The Dallas Cowboys’ playoff struggles over the past decade have left fans and analysts questioning their future. Despite making the playoffs six times in ten years, they’ve consistently fallen short in the Divisional round or the Wild Card round. Now, with contract extensions looming for key players like Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb, and Micah Parsons, the team’s outlook seems murky at best.
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ESPN’s Stephen A Smith recently voiced his doubts about the Cowboys’ playoff chances in the upcoming 2024 NFL season. On “First Take,” he laid out his concerns:
“They won the Division last year, they won 12 games each of the last three seasons, before they went home, obviously. But the flip side to it is, I expect the Eagles to win the NFC. Unless we’re saying the Cowboys are going to win the division, then we’ve got to look at the Dallas Cowboys as a wild card.”
Smith then painted a challenging wild card scenario for Dallas. He pointed to rising contenders in other divisions: the Lions or Packers in the NFC North, the Falcons in the South, and the 49ers and Rams out West. He argued that this competition could push the Cowboys, who have the Eagles in their division itself, out of playoff contention altogether.
The analyst didn’t stop there. He highlighted the team’s lack of depth at the receiver, even if Lamb secures his desired contract extension. Smith also expressed doubts about running back Ezekiel Elliott, suggesting he’s no longer the player he once was.
Moreover, the Cowboys remained largely inactive when other teams improved their rosters in the offseason. Then to drive his point home, the analyst delved into how they might struggle to keep pace in an increasingly competitive NFC.
Smith questions Dallas Cowboys’ playoff chances with “tough schedule”
Stephen A Smith then pointed out that seven of the Cowboys’ first ten games are against teams that made the playoffs last year. “I got to think about that,” Smith said. Adding:
“So, I’m like it’s not a foregone conclusion that they’re going to the playoffs. Yes, they’re good, but because they’re not great and they’re going up against other teams that are good. How do we know that they’re gonna make the playoffs? I don’t.“
And Smith has a valid point. The Cowboys’ road to 11 wins this season looks rocky. Dak Prescott’s future remains up in the air, and last season’s playoff exit left a bad taste in everyone’s mouth.
Then key departures like Tyron Smith and Tyler Biadasz have weakened the roster. Perhaps most crucially, defensive guru Dan Quinn jumped ship to the Commanders, leaving a gaping hole in the coaching staff. Just like Smith detailed how brutal their first-place schedule could be.
Now, the Cowboys face a dual challenge. The offense needs to maintain its edge despite O-line shake-ups, while the defense, under new coordinator Mike Zimmer, has to prove it can still dominate without Quinn’s touch.
So, the big question that remains is whether the Cowboys can rise above these hurdles and clinch those crucial close games.
