2021 Dallas Cowboys season

Last updated

2021 Dallas Cowboys season
Owner Jerry Jones
General managerJerry Jones
Head coach Mike McCarthy
Offensive coordinator Kellen Moore
Defensive coordinator Dan Quinn
Home field AT&T Stadium
Results
Record12–5
Division place1st NFC East
Playoff finishLost Wild Card Playoffs
(vs. 49ers) 17–23
Pro Bowlers
6
AP All-Pros
4
Uniform
Dallas Cowboys Uniforms - 2016 Season.png

The 2021 season was the Dallas Cowboys' 62nd season in the National Football League (NFL), their 33rd under the ownership of Jerry Jones, and their 13th playing home games at AT&T Stadium.

Contents

For the first time since 2004, long-time long snapper L. P. Ladouceur was not on the opening day roster, as he was not re-signed during free agency. [1] This was also the first time since 2010 that long-time punter Chris Jones was not on the opening day roster, as he was released on March 17, 2021. [2] To further add to the notable departures, for the first time since 2011, defensive lineman Tyrone Crawford was not on the opening day roster, as he announced his retirement on March 25, 2021. [3] Additionally, for the first time since 2009, linebacker Sean Lee was not on the opening day roster, as he announced his retirement on April 26, 2021. [4]

With their Week 10 win against the Atlanta Falcons, the Cowboys improved on their 6–10 record from the previous season. With their Week 14 win against the Washington Football Team, the Cowboys clinched their first winning season since 2018, and with the San Francisco 49ers' Week 16 loss to the Tennessee Titans, the Cowboys clinched their first playoff berth also since 2018. Following a Denver Broncos' loss to the Las Vegas Raiders, the Cowboys clinched the NFC East, based on strength-of-victory tiebreakers; this was their first division title since 2018. They swept the NFC East for the first time since 1998. The Cowboys' strong offense finished the year with 530 points, the most in the league, and a team record. But despite high expectations, the Cowboys lost in the wild card round of the playoffs to the San Francisco 49ers 23–17.

On July 2, 2021, the Cowboys were announced to be featured on HBO's Hard Knocks for the third time in franchise history. [5]

Offseason

Signings

PositionPlayerAge2020 teamContract
RB Corey Clement 27 Philadelphia Eagles 1 year, $990,000
TE Jeremy Sprinkle 27 Washington Football Team 1 year, $987,500
OT Ty Nsekhe 36 Buffalo Bills 1 year, $1.75 million
DE Brent Urban 30 Chicago Bears 1 year, $1.75 million
DT Carlos Watkins 28 Houston Texans 1 year, $1.75 million
LB Tarell Basham 27 New York Jets 2 years, $6.5 million
FS Malik Hooker 25 Indianapolis Colts 1 year, $920,000
FS Damontae Kazee 28 Atlanta Falcons 1 year, $1.127 million
SS Jayron Kearse 27 Detroit Lions 1 year, $1.127 million
SS Keanu Neal 26Atlanta Falcons1 year, $5 million
P Bryan Anger 33Houston Texans1 year, $987,500
LS Jake McQuaide 34 Los Angeles Rams 1 year, $1.2 million

Re-signings

PositionPlayerAgeContract
QB Dak Prescott 284 years, $160 million
WR Noah Brown 251 year, $1.127 million
WR Malik Turner 251 year, $920,000
WR Cedrick Wilson Jr. 261 year, $2.1 million
CB C. J. Goodwin 312 years, $3.5 million
CB Jourdan Lewis 263 years, $16.5 million

Departures

PositionPlayerAge2021 team
QB Andy Dalton 33 Chicago Bears
QB Garrett Gilbert 30 Washington Football Team
FB Jamize Olawale 32Unsigned
WR Jon'Vea Johnson 26Chicago Bears
WR Chris Lacy 25Chicago Bears
TE Blake Bell 30 Kansas City Chiefs
TE Cole Hikutini 27 New York Giants
OT Cameron Erving 29 Carolina Panthers
OT Brandon Knight 24 Baltimore Ravens
OT Greg Senat 27 Indianapolis Colts
C Marcus Henry 28 Arizona Cardinals
C Joe Looney 31Retired
C Adam Redmond 28Baltimore Ravens
DE Ron'Dell Carter 24Arizona Cardinals
DE Tyrone Crawford 32Retired
DE Aldon Smith 32 Seattle Seahawks
DT Eli Ankou 27 Buffalo Bills
DT Antwaun Woods 28Indianapolis Colts
LB Sean Lee 35Retired
LB Justin March 28 Tennessee Titans
LB Jaylon Smith 26New York Giants
LB Joe Thomas 30Baltimore Ravens
CB Chidobe Awuzie 26 Cincinnati Bengals
FS Xavier Woods 26 Minnesota Vikings
P Chris Jones 32Unsigned
LS L. P. Ladouceur 40Unsigned

