Considering that the Dallas Cowboys are playing in Year 65 of the franchise’s existence, it’s very hard to find franchise firsts these days.
Yet, in Sunday’s brutal 41-7 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, the Cowboys did something for the first time since the 1960 season.
Did you catch it? It’s right there in black and white.
Sunday’s final score was the first time Dallas had a game finish with that score since Nov. 13, 1960.
In Week Eight of the 1960 campaign, the Cowboys headed north to Lambeau Field and got clobbered 41-7.
Ironically, the Packers also had a Pick Six in the game.
The 1960 squad had an excuse for getting curb-stomped. They were an expansion team with guys literally suiting up off the street.
This year’s team just plain stinks.
Before you doth protest overmuch (and there’s your obscure Shakespearean reference for the decade) consider who beat the Cowboys.
The Eagles’ second and third-string quarterbacks, that’s who. And neither of them broke much of a sweat doing it.
There Is No Difference At QB
Of course, there’s a certain portion of the fanbase that will say this dismal season is because Dak Prescott got hurt.
The same Prescott who was 3-5 before he checked out for the year.
To be fair, Cooper Rush is not lighting it up with his 4-4 record. But, no matter the outcome of this coming Sunday’s finale against the Commanders, Rush will have a better record this year.
Assuming he does start.
Really, Dallas should be starting Trey Lance if for no other reason than to make him get his uniform dirty just once for his $5 million salary.
In all honesty, the Cowboys’ quarterback room is absolute trash. Unfortunately, the incompetent front office has chained the team to failure at least through the end of the 2028 season.
A True Team Effort
To be fair, Sunday was a team effort. Everyone stunk. Even Brandon Aubrey checked out, missing his only field goal attempt.
Micah Parsons apparently forgot which side of the line of scrimmage he is supposed to start the plays on, getting flagged multiple times.
With the offense non-existent, the defense called it a day early. In addition to letting Kenny Pickett and Tanner McKee – seriously, who? – carve them up, they couldn’t stop the run.
Specifically, they couldn’t stop Saquon Barkley.
The former Giants’ back, who Jerry Jones couldn’t bother to call along with Derrick Henry, rushed for 167 yards. He’s at 2,005 yards for the season. He needs just 101 yards next week to break Eric Dickerson’s record that dates back to 1984.
Barkley will face the Giants this week, so if the Eagles start him, he’ll likely get it.
But remember, Jones Inc. was happy with Rico Dowdle (1,007 yards) and Ezekiel Elliott (226 yards).
The only positive to hang one’s hat on was that Rush rebounded. He drove the offense for a game-tying touchdown after his errant throw put Dallas in a 7-0 hole.
But for most of the game, the Cowboys played like a team that didn’t care anymore. That’s how you get a 41-7 final score.
By The Numbers
As mentioned above, it was the second time that score ended a Cowboys’ regular season or playoff game and Dallas has lost both of those games.
The loss dropped the team to 7-9 on the season with one last game on Sunday. It’s at home and a Dallas win ends the year at 8-9.
One seems to recall someone picking the Cowboys to finish 8-9 with a win next week over the Commanders following a predicted loss to the Eagles.
Who was that guy, anyway?
The loss drops Dallas’ all-time record against the Eagles to 74-58 overall. Philadelphia is 34-31 when those games are played on their home turf.
It was the third-straight loss for Dallas in Philadelphia, and second-straight against the Eagles overall.
The Cowboys are now 14-22 in Week 17 contests. They are 3-4 when they face Philadelphia in those contests.
Speaking Of Quitters
While it looked like Dallas mailed it in on Sunday, at least they went out onto the field.
The same can’t be said of Miami Hurricanes’ quarterback Cam Ward.
Playing in the Pop-Tarts Bowl – look, I like me some breakfast junk food, but seriously? – Ward broke Case Keenum’s career TD passing record at 156.
He then sat out the second half. He wasn’t hurt, he just wanted the record.
In the meantime, his teammates were trying to win what will be, for many of them, their final football game.
Miami lost to Iowa State 42-41. With their leader sitting out because he apparently didn’t care about his team.
Karma may have the final say though.
Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel has 153 career touchdown passes. He’ll be leading the Ducks against Ohio State in the Rose Bowl on Wednesday.
Here’s hoping Gabriel throws four touchdowns.
In the first quarter.
Speaking of the over-hyped and unworthy…
Rocky Mountain Low
Colorado’s Travis Hunter was (wrongfully) awarded the Heisman this year. His quarterback, Sheduer Sanders, was also a Heisman candidate.
They went out and got clobbered by BYU, 36-14, at the Alamo Bowl. At one point, the Cougars were up 27-0.
Most of Hunter and Sanders’ damage was done when the game was no longer in doubt.
Even worse was the television coverage with the broadcast team hyping up Hunter and Sanders throughout the game.
The team out there winning the game got next to no love.
I’ll just put out there that I pray the Cowboys stay far away from both Hunter and Sanders in April.
In the meantime, the best college football player is getting ready to play his first playoff game. Ashton Jeanty leads Boise State against Penn State in Tuesday’s Fiesta Bowl.
Stranger Than Fiction?
It’s an old adage in any sport. Until the clock strikes zero, or you’re mathematically eliminated, keep on playing.
It works in fantasy football too.
One of my fantasy teams, ironically named Pigskin Fiction, started the year at 0-8. Now we have some double-header weeks and those were huge in the final weeks.
Because my 0-8 team won seven of its last nine to earn the final playoff spot on a tie-breaker.
On Sunday, even with George Kittle yet to play for the Fiction at tight end tonight, the championship was secured. The Fiction hold a 24.8-point lead and the opponent has no one going tonight.
I’ve been playing fantasy football since 1989. This is championship number 14.
It might be the one I rank as my best, simply because of how the season started.
How do you fare this year?
If you won your league, or even just played for the title, let us know in the comments below so we can all celebrate a great season.