3 ways the Cowboys can end their season on a positive note

We have reached the final week of the 2024 regular season which means this is all she wrote for the Dallas Cowboys. At 7-9, the Cowboys have already been eliminated from the playoff hunt but could still inflict a little pain on rival Washington. That’s pretty much all Dallas has left to play for and hopefully end the year on a positive note.

Let's take a look at three ways how the Cowboys can provide some positivity to a frustrated fanbase.

1. End it with a win

That would be ideal facing long-time rival, Washington at home. The Cowboys could still end the year with eight wins after a rocky start. They lost quarterback Dak Prescott halfway through and never really got the running game on track. Wide receiver CeeDee Lamb was banged up, but the offense continued to decline although the running game improved a bit in the latter half of the season.

So, being able to end on a positive note would be a consolation prize and might save. Team owner Jerry Jones sounds like he’s still on the fence about bringing McCarty back, but it sounds like there is still a chance it happens. Most people are ready to move on and that includes former Cowboy and Hall of Fame wide receiver Michael Irvin.

"I just think it's time to go in another direction," Irvin said on The Herd with Colin Cowherd. "I hear this 'late surge' and maybe staying with Mike McCarthy. I'm not on that. I'm not on that bandwagon. What I believe is this team needs more discipline. I'm not saying Mike McCarthy is not a good coach, good X's and O's coach. But I think the team needs more discipline...You can't come in soft and then try to get tough. You got to come in tough and then, and then lighten up because then the guys will feel like they've earned some respect."

2. Don’t get blown out

This is more of a moral victory but it’s a valid one. If you cannot beat the Commanders on Sunday, at least have the decency to go down fighting. Last week against Philadelphia was downright embarrassing. The Eagles dropped 41 on the Cowboys as Dallas was able to muster up just seven points. After the previous few weeks, it was almost shocking to see Dallas bow out in such a manner in Week 17.

The season finale this week should be about some type of redemption and showing that last week was unacceptable. Dallas has been eliminated from playoff contention and this is all they’ve got left. Beat the rival Commanders and leave them with a loss headed into the postseason if possible, and cost them the No. 6 seed i the NFC. If you can’t do that, then make it a game and give fans in Big D a little hope heading into the offseason.

3. Get Trey Lance on the field

It’s probably a long shot but fans have called for Lance pretty much all season. How about giving the fans what they want at some point in this game and let’s see what Lance can do under center. That trade feels more worthless with each passing week. What was the point of making the move to trade Lance last season?

It seems like the Cowboys are leaning towards giving Lance "significant snaps" in Week 18, according to NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport.

Jerry Jones must have been bored and just decided to do something that’d shock folks. Now it seems the Cowboys are just going to lose Lance to free agency without ever really seeing him in live action during a regular season game. Maybe Mike McCarthy saw enough in practice to determine he wasn’t ready. Either way, that trade was a huge waste of everyone’s time.