Dallas Cowboys what can go wrong, does go wrong against 49ers

The Dallas Cowboys needed to stop the run, and the negligence cost them the game and the season against the 49ers. 

Cue the Stephen A. Smith “Accident Waiting to Happen” music video; the Dallas Cowboys are going to be hearing it for a very long time.

They’ve probably gotten used to hearing it and doing nothing to overcome it. Once again, a season with so much promise, several highlights, and the emergence of several young bursting stars all comes crashing down at the wrong time. This time, it was against the San Francisco 49ers in the Wild Card round.

The 23-17 defeat at AT&T Stadium sends Dallas out of the playoffs and the 49ers off to Lambeau Field. Moreover, those who despise the Cowboys, i.e., Smith and Fox Sports 1 analyst Shannon Sharpe, will have a field day recapping the game.

San Francisco is moving on. The same cannot be said for the Cowboys. Once again, a loss in the playoffs. This time, it was not because of some controversial play or incredible catch. It was undisciplined football, being physically overmatched at the line of scrimmage and outplayed overall.

Several self-inflicted wounds combined with a lack of discipline. That falls on Mike McCarthy. Dallas had so many opportunities to make plays and give chances for their offense. But every time they had a chance, they committed a penalty, and everything blew up—14 total penalties by Dallas.

Dak Prescott, the potential comeback player of the year, looked beyond rusty, going 20-39 for 215 yards, one touchdown, and an interception. Ezekiel Elliot, who cracked 1,000 yards rushing this year, only ran for 31 yards.

CeeDee Lamb couldn’t get going, and as stated before, the offensive line was in pure shambles, allowing five sacks. Prescott had a chance to tie or win the game potentially, but a wrong run into the middle of the field after a bizarre sequence of events proved to be costly.

Meanwhile, when San Francisco’s defensive line wasn’t wrecking the game, Jimmy Garoppolo and Elijah Mitchell were moving the ball against the Dallas defense. Where was Micah Parsons? Where were Demarcus Lawrence and Randy Gregory? Where was Trevon Diggs? Neutralized, at least until the end of the game, for ultimately nothing. All courtesy of Kyle Shanahan’s zone-blocking scheme.

Jimmy G finished 16-25 for 172 yards and a near-fatal interception that could have changed the game, while Mitchell ran for 96 yards and a touchdown. Deebo Samuel, the heart and soul of the offense, didn’t drop jaws on the stat sheet, but he kept the Dallas defense guessing, ultimately proving that he demands attention when he is on the field, evidenced by his rushing touchdown.

https://twitter.com/BleacherReport/status/1482861034650185729?s=20

The Dallas Cowboys will always end up with the same results unless they fix what needs to be fixed

As it pertains to the on-the-field product, Dallas had no answer for San Francisco and their physicality, which was why many picked the 49ers to win the game before kickoff.

You would think that those points alone would be a reason for the Cowboys to rise up and make a statement. Also, Nick Bosa’s statement should have sent the Dallas offensive line into a rage and given them a good reason to dominate the line of scrimmage.

Instead, it was a Texas-sized disappointment and a continued reminder that things may never be prosperous in Big D, at least when it counts. As it pertains to Bosa, if this were the 90’s Great Wall of Dallas that received that material, it would not have been pretty. Those men would have lost their mind and probably went beserk, given their physical nature. But Bosa did not play in the second half due to a head injury.

This game is a reminder that ever since Jimmy Johnson was let go in 1993, Dallas has not been the same. Sure, they won in ’95, but Barry Switzer was fortunate to win with Johnson’s players. Since then, it’s been year after year, playoff heartbreak after playoff heartbreak, and a passionate fanbase having to endure taunts from the outside world. Tough for Jerry and Stephen Jones to hear, but, as they say, the truth hurts.

How bout them, Cowboys? They’re at home, and every season will continue to end the same way unless they change that narrative, but that may take a long time, a really long time.