I can recall my grandmother tuning in to the all the classic soap operas back in the day, especially Days of Our Lives and As the World Turns. Every week another drama-filled episode in addition to ratings going through the roof. Speaking of drama and chaos, that seems to be an ongoing theme in Dallas for the last few years. The Cowboys once again excel in the regular season, only to break the hearts of fans of America’s team when they enter the postseason.
This year unfortunately was no different than years past, except for the sting of the Cowboys playoff loss to the Packers will hurt for years to come. Dallas during the regular season of 2023 did everything they needed to do, including clinching the #2 seed and winning the NFC East. With that being said, they came into the Wildcard matchup with the Green Bay Packers as a 7-point favorite. They not only lost at home but they were clearly outplayed and outcoached by the Packers, getting routed 48-32.
Ladies and Gentlemen, please don’t be fooled by the final score either, as Dallas and Dak threw up a few late TDs, but this game was never close. From the opening kickoff, Dallas seemed tight, anxious, and clearly unprepared. Late in the second qtr., Dallas went down 27-0 after a pick-six thrown by Dak in which Savage returned 36 yds for a Green Bay score.
Even with a response from the Cowboys scoring a TD just before the first half ended, we all knew that this game was over, even at 27-7. Green Bay was loose and carefree, moving up and down the field with ease against the Cowboys defense. Jordan Love in his first playoff game posted impressive numbers to the tune of 16-21, 272 yds, and 3 TDs with a QBR of 99.3. On the other side, Prescott was trying to force the football into tight windows and not reading coverages on the defensive side of the ball with two costly interceptions.
Mike McCarthy in his 4 years as the head coach has led the Cowboys to the Playoffs every year, but his playoff record is a dismal 1-3. Dallas has 12 wins or more in the last three seasons, only to fold like a cheap tent in the Playoffs. The thing that makes this even more painful for McCarthy and the Cowboys is that Green Bay has owned Dallas, winning 4 out of 5 games vs. Dallas since 2014.
Packers coach Matt LaFleur has done an excellent job this year in terms of leading the Packers to the playoffs and winning a huge first-round game. The quick maturation process of Jordan Love reinforces the fact that Green Bay did the right thing by moving off Aaron Rodgers.
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones is currently 81 years of age, he’s extremely disappointed behind this latest Dallas debacle and he’s running out of time to see another Lombardi Trophy in Big D. The dark cloud hovering over Dallas is the unknown fate of McCarthy.
In my opinion, Dallas needs a complete makeover regarding their coaching staff. They need more of a leader and someone who can shake things up in that locker room, holding everyone (including star players) accountable with a level of discipline and focus that currently doesn’t exist.
They also need to address their defensive coordinator situation, as it’s expected that Dan Quinn will be back in the NFL as a head coach sooner rather than later. With all the popularity and lofty expectations surrounding the Cowboys every year, anything short of a Super Bowl appearance is a complete failure. I love the desire, passion, and will to win from Jerry Jones, but nothing will get better unless Dallas makes some organizational changes. Keep in mind that you still have Belichick and Harbaugh on the market as potential coaching candidates. Just like the sands through an hourglass, “the days of our lives”, the Dallas Cowboys, and Jerry Jones opportunities are slipping away.