The Dallas Cowboys suffered a devastating and damaging defeat on Super Wild Card Weekend. The 12-5 Cowboys lost 48-32 to the Green Bay Packers. Dallas went into the game as heavy favourites.
They had not lost at home since September 2022. They were the NFC East winners. It was not supposed to finish like this. But it did.
The Cowboys are now in their 29th year without a Super Bowl. And Sunday's game joins a long list of infamous Cowboys playoff defeats. Moreover, the Cowboys have lost 20 times in the Wild Card and Divisional Rounds.
Here is DAZN's rundown of some of Dallas' famous playoff troubles.
Cowboys 17 - 23 49ers (2021-22)
In the 2021-22 season, the Dallas Cowboys hosted the San Francisco 49ers on Super Wild Card Weekend. The 49ers were the wild card team; they were significant underdogs. But a stifling defensive performance and enough throws from Jimmy Garoppolo gave the 49ers a six-point lead in the final minutes.
The Cowboys had possession and were marching downfield until Dak Prescott and Mike McCarthy lost all semblance of time and clock management. Prescott ran into midfield and away from the sideline. Dallas had to rush to the line and stop the clock.
Instead, Prescott fumbled around looking for a referee, and the clock expired. Dallas could not get their last play called before the buzzer. Cowboys fans threw rubbish onto the field in disgust. That defeat is one of five playoff losses the Cowboys have suffered with Prescott.
Cowboys 31 - 34 Packers (2016-17)
Rewind time to the 2016-17 season, and the Cowboys had earned the NFC's number-one seed. A 13-3 record saw Dallas cruise into the Divisional Round. Rookies Dak Prescott and Zeke Elliott were the new stars on a team fortified by veterans like Jason Witten and Dez Bryant.
The Cowboys were heavy favourites to win a playoff game and get to the Super Bowl until Aaron Rodgers and his table-running Green Bay Packers rolled into AT&T Stadium and stunned the Texas faithful.
The Cowboys spluttered out of the starting blocks. After three quarters, they trailed 28-10. Rodgers had weaved another quarterbacking masterpiece. But the Cowboys scored 18 points in the fourth quarter to give themselves a chance.
Overtime loomed until Rodgers made an absurd throw to Jared Cook. Cook walked the tightrope on the touchline and completed the catch. That set up Mason Crosby to kick a 51-yard field goal. Crosby slammed his kick through the uprights. A walk-off field goal had ended Dallas' fairytale season.
Cowboys 21 - 26 Packers (2014-15)
This game changed the catch rules in the NFL. Whether it changed it for better or for worse, who knows? With minutes left on the clock, the Cowboys were in striking range of taking the lead and potentially winning the game.
Quarterback Tony Romo saw that the Packers left wideout, Dez Bryant, in one-on-one coverage. Romo threw it to Bryant. Then, one of the most debated, discussed, and contentious refereeing calls happened.
Key facts and figures
Here are some of the key statistics across Dallas' 29-year Super Bowl drought:
- The Cowboys have won one playoff game away from home in the last 29 years
- Dak Prescott is now 2-5 in playoff games
- The Cowboys are 0-2 in playoff games when they have been the NFC's number one seed
- The Cowboys have suffered eight one-and-done losses in the last 29 years
- Dallas has now made 13 consecuitve playoff appearances without getting to the NFC Championship
- They have lost their last three playoff games against the Green Bay Packers
- Total 20 losses in the Wild Card and Divisional Rounds
The Cowboys are worth $9 billion. They are one of the most famous sports teams in the world. Yet, it seems their playoff woes and Super Bowl drought will be a hex over them for several seasons.