With Sunday’s 30-24 loss to the San Francisco 49ers, the Cowboys are 3-4 and closer to the bottom of the NFC than a Super Bowl contender currently is.
“We are disappointed,” said Professor Mike McCarthy. “Our guys really had a good week of preparation. I thought there were areas for improvement. But still, we have a lot to work on.”
The last time the Cowboys went 3-4 with a healthy Dak Prescott at quarterback was 2018. In 2020, the Cowboys were 2-5 on their way to 2-7, but Prescott suffered a compound split and a dislocation of his right ankle in the fifth game of the season.
The 2018 Cowboys began with a midseason deal for wide receiver Amari Cooper and finished the campaign with a 10-6 record, winning the NFC East and a playoff game. The five most effective players active on Sunday remain on the 2018 roster: Prescott, running back Ezekiel Elliott, right reserve Zack Martin, cornerback Jourdan Lewis and special teamer CJ Goodwin.
The Cowboys will play games against the NFC South-leading Atlanta Falcons every time.
“We know what it takes in this league,” Prescott said. “You warm up, you get going, that’s all you’re looking to do. That’s my point, that this is frustrating but no one gives up. No one is shocked, as you can say, from where we are. We just have to focus, get ready to go on the road and have another good team ahead of us and do everything we can to make sure we come out with a win and then worry about that after this next road game.”
The Cowboys’ four contenders (the Falcons, Philadelphia Eagles, Houston Texans and Washington Commanders) have a combined record of 22-9, all of them wins on Sunday.
“We have to go every Sunday,” Lewis mentioned. “We can’t think about the future. That’s where we are now: thinking about the next game and the next opportunity.”
Frustration, on the other hand, is increasing. The Cowboys have lost four snap games to the 49ers, including two playoff games and three in a row at Levi’s Stadium.
Dallas cornerback Trevon Diggs, still in uniform, emerged from the warehouse to confront a television reporter about a tweet during the game that appeared to question his intent.
“It really sucks,” said wide receiver CeeDee Lamb. “Especially coming here three times in the last three years. It’s disgusting.”
Despite falling behind 27-10 by being outscored 21-0 and outscored 167 yards to 16 in the third quarter, the Cowboys still had a chance to pull off a fantastic victory, but Prescott had four instant incompletions next. 3:05 to play.
It was the end of a game Prescott would like to overlook. By the time he threw two fourth-quarter touchdown passes to Lamb, Prescott became the first Cowboys quarterback with two interceptions in three snap games since Troy Aikman in 1992, according to ESPN Research.
Prescott was 25 of 38 for 243 yards and was sacked twice.
“I mean me, personally frustrated. Myself frustrated in my game. I imagine the rest of the guys are,” Prescott said. “Not getting the win, two in a row now, at 3-4. But I can definitely tell you that no one is shaking or giving up. The frustration is very high. But it’s a long season. I mean, it’s a long season. Division games, We still have many things ahead of us.
“Annoying. That’s the easiest way to say it.”
