2021 Dallas Cowboys season

The 2021 season was the Dallas Cowboys' 62nd season in the National Football League (NFL), their 33rd under the ownership of Jerry Jones, and their 13th playing home games at AT&T Stadium.

2021 Dallas Cowboys season
Owner	Jerry Jones
General manager	Jerry Jones
Head coach	Mike McCarthy
Offensive coordinator	Kellen Moore
Defensive coordinator	Dan Quinn
Home field	AT&T Stadium
Results
Record	12–5
Division place	1st NFC East
Playoff finish	Lost Wild Card Playoffs (vs. 49ers) 17–23
Pro Bowlers	6 WR CeeDee Lamb T Tyron Smith G Zack Martin MLB Micah Parsons CB Trevon Diggs P Bryan Anger
All-Pros	4 RG Zack Martin (1st team) LB Micah Parsons (1st team) CB Trevon Diggs (1st team) P Bryan Anger (2nd team)
Uniform
← 2020 Cowboys seasons 2022 →

For the first time since 2004, long-time long snapper L. P. Ladouceur was not on the opening day roster, as he was not re-signed during free agency.^[1] This was also the first time since 2010 that long-time punter Chris Jones was not on the opening day roster, as he was released on March 17, 2021.^[2] To further add to the notable departures, for the first time since 2011, defensive lineman Tyrone Crawford was not on the opening day roster, as he announced his retirement on March 25, 2021.^[3] Additionally, for the first time since 2009, linebacker Sean Lee was not on the opening day roster, as he announced his retirement on April 26, 2021.^[4]

With their Week 10 win against the Atlanta Falcons, the Cowboys improved on their 6–10 record from the previous season. With their Week 14 win against the Washington Football Team, the Cowboys clinched their first winning season since 2018, and with the San Francisco 49ers' Week 16 loss to the Tennessee Titans, the Cowboys clinched their first playoff berth also since 2018. Following a Denver Broncos' loss to the Las Vegas Raiders, the Cowboys clinched the NFC East, based on strength-of-victory tiebreakers; this was their first division title since 2018. They swept the NFC East for the first time since 1998. The Cowboys' strong offense finished the year with 530 points, the most in the league, and a team record. But despite high expectations, the Cowboys lost in the wild card round of the playoffs to the San Francisco 49ers 23–17.

On July 2, 2021, the Cowboys were announced to be featured on HBO's Hard Knocks for the third time in franchise history.^[5]

Offseason

Signings

Position	Player	Age	2020 team	Contract
RB	Corey Clement	27	Philadelphia Eagles	1 year, $990,000
TE	Jeremy Sprinkle	27	Washington Football Team	1 year, $987,500
OT	Ty Nsekhe	36	Buffalo Bills	1 year, $1.75 million
DE	Brent Urban	30	Chicago Bears	1 year, $1.75 million
DT	Carlos Watkins	28	Houston Texans	1 year, $1.75 million
LB	Tarell Basham	27	New York Jets	2 years, $6.5 million
FS	Malik Hooker	25	Indianapolis Colts	1 year, $920,000
FS	Damontae Kazee	28	Atlanta Falcons	1 year, $1.127 million
SS	Jayron Kearse	27	Detroit Lions	1 year, $1.127 million
SS	Keanu Neal	26	Atlanta Falcons	1 year, $5 million
P	Bryan Anger	33	Houston Texans	1 year, $987,500
LS	Jake McQuaide	34	Los Angeles Rams	1 year, $1.2 million

Re-signings

Position	Player	Age	Contract
QB	Dak Prescott	28	4 years, $160 million
WR	Noah Brown	25	1 year, $1.127 million
WR	Malik Turner	25	1 year, $920,000
WR	Cedrick Wilson Jr.	26	1 year, $2.1 million
CB	C. J. Goodwin	31	2 years, $3.5 million
CB	Jourdan Lewis	26	3 years, $16.5 million

Departures

Position	Player	Age	2021 team
QB	Andy Dalton	33	Chicago Bears
QB	Garrett Gilbert	30	Washington Football Team
FB	Jamize Olawale	32	Unsigned
WR	Jon'Vea Johnson	26	Chicago Bears
WR	Chris Lacy	25	Chicago Bears
TE	Blake Bell	30	Kansas City Chiefs
TE	Cole Hikutini	27	New York Giants
OT	Cameron Erving	29	Carolina Panthers
OT	Brandon Knight	24	Baltimore Ravens
OT	Greg Senat	27	Indianapolis Colts
C	Marcus Henry	28	Arizona Cardinals
C	Joe Looney	31	Retired
C	Adam Redmond	28	Baltimore Ravens
DE	Ron'Dell Carter	24	Arizona Cardinals
DE	Tyrone Crawford	32	Retired
DE	Aldon Smith	32	Seattle Seahawks
DT	Eli Ankou	27	Buffalo Bills
DT	Antwaun Woods	28	Indianapolis Colts
LB	Sean Lee	35	Retired
LB	Justin March	28	Tennessee Titans
LB	Jaylon Smith	26	New York Giants
LB	Joe Thomas	30	Baltimore Ravens
CB	Chidobe Awuzie	26	Cincinnati Bengals
FS	Xavier Woods	26	Minnesota Vikings
P	Chris Jones	32	Unsigned
LS	L. P. Ladouceur	40	Unsigned

Draft

Main article: 2021 NFL draft

2021 Dallas Cowboys draft
Round	Pick	Player	Position	College	Notes
1	12	Micah Parsons *	LB	Penn State
2	44	Kelvin Joseph	CB	Kentucky
3	75	Osa Odighizuwa	DT	UCLA
3	84	Chauncey Golston	DE	Iowa
3	99	Nahshon Wright	CB	Oregon State	Compensatory Pick
4	115	Jabril Cox	LB	LSU
4	138	Josh Ball	OT	Marshall	Compensatory Pick
5	178	Simi Fehoko	WR	Stanford	Compensatory Pick
6	192	Quinton Bohanna	DT	Kentucky
6	227	Israel Mukuamu	CB	South Carolina	Compensatory Pick
7	238	Matt Farniok	OG	Nebraska
Made roster    †   Pro Football Hall of Fame    *   Made at least one Pro Bowl during career

Notes

• The Cowboys were awarded one third-round, one fourth-round, one fifth-round and one sixth-round compensatory picks (99th, 138th, 178th and 227th overall).
• The Cowboys traded its first-round selection (10th overall) to Philadelphia in exchange for first- and third-round selections (12th and 84th overall).

