The Dallas Cowboys will be spending January at home. That statement was definitively made as Dallas fell to the Seattle Seahawks 21-12 on Sunday afternoon in a game that the Cowboys needed to have to keep their playoff chances alive.
After Detroit and Atlanta both lost, it gave a window of hope for Dallas to keep their playoff chances alive. However, mistakes at inopportune times did Dallas in and now leaves more questions than answers as to what the future has in store for 2018.
Turnovers Cost Dallas
There were several plays that you can choose from that cost the Cowboys (and we’ll get to those later). If you want to start somewhere, you can point to the three turnovers in the game that all led to Seahawks points.
The first was the fumble by Dez Bryant that led to a Russell Wilson touchdown pass near the end of the first half. The second was a pick-six by Dak Prescott and the third later came off another Prescott interception that should have been a catch by Dez Bryant.
Seattle had more penalty yards (142) that total yards of offense (136) but when you give the Seahawks opportunities, they will make you pay and Dallas learned that the hard way on Sunday.
Coaches Drift From Game Plan
With the Cowboys down 21-12, they had a first and goal from the 3-yard line of Seattle with a chance to cut into the deficit. Dallas also has star running back Ezekiel Elliott, who was returning from a six-game suspension.
In that sequence, Elliott did not touch the ball once and it eventually led to a missed field goal from Dan Bailey that squelched the Cowboys remaining hopes.
With the season on the line, the fact that neither head coach Jason Garrett or offensive coordinator Scott Linehan decided to give their best offensive player the ball is just not wise. The penalties didn’t help matters, but that shift from the game plan ended up costing the Cowboys plenty down the stretch.
Special Teams Fails To Deliver
Dan Bailey has been a consistent presence for the Cowboys this season. Even when he battled injuries, he was as reliable as they come as a kicker. Unfortunately for Dallas, he failed to deliver on Sunday.
To be fair, it’s not clear whether his previous groin injury had an impact or whether it was something else that bothered him. Either way, the two missed field goals down the stretch proved costly.
Cowboys Fall Flat On Big Stage
In the biggest game of the year, the Dallas Cowboys failed to perform in crunch time. Seattle made enough plays to win despite their offensive struggles. It was a disappointing performance for a team that had been turning the corner after three straight wins.
Now, Dallas will head to Philadelphia with nothing but pride on the line and there will be many questions as to where the team will be heading. What happens to Jason Garrett? Does Dez Bryant get traded? Those are just some of the questions Jerry Jones will have to answer starting after their season ends next Sunday in Philadelphia.
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