Draft

2021 Dallas Cowboys draft
RoundPickPlayerPositionCollegeNotes
112 Micah Parsons  *  LB Penn State
244 Kelvin Joseph   CB Kentucky
375 Osa Odighizuwa   DT UCLA
384 Chauncey Golston   DE Iowa
399 Nahshon Wright   CB Oregon State Compensatory Pick
4115 Jabril Cox   LB LSU
4138 Josh Ball   OT Marshall Compensatory Pick
5178 Simi Fehoko   WR Stanford Compensatory Pick
6192 Quinton Bohanna   DT Kentucky
6227 Israel Mukuamu   CB South Carolina Compensatory Pick
7238 Matt Farniok   OG Nebraska
      Made roster    †    Pro Football Hall of Fame     *   Made at least one Pro Bowl during career

Notes

Staff

2021 Dallas Cowboys staff

Front office

  • Owner/president/general manager – Jerry Jones
  • COO/Executive vice president/director of player personnel – Stephen Jones
  • Senior director of football operations/football administration – Todd Williams
  • Executive vice president/chief brand officer – Charlotte Jones Anderson
  • Executive vice president/Chief sales & marketing officer – Jerry Jones Jr.
  • Director of salary cap & player contracts – Adam Prasifka
  • Vice president player personnel – Will McClay
  • Director of team travel and logistics – Craig Glieber
  • Assistant director of football administration and technology – Jason McKay
  • Director of college scouting – Lionel Vital
  • Director of pro scouting – Alex Loomis
  • Assistant director of college scouting – Chris Hall
  • Advance scouting coordinator – Keith O'Quinn
  • Scout – Chris Vaughn
  • Scouting video coordinator – Rich Behm
  • Assistant to the head coach – Laura Fryar

Head coaches

Offensive coaches

Defensive coaches

Special teams coaches

  • Special teams coordinator – John Fassel
  • Assistant special teams – Matt Daniels
  • Video/analytics – Justin Ruud
  • Quality control/analytics – Eric Simonelli

Strength and conditioning

  • Strength and conditioning – Harold Nash
  • Assistant strength and conditioning – Cedric Smith
  • Assistant strength and conditioning – Kendall Smith


Rosters

Opening preseason roster

Dallas Cowboys 2021 opening preseason roster
Quarterbacks

Running backs

Wide receivers

Tight ends

Offensive linemen

Defensive linemen

Linebackers

Defensive backs

Special teams

Reserve lists

90 active (+1 exempt), 1 inactive

Week one roster

Dallas Cowboys 2021 week one roster
Quarterbacks

Running backs

Wide receivers

Tight ends

Offensive linemen

Defensive linemen

Linebackers

Defensive backs

Special teams

Reserve lists

Practice squad

54 active, 15 inactive, 15 practice squad (+1 exempt)

Final roster

2021 Dallas Cowboys roster
Quarterbacks (QB)

Running backs (RB)

Wide receivers (WR)

Tight ends (TE)

 Offensive linemen (OL)

Defensive linemen (DL)

 Linebackers (LB)

Defensive backs (DB)

(Elevated)

Special teams

Practice squad

Reserve

Rookies in italics
54 active, 12 reserve, 15 practice squad (+1 exempt)

Preseason

On February 15, the NFL announced that the Cowboys would face the Pittsburgh Steelers in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game on Thursday, August 5, at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio. The game kicked off at 7:00 p.m. CDT, and was televised by Fox. The Cowboys were represented by head coach Jimmy Johnson and safety Cliff Harris. The Cowboys and Steelers were scheduled to play in the 2020 Hall of Fame game; however, the game, the annual Hall of Fame enshrinement, along with the entire 2020 preseason, were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the Hall of Fame game between the Cowboys and Steelers was rescheduled for 2021. [6] [7]

The remainder of the Cowboys' preseason opponents are listed below; the schedule was announced on May 13.

WeekDateOpponentResultRecordVenueRecap
HOF August 5vs. Pittsburgh Steelers L 3–160–1 Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium Recap
1August 13at Arizona Cardinals L 16–190–2 State Farm Stadium Recap
2August 21 Houston Texans L 14–200–3 AT&T Stadium Recap
3August 29 Jacksonville Jaguars L 14–340–4AT&T Stadium Recap

Regular season

Schedule

The Cowboys' 2021 schedule was announced on May 12.

WeekDateOpponentResultRecordVenueRecap
1 September 9 at Tampa Bay Buccaneers L 29–310–1 Raymond James Stadium Recap
2 September 19at Los Angeles Chargers W 20–171–1 SoFi Stadium Recap
3 September 27 Philadelphia Eagles W 41–212–1 AT&T Stadium Recap
4 October 3 Carolina Panthers W 36–283–1AT&T Stadium Recap
5 October 10 New York Giants W 44–204–1AT&T Stadium Recap
6 October 17at New England Patriots W 35–29 (OT)5–1 Gillette Stadium Recap
7 Bye
8 October 31at Minnesota Vikings W 20–166–1 U.S. Bank Stadium Recap
9 November 7 Denver Broncos L 16–306–2AT&T Stadium Recap
10 November 14 Atlanta Falcons W 43–37–2AT&T Stadium Recap
11 November 21at Kansas City Chiefs L 9–197–3 Arrowhead Stadium Recap
12 November 25 Las Vegas Raiders L 33–36 (OT)7–4AT&T Stadium Recap
13 December 2at New Orleans Saints W 27–178–4 Caesars Superdome Recap
14 December 12at Washington Football Team W 27–209–4 FedExField Recap
15 December 19at New York Giants W 21–610–4 MetLife Stadium Recap
16 December 26 Washington Football Team W 56–1411–4AT&T Stadium Recap
17 January 2 Arizona Cardinals L 22–2511–5AT&T Stadium Recap
18 January 8at Philadelphia Eagles W 51–2612–5 Lincoln Financial Field Recap

Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

Game summaries

Week 1: at Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Week 1: Dallas Cowboys at Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Game summary
Quarter1234Total
Cowboys7910329
Buccaneers7147331

at Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Florida

Game information

Dak Prescott played his first game since he suffered compound fracture and dislocation injuries to his right ankle during a Week 5 game against the Giants the previous season. The Cowboys defense forced four turnovers but Greg Zuerlein missed crucial field goals, including a 60-yarder and an extra point. The Cowboys would fall to 0–1. This was the only time this season that the Cowboys had a lead at one point but ended up losing the game.

Week 2: at Los Angeles Chargers

Week 2: Dallas Cowboys at Los Angeles Chargers – Game summary
Quarter1234Total
Cowboys1400620
Chargers383317

at SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, California

Game information

The Cowboys started the game with a 14–3 lead, from touchdown runs by Tony Pollard and Ezekiel Elliott. The Chargers later tied the game. The Cowboys and Chargers each scored a field goal in their next scoring drives. In the last seconds of the game, the Cowboys marched down the field to the Chargers' 38-yard line. Greg Zuerlein kicked a 56-yard field goal as time expired to give Dallas a crucial win. The win improved the Cowboys to 1–1. This was the Cowboys' first win over the Chargers since 2005.

Week 3: vs. Philadelphia Eagles

Week 3: Philadelphia Eagles at Dallas Cowboys – Game summary
Quarter1234Total
Eagles707721
Cowboys14671441

at AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas

Game information

The Cowboys continued their home streak against the Eagles. Despite Dak Prescott's early hiccup by fumbling to allow the Eagles to score, Prescott responded by leading his team to torch the Eagles defense. Trevon Diggs recorded a pick-six off Jalen Hurts to tighten the Cowboys' lead. It was the first time since Week 8 of 2017 that the Cowboys recorded a pick-six. With the win, the Cowboys improved to 2–1.

Week 4: vs. Carolina Panthers

Week 4: Carolina Panthers at Dallas Cowboys – Game summary
Quarter1234Total
Panthers7701428
Cowboys7620336

at AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas

Game information

The Cowboys continued to roll. The Cowboys trailed 14–13 at halftime, but things significantly turned around for them in the second half. The third quarter began with Panthers' kicker Zane Gonzalez missing a field goal try, which the Cowboys took advantage by marching down the field to score a touchdown on the next drive. The Cowboys scored 23 unanswered points to take a 36–14 lead. Trevon Diggs recorded two interceptions off Panthers' Sam Darnold, giving Diggs a recorded 5 interceptions in the first 4 games. The Panthers scored the final 14 points, but the Cowboys picked up a first down in the last minutes to run out the clock. This win improved the Cowboys to 3–1. This was the Cowboys' first win over the Panthers since 2012.

Week 5: vs. New York Giants

Week 5: New York Giants at Dallas Cowboys – Game summary
Quarter1234Total
Giants0103720
Cowboys314101744

at AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas

Game information

Dak Prescott and the Cowboys played their second consecutive Week 5 home game against the Giants. Unlike the previous season's matchup, Dak Prescott finished the game without suffering an injury. The game began with Dak Prescott throwing an interception and losing a fumble, neither turnover of which the Cowboys would allow the Giants to score. The Cowboys never once trailed despite allowing New York to tie the game. After this, the game was all Dallas. The Cowboys scored two more takeaways, one of which was a pick six collected by Anthony Brown to seal the win for the Cowboys. This win improved the Cowboys to 4–1. This was the first time since 2018 that they won 4 or more consecutive games.

Week 6: at New England Patriots

Week 6: Dallas Cowboys at New England Patriots – Game summary
Quarter1234OTTotal
Cowboys73712635
Patriots140015029

at Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, Massachusetts

  • Date: October 17
  • Game time: 4:25 p.m. EDT/3:25 p.m. CDT
  • Game weather: Partly cloudy, 61 °F (16 °C)
  • Game attendance: 65,878
  • Referee: Brad Allen
  • TV announcers (CBS): Jim Nantz, Tony Romo, Tracy Wolfson and Gene Steratore
  • Recap, Game Book
Game information

The Cowboys scored the 2,500th touchdown in franchise history with Dak Prescott's 1-yard pass to CeeDee Lamb in the third quarter to take their first lead of the game, their first touchdown against the Patriots since 2011. During overtime, the Cowboys forced a Patriots punt, putting the Cowboys in position to score. During the final play, Dak Prescott threw a game-winning touchdown pass to CeeDee Lamb to seal the Cowboys' win. With the win the Cowboys improved to 5–1, as well as getting their first win over the Patriots since 1996, and their first on the road since 1987.