Staff

2021 Dallas Cowboys staff

Front office Owner/president/general manager – Jerry Jones COO/Executive vice president/director of player personnel – Stephen Jones Senior director of football operations/football administration – Todd Williams Executive vice president/chief brand officer – Charlotte Jones Anderson Executive vice president/Chief sales & marketing officer – Jerry Jones Jr. Director of salary cap & player contracts – Adam Prasifka Vice president player personnel – Will McClay Director of team travel and logistics – Craig Glieber Assistant director of football administration and technology – Jason McKay Director of college scouting – Lionel Vital Director of pro scouting – Alex Loomis Assistant director of college scouting – Chris Hall Advance scouting coordinator – Keith O'Quinn Scout – Chris Vaughn Scouting video coordinator – Rich Behm Assistant to the head coach – Laura Fryar Head coaches Head coach – Mike McCarthy Assistant head coach – Rob Davis Offensive coaches Offensive coordinator – Kellen Moore Quarterbacks – Doug Nussmeier Running backs – Skip Peete Wide receivers – Adam Henry Tight ends – Lunda Wells Offensive line – Joe Philbin Assistant offensive line – Jeff Blasko Quality control/offense – Chase Haslett Offensive assistant – Scott Tolzien Quality control/analytics – Kyle Valero

Defensive coaches Defensive coordinator – Dan Quinn Defensive line – Aden Durde Assistant defensive line – Leon Lett Linebackers – Scott McCurley Defensive backs – Al Harris Secondaries/defensive pass game coordinator – Joe Whitt Jr. Senior defensive assistant – George Edwards Quality control/analytics – Ryan Feder Quality control/defense – Cannon Matthews Special teams coaches Special teams coordinator – John Fassel Assistant special teams – Matt Daniels Video/analytics – Justin Ruud Quality control/analytics – Eric Simonelli Strength and conditioning Strength and conditioning – Harold Nash Assistant strength and conditioning – Cedric Smith Assistant strength and conditioning – Kendall Smith

Rosters

Opening preseason roster

Dallas Cowboys 2021 opening preseason roster
Quarterbacks  7 Ben DiNucci  3 Garrett Gilbert  4 Dak Prescott 10 Cooper Rush Running backs 34 Rico Dowdle 21 Ezekiel Elliott 37 JaQuan Hardy 36 Brenden Knox 45 Sewo Olonilua FB 20 Tony Pollard 46 Nick Ralston FB Wide receivers 85 Noah Brown 16 Reggie Davis  6 Johnnie Dixon 83 Brennan Eagles 81 Simi Fehoko 13 Michael Gallup 88 CeeDee Lamb 14 Osirus Mitchell 18 Aaron Parker 80 Brandon Smith 17 Malik Turner  1 Cedrick Wilson Jr. Tight ends 47 Nick Eubanks 89 Blake Jarwin 49 Artayvious Lynn 84 Sean McKeon 86 Dalton Schultz 87 Jeremy Sprinkle		Offensive linemen 60 Isaac Alarcón T (Int.) 76 Josh Ball T 63 Tyler Biadasz C 71 La'el Collins T 68 Matt Farniok C/G 62 Braylon Jones C/G 69 Brandon Knight G/T 70 Zack Martin G 66 Connor McGovern G 79 Ty Nsekhe T 67 Eric Smith T 77 Tyron Smith T 78 Terence Steele T 52 Connor Williams G Defensive linemen 56 Bradlee Anae DE 92 Dorance Armstrong DE 93 Tarell Basham DE/OLB 98 Quinton Bohanna DT 97 Ron'Dell Carter DE 58 Austin Faoliu DT 96 Neville Gallimore DT 94 Randy Gregory DE 99 Justin Hamilton DT 90 DeMarcus Lawrence DE 75 Osa Odighizuwa DT 95 Brent Urban DT 91 Carlos Watkins DT/DE		Linebackers 53 Francis Bernard MLB 48 Jabril Cox OLB 57 Luke Gifford MLB 51 Anthony Hines III OLB 43 Azur Kamara OLB/DE 42 Keanu Neal OLB/SS 11 Micah Parsons OLB/DE  9 Jaylon Smith OLB 55 Leighton Vander Esch MLB Defensive backs 30 Anthony Brown CB 36 Kyron Brown CB 33 Deante Burton CB 31 Maurice Canady CB 39 Tyler Coyle SS 27 Trevon Diggs CB 29 C. J. Goodwin CB 28 Malik Hooker FS 24 Kelvin Joseph CB 35 Damontae Kazee FS 32 Jayron Kearse SS 26 Jourdan Lewis CB 38 Israel Mukuamu FS/CB 25 Steven Parker FS/SS 41 Reggie Robinson CB/FS 23 Darian Thompson SS  6 Donovan Wilson SS 40 Nahshon Wright CB Special teams  5 Bryan Anger P 44 Jake McQuaide LS  7 Hunter Niswander P/K		Reserve lists 19 Amari Cooper WR (Active/PUP) 59 Chauncey Golston DE (Active/PUP) 72 Trysten Hill DT (Active/PUP) 65 Mitch Hyatt T (IR) 15 T. J. Vasher WR (Active/PUP)  2 Greg Zuerlein K (Active/PUP) 90 active (+1 exempt), 1 inactive

Week one roster

Dallas Cowboys 2021 week one roster
Quarterbacks 15 Will Grier  4 Dak Prescott 10 Cooper Rush Running backs 32 Corey Clement 21 Ezekiel Elliott 20 Tony Pollard Wide receivers 85 Noah Brown 19 Amari Cooper 81 Simi Fehoko 13 Michael Gallup 88 CeeDee Lamb  1 Cedrick Wilson Jr. Tight ends 89 Blake Jarwin 86 Dalton Schultz		Offensive linemen 63 Tyler Biadasz C 71 La'el Collins T 68 Matt Farniok C/G 66 Connor McGovern G/C 79 Ty Nsekhe T 77 Tyron Smith T 78 Terence Steele T 52 Connor Williams G Defensive linemen 56 Bradlee Anae DE 92 Dorance Armstrong DE 93 Tarell Basham DE 98 Quinton Bohanna DT 59 Chauncey Golston DE 94 Randy Gregory DE 54 Azur Kamara DE/OLB 90 DeMarcus Lawrence DE 97 Osa Odighizuwa DT 95 Brent Urban DT/DE 91 Carlos Watkins DT/DE		Linebackers 14 Jabril Cox OLB 57 Luke Gifford OLB/MLB 42 Keanu Neal MLB/OLB 11 Micah Parsons OLB/DE  9 Jaylon Smith MLB/OLB 55 Leighton Vander Esch OLB/MLB Defensive backs 30 Anthony Brown CB 31 Maurice Canady CB  7 Trevon Diggs CB 29 C. J. Goodwin CB 28 Malik Hooker FS 18 Damontae Kazee FS 27 Jayron Kearse SS 26 Jourdan Lewis CB 38 Israel Mukuamu FS/CB 23 Darian Thompson SS (Elevated)  6 Donovan Wilson SS 25 Nahshon Wright CB Special teams  5 Bryan Anger P 44 Jake McQuaide LS  2 Greg Zuerlein K		Reserve lists 75 Josh Ball T (IR) 53 Francis Bernard MLB (IR) 34 Rico Dowdle RB (IR) 96 Neville Gallimore DT (IR) 72 Trysten Hill DT (PUP) 65 Mitch Hyatt T (IR) 24 Kelvin Joseph CB (IR) 69 Brandon Knight G/T (COVID-19) 70 Zack Martin G (COVID-19) 84 Sean McKeon TE (IR) -- Hunter Niswander P/K (IR) 45 Sewo Olonilua FB (IR) 41 Reggie Robinson CB (IR) 17 Malik Turner WR (IR) -- T. J. Vasher WR (NF-Inj.) Practice squad 60 Isaac Alarcón G/T (Int.) 36 Kyron Brown CB 49 Ian Bunting TE 33 Deante Burton CB 76 Aviante Collins T 39 Tyler Coyle FS  3 Ben DiNucci QB 58 Austin Faoliu DT 99 Justin Hamilton DT 37 JaQuan Hardy RB 62 Braylon Jones G/C 16 Osirus Mitchell WR 46 Nick Ralston FB 80 Brandon Smith WR 51 Breeland Speaks DE 87 Jeremy Sprinkle TE 54 active, 15 inactive, 15 practice squad (+1 exempt)

