PHILADELPHIA — For the final two months, Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott has felt helpless.
Sidelined for the remainder of the season due to a proper hamstring avulsion suffered on Nov. 3 in opposition to the Atlanta Falcons that required surgical procedure, Prescott has watched the Cowboys’ season flitter away from the coaches’ sales space, together with Sunday’s 41-7 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field.
Eliminated from the playoffs final week, the Cowboys (7-9) are assured simply their fourth shedding document within the final 20 years with the defeat in opposition to the playoff-bound Eagles.
“Nobody plans to lose. Nobody plans to have a shedding season, to be on this place,” Prescott stated in a small hallway exterior the Cowboys’ locker room. “You count on the playoffs yearly. You count on to win this division after which to be on this place or whether or not it is at dwelling, taking part in in opposition to this workforce normally for the division. That’s not the case. Yeah, it is irritating.”
Sunday’s loss to the Eagles was harking back to the among the early season defeats with an offense that turned the ball over too many occasions (4 in opposition to the Eagles) and a protection that would not provide you with sufficient stops (Philadelphia scored on six straight possessions).
Now, the very best the Cowboys can end is 8-9 with a Week 18 win in opposition to the Washington Commanders at AT&T Stadium.
The final time the Cowboys completed under .500 got here in 2020, Mike McCarthy’s first 12 months as coach. The others within the final 20 years got here in 2010 (6-10) and 2015 (4-12).
McCarthy’s job standing has been a spotlight for many of the season since he’s within the ultimate 12 months of his contract. Next week might doubtlessly be his ultimate sport with the Cowboys, however he didn’t wish to speak about having his fifth shedding season in 18 years as a head coach.
“Ask me that in eight days,” McCarthy stated. “I’m right here to complete the race. That’s my mindset and that is the workforce’s mindset.”
Left guard Tyler Smith was the Cowboys’ first-round choose in 2022. He skilled two straight 12-5 seasons that led to the playoffs to open his profession.
“As a competitor, I imply it simply hurts,” Smith stated. “It hurts to haven’t any goals after Jan. 5, however I believe we received to make use of this. I believe each setback is a arrange for a comeback. I actually do, and so simply utilizing this expertise, feeding off of this. I by no means wish to really feel like this once more. I by no means wish to lose a soccer sport — I do know finally you’ll — however we’re a profitable workforce. We received profitable guys on this workforce. We constructed a profitable tradition. We simply gotta get again within the offseason … First issues first, subsequent week in opposition to the Washington Commanders, however we simply received to scrub it up. And it is on us.”
Owner and normal supervisor Jerry Jones didn’t communicate after Sunday’s loss. He has been effusive in his reward of McCarthy for a way the workforce has fought regardless of the accidents to stars like Prescott, Zack Martin (ankle), DeMarcus Lawrence (foot), Trevon Diggs (knee) and CeeDee Lamb (shoulder).
But there have been no discussions with McCarthy’s agent concerning a brand new deal.
“It’s robust to in all probability get your job performed and do your job with all that hanging over your head,” Prescott stated of the scrutiny McCarthy has been below this season. “But credit score to him, credit score to his professionalism and actually his coach’s type of having the ability to get guys being able to play and go on the market and end and take satisfaction in what we end and what we placed on tape.”
Prescott added, “Obviously, I’m a promoter of bringing him again.”
Whoever is teaching the Cowboys in 2025 may have a full-strength Prescott sooner or later within the offseason. He had surgical procedure on Nov. 13.
“Gained some power in it, began to make use of it a bit bit,” Prescott stated. “Yeah, I’m in all probability just a few weeks perhaps a month from working, working. But received on the bike. So undoubtedly performing some issues, shifting extra.”
Edge rusher Micah Parsons pointed to well being as the largest purpose why the Cowboys haven’t gained. Like Smith, he had skilled nothing however making the playoffs because the Cowboys took him within the first spherical in 2021.
“Yeah, undoubtedly not what I envisioned, undoubtedly not what I hoped for,” Parsons stated. “Coming off a devastating playoff loss and also you say, ‘Hey, I’m simply going to get the identical workforce again and we form of know what it may appear to be, what the workforce’s going to be like.’ And you go into the season and devastating accidents throughout the board between CeeDee and Dak and Trevon. Just cannot catch a break.
“But you say there’s different groups who’re totally wholesome they usually’re not the place we’re at proper now. I’m going to take that as a grain of salt and use that as motivation to go towards subsequent 12 months.”