Week 8: at Minnesota Vikings

Week 8: Dallas Cowboys at Minnesota Vikings – Game summary
Quarter1234Total
Cowboys0310720
Vikings733316

at U.S. Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, Minnesota

  • Date: October 31
  • Game time: 7:20 p.m. CDT
  • Game weather: None (indoor stadium)
  • Game attendance: 66,633
  • Referee: Scott Novak
  • TV announcers (NBC): Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth, Michele Tafoya and Terry McAulay
  • Recap, Game Book
Game information

Dak Prescott was declared inactive for the game due to a grade one calf strain he suffered in the New England game. Backup Cooper Rush got his first career start in place of Prescott. The Cowboys' defense allowed an opening-drive touchdown and was not able to collect any takeaways, but they gave the Vikings' offense a hard time all game and only allowed three field goals the rest of the game. The Cowboys won the game in the final minute when Cooper Rush connected with Amari Cooper for a five-yard touchdown pass. With the win, the Cowboys improved to 6–1. This was the Cowboys' second consecutive win over the Vikings, as well as the third at U.S. Bank Stadium. This was the first time the Cowboys won six in a row since 2016.

Week 9: vs. Denver Broncos

Week 9: Denver Broncos at Dallas Cowboys – Game summary
Quarter1234Total
Broncos61031130
Cowboys0001616

at AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas

  • Date: November 7
  • Game time: 12:00 p.m. CST
  • Game weather: None (retractable roof closed)
  • Game attendance: 93,503
  • Referee: Bill Vinovich
  • TV announcers (Fox): Kevin Burkhardt, Greg Olsen and Pam Oliver
  • Recap, Game Book
Game information

The Cowboys returned home to face the Denver Broncos. Dallas entered the game as 10-point home favorites, seeking their first win against Denver since the 1995 season. However, the Cowboys' offense was stymied by the Broncos defense the entire game. The Cowboys recorded their second blocked punt of the season, but the Broncos recovered to retain possession. Dallas' only points came on two touchdowns to Malik Turner, but the outcome was already decided in favor of the Broncos. The 30–16 loss dropped the Cowboys to 6–2 on the season, and 0–7 in their last 7 matchups against the Broncos. Dallas never held a lead against Denver, and was held under twenty points, both firsts for the season.

Week 10: vs. Atlanta Falcons

Week 10: Atlanta Falcons at Dallas Cowboys – Game summary
Quarter1234Total
Falcons30003
Cowboys7297043

at AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas

  • Date: November 14
  • Game time: 12:00 p.m. CST
  • Game weather: 66 °F (19 °C) (retractable roof open)
  • Game attendance: 93,436
  • Referee: Craig Wrolstad
  • TV announcers (Fox): Kevin Burkhardt, Greg Olsen and Pam Oliver
  • Recap, Game Book
Game information

The Cowboys rebounded in a considerable way. The Cowboys offense combined for 43 points off of 431 yards. The scoring began with CeeDee Lamb hauling in Dak Prescott's pass for a touchdown to give the Cowboys the early lead. The Falcons responded with a field goal for their lone scoring play of the game. Afterwards, the Cowboys put up 36 unanswered points, 29 of which came in the second quarter. Ezekiel Elliott scored two touchdown runs to extend Dallas' lead to 21–3, before Lamb caught his second touchdown to make it 28–3. The special teams would also contribute with Nahshon Wright returning a blocked punt for a touchdown. As the Cowboys led 36–3 at halftime, their defense intercepted the Falcons three times in as many drives. One of those interceptions was by Trevon Diggs, who had not intercepted a pass since Week 6 against the Patriots. With this win, the Cowboys improved to 7–2.

Week 11: at Kansas City Chiefs

Week 11: Dallas Cowboys at Kansas City Chiefs – Game summary
Quarter1234Total
Cowboys30339
Chiefs973019

at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri

  • Date: November 21
  • Game time: 3:25 p.m. CST
  • Game weather: 58 °F (14 °C)
  • Game attendance: 73,494
  • Referee: John Hussey
  • TV announcers (Fox): Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, Erin Andrews and Tom Rinaldi
  • Recap, Game Book
Game information

Despite strong defensive play, the Cowboys offense could not keep pace with Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs. The Cowboys noticed the absence of Amari Cooper, who was ruled out due to COVID-19 protocols. Cooper's absence would contribute largely to Dallas' subsequent struggles on offense, as they failed to score a single touchdown despite their defense holding Kansas City's high-powered offense under 20 points. The 19–9 loss dropped the Cowboys to 7–3. This was the Cowboys' only game of the season not scoring at least 10 points.

Week 12: vs. Las Vegas Raiders

Thanksgiving Day games

Week 12: Las Vegas Raiders at Dallas Cowboys – Game summary
Quarter1234OTTotal
Raiders143106336
Cowboys67614033

at AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas

  • Date: November 25
  • Game time: 3:30 p.m. CST
  • Game weather: None (retractable roof closed)
  • Game attendance: 93,483
  • Referee: Shawn Hochuli
  • TV announcers (CBS): Jim Nantz, Tony Romo and Tracy Wolfson
  • Recap, Game Book
Game information

After their loss to the Chiefs, the Cowboys looked to win their first game on Thanksgiving since they beat the Washington Football Team in 2018, who were then known as the Redskins. The Cowboys were already in trouble after several pass interference plays. The Cowboys sent the game to overtime, but after a controversial pass interference call on Anthony Brown, they could not succeed at making a comeback. The Cowboys fell to 7–4, and lost their third consecutive game on Thanksgiving Day.

