Cowboys should feel hopeless at ending playoff woes after Saints loss

The Dallas Cowboys put together one of the most impressive performances in Week 1 of the NFL season. They faced one of the best defenses in the NFL in the Cleveland Browns and managed to score 33 points, winning the game on the road 33-17.

When looking at their schedule entering the season, it was safe to call their Week 1 game more of a toss-up, but Week 2 felt like a clear and easy win. The New Orleans Saints looked like a team destined to finish under .500 in 2024, and the Cowboys were set to begin their home season against them. Surely, they'd win comfortably. Unfortunately for Dallas, that's not how it played out.

Not only did the Cowboys lose, but they were embarrassed, falling 44-19. They trailed 14-3 at the end of the first quarter and 35-16 at the half. In other words, they were non-competitive from the moment that the game kicked off.

On one hand, this is an easy game for Dallas to flush. On the other hand, it adds to the sizable concern that already exists regarding Dallas' ability to win in the playoffs, or lack thereof.

Cowboys continue to prove they're not ready to win in the playoffs thanks to Kyle Shanahan and his disciples

In the 2023 regular season, the Cowboys ranked fifth in the league, allowing 18.5 points per game. This season, Dallas held the Browns to 17 points in their Week 1 win. In other words, they're an elite defensive team in the regular season, and have been for years.

Their problem, of course, is their defense in the playoffs. In a highly-anticipated matchup last season, the Cowboys lost 42-10 against the San Francisco 49ers. That postseason, they saw their season end prematurely thanks to a 48-32 loss to the Green Bay Packers. Those losses are important to keep in mind because they both came against either Kyle Shanahan or members of his tree.

Shanahan's Niners dominated Dallas last season and have done so for years. Matt LaFleur, a Shanahan disciple, was able to dominate the Cowboys last postseason. Now, the Cowboys just allowed 44 points to yet another Shanahan disciple, Klint Kubiak, New Orleans' new offensive coordinator.

Whether the Saints can sustain their high level of play to begin the year remains to be seen, but it's not like Shanahan's disciples will be going anywhere. They all happen to be in the NFC, too.

For the Cowboys to make a deep playoff run, chances are, they're going to have to beat a team led by Shanahan or one of his disciples. They've continued to prove time and time again that they cannot do that or even come close to containing their dynamic offenses. Chances are, if a Shanahan-led team is going to score 40 or more points against Dallas in the playoffs, the Cowboys will be eliminated earlier than they'd like.