{"id":131136,"date":"2025-12-15T22:53:38","date_gmt":"2025-12-15T22:53:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=131136"},"modified":"2025-12-15T22:53:38","modified_gmt":"2025-12-15T22:53:38","slug":"%f0%9f%9a%a8-inside-postgame-fallout-one-hard-truth-is-emerging-from-the-cowboys-brutal-sunday-night-football-loss-to-the-vikings-and-the-blame-is-settling-in-an-uncomfortable-place-dallas","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=131136","title":{"rendered":"\ud83d\udea8 INSIDE POSTGAME FALLOUT: One hard truth is emerging from the Cowboys\u2019 brutal Sunday Night Football loss to the Vikings, and the blame is settling in an uncomfortable place Dallas fans won\u2019t like. What unfolded on that stage exposed deeper issues that go far beyond one bad night and may linger far longer than expected."},"content":{"rendered":"
While the Dallas Cowboys fans clamor for the removal of Matt Eberflus as defensive coordinator, the team clings to a 1% chance of making the playoffs. And here are the Cowboys most to blame for the brutal Sunday Night Football loss to the Vikings.<\/p>\n

With the playoffs formerly within better reach, the Cowboys suffered their second straight loss. This one was a 34-26 decision against a Vikings team that put together an impressive offensive performance against the Cowboys\u2019 struggling defense.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s take a look at what went wrong.<\/p>\n

Cowboys DC Matt Eberflus had no answers<\/strong><\/h2>\n

After many poor performances throughout the season, J.J. McCarthy befuddled the Cowboys’ defense with a career-high 250 yards passing. He also hit for a pair of touchdown passes and rushed for another.<\/p>\n

McCarthy said he\u2019s feeling more comfortable, according to ESPN.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think just experience, getting to my eighth game and just feeling more and more comfortable in the pocket, seeing the defenses,\u201d McCarthy said. \u201cI\u2019m just another piece of the puzzle.\u201d<\/p>\n

But the Cowboys were left seeking answers.<\/p>\n

\u201cDefinitely surprised, especially (to) get rolling like we did for those few weeks, then watch the confidence just skyrocket,\u201d Prescott said. \u201cStopping teams, scoring at will, coming back from 21 points (down), a lot of good wins there that, to be in this position just reminds you every play matters. It’s a hard game.\u201d<\/p>\n

And it has been particularly hard for Eberflus. And owner Jerry Jones isn\u2019t a happy camper, according to The Athletic.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe adjustments that we should be making (defensively) should be with these next three games in mind,\u201d Jones said. \u201cWith three games left in the short time that we\u2019ve got to play them in, then that will impact any adjustments that you make regarding coaching with the time frame we\u2019re dealing with. That\u2019s a legit question.\u201d<\/p>\n

Vikings made life tough for Cowboys’ defense<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The Vikings entered averaging 279 yards per game, fifth-lowest in the NFL. They were averaging just 20 points per game, ranking them at No. 25. Against the Cowboys, they totaled 327 yards and their second-highest point total of the season.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019d like to play better defense, and at the end of the day, that\u2019s what he does,\u201d Jones said when asked about Eberflus. \u201cFrom the standpoint, I know Matt, of course, individually, since he\u2019s coached here for many, many years. But I thought we made some adjustments. They handled it pretty good.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you notice, the (Vikings defensive) style is that they get up, put a lot up (by the line of scrimmage) to look at, and then they mix it up, kind of take some out, and put some in, so to speak, while it\u2019s all going on. We kind of do it different philosophically. Theirs won the day.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sounds like Eberflus won\u2019t last much longer in Dallas. And the head coach didn\u2019t offer support.<\/p>\n

\u201cI felt like we gave up too many explosives,\u201d Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer said. \u201cI think those are the things you have to eliminate. Again, these guys play hard. These guys played a really physical game. But at the end of the day, we have to play better as a football team and got to get more pressure on the quarterback, got to get them on the ground. I don\u2019t think we played well enough to win.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cowboys QB Dak Prescott wasn\u2019t good enough<\/strong><\/h2>\n