Final roster

2021 Dallas Cowboys roster

Quarterbacks (QB)  4 Dak Prescott 10 Cooper Rush Running backs (RB) 32 Corey Clement 21 Ezekiel Elliott 20 Tony Pollard Wide receivers (WR) 85 Noah Brown 19 Amari Cooper 81 Simi Fehoko 88 CeeDee Lamb 17 Malik Turner  1 Cedrick Wilson Jr. Tight ends (TE) 89 Blake Jarwin 84 Sean McKeon 86 Dalton Schultz 87 Jeremy Sprinkle

Offensive linemen (OL) 63 Tyler Biadasz C 71 La'el Collins T 68 Matt Farniok C 70 Zack Martin G 66 Connor McGovern G 79 Ty Nsekhe T 77 Tyron Smith T 78 Terence Steele T 52 Connor Williams C Defensive linemen (DL) 92 Dorance Armstrong DE 93 Tarell Basham DE 98 Quinton Bohanna DT 96 Neville Gallimore DT 59 Chauncey Golston DE 94 Randy Gregory DE 72 Trysten Hill DT 90 DeMarcus Lawrence DE 97 Osa Odighizuwa DT 91 Carlos Watkins DT

Linebackers (LB) 53 Francis Bernard OLB 57 Luke Gifford OLB 42 Keanu Neal MLB 11 Micah Parsons OLB 55 Leighton Vander Esch OLB Defensive backs (DB) 30 Anthony Brown CB 31 Maurice Canady CB  7 Trevon Diggs CB 29 C. J. Goodwin CB 28 Malik Hooker FS 24 Kelvin Joseph CB 18 Damontae Kazee FS 27 Jayron Kearse SS 26 Jourdan Lewis CB 23 Darian Thompson SS (Elevated)  6 Donovan Wilson SS 25 Nahshon Wright CB Special teams  5 Bryan Anger P 44 Jake McQuaide LS  2 Greg Zuerlein K

Practice squad 60 Isaac Alarcón G (IPP) 56 Bradlee Anae DE 51 Devante Bond OLB 73 Josiah Bronson DT 36 Kyron Brown CB 49 Ian Bunting TE 76 Aviante Collins T 39 Tyler Coyle FS  3 Ben DiNucci QB 58 Austin Faoliu DT 83 Robert Foster WR 37 JaQuan Hardy RB 62 Braylon Jones G 46 Nick Ralston FB 80 Brandon Smith WR 43 Ito Smith RB Reserve 75 Josh Ball T (IR) 14 Jabril Cox OLB (IR) 34 Rico Dowdle RB (IR) 13 Michael Gallup WR (IR) 15 Will Grier QB (IR) 65 Mitch Hyatt T (IR) 38 Israel Mukuamu FS (IR) -- Hunter Niswander P (IR) 45 Sewo Olonilua FB (IR) 41 Reggie Robinson CB (IR) 95 Brent Urban DT (IR) 15 T. J. Vasher WR (NF-Inj.) Rookies in italics 54 active, 12 reserve, 15 practice squad (+1 exempt)

Preseason

On February 15, the NFL announced that the Cowboys would face the Pittsburgh Steelers in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game on Thursday, August 5, at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio. The game kicked off at 7:00 p.m. CDT, and was televised by Fox. The Cowboys were represented by head coach Jimmy Johnson and safety Cliff Harris. The Cowboys and Steelers were scheduled to play in the 2020 Hall of Fame game; however, the game, the annual Hall of Fame enshrinement, along with the entire 2020 preseason, were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the Hall of Fame game between the Cowboys and Steelers was rescheduled for 2021.^[6][7]

The remainder of the Cowboys' preseason opponents are listed below; the schedule was announced on May 13.

Week	Date	Opponent	Result	Record	Venue	Recap
HOF	August 5	vs. Pittsburgh Steelers	L 3–16	0–1	Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium	Recap
1	August 13	at Arizona Cardinals	L 16–19	0–2	State Farm Stadium	Recap
2	August 21	Houston Texans	L 14–20	0–3	AT&T Stadium	Recap
3	August 29	Jacksonville Jaguars	L 14–34	0–4	AT&T Stadium	Recap

Regular season

Schedule

The Cowboys' 2021 schedule was announced on May 12.

Week	Date	Opponent	Result	Record	Venue	Recap
1	September 9	at Tampa Bay Buccaneers	L 29–31	0–1	Raymond James Stadium	Recap
2	September 19	at Los Angeles Chargers	W 20–17	1–1	SoFi Stadium	Recap
3	September 27	Philadelphia Eagles	W 41–21	2–1	AT&T Stadium	Recap
4	October 3	Carolina Panthers	W 36–28	3–1	AT&T Stadium	Recap
5	October 10	New York Giants	W 44–20	4–1	AT&T Stadium	Recap
6	October 17	at New England Patriots	W 35–29 (OT)	5–1	Gillette Stadium	Recap
7	Bye
8	October 31	at Minnesota Vikings	W 20–16	6–1	U.S. Bank Stadium	Recap
9	November 7	Denver Broncos	L 16–30	6–2	AT&T Stadium	Recap
10	November 14	Atlanta Falcons	W 43–3	7–2	AT&T Stadium	Recap
11	November 21	at Kansas City Chiefs	L 9–19	7–3	Arrowhead Stadium	Recap
12	November 25	Las Vegas Raiders	L 33–36 (OT)	7–4	AT&T Stadium	Recap
13	December 2	at New Orleans Saints	W 27–17	8–4	Caesars Superdome	Recap
14	December 12	at Washington Football Team	W 27–20	9–4	FedExField	Recap
15	December 19	at New York Giants	W 21–6	10–4	MetLife Stadium	Recap
16	December 26	Washington Football Team	W 56–14	11–4	AT&T Stadium	Recap
17	January 2	Arizona Cardinals	L 22–25	11–5	AT&T Stadium	Recap
18	January 8	at Philadelphia Eagles	W 51–26	12–5	Lincoln Financial Field	Recap

Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

Game summaries

Week 1: at Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Cowboys	7	9	10	3	29
Buccaneers	7	14	7	3	31

Game information

First quarter TB – Chris Godwin 5-yard pass from Tom Brady (Ryan Succop kick), 5:23. Buccaneers 7–0. Drive: 9 plays, 94 yards, 4:09 DAL – CeeDee Lamb 22-yard pass from Dak Prescott (Greg Zuerlein kick), 1:35. Tied 7–7. Drive: 7 plays, 75 yards, 3:48 Second quarter TB – Rob Gronkowski 2-yard pass from Tom Brady (Ryan Succop kick), 9:48. Buccaneers 14–7. Drive: 6 plays, 50 yards, 2:53 DAL – Amari Cooper 5-yard pass from Dak Prescott (kick failed), 4:12. Buccaneers 14–13. Drive: 5 plays, 27 yards, 2:08 DAL – Greg Zuerlein 35-yard field goal, 3:16. Cowboys 16–14. Drive: 4 plays, 4 yards, 0:52 TB – Antonio Brown 47-yard pass from Tom Brady (Ryan Succop kick), 2:38. Buccaneers 21–16. Drive: 2 plays, 57 yards, 0:38 Third quarter DAL – Greg Zuerlein 21-yard field goal, 9:15. Buccaneers 21–19. Drive: 13 plays, 72 yards, 5:45 TB – Rob Gronkowski 11-yard pass from Tom Brady (Ryan Succop kick), 6:23. Buccaneers 28–19. Drive: 4 plays, 35 yards, 2:08 DAL – Amari Cooper 21-yard pass from Dak Prescott (Greg Zuerlein kick), 0:33. Buccaneers 28–26. Drive: 10 plays, 75 yards, 5:50 Fourth quarter DAL – Greg Zuerlein 48-yard field goal, 1:29. Cowboys 29–28. Drive: 11 plays, 60 yards, 3:28 TB – Ryan Succop 36-yard field goal, 0:02. Buccaneers 31–29. Drive: 11 plays, 57 yards, 1:22 Top passers DAL – Dak Prescott – 42/58, 403 yards, 3 TD, INT TB – Tom Brady – 32/50, 379 yards, 4 TD, 2 INT Top rushers DAL – Ezekiel Elliott – 11 rushes, 33 yards TB – Leonard Fournette – 9 rushes, 32 yards Top receivers DAL – Amari Cooper – 13 receptions, 139 yards, 2 TD TB – Antonio Brown – 5 receptions, 121 yards, TD

Week 1: Dallas Cowboys at Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Game summary

at Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Florida

• Date: September 9
• Game time: 8:20 p.m. EDT/7:20 p.m. CDT
• Game weather: Cloudy, 81 °F (27 °C)
• Game attendance: 65,566
• Referee: Shawn Hochuli
• TV announcers (NBC/Peacock): Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth, Michele Tafoya and Terry McAulay
• Recap, Game Book

Dak Prescott played his first game since he suffered compound fracture and dislocation injuries to his right ankle during a Week 5 game against the Giants the previous season. The Cowboys defense forced four turnovers but Greg Zuerlein missed crucial field goals, including a 60-yarder and an extra point. The Cowboys would fall to 0–1. This was the only time this season that the Cowboys had a lead at one point but ended up losing the game.

Week 2: at Los Angeles Chargers

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Cowboys	14	0	0	6	20
Chargers	3	8	3	3	17

Game information

First quarter DAL – Tony Pollard 4-yard run (Greg Zuerlein kick), 8:09. Cowboys 7–0. Drive: 15 plays, 78 yards, 6:51. LAC – Tristan Vizcaino 46-yard field goal, 3:32. Cowboys 7–3. Drive: 5 plays, 17 yards, 2:24. DAL – Ezekiel Elliott 5-yard run (Greg Zuerlein kick), 0:17. Cowboys 14–3. Drive: 7 plays, 75 yards, 3:15. Second quarter LAC – Mike Williams 12-yard pass from Justin Herbert (Austin Ekeler run), 9:49. Cowboys 14–11. Drive: 10 plays, 75 yards, 5:28. Third quarter LAC – Tristan Vizcaino 32-yard field goal, 9:22. Tied 14–14. Drive: 13 plays, 61 yards, 5:38. Fourth quarter DAL – Greg Zuerlein 34-yard field goal, 10:25. Cowboys 17–14. Drive: 10 plays, 64 yards, 4:40. LAC – Tristan Vizcaino 29-yard field goal, 3:54. Tied 17–17. Drive: 12 plays, 64 yards, 6:31. DAL – Greg Zuerlein 56-yard field goal, 0:00. Cowboys 20–17. Drive: 11 plays, 49 yards, 3:54. Top passers DAL – Dak Prescott – 23/27, 237 yards, INT LAC – Justin Herbert – 31/41, 338 yards, TD, 2 INT Top rushers DAL – Tony Pollard – 13 rushes, 109 yards, TD LAC – Austin Ekeler – 9 rushes, 54 yards Top receivers DAL – CeeDee Lamb – 8 receptions, 81 yards LAC – Keenan Allen – 4 receptions, 108 yards

Week 2: Dallas Cowboys at Los Angeles Chargers – Game summary

at SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, California

• Date: September 19
• Game time: 3:25 p.m. CDT/1:25 p.m. PDT
• Game weather: None (retractable roof closed)
• Game attendance: 70,240
• Referee: Tony Corrente
• TV announcers (CBS): Jim Nantz, Tony Romo, Tracy Wolfson and Gene Steratore
• Recap, Game Book

The Cowboys started the game with a 14–3 lead, from touchdown runs by Tony Pollard and Ezekiel Elliott. The Chargers later tied the game. The Cowboys and Chargers each scored a field goal in their next scoring drives. In the last seconds of the game, the Cowboys marched down the field to the Chargers' 38-yard line. Greg Zuerlein kicked a 56-yard field goal as time expired to give Dallas a crucial win. The win improved the Cowboys to 1–1. This was the Cowboys' first win over the Chargers since 2005.