Week 13: at New Orleans Saints

Week 13: Dallas Cowboys at New Orleans Saints – Game summary
Quarter1234Total
Cowboys767727
Saints073717

at Caesars Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana

  • Date: December 2
  • Game time: 7:20 p.m. CST
  • Game weather: None (indoor stadium)
  • Game attendance: 69,170
  • Referee: Brad Rogers
  • TV announcers (Fox/NFLN/Prime Video): Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, Erin Andrews and Kristina Pink
  • Recap, Game Book
Game information

With Mike McCarthy in COVID-19 protocols, Dan Quinn took the interim head coaching position in place of McCarthy. The Cowboys ended their losing streak against the Saints in New Orleans with the win, as well as improving to 8–4.

Week 14: at Washington Football Team

Week 14: Dallas Cowboys at Washington Football Team – Game summary
Quarter1234Total
Cowboys1863027
Washington0081220

at FedExField, Landover, Maryland

  • Date: December 12
  • Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST/12:00 p.m. CST
  • Game weather: Sunny, 48 °F (9 °C)
  • Game attendance: 61,308
  • Referee: Alex Kemp
  • TV announcers (Fox): Kevin Burkhardt, Greg Olsen and Pam Oliver
  • Recap, Game Book
Game information

The Cowboys continued their road trip against the Washington Football Team. Dallas would jump out to a 24–0 lead by halftime. One of those scoring plays involved Micah Parsons forcing a fumble, which was recovered by Dorance Armstrong for a touchdown. In the second half, Washington would awaken from their slump and score three touchdowns of their own, including a pick-six by Cole Holcomb. However, Dallas was able to stave off the late rally and keep the game out of Washington's reach by forcing a game-ending fumble. The win improved the Cowboys to 9–4.

Week 15: at New York Giants

Week 15: Dallas Cowboys at New York Giants – Game summary
Quarter1234Total
Cowboys696021
Giants30306

at MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey

Game information

The Cowboys continued their dominance against the Giants. The Cowboys defense continued to be superior to the Giants offense, as the Cowboys held the Giants without a touchdown. The win improved the Cowboys to 10–4. Several days later, the Cowboys clinched a postseason berth after the 49ers lost to the Titans.

Week 16: vs. Washington Football Team

Week 16: Washington Football Team at Dallas Cowboys – Game summary
Quarter1234Total
Washington070714
Cowboys21217756

at AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas

Game information

Having already clinched the NFC East after the Broncos lost to the Raiders, the Cowboys looked to add to their momentum as they returned home to play against the Washington Football Team. The Cowboys dominated the game in every way. Their defense continued to shine with an additional 2 takeaways, one of which was a pick six. Dak Prescott became the first quarterback in NFL history to throw at least one touchdown pass to a wide receiver, running back, offensive tackle, and a tight end, all in one game, with one touchdown pass going to running back Ezekiel Elliott, one touchdown pass going to wide receiver Amari Cooper, one touchdown pass going to offensive tackle Terence Steele, and one touchdown pass going to Dalton Schultz. The Cowboys scored their most points since 1980 when they romped the 49ers, 59–14. This win improved the Cowboys to 11–4 and swept Washington for the first time since 2019.

Week 17: vs. Arizona Cardinals

Week 17: Arizona Cardinals at Dallas Cowboys – Game summary
Quarter1234Total
Cardinals3109325
Cowboys0701522

at AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas

  • Date: January 2
  • Game time: 3:25 p.m. CST
  • Game weather: None (retractable roof closed)
  • Game attendance: 93,459
  • Referee: Scott Novak
  • TV announcers (Fox): Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, Erin Andrews and Tom Rinaldi
  • Recap, Game Book
Game information

The Cowboys stayed home for the second straight week to take on the Arizona Cardinals. Dallas struggled in the first half and could not keep pace with Arizona. They later fought back in the fourth quarter to pull within 3 points, but a controversial fumble call ended the Cowboys' momentum. This loss dropped the Cowboys to 11–5 on the season.

Wide receiver Michael Gallup left the game with a knee injury in the second quarter after a touchdown reception. It was confirmed to be a torn ACL, ending his season.

Week 18: at Philadelphia Eagles

Week 18: Dallas Cowboys at Philadelphia Eagles – Game summary
Quarter1234Total
Cowboys102002151
Eagles7103626

at Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

  • Date: January 8
  • Game time: 8:15 p.m. EST/7:15 p.m. CST
  • Game weather: Clear, 26 °F (−3 °C)
  • Game attendance: 69,796
  • Referee: Ronald Torbert
  • TV announcers (ESPN/ABC/ESPN+): Steve Levy, Brian Griese, Louis Riddick, Lisa Salters, and John Parry
  • Recap, Game Book
Game information

The Cowboys traveled to Philadelphia to play the backup-laden Eagles, who had also already clinched a playoff spot. Dak Prescott threw for 5 touchdowns, a career high. He also surpassed Tony Romo's single-season touchdown pass record. It was the first time in history the Cowboys would score 50+ points on the road. This was the first time since 1998 that the Cowboys completed a season sweep of the NFC East. The Cowboys finished the regular season 12–5 in the first ever 17-game NFL season.

