FRISCO, Texas -- Finishing with a 9-7 record and missing the playoffs, too many things went wrong for the Dallas Cowboys in 2017.

That doesn’t mean everything went wrong.

Here are 10 things that went right, in no particular order:

A position switch -- The Cowboys opted at the start of the offseason program to make La’el Collins their starting right tackle. It wasn’t without growing pains, but Collins showed he can handle the job and should improve as he gains more experience at the position. He has the athleticism and strength and went against a number of top pass-rushers throughout the season. He displayed a toughness late in the season, playing through a back injury that limited his practice work during the final month.

Larger role -- The Cowboys would not get into the bidding to keep safety Barry Church off the free-agent market and saw him leave for the Jacksonville Jaguars. But the Cowboys were also intrigued to see what Jeff Heath could do with more snaps. After an admittedly somewhat slow start, Heath was solid in his first year as a full-time starter. He led the Cowboys with three interceptions and clinched the win against the Oakland Raiders with a goal-line tackle of Derek Carr.

The future secondary -- The Cowboys drafted Chidobe Awuzie, Jourdan Lewis and Xavier Woods in Rounds 2, 3 and 6 with the hopes of them playing immediate roles. Injuries to Awuzie and Lewis prevented that, but by the end of the season, they were the Cowboys’ top three corners and not just because they had to be. They earned the playing time and will be looked upon to take a bigger step in 2018.

Run it anywhere, anytime -- Tyron Smith, Travis Frederick and Zack Martin made the Pro Bowl. Collins was solid at right tackle. With Ezekiel Elliott, the Cowboys running game started slowly but caught on before the running back’s six-game suspension began. Without Elliott, the Cowboys still averaged 120 yards on the ground with Alfred Morris and Rod Smith running the ball. The Cowboys need more dynamic runs in 2018, but they were able to run the ball even when teams knew they wanted to do so.

Pass rush blossoms -- The Cowboys waited four seasons for defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence's breakout season. It finally came in 2017 with 14.5 sacks and a Pro Bowl bid. Why? He was healthy. In the two seasons in which he was healthy, Lawrence had 22.5 sacks. In the two seasons he wasn’t, he had one. It wasn’t just Lawrence. David Irving missed eight games because of injury and suspension but had seven sacks. Tyrone Crawford had his best overall season. Maliek Collins was moved to nose tackle and was solid. First-round pick Taco Charlton came on late in the season.

Still a player -- For years, the Cowboys went the way quarterback Tony Romo went. The same can be said for the defense with linebacker Sean Lee. When he was on the field, the defense functioned at a high level. Without him, it floundered. They can’t be as Lee-centric in 2018, but the Cowboys know how important Lee is to their success. He has a way of calming everybody down just with his presence.

Powerful leg -- If a punter is among the top stories of what went right in a season, then you can tell it wasn’t a playoff year, but Chris Jones had his best season. His directional work was terrific. His inside-the-20 punting was top-notch. He even had a big fake for a first down against Oakland. The Cowboys gave up the fewest punt return yards in the league and a big reason was Jones’ left leg.

Risk finds reward -- When the Cowboys drafted linebacker Jaylon Smith in the second round in 2016, many thought it was a wasted pick because of the serious knee injury he suffered at Notre Dame. After sitting out his rookie season, Smith played in every game and finished as the team’s second-leading tackler, according to the coaches’ breakdown. Is he a finished product? No. Can he regain his pre-injury form? That is still a question. But he showed he can be a big part of the defense, and the hope is experience helps him improve in 2018.

The big brother -- Jaylon Smith garnered most of the attention, but his older brother, Rod, showed he can play in the NFL, too. He had a rushing touchdown in four straight games and showed he can handle a third-down role, as well. The Cowboys will rely heavily on Elliott, but they know they have an in-house answer to spell their lead running back whenever they choose.

Undrafted success -- Cooper Rush came out of nowhere to earn a roster spot with six touchdown passes and no interceptions in the preseason. He forced the Cowboys to keep him on the 53-man roster. He didn’t take any meaningful snaps in 2017, but he could be a part of the planning for the roster. With him under contract for at least three more years, the Cowboys know they won’t have to spend big for a veteran backup to Dak Prescott.