Week 3: vs. Philadelphia Eagles

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Eagles	7	0	7	7	21
Cowboys	14	6	7	14	41

Game information

First quarter DAL – Ezekiel Elliott 1-yard run (Greg Zuerlein kick), 11:47. Cowboys 7–0. Drive: 6 plays, 75 yards, 3:13. PHI – Fletcher Cox fumble recovery in end zone (Jake Elliott kick), 9:57. Tied 7–7. DAL – Dalton Schultz 19-yard pass from Dak Prescott (Greg Zuerlein kick), 1:31. Cowboys 14–7. Drive: 6 plays, 50 yards, 3:06. Second quarter DAL – Ezekiel Elliott 3-yard run (kick failed), 7:10. Cowboys 20–7. Drive: 13 plays, 65 yards, 7:50. Third quarter DAL – Trevon Diggs 59-yard interception return (Greg Zuerlein kick), 14:07. Cowboys 27–7. PHI – Zach Ertz 3-yard pass from Jalen Hurts (Jake Elliott kick), 7:08. Cowboys 27–14. Drive: 8 plays, 90 yards, 3:55. Fourth quarter DAL – Cedrick Wilson Jr. 2-yard pass from Dak Prescott (Greg Zuerlein kick), 11:26. Cowboys 34–14. Drive: 12 plays, 61 yards, 6:12. DAL – Dalton Schultz 22-yard pass from Dak Prescott (Greg Zuerlein kick), 6:56. Cowboys 41–14. Drive: 3 plays, 31 yards, 1:20. PHI – Greg Ward 15-yard pass from Jalen Hurts (Jake Elliott kick), 3:09. Cowboys 41–21. Drive: 7 plays, 75 yards, 3:47. Top passers PHI – Jalen Hurts – 25/39, 326 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT DAL – Dak Prescott – 21/26, 238 yards, 3 TD Top rushers PHI – Jalen Hurts – 9 rushes, 35 yards DAL – Ezekiel Elliott – 17 rushes, 95 yards, 2 TD Top receivers PHI – Dallas Goedert – 2 receptions, 66 yards DAL – Dalton Schultz – 6 receptions, 80 yards, 2 TD

Week 3: Philadelphia Eagles at Dallas Cowboys – Game summary

at AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas

• Date: September 27
• Game time: 7:15 p.m. CDT
• Game weather: 84 °F (29 °C) (retractable roof open)
• Game attendance: 93,267
• Referee: Brad Rogers
• TV announcers (ESPN): Steve Levy, Brian Griese, Louis Riddick, Lisa Salters and John Parry
• Recap, Game Book

The Cowboys continued their home streak against the Eagles. Despite Dak Prescott's early hiccup by fumbling to allow the Eagles to score, Prescott responded by leading his team to torch the Eagles defense. Trevon Diggs recorded a pick-six off Jalen Hurts to tighten the Cowboys' lead. It was the first time since Week 8 of 2017 that the Cowboys recorded a pick-six. With the win, the Cowboys improved to 2–1.

Week 4: vs. Carolina Panthers

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Panthers	7	7	0	14	28
Cowboys	7	6	20	3	36

Game information

First quarter DAL – Ezekiel Elliott 1-yard run (Greg Zuerlein kick), 7:27. Cowboys 7–0. Drive: 9 plays, 70 yards, 4:40. CAR – Sam Darnold 1-yard run (Zane Gonzalez kick), 2:41. Tied 7–7. Drive: 9 plays, 75 yards, 4:46. Second quarter DAL – Blake Jarwin 18-yard pass from Dak Prescott (pass failed), 14:09. Cowboys 13–7. Drive: 9 plays, 75 yards, 3:32. CAR – Sam Darnold 11-yard run (Zane Gonzalez kick), 7:02. Panthers 14–13. Drive: 13 plays, 75 yards, 7:07. Third quarter DAL – Amari Cooper 35-yard pass from Dak Prescott (Greg Zuerlein kick), 10:49. Cowboys 20–14. Drive: 4 plays, 56 yards, 2:00. DAL – Dalton Schultz 6-yard pass from Dak Prescott (pass failed), 7:21. Cowboys 26–14. Drive: 4 plays, 66 yards, 1:49. DAL – Cedrick Wilson Jr. 23-yard pass from Dak Prescott (Greg Zuerlein kick), 2:17. Cowboys 33–14. Drive: 3 plays, 37 yards, 1:20. Fourth quarter DAL – Greg Zuerlein 37-yard field goal, 14:56. Cowboys 36–14. Drive: 4 plays, 9 yards, 1:26. CAR – D. J. Moore 6-yard pass from Sam Darnold (Zane Gonzalez kick), 8:58. Cowboys 36–21. Drive: 10 plays, 75 yards, 5:58. CAR – D. J. Moore 8-yard pass from Sam Darnold (Zane Gonzalez kick), 4:31. Cowboys 36–28. Drive: 7 plays, 80 yards, 2:18. Top passers CAR – Sam Darnold – 26/39, 301 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT DAL – Dak Prescott – 14/22, 188 yards, 4 TD Top rushers CAR – Chuba Hubbard – 13 rushes, 57 yards DAL – Ezekiel Elliott – 20 rushes, 143 yards, TD Top receivers CAR – D. J. Moore – 8 receptions, 113 yards, 2 TD DAL – Amari Cooper – 3 receptions, 69 yards, TD

Week 4: Carolina Panthers at Dallas Cowboys – Game summary

at AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas

• Date: October 3
• Game time: 12:00 p.m. CDT
• Game weather: None (retractable roof closed)
• Game attendance: 93,262
• Referee: Jerome Boger
• TV announcers (Fox): Kevin Burkhardt, Greg Olsen and Pam Oliver
• Recap, Game Book

The Cowboys continued to roll. The Cowboys trailed 14–13 at halftime, but things significantly turned around for them in the second half. The third quarter began with Panthers' kicker Zane Gonzalez missing a field goal try, which the Cowboys took advantage by marching down the field to score a touchdown on the next drive. The Cowboys scored 23 unanswered points to take a 36–14 lead. Trevon Diggs recorded two interceptions off Panthers' Sam Darnold, giving Diggs a recorded 5 interceptions in the first 4 games. The Panthers scored the final 14 points, but the Cowboys picked up a first down in the last minutes to run out the clock. This win improved the Cowboys to 3–1. This was the Cowboys' first win over the Panthers since 2012.

Week 5: vs. New York Giants

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Giants	0	10	3	7	20
Cowboys	3	14	10	17	44

