Easily the hardest blog I’ve had to write so far, even though I’ve written it in my head 22 times now.
This evening the Cowboys lost to the 49ers 19-12. I’m not in a good mindset right now, but I’m going to try extremely hard to recap this game and fight through the agony.
Dallas had so many chances to win this game. It was so close for so long but they just couldn’t do enough to snag a lead and hold on. Unfortunately, I think Dak Prescott deserves the most blame for this loss today. He just wasn’t very good, plain and simple. To me, this game flipped on its heels when the Cowboys were in SF territory right before half with a chance to take the lead (the score was 6-6). It was 4th and 5, and thanks to Brett Maher continuing to mentally combust live on national television, Dallas rolled the dice and went for it. I didn’t hate the call, and for a brief moment, it seemed like the right one. Dak scrambled for the first down on that play, but what happened after really sucked ass. Tony Pollard caught a nice check-down for like 9 yards but suffered an injury on the play that knocked him out for the game. Brutal. Pretty much immediately after that, Dak stared down CeeDee Lamb and forced a pass into double coverage that was picked off. Fucking brutal. THEN, it looked like Kyle Shanahan was just gonna run out the clock (I was shocked and happy), but of course, Brock fucking Purdy hit Jennings down the field and out of bounds to get SF into field goal range. SO fucking brutal.
Dallas should’ve been up AT LEAST 10-6, maybe even 14-6 going into the half, but somehow found themselves down 3. I can’t help but imagine what could’ve been, had Brett Maher not shown up to the game with his underwear already soiled. I feel bad for him, but he actually affected how McCarthy had to call the game. I’m not saying it’s TOTALLY his fault that Pollard got hurt and Dak’s brain shut off again, but those two events don’t happen if we just kick (just saying). I’d remove the fingernail from my pinky fingers to have someone like Robby Gould who apparently has never missed a fucking kick in the playoffs before. Must be nice.
The second half had a few good things happen. A muffed punt from SF and a few nice plays from Ceedee Lamb, but after that, you could just feel the game tilting. Dallas’s defense started to get gassed and the run game for the Niners started to slowly choke us out. Brock Purdy really didn’t do much, but he doesn’t have to. He played mistake-free football and hit a few big throws (mostly to Kittle) that were the difference. Speaking of Kittle, he made a wild circus catch in this game that shouldn’t have happened. Trevon Diggs yet again made a weak ass attempt at hitting someone which is what allowed the catch. He also dropped a pick that fell right in his lap on SF’s only touchdown drive. He’s been really good this year, but those are two game-changing plays that he wasn’t able to make.
I’d also like to formally question Kevontae Turpin for a second. At one point it looked like he had a surefire kickoff return TD. There were two gaping holes to the left and right, yet he chose the one path that stopped him from scoring: running directly into the kicker. “I drove by the fork in the road, and went straight.” – Jay Z, Kevontae Turpin.
As for where the Cowboys go from here? I honestly have no fucking clue. Clearly, we need more firepower at the skill positions. It sure would’ve been nice to have someone like, I don’t know, Amari Cooper in a game like this. Maybe we can trade a 5th round pick for a guy like that or something. Outside of KC, Dallas clearly has the weakest skill position group from today’s playoff teams (and KC doesn’t even count because they have Mahomes). You just can’t win in today’s NFL with only 1 dynamic receiving/running threat. Zeke has been running in quicksand for a while now, and our lack of speed outside of TP has been a real killer this season. It’s very convenient that this year is one of the worst free-agent WR classes ever! We also could use some help in the secondary and LB group. I guess I’ll just have to hope and pray we nail a few draft picks because Jerry is too old and crippled to trade for anybody worth a damn.
I also wouldn’t mind seeing us move on from this coaching staff. I know it’s not beneficial to have a coaching carousel for continuity reasons, but I feel like we may have hit the ceiling with these guys. It just sucks going up against someone like Shanahan, Andy Reid, or Brian Daboll and being so clearly at a disadvantage. I don’t think McCarthy sucks, but what else are we getting from him? Dan Quinn is likely gone, and Kellen Moore has pissed me off so many times that I won’t miss him (even though he wasn’t horrible today). I would just like to see what Sean Payton could do with Dak and this group. He seems to be the best name available, and he has a history with the Cowboys. I know this next name won’t happen, but I’d love to see Jerry drop a $20M bag at Kirby Smart’s doorstep. I have no idea if he’d be any good in the NFL without a roster that isn’t leaps and bounds above everyone else, but at least he’d convince the locker room that they’re the most worthless group of humans alive, and are guaranteed to go 0-17. Dallas could use a little propaganda.
This is the worst time of year, and I am very sad right now. It feels like our super bowl window is closing fast, and I hope this wasn’t our last chance. It’s hard to put together an incredible roster with a $40M QB, but it’s not impossible. I still believe Dak can win us a super bowl, but he’s definitely not gonna carry a below-average team. I also don’t wanna hear anyone bitch about his contract right now- he got paid like the market demands and is still firmly in the top 10 QBs right now. I think we’ve seen his ceiling and he isn’t in that elite tier with Mahomes, Herbert, Burrow, and Allen. You are a fucking idiot if you think you NEED one of those guys to win a super bowl (watch Brock Purdy do it this year) though.
I already miss watching the Boys play, and will look forward to seeing them again next season. No matter what, I’m always gonna ride for my team. This shit is for life.
The Armchair Experts 
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