The Dallas Cowboys are 8-3 this season after a dominant 45-10 win over the Washington Commanders on Thanksgiving. Dallas has shown flashes of being a great team, but it has also had low moments this 2023.
They haven't beaten a team above .500 this season. The Cowboys have a talented roster but have been plagued by early playoff exits for years. Dallas is “America's team” and one of the most historic franchises in sports. They have five Super Bowls, but the fact that they haven't reached the Super Bowl since 1995 is a massive disappointment.
The Super Bowl drought is well-documented, as fans believe they can turn it around every year, only to come up short. Dak Prescott has put together some great regular seasons before struggling in the playoffs. Prescott needs to prove that he can win in big games for the Cowboys to have a shot at ending their Super Bowl drought.
With that said, here is why the Cowboys aren't a legitimate threat to win the NFC this season.
Cowboys struggle against elite NFC teams
While the Cowboys have a star-studded roster, they haven't been able to get past the other elite NFC teams. The San Francisco 49ers and division rival Philadelphia Eagles have had Dallas' number in recent matchups.
Dallas lost to San Francisco in the Divisional Round of the playoffs last season and in the Wild Card Round the year prior. In a regular season matchup this season, the 49ers dominated the Cowboys with a 42-10 victory. Both teams have elite talent on both sides of the ball, but San Francisco has been able to get pressure on Prescott and force turnovers. On offense, their elite weapons of Christian McCaffery, Deebo Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk, and George Kittle have been too much for the Cowboys to handle.
San Francisco's offensive line, led by Trent Williams, has been able to neutralize the Cowboys' star pass rusher, Micah Parsons. The 49ers' complete domination of Dallas makes it tough to believe Mike McCarthy's men could beat them in the playoffs.
It's also difficult to see America's Team get past the division-rival Eagles. Philadelphia represented the NFC in the Super Bowl last season and has been even better this season. The Eagles have the best record in the league at 10-1. In a Week 9 matchup, Philadelphia got a narrow 28-23 win over Dallas.
In this game, Prescott played well, throwing for 374 yards and three touchdowns. The Eagles were able to put pressure on Prescott as they had five sacks in the game. Philadelphia has a formidable defensive line, and they were able to stop the offense at times. Dallas was held to 73 yards on the ground, which forced them to lean on the passing game. While Prescott had a great game in the passing attack, Philadelphia's pressure helped them get some stops.
While the Cowboys kept it close, they ultimately came up short in a crucial matchup. Games against a divisional rival are even more important as they have ramifications for who wins the division. Losing that game back in Week 9 could be the difference between being a top seed in the NFC and being a Wild Card team. That makes the Cowboys' path to the Super Bowl that much harder in the NFC.
Dallas has been unable to take down the proven contenders in the NFC with the Eagles and 49ers. The Cowboys will play Philadelphia in Week 14 in Dallas, which is their chance to prove they should be considered a contender in the NFC. As it stands, the Cowboys will be a great regular-season team but will not make a deep playoff run.
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