Game information

First quarter DAL – Greg Zuerlein 31-yard field goal, 6:17. Cowboys 3–0. Drive: 10 plays, 44 yards, 4:30. Second quarter DAL – CeeDee Lamb 49-yard pass from Dak Prescott (Greg Zuerlein kick), 11:59. Cowboys 10–0. Drive: 4 plays, 65 yards, 1:59. NYG – Graham Gano 51-yard field goal, 10:10. Cowboys 10–3. Drive: 7 plays, 42 yards, 1:49. NYG – Devontae Booker 1-yard run (Graham Gano kick), 2:51. Tied 10–10. Drive: 12 plays, 88 yards, 5:51. DAL – Amari Cooper 24-yard pass from Dak Prescott (Greg Zuerlein kick), 0:36. Cowboys 17–10. Drive: 8 plays, 75 yards, 2:15. Third quarter NYG – Graham Gano 51-yard field goal, 11:14. Cowboys 17–13. Drive: 7 plays, 42 yards, 3:46. DAL – Ezekiel Elliott 4-yard pass from Dak Prescott (Greg Zuerlein kick), 7:11. Cowboys 24–13. Drive: 10 plays, 75 yards, 4:03. DAL – Greg Zuerlein 38-yard field goal, 2:02. Cowboys 27–13. Drive: 8 plays, 39 yards, 4:55. Fourth quarter DAL – Ezekiel Elliott 13-yard run (Greg Zuerlein kick), 7:34. Cowboys 34–13. Drive: 9 plays, 98 yards, 4:48. NYG – Devontae Booker 3-yard pass from Mike Glennon (Graham Gano kick), 3:17. Cowboys 34–20. Drive: 11 plays, 75 yards, 4:17. DAL – Greg Zuerlein 31-yard field goal, 1:53. Cowboys 37–20. Drive: 8 plays, 33 yards, 1:24. DAL – Anthony Brown 45-yard interception return (Greg Zuerlein kick), 1:28. Cowboys 44–20. Top passers NYG – Mike Glennon – 16/25, 196 yards, TD, 2 INT DAL – Dak Prescott – 22/32, 302 yards, 3 TD, INT Top rushers NYG – Devontae Booker – 16 rushes, 42 yards, TD DAL – Ezekiel Elliott – 21 rushes, 110 yards, TD Top receivers NYG – Kadarius Toney – 10 receptions, 189 yards DAL – CeeDee Lamb – 4 receptions, 84 yards, TD

Week 5: New York Giants at Dallas Cowboys – Game summary

at AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas

• Date: October 10
• Game time: 3:25 p.m. CDT
• Game weather: None (retractable roof closed)
• Game attendance: 93,476
• Referee: John Hussey
• TV announcers (Fox): Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, Erin Andrews, and Tom Rinaldi
• Recap, Game Book

Dak Prescott and the Cowboys played their second consecutive Week 5 home game against the Giants. Unlike the previous season's matchup, Dak Prescott finished the game without suffering an injury. The game began with Dak Prescott throwing an interception and losing a fumble, neither turnover of which the Cowboys would allow the Giants to score. The Cowboys never once trailed despite allowing New York to tie the game. After this, the game was all Dallas. The Cowboys scored two more takeaways, one of which was a pick six collected by Anthony Brown to seal the win for the Cowboys. This win improved the Cowboys to 4–1. This was the first time since 2018 that they won 4 or more consecutive games.

Week 6: at New England Patriots

Quarter	1	2	3	4	OT	Total
Cowboys	7	3	7	12	6	35
Patriots	14	0	0	15	0	29

Game information

First quarter NE – Damien Harris 4-yard run (Nick Folk kick), 10:20. Patriots 7–0. Drive: 3 plays, 34 yards, 1:41. DAL – Blake Jarwin 1-yard pass from Dak Prescott (Greg Zuerlein kick), 6:43. Tied 7–7. Drive: 7 plays, 75 yards, 3:37. NE – Hunter Henry 20-yard pass from Mac Jones (Nick Folk kick), 4:50. Patriots 14–7. Drive: 4 plays, 75 yards, 1:53. Second quarter DAL – Greg Zuerlein 30-yard field goal, 6:39. Patriots 14–10. Drive: 9 plays, 40 yards, 3:26. Third quarter DAL – CeeDee Lamb 1-yard pass from Dak Prescott (Greg Zuerlein kick), 4:49. Cowboys 17–14. Drive: 8 plays, 91 yards, 4:29. Fourth quarter DAL – Greg Zuerlein 45-yard field goal, 13:13. Cowboys 20–14. Drive: 9 plays, 61 yards, 3:45. NE – Rhamondre Stevenson 1-yard run (Nick Folk kick), 6:23. Patriots 21–20. Drive: 13 plays, 75 yards, 6:50. DAL – Trevon Diggs 42-yard interception return (pass failed), 2:27. Cowboys 26–21. NE – Kendrick Bourne 75-yard pass from Mac Jones (Mac Jones-Jakobi Meyers pass), 2:11. Patriots 29–26. Drive: 1 play, 75 yards, 0:16. DAL – Greg Zuerlein 49-yard field goal, 0:20. Tied 29–29. Drive: 9 plays, 40 yards, 1:51. Overtime DAL – CeeDee Lamb 35-yard pass from Dak Prescott, 3:52. Cowboys 35–29. Top passers DAL – Dak Prescott – 36/51, 445 yards, 3 TD, INT NE – Mac Jones – 15/21, 229 yards, 2 TD, INT Top rushers DAL – Ezekiel Elliott – 17 rushes, 69 yards, TD NE – Damien Harris – 18 rushes, 101 yards, TD Top receivers DAL – CeeDee Lamb – 9 receptions, 149 yards, 2 TD NE – Kendrick Bourne – 1 reception, 75 yards, TD

Week 6: Dallas Cowboys at New England Patriots – Game summary

at Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, Massachusetts

• Date: October 17
• Game time: 4:25 p.m. EDT/3:25 p.m. CDT
• Game weather: Partly cloudy, 61 °F (16 °C)
• Game attendance: 65,878
• Referee: Brad Allen
• TV announcers (CBS): Jim Nantz, Tony Romo, Tracy Wolfson and Gene Steratore
• Recap, Game Book

The Cowboys scored the 2,500th touchdown in franchise history with Dak Prescott's 1-yard pass to CeeDee Lamb in the third quarter to take their first lead of the game, their first touchdown against the Patriots since 2011. During overtime, the Cowboys forced a Patriots punt, putting the Cowboys in position to score. During the final play, Dak Prescott threw a game-winning touchdown pass to CeeDee Lamb to seal the Cowboys' win. With the win the Cowboys improved to 5–1, as well as getting their first win over the Patriots since 1996, and their first on the road since 1987.

Week 8: at Minnesota Vikings

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Cowboys	0	3	10	7	20
Vikings	7	3	3	3	16

Game information

First quarter MIN – Adam Thielen 20-yard pass from Kirk Cousins (Greg Joseph kick), 11:49. Vikings 7–0. Drive: 7 plays, 75 yards, 3:11. Second quarter DAL – Greg Zuerlein 38-yard field goal, 6:09. Vikings 7–3. Drive: 12 plays, 60 yards, 6:25. MIN – Greg Joseph 45-yard field goal, 1:44. Vikings 10–3. Drive: 11 plays, 49 yards, 4:25. Third quarter DAL – Cedrick Wilson Jr. 73-yard pass from Cooper Rush (Greg Zuerlein kick), 14:07. Tied 10–10. Drive: 3 plays, 75 yards, 0:53. MIN – Greg Joseph 40-yard field goal, 6:31. Vikings 13–10. Drive: 7 plays, 33 yards, 3:01. DAL – Greg Zuerlein 39-yard field goal, 0:04. Tied 13–13. Drive: 5 plays, 51 yards, 2:07. Fourth quarter MIN – Greg Joseph 24-yard field goal, 2:51. Vikings 16–13. Drive: 10 plays, 69 yards, 5:17. DAL – Amari Cooper 5-yard pass from Cooper Rush (Greg Zuerlein kick), 0:51. Cowboys 20–16. Drive: 8 plays, 75 yards, 2:00. Top passers DAL – Cooper Rush – 24/40, 325 yards, 2 TD, INT MIN – Kirk Cousins – 23/35, 184 yards, TD Top rushers DAL – Ezekiel Elliott – 16 rushes, 50 yards MIN – Dalvin Cook – 18 rushes, 78 yards Top receivers DAL – Amari Cooper – 8 receptions, 122 yards, TD MIN – Adam Thielen – 6 receptions, 78 yards, TD