To be fair, it seems like Prescott got another disinterested performance from George Pickens, who totaled only three catches for 33 yards. By comparison, unheralded receiver Ryan Flournoy had four catches for 40 yards.<\/p>\n

Prescott hit 23 of 38 passes for 294 yards, which aren\u2019t bad numbers. But he didn\u2019t throw a touchdown pass for just the third time this season. The Cowboys\u2019 ground game proved strong, with Javonte Williams rushing 15 times for 91 yards and a score.<\/p>\n

However, Prescott didn\u2019t keep drives alive. And he couldn\u2019t get the team to finish drives. After an early second-quarter touchdown, the Cowboys managed only four field goals the rest of the way. They were moving the ball, but Brandon Aubrey missed a pair of kicks. But they didn\u2019t finish.<\/p>\n

Some of that falls on Prescott\u2019s shoulders. And he and his teammates are left with this outlook, according to newsweek.com.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, I mean- it\u2019s professionals,\u201d Prescott said. \u201cYou\u2019re a professional football player, you’ve got to come to work and give your best regardless. Unfortunately, I\u2019m sure the playoffs are out of the picture. But it\u2019s about taking pride in who you are as a man, and not only that, in your job, and everything that\u2019s gotten you to this point.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cowboys WR George Pickens didn\u2019t show up<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Are the Cowboys willing to back up the cash truck to Pickens\u2019 home after his last two games?<\/p>\n

Gilberto Manzano of Sports Illustrated says they should not.<\/p>\n

\u201cDallas already has one [$30 million receiver] with star receiver CeeDee Lamb,\u201d Manzano wrote. \u201cAnd handing Pickens a contract extension that compares to Lamb\u2019s would be a massive mistake for the organization. Paying Pickens would be several steps backward because the Micah Parsons trade to Green Bay was supposed to give the Cowboys cap space flexibility to build a well-rounded roster. Tying up the salary cap in Pickens, Lamb, and Dak Prescott would put this team back where it was before the shocking Parsons trade in August.\u201d<\/p>\n

Pickens has been outstanding at times this season. But in the team\u2019s two biggest games, both losses that wound up ending reasonable playoff hopes, Pickens totaled eight catches for 70 yards and zero touchdowns.<\/p>\n<\/article>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Dallas Cowboys suffered a brutal loss to the Vikings on Sunday Night Football, and here are the people most to blame.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":131137,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[89,54,1125,997,9,1132],"class_list":["post-131136","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nfl","tag-dak-prescott","tag-dallas-cowboys","tag-editorials","tag-matt-eberflus","tag-nfl","tag-nfl-editorials"],"yoast_head":"\n\ud83d\udea8 INSIDE POSTGAME FALLOUT: One hard truth is emerging from the Cowboys\u2019 brutal Sunday Night Football loss to the Vikings, and the blame is settling in an uncomfortable place Dallas fans won\u2019t like. What unfolded on that stage exposed deeper issues that go far beyond one bad night and may linger far longer than expected. - NEWS USA<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=131136\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"\ud83d\udea8 INSIDE POSTGAME FALLOUT: One hard truth is emerging from the Cowboys\u2019 brutal Sunday Night Football loss to the Vikings, and the blame is settling in an uncomfortable place Dallas fans won\u2019t like. What unfolded on that stage exposed deeper issues that go far beyond one bad night and may linger far longer than expected. - NEWS USA\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The Dallas Cowboys suffered a brutal loss to the Vikings on Sunday Night Football, and here are the people most to blame.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=131136\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"NEWS USA\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-12-15T22:53:38+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/avtnew-96-1.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1080\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1080\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"MrThanh\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"MrThanh\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"5 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=131136\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=131136\",\"name\":\"\ud83d\udea8 INSIDE POSTGAME FALLOUT: One hard truth is emerging from the Cowboys\u2019 brutal Sunday Night Football loss to the Vikings, and the blame is settling in an uncomfortable place Dallas fans won\u2019t like. 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