Standings

Division

NFC East
WLTPCTDIVCONFPFPASTK
(3) Dallas Cowboys 1250.7066–010–2530358W1
(7) Philadelphia Eagles 980.5293–37–5444385L1
Washington Football Team 7100.4122–46–6335434W1
New York Giants 4130.2351–53–9258416L6

Conference

NFC
#TeamDivisionWLTPCTDIVCONFSOSSOVSTK
Division winners
1 [a] Green Bay Packers North1340.7654–29–3.479.480L1
2 [a] Tampa Bay Buccaneers South1340.7654–28–4.467.443W3
3 [b] Dallas Cowboys East1250.7066–010–2.488.431W1
4 [b] Los Angeles Rams West1250.7063–38–4.483.409L1
Wild cards
5 Arizona Cardinals West1160.6474–27–5.490.492L1
6 San Francisco 49ers West1070.5882–47–5.500.438W2
7 [c] Philadelphia Eagles East980.5293–37–5.469.350L1
Did not qualify for the postseason
8 [c] New Orleans Saints South980.5294–27–5.512.516W2
9 Minnesota Vikings North890.4714–26–6.507.434W1
10 [d] Washington Football Team East7100.4122–46–6.529.420W1
11 [d] [e] Seattle Seahawks West7100.4123–34–8.519.424W2
12 [d] [e] Atlanta Falcons South7100.4122–44–8.472.315L2
13 Chicago Bears North6110.3532–44–8.524.373L1
14 Carolina Panthers South5120.2942–43–9.509.412L7
15 New York Giants East4130.2351–53–9.536.485L6
16 Detroit Lions North3131.2062–43–9.528.627W1
Tiebreakers [f]
  1. 1 2 Green Bay finished ahead of Tampa Bay based on conference record (9–3 vs. 8–4).
  2. 1 2 Dallas finished ahead of LA Rams based on conference record (10–2 vs. 8–4).
  3. 1 2 Philadelphia finished ahead of New Orleans based on head-to-head victory.
  4. 1 2 3 Washington finished ahead of Atlanta and Seattle based on head-to-head victories.
  5. 1 2 Seattle finished ahead of Atlanta based on win percentage in common games (4–2 vs. 3–3 against: San Francisco, New Orleans, Jacksonville, Washington, and Detroit).
  6. ↑ When breaking ties for three or more teams under the NFL's rules, they are first broken within divisions, then comparing only the highest-ranked remaining team from each division.

Postseason

RoundDateOpponent (seed)ResultRecordVenueRecap
Wild Card January 16 San Francisco 49ers (6)L 17–230–1 AT&T Stadium Recap

Game summaries

NFC Wild Card Playoffs: vs. (6) San Francisco 49ers

NFC Wild Card Playoffs: (6) San Francisco 49ers at (3) Dallas Cowboys – Game summary
Quarter1234Total
49ers1067023
Cowboys0701017

at AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas

Game information

The Cowboys hosted the San Francisco 49ers for the Wild Card Playoffs. However, the Cowboys were plagued by miscues and penalties throughout the game, and a late fourth-quarter rally fell short in a heartbreaking loss. San Francisco scored first with a touchdown run by Elijah Mitchell on the game's opening drive, and built their lead to 23–7 by the start of the fourth quarter. Dallas started their rally with a long field goal by Greg Zuerlein, followed by a touchdown run by Dak Prescott. On the game's final drive, Prescott led the Cowboys deep into San Francisco territory, but with seconds remaining and no time-outs, he was stopped in bounds on a run up the middle as the game clock continued running. The Cowboys had a first down at the 49ers 24-yard line, but the clock expired before Prescott could stop it by spiking the ball, in part because members of the Cowboys offense unintentionally prevented the Umpire from touching the ball to officiate the start of the snap, ending the game and Dallas's season. The 23–17 loss marked the second time in their past three postseason appearances, and the seventh time in their past ten, that Dallas went one-and-done in the playoffs. The Cowboys finished the season with a total record of 12–6.

Statistics

Team

CategoryTotal yardsYards per gameNFL rank
(out of 32)
Passing offense4,800282.42nd
Rushing offense2,119124.69th
Total offense6,919407.01st
Passing defense4,049238.220th
Rushing defense1,918112.816th
Total defense5,967351.019th

Individual

CategoryPlayerTotal yards
Offense
Passing Dak Prescott 4,449
Rushing Ezekiel Elliott 1,002
Receiving CeeDee Lamb 1,102
Defense
Tackles (Solo) Jayron Kearse 67
Sacks Micah Parsons 13
Interceptions Trevon Diggs 11

Statistics correct as of the end of the 2021 NFL season [8] [9]

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The 2003 Dallas Cowboys season was the 44th season for the team in the National Football League (NFL) and the first under head coach Bill Parcells. For the first time since 1989, Emmitt Smith was not on the opening day roster, culminating with for the first time since 1987, neither Michael Irvin (1988-1999), Aikman (1989-2000) on the roster either. Coming off three consecutive 5–11 seasons, Dallas hired former New York Giants, New England Patriots, and New York Jets coach Bill Parcells. In a scheduling coincidence, the Cowboys faced all three said teams in the 2003 regular season. The team was vastly improved and posted a 10–6 record, clinching their first winning season since 1998 and clinching their first playoff berth since 1999. In the Wild Card round of the playoffs the team lost to the eventual NFC champion Carolina Panthers 29–10.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2010 Dallas Cowboys season</span> 51st season in franchise history

