The Dallas Cowboys’ playoff hopes were effectively dead long before the regular season reached its final weeks. While the offense consistently showed elite potential, the defense collapsed early and never recovered, ultimately sinking Dallas in a stacked NFC.
Many around the league saw this coming — especially after owner Jerry Jones made the stunning decision to trade defensive cornerstone Micah Parsons to the Green Bay Packers just one week before the season kicked off. Despite receiving two first-round picks in return, the move left the Cowboys severely undermanned on defense.
The results were brutal. Dallas now ranks near the bottom of the NFL defensively, sitting 30th in yards allowed per game at 391.4. Their pass defense and points allowed are both worst in the league, a disastrous combination that erased any margin for error, even with one of the NFL’s most productive offenses.
Prescott Set to Play Finale Despite Elimination
Although the Cowboys were officially eliminated from postseason contention in Week 16, they still have one final game remaining — a road matchup at MetLife Stadium against Jaxson Dart and the New York Giants.
There was early speculation that Dallas might shut down Dak Prescott to protect him from injury, given the lack of playoff implications. However, Prescott pushed to stay on the field, and the coaching staff appears aligned with that plan.
“Our plan is to finish strong and have Dak play,” head coach Brian Schottenheimer said, via ESPN’s Todd Archer.
Prescott has personal and competitive motivations heading into the finale. Dallas currently sits at 7-8-1, and a victory would allow the Cowboys to finish the season at .500 rather than with a losing record.
History is also firmly on Prescott’s side. He has won 14 straight games against the Giants and hasn’t lost to New York since his rookie season in 2016 — a streak that adds another layer of intrigue to the matchup.
Ironically, a Cowboys win could still help the Giants in the long run. If the Raiders also win, New York would secure the No. 1 overall pick in the upcoming NFL Draft — setting up a bizarre scenario where both teams walk away with something to gain.
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