New team same disappointing results
ARLINGTON, TEXAS – The Dallas Cowboys suffered a crushing defeat in a Wild card playoff matchup against the San Francisco 49ers Sunday, losing 17-23 in yet another early playoff loss.
The Cowboys looked undisciplined, unprepared, and found a new way to disappoint their fans.
In a year where the Cowboys lead the NFL in points scored per game (31.2) and had the second-best defense, they looked lost and confused against the 49ers.
Cowboys star quarterback Dak Prescott did not play like the pro bowl and multimillion-dollar quarterback Cowboy fans have known him to be, often overthrowing or underthrowing his receivers.
It wasn’t all bad though, Prescott did complete a touchdown pass to Amari Cooper and rushed for another to bring Dallas within a score setting up for a possible game-winning drive.
The Cowboys' defense did not look like the dominant defense we have seen all year, but if anybody paid attention, the team showed glimpses of having problems with containing the run and defending the pass against more talented opponents than their NFC East rivals.
Defensive coordinator Dan Quinn had no answers for 49ers head coach and play-caller Kyle Shanahan.
It wasn’t just a few players on the Cowboys team that seem to choke but was a team effort all around.
The 14 penalties racked up by the Cowboys certainly didn’t help their chances of winning and key penalties such as the hands to the face penalty called on Neville Gallimore in the fourth quarter severely hindered the Cowboy's chances to win.
If that penalty hadn’t been committed there would have been plenty of time left on the clock for the Cowboys to potentially mount a more effective game-winning drive.
Speaking with reporters Cowboys’ owner and general manager Jerry Jones expressed how he felt about losing to the 49ers.
“Extraordinarily disappointed. Very disappointed. Disappointed for our fans,” Jones said speaking to reporters after the game, via Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News. "This is quite a letdown. … They outplayed us."
Dallas will undoubtedly need to make changes in the offseason starting with addressing the offensive line.