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The Dallas Cowboys entered Sunday following a shockingly close victory over the Houston Texans. That may have had some fans on edge heading into this week's game against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
The idea of a trap game came to fruition as the Cowboys suffered a shocking loss in overtime against the Jaguars. A 40-34 loss was not what the team had in mind when a playoff berth could be clinched.
A lot was exposed and fans may be worried heading into the final few games of the season.
The Cowboys gave fans another concerning performance
Much of the attention after this loss will go towards Dak Prescott and the offense. While the team finished with 34 points, Prescott ended with two interceptions, including a game-ending pick-six. This came after he tossed two interceptions a week ago against Houston as well.
It is hard to blame the offense in this one. The defense got absolutely dominated by Trevor Lawrence. The second-year quarterback finished with 318 yards and four touchdowns. He fumbled once and threw an interception, but still bounced back and never felt like he or his team were out of it against Dallas. That is a problem.
The shocking loss snapped a four-game winning streak, with Dallas still 10-4 for the year and comfortably in line for a playoff spot. However, it is tough to be too confident in this group given their recent history.
Last year saw the team fall in the Wild Card round against the San Francisco 49ers after a 12-5 finish in the regular season. The Cowboys have not won a playoff game since the 2018 season and have not been past the Divisional round since 1995.
The loss was not ideal, but the Cowboys have a chance to prove their true potential over the next three weeks. They will play the Philadelphia Eagles, Tennessee Titans, and Washington Commanders to finish off the year. The Eagles are the best team in football, while the Titans and Commanders are both playoff contenders.
A 0-3 finish could still sneak Dallas into the postseason, but would obviously raise major alarms. This means that the future of the franchise may be on the line over the next month. A great finish followed by a playoff win puts the team in the right direction. However, a shaky ending followed by an early exit could mean Jerry Jones finally hits a reset button of sorts after being patient for so long.
