A season full of optimism and Super Bowl aspirations came to a crashing halt on Sunday. The Dallas Cowboys, who entered their playoff matchup as favorites, fell flat against the San Francisco 49ers. As a result, Mike McCarthy's team was eliminated from Super Bowl contention, ending this dream season on a sour note.

After the game, rumors of Mike McCarthy potentially being replaced by a different coach swirled around the league. The Cowboys coach addressed these rumors, saying: (via Jon Machota)

“I don’t have any concerns. I’m proud to be standing here today. I’m proud of this football team.”

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The Cowboys' second season with Mike McCarthy at the helm was a relatively successful one. Welcoming back quarterback Dak Prescott from injury was the biggest catalyst for their success. Their deadly offense, along with a defense headed by two All-Pro players in Trevon Diggs and Micah Parsons, led them to win their division rather easily.

However, against the 49ers, the Cowboys just couldn't muster up the same dominance they had on the regular season. Mike McCarthy just couldn't find a way to stop San Francisco's resurgent offense. Add to that some questionable calls that had McCarthy fuming, and the result is yet another tally to Dallas' troubling playoff history in recent years.

The future is still bright in Dallas, but another first-round exit will certainly leave a sour taste in Cowboys fans' mouths. This might've been their best shot at making a deep run and perhaps winning the Super Bowl. Instead, they'll be on the outside looking in once again as the Divisional Round starts.