The 2010 Dallas Cowboys season was the franchise's 51st season in the National Football League (NFL), and the second season playing their home games at Cowboys Stadium. After falling to the Minnesota Vikings in the divisional round of the 2009-10 NFL Playoffs, the Cowboys sought to defend their NFC East division title and contend for a Super Bowl Championship, particularly given that Super Bowl XLV would be played at Cowboys Stadium.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2011 Dallas Cowboys season</span> 52nd season in franchise history

The 2011 Dallas Cowboys season was the franchise's 52nd season in the National Football League (NFL), the third playing their home games at Cowboys Stadium and the first full season under head coach Jason Garrett. The team improved on their 6–10 record from 2010, but missed the playoffs for the second consecutive season due to their week 17 loss to the eventual Super Bowl champion New York Giants.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2012 Dallas Cowboys season</span> 53rd season in franchise history

The 2012 Dallas Cowboys season was the franchise's 53rd season National Football League (NFL), the fourth playing their home games at Cowboys Stadium and the second full season under head coach Jason Garrett. The Cowboys matched their win total from 2011 but missed the playoffs for a third consecutive season after losing their final game for the second straight season, this time to the Washington Redskins. Their 8–8 record was remarkable because the Cowboys trailed at some point during every game.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2013 Houston Texans season</span> 12th season in franchise history

The 2013 Houston Texans season was the franchise's 12th season in the National Football League (NFL). The Texans failed to improve upon their 12–4 record from 2012, suffering through a season-ending 14-game losing streak following a 2–0 start and missing the playoffs for the first time since 2010. Head coach Gary Kubiak was fired after eight seasons following their eleventh loss. Defensive coordinator Wade Phillips was named the interim head coach for the final three games of the season. Out of the 14 games lost by the Texans this year, 9 of them were by one score, marking a record amount of one score losses for the franchise. Their 14-game losing streak is the worst in team history. Coming off a franchise-best 12–4 record just the year before, the Texans tie a league record with the Houston Oilers for the biggest season-to-season decline in win total. On January 3, 2014, claiming that "I'm ready to kick 2013 the hell out the door", Texans owner Robert McNair announced that former Penn State head coach Bill O'Brien would be the Texans' third head coach.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2013 Dallas Cowboys season</span> 54th season in franchise history

The 2013 season was the Dallas Cowboys' 54th in the National Football League (NFL), their fifth playing home games at AT&T Stadium and the third full season under head coach Jason Garrett. The Cowboys finished 8–8 for a third consecutive season, but missed the playoffs for a fourth consecutive season after losing their final game for the third straight season, this time to the Philadelphia Eagles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2014 Dallas Cowboys season</span> 55th season in franchise history

The 2014 Dallas Cowboys season was the franchise's 55th season in the National Football League (NFL), the sixth playing their home games at AT&T Stadium and the fourth full season under head coach Jason Garrett.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2015 Dallas Cowboys season</span> 56th season in franchise history

The 2015 Dallas Cowboys season was the franchise's 56th season in the National Football League (NFL), the seventh playing their home games at AT&T Stadium and the fifth full season under head coach Jason Garrett. The Cowboys finished the regular season at 4–12. It was the team's worst record since 1989, when they went 1–15, and the first time the Cowboys finished in last place in the NFC East since 2002.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2015 New Orleans Saints season</span> NFL team season

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">2016 Dallas Cowboys season</span> 57th season in franchise history; last season for Tony Romo

The 2016 season was the Dallas Cowboys' 57th in the National Football League (NFL), their 28th under the ownership of Jerry Jones, their 8th playing their home games at AT&T Stadium, and their 6th full season under head coach Jason Garrett.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2017 Dallas Cowboys season</span> 58th season in franchise history

The 2017 season was the Dallas Cowboys' 58th in the National Football League (NFL), their 29th under the ownership of Jerry Jones, their 9th playing their home games at AT&T Stadium, and their 7th full season under head coach Jason Garrett.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2018 Dallas Cowboys season</span> 59th season in franchise history

The 2018 season was the Dallas Cowboys' 59th in the National Football League (NFL), their 30th under the ownership of Jerry Jones, their 10th playing their home games at AT&T Stadium, and their eighth full season under head coach Jason Garrett. AT&T Stadium also became the first stadium venue to host the annual draft. For the first time since 2009, wide receiver Dez Bryant was not on the opening day roster, as he was released on April 13, 2018 and later signed with the New Orleans Saints on November 7, 2018. For the first time since 2002, tight end Jason Witten was not on the opening day roster, having announced his retirement on May 3, 2018. For the first time since 2010, kicker Dan Bailey was not on the opening day roster, as he was released on September 1, 2018.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2018 Houston Texans season</span> 17th season in franchise history

The 2018 season was the Houston Texans' 17th season in the National Football League (NFL) and their fifth under head coach Bill O'Brien. This marked the first season since 2005 that Rick Smith would not be the general manager as he took a leave of absence for family reasons. Despite an 0–3 start, their first in a decade, the Texans surpassed their win total from the previous season with a Week 8 win over the Miami Dolphins. They had a franchise record 9 consecutive wins that also broke the NFL record for most consecutive wins after starting 0–3. The streak ended with a Week 14 loss to the Indianapolis Colts. With a Week 15 win over the New York Jets, the Texans clinched their first 10-win season under head coach Bill O’Brien, their first 10-win season since 2012 and their third 10-win season in franchise history.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2019 Dallas Cowboys season</span> 60th season in franchise history