Week 8: Dallas Cowboys at Minnesota Vikings – Game summary

at U.S. Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, Minnesota

• Date: October 31
• Game time: 7:20 p.m. CDT
• Game weather: None (indoor stadium)
• Game attendance: 66,633
• Referee: Scott Novak
• TV announcers (NBC): Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth, Michele Tafoya and Terry McAulay
• Recap, Game Book

Dak Prescott was declared inactive for the game due to a grade one calf strain he suffered in the New England game. Backup Cooper Rush got his first career start in place of Prescott. The Cowboys' defense allowed an opening-drive touchdown and was not able to collect any takeaways, but they gave the Vikings' offense a hard time all game and only allowed three field goals the rest of the game. The Cowboys won the game in the final minute when Cooper Rush connected with Amari Cooper for a five-yard touchdown pass. With the win, the Cowboys improved to 6–1. This was the Cowboys' second consecutive win over the Vikings, as well as the third at U.S. Bank Stadium. This was the first time the Cowboys won six in a row since 2016.

Week 9: vs. Denver Broncos

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Broncos	6	10	3	11	30
Cowboys	0	0	0	16	16

Game information

First quarter DEN – Melvin Gordon 3-yard run (kick failed), 1:48. Broncos 6–0. Drive: 11 plays, 80 yards, 6:19. Second quarter DEN – Tim Patrick 44-yard pass from Teddy Bridgewater (Brandon McManus kick), 12:13. Broncos 13–0. Drive: 6 plays, 80 yards, 2:47. DEN – Brandon McManus 53-yard field goal, 3:41. Broncos 16–0. Drive: 11 plays, 45 yards, 7:07. Third quarter DEN – Brandon McManus 27-yard field goal, 8:08. Broncos 19–0. Drive: 10 plays, 72 yards, 4:35. Fourth quarter DEN – Teddy Bridgewater 1-yard run (Teddy Bridgewater-Courtland Sutton pass), 11:18. Broncos 27–0. Drive: 13 plays, 85 yards, 7:30. DEN – Brandon McManus 42-yard field goal, 6:32. Broncos 30–0. Drive: 5 plays, 15 yards, 3:15. DAL – Malik Turner 5-yard pass from Dak Prescott (Ezekiel Elliott run), 4:08. Broncos 30–8. Drive: 9 plays, 75 yards, 2:24. DAL – Malik Turner 4-yard pass from Dak Prescott (Ezekiel Elliott run), 0:55. Broncos 30–16. Drive: 11 plays, 65 yards, 2:08. Top passers DEN – Teddy Bridgewater – 19/28, 249 yards, TD DAL – Dak Prescott – 19/39, 232 yards, 2 TD, INT Top rushers DEN – Javonte Williams – 17 rushes, 111 yards DAL – Ezekiel Elliott – 10 rushes, 51 yards Top receivers DEN – Tim Patrick – 4 receptions, 85 yards, TD DAL – Dalton Schultz – 4 receptions, 54 yards

Week 9: Denver Broncos at Dallas Cowboys – Game summary

at AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas

• Date: November 7
• Game time: 12:00 p.m. CST
• Game weather: None (retractable roof closed)
• Game attendance: 93,503
• Referee: Bill Vinovich
• TV announcers (Fox): Kevin Burkhardt, Greg Olsen and Pam Oliver
• Recap, Game Book

The Cowboys returned home to face the Denver Broncos. Dallas entered the game as 10-point home favorites, seeking their first win against Denver since the 1995 season. However, the Cowboys' offense was stymied by the Broncos defense the entire game. The Cowboys recorded their second blocked punt of the season, but the Broncos recovered to retain possession. Dallas' only points came on two touchdowns to Malik Turner, but the outcome was already decided in favor of the Broncos. The 30–16 loss dropped the Cowboys to 6–2 on the season, and 0–7 in their last 7 matchups against the Broncos. Dallas never held a lead against Denver, and was held under twenty points, both firsts for the season.

Week 10: vs. Atlanta Falcons

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Falcons	3	0	0	0	3
Cowboys	7	29	7	0	43

Game information

First quarter DAL – CeeDee Lamb 13-yard pass from Dak Prescott (Lirim Hajrullahu kick), 11:42. Cowboys 7–0. Drive: 8 plays, 73 yards, 3:18. ATL – Younghoe Koo 35-yard field goal, 8:24. Cowboys 7–3. Drive: 8 plays, 58 yards, 3:18. Second quarter DAL – Ezekiel Elliott 1-yard run (Lirim Hajrullahu kick), 13:24. Cowboys 14–3. Drive: 12 plays, 68 yards, 5:41. DAL – Ezekiel Elliott 2-yard run (Lirim Hajrullahu kick), 8:07. Cowboys 21–3. Drive: 8 plays, 68 yards, 3:49. DAL – CeeDee Lamb 9-yard pass from Dak Prescott (Lirim Hajrullahu kick), 1:10. Cowboys 28–3. Drive: 10 plays, 59 yards, 4:38. DAL – Nahshon Wright 8-yard return of blocked punt (Ezekiel Elliott run), 0:37. Cowboys 36–3. Third quarter DAL – Dak Prescott 4-yard run (Lirim Hajrullahu kick), 0:31. Cowboys 43–3. Drive: 9 plays, 47 yards, 0:31. Fourth quarter No scoring plays. Top passers ATL – Matt Ryan – 9/21, 117 yards, 2 INT DAL – Dak Prescott – 24/31, 296 yards, 2 TD Top rushers ATL – Wayne Gallman Jr. – 15 rushes, 55 yards DAL – Tony Pollard – 11 rushes, 42 yards Top receivers ATL – Kyle Pitts – 4 receptions, 60 yards DAL – CeeDee Lamb – 6 receptions, 94 yards

Week 10: Atlanta Falcons at Dallas Cowboys – Game summary

at AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas

• Date: November 14
• Game time: 12:00 p.m. CST
• Game weather: 66 °F (19 °C) (retractable roof open)
• Game attendance: 93,436
• Referee: Craig Wrolstad
• TV announcers (Fox): Kevin Burkhardt, Greg Olsen and Pam Oliver
• Recap, Game Book

The Cowboys rebounded in a considerable way. The Cowboys offense combined for 43 points off of 431 yards. The scoring began with CeeDee Lamb hauling in Dak Prescott's pass for a touchdown to give the Cowboys the early lead. The Falcons responded with a field goal for their lone scoring play of the game. Afterwards, the Cowboys put up 36 unanswered points, 29 of which came in the second quarter. Ezekiel Elliott scored two touchdown runs to extend Dallas' lead to 21–3, before Lamb caught his second touchdown to make it 28–3. The special teams would also contribute with Nahshon Wright returning a blocked punt for a touchdown. As the Cowboys led 36–3 at halftime, their defense intercepted the Falcons three times in as many drives. One of those interceptions was by Trevon Diggs, who had not intercepted a pass since Week 6 against the Patriots. With this win, the Cowboys improved to 7–2.

