3 Dallas Cowboys most to blame for embarrassing Wild Card loss to Packers
By Mark Powell
The Dallas Cowboys first half did not go according to plan. Dak Prescott and Co. faced a steep 20-point deficit at the end of the first half thanks to two interceptions by Prescott himself, whose MVP campaign likely went down the drain on Sunday night. The second half wasn't much better, despite some improvement on offense. Prescott missed open wideouts. The Dallas defense couldn't stop a nosebleed. The list goes on and on.
Many questions will be asked of Dallas following this season, and an impatient owner may act on his impulses. Jerry Jones isn't one to play around. The Cowboys won the NFC East this season and entered the postseason as one of several favorites to make the Super Bowl out of the NFC. While Jordan Love and the Green Bay Packers presented an intriguing challenge for Dallas, by no means should they have faced a three-touchdown deficit before you can say Mike McCarthy.
Change will come to Dallas this offseason, that much is obvious. Dan Quinn could be headed elsewhere. McCarthy himself may face questions about his job security. Prescott isn't going anywhere, but at some point the finger has to be pointed in his direction. There is plenty of blame to go around, but it starts with these three.
Cowboys to blame: What is Dak Prescott doing?
Dak Prescott threw a pick-six in the first half, putting the Cowboys behind the eight ball. Facing a 27-0 deficit is insurmountable in the NFL Playoffs, and the Packers are too good of team to gift touchdowns to. Yes, that's a simplistic viewpoint of Prescott's performance, but we've been here before with Dak. Prescott routinely comes up short in the postseason.
Unfortunately for the Cowboys, they don't have a way out of Dak's contract. Prescott is a top-10 QB in the NFL when healthy...in the regular season. Once the postseason comes into play, he becomes a different player altogether.
Prescott will not opt out of his current deal, especially after this game, as he will make over $120 million the next three years. If the Cowboys want out, they face over $60 million in a dead cap hit. Good luck with that, Jerry Jones.