The 2019 season was the Dallas Cowboys' 60th in the National Football League (NFL), their 11th playing home games at AT&T Stadium and their ninth and final season under head coach Jason Garrett. It also marked the return of tight end Jason Witten, who retired in 2018 and spent a year as the color analyst for Monday Night Football. Wide receiver Cole Beasley, who was the second-longest tenured player on the roster, left the team in the offseason and signed with the Bills.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2020 Dallas Cowboys season</span> 61st season in franchise history

The 2020 season was the Dallas Cowboys' 61st in the National Football League (NFL) and their first under head coach Mike McCarthy. This was the first season since 2006 that Jason Garrett was not part of the coaching staff, as his contract expired on January 14, 2020. For the second time since 2002, tight end Jason Witten was not on the opening day roster, as he signed with the Las Vegas Raiders on March 17, 2020. For the first time since 2012, center Travis Frederick was not on the opening day roster, as he announced his retirement on March 23, 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2021 Houston Texans season</span> NFL team season

The 2021 season was the Houston Texans' 20th season in the National Football League (NFL), and their only under head coach David Culley. For the first time since 2011, defensive end J. J. Watt was not on the roster, as he had signed with the Arizona Cardinals on March 5, 2021, reuniting him with former Texans teammate DeAndre Hopkins, who was traded to the Cardinals the season prior. It also was the first time since 2014 without former head coach Bill O'Brien, as he was fired just four games into the 2020 season when the Texans began 0–4.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2022 Houston Texans season</span> 21st season in franchise history

The 2022 season was the Houston Texans' 21st in the National Football League (NFL) and their only season under Lovie Smith, following the firing of David Culley at the end of the 2021 season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2022 Dallas Cowboys season</span> 63rd season in franchise history

The 2022 season was the Dallas Cowboys' 63rd in the National Football League (NFL) and their third under head coach Mike McCarthy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2023 Dallas Cowboys season</span> 64th season in franchise history

The 2023 season was the Dallas Cowboys' 64th season in the National Football League (NFL), their 35th under the ownership of Jerry Jones, and their fourth under head coach Mike McCarthy. The Cowboys matched their 12–5 record from the previous two seasons and won the NFC East division for the first time since the 2021 season and the second time in three seasons. They ended up in a three-way tie with the San Francisco 49ers and the Detroit Lions for first place in the NFC at 12–5. However, they lost the conference tiebreaker to the 49ers but won the head to head tiebreaker over the Lions, giving them the second seed in the playoffs. Although the Cowboys lost to the Buffalo Bills in Week 15, they clinched their third straight playoff berth before taking the field when the Green Bay Packers and Atlanta Falcons lost to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Carolina Panthers, respectively. This marked the Cowboys' first run of three consecutive postseason appearances since appearing in six straight from 1991 to 1996.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2024 Dallas Cowboys season</span> 65th season in franchise history

The 2024 season is the Dallas Cowboys' 65th season in the National Football League (NFL) and their fifth under head coach Mike McCarthy. This is their first season since 2020 without Dan Quinn as defensive coordinator, as the Washington Commanders hired him to be their head coach. He was replaced in that role by former Minnesota Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer, who returned to the Cowboys after eighteen years. The Cowboys failed to improve upon their 12–5 record from the past three seasons following a loss to the Atlanta Falcons in Week 9, and after suffering their sixth loss to the Philadelphia Eagles the following week, they are guaranteed to have their worst record since 2020.

References

  1. ↑ Walker, Patrik (April 1, 2021). "L.P. Ladouceur 'not thinking about retirement' after Cowboys decide to move on from legendary long snapper". CBSsports.com. Retrieved September 15, 2021.
  2. ↑ Phillips, Rob (March 17, 2021). "Cowboys Release Longtime Punter Chris Jones". dallascowboys.com. Retrieved September 15, 2021.
  3. ↑ "Cowboys DL Tyrone Crawford Retiring from NFL after 9 seasons". Dallasnews.com. March 25, 2021. Retrieved September 15, 2021.
  4. ↑ Archer, Todd (April 26, 2021). "Dallas Cowboys LB Sean Lee retires after 11 seasons". ESPN.com. Retrieved September 15, 2021.
  5. ↑ "Dallas Cowboys to be featured in HBO's 2021 'Hard Knocks' series". Fox4News.com. July 2, 2021. Retrieved September 15, 2021.
  6. ↑ Schefter, Adam (June 25, 2020). "Cowboys-Steelers Hall of Fall Game called off; enshrinement ceremony postponed". ESPN . Retrieved June 25, 2020.
  7. ↑ Williams, Chareen (February 15, 2021). "Unprecedented Hall of Fame weekend will kick off with Cowboys-Steelers". NBC Sports . Retrieved February 15, 2021.
  8. ↑ "2021 NFL Team Total Statistics". ESPN . Retrieved January 10, 2022.
  9. ↑ "Dallas Cowboys Stats". Dallas Cowboys . Retrieved January 11, 2022.
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