Sunday’s loss to the San Francisco 49ers added to the long list of playoff disappointments for the Dallas Cowboys, highlighting their ongoing struggle to win a Super Bowl.
Despite being known as “America’s Team” and with owner Jerry Jones frequently expressing championship aspirations, it’s been nearly three decades since the Cowboys last secured a Super Bowl victory.
The 19-12 defeat to the 49ers means the Cowboys now hold the record for the most playoff appearances (12) in NFL history without reaching a conference title game.
This offseason could be important for Dallas, as questions loom over the team’s head coach, quarterback, and even its kicker. This season was supposed to be the one where everything came together for the Cowboys, a championship team that Jones has long desired.
In the 1990s, Dallas won three Super Bowls in four years, but since their 1995 victory, the team has made the playoffs 12 times, exiting in the first round on seven occasions. This season was expected to be different.
Under Mike McCarthy, a Super Bowl-winning coach from his time in Green Bay, the team was no longer seen as a work in progress. Jones had made it clear that McCarthy was under pressure to succeed. “I think we’re in better shape today to make a run at it than when we were sitting here this time last year,” Jones said in July.
With a roster boasting stars on both offense and defense, the Cowboys appeared to be in strong form. Even when starting quarterback Dak Prescott missed several weeks due to injury, backup Cooper Rush led the team to a 4-1 record.
Despite finishing 12-5 and not winning the NFC East title behind the Philadelphia Eagles, the Cowboys made the playoffs. Their convincing Wild Card victory over Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, with Prescott accounting for five touchdowns, seemed to dispel doubts about their resolve.
However, facing the team that eliminated them last year, the Cowboys faltered again. Prescott struggled under pressure, throwing two interceptions against the 49ers’ top-ranked defense.
The game ended in a bizarre fashion. With six seconds remaining and needing a touchdown from their own 24-yard line, McCarthy called a strange play with running back Ezekiel Elliot snapping the ball to Prescott, the only lineman, while everyone else was spread wide.
The play failed as Cowboys wide receiver KaVontae Turpin was tackled immediately, ending their season. “It didn’t get going,” McCarthy said about the play. “It’s obviously a gadget play … the last-play-situation call we practice.”
Jones, known for making changes, surprisingly supported McCarthy despite the disappointing end to the season. Despite speculation about Sean Payton potentially replacing McCarthy, Jones expressed confidence in his head coach.
“No, no, not at all,” Jones told reporters when asked if the result changed his mind about McCarthy. “But this is very sickening.” McCarthy himself expressed deep disappointment. “This has been an incredible journey with this group of men,” he told reporters. “We just came up short tonight to a very good football team.”
If McCarthy returns for a fourth season, he faces serious challenges and increased pressure. He may have to build an offense without current coordinator Kellen Moore, who has attracted interest from other teams for head coaching positions.
Prescott’s inconsistent performance is also a concern. The 29-year-old can excel one week and struggle the next, as seen in Sunday’s game. After the loss, Prescott took responsibility for the team’s failure.
“Our defense played hard against a very good offense, and for us to only score the points we did, that’s unacceptable. It starts with me. I’ve got to be better,” he told reporters. Prescott acknowledged that his performance, including atypical mistakes for a championship-caliber quarterback, needs improvement.
“Yeah, it’s very frustrating. Something I’ve got to address in the offseason. Take a look at all of them [interceptions]. But two tonight. Unacceptable,” he said. “I can’t put the ball in jeopardy like that. Whether they’re tipped in tight throws or I’m late on a route, it just can’t happen. The number of interceptions is ridiculous. I can promise that it will never be this high again.”
The Cowboys, one of the NFL’s most storied franchises, haven’t won a title in nearly 30 years, causing concern for everyone involved. Once again, it’s back to the drawing board for “America’s Team.”