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Joe Mahoney/Associated Press

Kickers never get enough credit, but in the case of Dallas' specialists, they have been the most solid unit on the roster. Punter Chris Jones has been fantastic once again this season and should be a candidate to make the Pro Bowl this season. The Cowboys have allowed just 4.5 yards per punt return this season, good enough for second in the NFL, according to ESPN.com.

Of Jones' 40 punts this season, 23 of them have been downed inside of the 20. Only one team has more (the Baltimore Ravens with 24), but they have done so on 15 more punts. What's even more impressive is that the Cowboys are allowing an average of just 4.5 yards per return this season, good enough for second in the NFL.

The most impressive stat of the season for Jones is that the team has allowed just 54 return yards all season long. No team has allowed fewer. All in all, it has been a pretty special year for Jones and the punt-coverage unit.

As for the kicking game, the Cowboys have done surprisingly well considering Dan Bailey has missed the past six games. Mike Nugent has made seven of nine kicks for Dallas, with one of his misses coming from 49 yards in the rain in Washington. Altogether, the two have combined to make 14 of 16 kicks this season and 26 of 27 on extra points. Considering the situation, it has been a successful year for the field-goal kickers.

With Bailey coming back in the near future, the Cowboys will continue to have a dominant kicking game. Jones, Bailey and long snapper L.P. Ladouceur combined to make for the most reliable specialist group in the NFL. Dallas will likely play in many close games before the season is out. And the outfit with the better special teams will typically win those games. Advantage: Dallas.