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While the Cowboys aren't yet completely eliminated from contention, the path is near impossible with Dallas falling to 4-9 on the season. This puts them two games behind the Washington Commanders and Philadelphia Eagles, currently at 6-7. The New York Giants could also move into a tie for first place with a win Monday night against the Miami Dolphins.
With just three weeks remaining and a few divisional battles left on the schedule, it will take an almost perfect scenario for the Cowboys to end the year in first place.
Sure, if Dallas wins out and the other teams lose to everyone besides each other, there is a chance the Cowboys can get to the postseason. However, the latest 28-7 loss to the Green Bay Packers evoked an important realization: This team isn't good.
The Cowboys had provided some hope in recent weeks. They were obviously much better with Tony Romo in the lineup, but even without the starting quarterback, they were able to steal a Week 13 win over the Commanders. Matt Cassel wasn't great, but he avoided mistakes and let the defense and special teams do their job to win a close battle.
This was not repeated in the loss to the Packers. Eddie Lacy and the Green Bay rushing attack dominated with 230 yards on the ground at 5.2 yards per carry. Aaron Rodgers moved the ball just as easily, and while the game remained close on the scoreboard, the Packers remained in control for most of the game.
Meanwhile, the Cowboys' deficit put the pressure squarely on the offense. Although the run game was exceptional (8.6 yards per carry), the passing attack couldn't do anything behind the poor play of Cassel. Many watching along were not happy with the quarterback's performance in this one, like ESPN's Tim MacMahon and Charean Williams of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram:
The veteran finished 13-of-29 for 114 yards, no touchdowns and one interception. Somehow, his 3.93 yards per attempt was not the lowest average of the season as he finished with 3.88 against the Seattle Seahawks in Week 8.
Perhaps the most notable stat was the team going 1-of-11 on third downs a week after converting just 1-of-9 against the Commanders. The Cowboys can't sustain any drives with Cassel at the helm, and it has resulted in poor offensive showings every week. Only once in seven appearances has the quarterback led his team to more than 20 points.
This makes it almost impossible to expect any sort of turnaround over the next few weeks. The New York Jets and Buffalo Bills aren't unbeatable, but they each have strong defenses that can once again hold Dallas to single digits. The Jets in Week 15 will especially be a challenge with their ability to stop the run. They entered Week 14 ranked No. 1 in the NFL in that category and held the Tennessee Titans to just 24 yards in a win Sunday.
Even if Dallas runs the ball more than 20 times like it did on Sunday, the quarterback play simply isn't there to produce offensively.
At the same time, the rest of the NFC East is finally starting to play well. Despite their problems a week ago, the Commanders have gotten more consistent play out of Kirk Cousins and most importantly were finally able to win a road game on Sunday. This should give them more confidence away from home for the rest of the year. The Eagles have also won two games in a row over AFC East opponents while scoring in a variety of ways. While the Giants have their question marks, they have the best offense in the division with by far the most experienced quarterback at the helm.
Relying on all three of these teams to collapse is not a safe bet.
While there is obviously a lot of talent on the Cowboys roster, the 2015 season will be remembered for Romo's injuries and a lost year. In a season that began with high hopes along with a struggling division, this might be the biggest disappointment in the NFL. At the very least, it will likely create a better appreciation for an often-mocked quarterback.
Of course, teams do lose key players to injuries and stay alive in the NFL. Owner Jerry Jones expressed his disappointment with the organization despite the bad luck.
"I am stunned that we haven’t been able to win more games without Tony," Jones said earlier in the week, per Drew Davison of the Star-Telegram. "And I would have thought that we could have coached it up enough, and put it together enough, that we would not have lost those games without Romo early. We would be in better shape than we are right now."
It is unknown whether this puts Jason Garrett on the hot seat, but what we do know is this inability to weather the storm will result in an early end to the year. The playoffs bizarrely remained a possibility even as the losses piled up late in the season, but this most recent loss represents the final nail in the coffin for a miserable year.
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