Dak Prescott stared blankly for several seconds when the star quarterback was asked what the goal would be for the Dallas Cowboys over the final three games with their playoff hopes all but gone.
The long pause said it all after a Minnesota team that was eliminated from postseason contention before kickoff Sunday night put Prescott’s crew in basically the same place with a 34-26 victory.
Dallas (6-7-1) might be eliminated before playing its next game Sunday against the Los Angeles Chargers (10-4). NFC East rival Philadelphia (9-5), the defending Super Bowl champion, likely will finish off the Cowboys by beating four-win Washington on Saturday.
“You’re a professional football player,” Prescott said, still searching for the words. “You have to come to work and give your absolute best, regardless. I know for a lot of guys, it’s just the business of the world, right? That’s interviews for some people. You can’t just give up. You can’t just stop. You can’t just say, ‘Oh, we’re not going to playoffs.’”
A three-game November winning streak gave the Cowboys hope during a trying season that started with the trade of star pass rusher Micah Parsons to Green Bay a week before the opener at the Eagles, and was jarred midseason when 24-year-old defensive end Marshawn Kneeland died of an apparent suicide.
The surge started after an eventful open week that included Kneeland’s death and a trade that brought standout defensive tackle Quinnen Williams from the New York Jets, a move that sparked a struggling defense.
Those struggles are back — the winning streak ended with a 44-30 loss at Detroit — and the personnel questions that surround the defense grow larger now without a playoff spot on the line.
“I told them: ‘Hey, we’re not changing. We’re not changing who we are,’” first-year coach Brian Schottenheimer said. “We knew that we’re guaranteed 17 games and I’m not going to wake up any different tomorrow. I’m frustrated that we didn’t find a way to get this game done. I’m frustrated that we were that poor on third down. We’re better than that. I’m better than that.”
The Cowboys made three consecutive playoff trips with 12-5 records under Mike McCarthy from 2021-23, but that run ended along with his contract and last season’s 7-10 finish. The sides couldn’t agree on his return, which led to Schottenheimer.
Now Dallas is at risk of consecutive losing records for the first time since all three of former coach Dave Campo’s seasons (2000-02) ended at 5-11. Following the visit from the likely playoff-bound Chargers, the Cowboys finish with road games against the Commanders and the New York Giants, both teams below them in the NFC East.
“I don’t know that you accept it, but I sure am going to live with it,” owner Jerry Jones said. “I really thought we’d come out of here with a win, so I’m very disappointed. But I thought that we would play better against Detroit, too, so when I look back at both games, this is a letdown.”
What’s working
RB Javonte Williams last week clinched his first 1,000-yard season in his fifth year. He followed that up with one of his most efficient games, rushing for 91 yards on 15 carries (6.1 yards per carry). And that was after missing most of the first half with a shoulder injury. His 1-yard plunge was his 10th rushing touchdown of the season.
What needs help
Minnesota’s blitzing defense gave Dallas fits on third down. The Cowboys were 2 of 12, and Prescott went without a touchdown pass for just the third time this season. The two sacks didn’t really illustrate how much pressure he faced.
Stock up
The Cowboys were much better returning and covering kickoffs than they were in the loss to the Lions, when breakdowns by the coverage unit made it difficult to try to rally in the fourth quarter. Minnesota’s average field position after kickoffs was its 28-yard line.
Stock down
CB Trevon Diggs might have played his last game for the Cowboys in Week 6. He sustained a concussion in an accident at home the next week and hasn’t made it off injured reserve. The Cowboys say knee issues are keeping him off the field now. If he’s not activated before the game against the Chargers, Diggs’ season will be over. He’s a prime candidate to get released in a cost-cutting move during the offseason.
Injuries
Standout DT Quinnen Williams will be the biggest question of the week after sustaining a concussion against the Vikings. … If LT Tyler Guyton can’t return from an ankle injury that has sidelined him for three games, Dallas might have to stick with a third option at his position. Nate Thomas injured a shoulder, and Hakeem Adeniji was called for holding soon after replacing him. The penalty helped cut short a drive with Dallas down eight in the fourth quarter. The drive ended on downs.
Key number
2 — Missed field goals by Brandon Aubrey, the first time he has missed more than one at home in his three seasons. Both were from 50-plus yards, as were the only other two misses he had this season. The 59-yard attempt would have given Dallas a lead in the fourth quarter. Instead, the miss gave the Vikings a short field and led to a touchdown.
Next steps
The Chargers have won three in a row at the Cowboys, most recently in 2017, the year the franchise moved to LA.
Reporting by The Associated Press.
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