back dropped his appeal and served his six-game suspension late in the season for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy, a result of alleged incidents of domestic violence against his former girlfriend.

“We try not to follow it too much and let it be a distraction, but we definitely knew what was going on and knew the situation just because he’s our teammate and we care about him.”

“Unfortunately it had him out for six games, but it’s over with now and he’ll be ready to go for next year.”

The Elliott investigation loomed over the Cowboys all of last off-season until his suspension was announced during training camp. With no off-field incidents for the team to concern themselves with this off-season, Crawford said they can focus solely on football.

“(It’s an easier off-season) not for me as a player but definitely for our team. We obviously don’t want anybody in the news with negative light on them. We want everybody to have healthy and safe off-seasons and hopefully that’s the way it maintains. So far, so good.”

That said, there may not be such a thing as an easy off-season for players on America’s Team, and the added scrutiny it brings.

“(The pressure) is definitely better than not having all the fans and not having people at your stadium cheering you on.”

“The pressure that it brings is good also because it lets us know what type of stage we’re on and what we need to do and what our expectations are.”

Plus playing in the national spotlight, with owner Jerry Jones’ money and prestige behind you, has its benefits.

“It’s definitely the top of the top,” Crawford said about playing for the Cowboys. “It’s one of the best sports franchises in the world and you can tell that when you go (there). The stadium is huge, our practice facility is really nice. It’s just amazing playing for that ownership and that city and the football is good.”

The 28-year-old had 18 tackles and four sacks in 16 games for Dallas last season. Since being drafted by the team in the third round in 2012, the Windsor, Ont., native has 98 tackles and 16.5 sacks despite missing his sophomore season with a torn Achilles. Entering his seventh season with the Cowboys, the 6-foot-4 275-pound Crawford has grown into a leader on the defensive line.

“It’s a role I like because I have to be in it, just being the longest tenured defensive lineman on the Cowboys. It’s an honour but it comes with some great responsibility. I hold that close to my heart and definitely try and take those guys to levels that they know they can go. I’m just trying to be there for those guys and also in the off-season just checking in and making sure everybody’s good.”

The Cowboys’ line finished 15th in the league in sacks last year with 38 and led a Cowboys’ defence that finished eighth against the run, giving up 104 yards on the ground per game. It also features one of the league’s premier pass rushers in Demarcus Lawrence, who lined up at the opposite end of the D-line from Crawford and finished tied for second in the league in sacks last year with 14.5.

Could Lawrence one day lead the league in sacks?

“He should have led the league this year in sacks,” Crawford said. “He could definitely be a guy that leads the league in sacks.”

Crawford is in Toronto to promote NFL Sundays at Cineplex where fans can watch the games on the big screen. Crawford will be at the Cineplex Odeon Queensway Cinemas for the Super Bowl.

“The Super Bowl is going to be my first one (at Cineplex). I’m pretty excited to go there and watch with the fans and see the players on a bigger than life screen.”

The Cowboys’ division rival Philadelphia Eagles will, of course, be in the big game, but Crawford said he’s not so sure about their chances with Tom Brady and the New England Patriots looking for their sixth Super Bowl ring.

“I don’t like picking but if I had to pick it would be the Patriots. They’re the Patriots.”