Following a 26-6 loss against the Washington Commanders on Sunday, Cowboys eight-time Pro Bowl guard Zack Martin said, “do this again, and we’ll be sitting at home.”
Martin’s statement should send a clear message to the Cowboys after they didn’t look like a potential championship contender one week before the playoffs.
Everything went wrong offensively. Quarterback Dak Prescott went 14-of-37 and threw his 15th interception in 12 starts, a pick-six to Kendall Fuller.
Dallas couldn’t run the ball either, rushing for 64 yards on 27 attempts (2.4 yards per carry).
Surprisingly, Dallas defense didn’t faze Washington quarterback Sam Howell, who was making his first career start. The rookie quarterback threw a touchdown and rushed for another.
The terrible performance raises concerns. Per Oddschecker, Dallas (12-5) has the sixth-best Super Bowl odds behind NFC favorites San Francisco (13-4) and Philadelphia (14-3).
The Eagles and 49ers both won their final game on Sunday, clinching the conference’s top seeds.
Dallas, the fifth seed, may not be able to beat either of these teams on the road, especially if the sloppy play continues.
Dallas may not get a shot against either team because winning its first playoff game in the wild-card round presents a challenge.
The Cowboys have to play Tom Brady in Tampa Bay. Brady has a perfect 7-0 record against Dallas.
The Cowboys need to get it together. Otherwise, they’ll come back to Dallas and sit at home after another first-round exit.