Week 11: at Kansas City Chiefs

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Cowboys	3	0	3	3	9
Chiefs	9	7	3	0	19

Game information

First quarter KC – Travis Kelce 4-yard run (kick failed), 10:01. Chiefs 6–0. Drive: 9 plays, 86 yards, 3:47. KC – Harrison Butker 37-yard field goal, 7:55. Chiefs 9–0. Drive: 4 plays, 3 yards, 0:58. DAL – Greg Zuerlein 33-yard field goal, 2:50. Chiefs 9–3. Drive: 10 plays, 60 yards, 5:05. Second quarter KC – Clyde Edwards-Helaire 1-yard run (Harrison Butker kick), 14:08. Chiefs 16–3. Drive: 8 plays, 65 yards, 3:42. Third quarter DAL – Greg Zuerlein 30-yard field goal, 9:21. Chiefs 16–6. Drive: 7 plays, 24 yards, 2:02. KC – Harrison Butker 53-yard field goal, 2:36. Chiefs 19–6. Drive: 7 plays, 41 yards, 3:13. Fourth quarter DAL – Greg Zuerlein 48-yard field goal, 12:52. Chiefs 19–9. Drive: 9 plays, 45 yards, 4:44. Top passers DAL – Dak Prescott – 28/43, 216 yards, 2 INT KC – Patrick Mahomes – 23/37, 260 yards, INT Top rushers DAL – Tony Pollard – 7 rushes, 50 yards KC – Clyde Edwards-Helaire – 12 rushes, 63 yards, TD Top receivers DAL – Dalton Schultz – 6 receptions, 53 yards KC – Tyreek Hill – 9 receptions, 77 yards

Week 11: Dallas Cowboys at Kansas City Chiefs – Game summary

at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri

• Date: November 21
• Game time: 3:25 p.m. CST
• Game weather: 58 °F (14 °C)
• Game attendance: 73,494
• Referee: John Hussey
• TV announcers (Fox): Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, Erin Andrews and Tom Rinaldi
• Recap, Game Book

Despite strong defensive play, the Cowboys offense could not keep pace with Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs. The Cowboys noticed the absence of Amari Cooper, who was ruled out due to COVID-19 protocols. Cooper's absence would contribute largely to Dallas' subsequent struggles on offense, as they failed to score a single touchdown despite their defense holding Kansas City's high-powered offense under 20 points. The 19–9 loss dropped the Cowboys to 7–3. This was the Cowboys' only game of the season not scoring at least 10 points.

Week 12: vs. Las Vegas Raiders

Thanksgiving Day games

Quarter	1	2	3	4	OT	Total
Raiders	14	3	10	6	3	36
Cowboys	6	7	6	14	0	33

Game information

First quarter LV – DeSean Jackson 56-yard pass from Derek Carr (Daniel Carlson kick), 11:45. Raiders 7–0. Drive: 3 plays, 71 yards, 1:15. DAL – Sean McKeon 10-yard pass from Dak Prescott (kick failed), 7:38. Raiders 7–6. Drive: 9 plays, 75 yards, 4:07. LV – Josh Jacobs 1-yard run (Daniel Carlson kick), 1:33. Raiders 14–6. Drive: 8 plays, 60 yards, 3:44. Second quarter LV – Daniel Carlson 22-yard field goal, 8:46. Raiders 17–6. Drive: 13 plays, 74 yards, 5:53. DAL – Ezekiel Elliott 1-yard run (Greg Zuerlein kick), 0:25. Raiders 17–13. Drive: 8 plays, 86 yards, 3:27. Third quarter LV – Marcus Mariota 3-yard run (Daniel Carlson kick), 7:13. Raiders 24–13. Drive: 6 plays, 75 yards, 2:48. DAL – Tony Pollard 100-yard kick return (run failed), 7:00. Raiders 24–19. LV – Daniel Carlson 46-yard field goal, 3:28. Raiders 27–19. Drive: 9 plays, 48 yards, 3:32. Fourth quarter DAL – Greg Zuerlein 29-yard field goal, 12:00. Raiders 27–22. Drive: 8 plays, 78 yards, 2:48. LV – Daniel Carlson 30-yard field goal, 8:18. Raiders 30–22. Drive: 6 plays, 63 yards, 3:42. DAL – Dalton Schultz 32-yard pass from Dak Prescott (Dalton Schultz–Dak Prescott pass), 2:54. Tied 30–30. Drive: 4 plays, 69 yards, 0:47. LV – Daniel Carlson 56-yard field goal, 1:52. Raiders 33–30. Drive: 5 plays, 37 yards, 1:02. LV – Greg Zuerlein 45-yard field goal, 0:19. Tied 33–33. Drive: 10 plays, 48 yards, 1:33. Overtime LV – Daniel Carlson 29-yard field goal, 4:28. Raiders 36–33. Drive: 8 plays, 67 yards, 4:12. Top passers LV – Derek Carr – 24/39, 373 yards, TD DAL – Dak Prescott – 32/47, 375 yards, 2 TD Top rushers LV – Josh Jacobs – 22 rushes, 87 yards, TD DAL – Tony Pollard – 10 rushes, 36 yards Top receivers LV – Hunter Renfrow – 8 receptions, 134 yards DAL – Michael Gallup – 5 receptions, 106 yards

Week 12: Las Vegas Raiders at Dallas Cowboys – Game summary

at AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas

• Date: November 25
• Game time: 3:30 p.m. CST
• Game weather: None (retractable roof closed)
• Game attendance: 93,483
• Referee: Shawn Hochuli
• TV announcers (CBS): Jim Nantz, Tony Romo and Tracy Wolfson
• Recap, Game Book

After their loss to the Chiefs, the Cowboys looked to win their first game on Thanksgiving since they beat the Washington Football Team in 2018, who were then known as the Redskins. The Cowboys were already in trouble after several pass interference plays. The Cowboys sent the game to overtime, but after a controversial pass interference call on Anthony Brown, they could not succeed at making a comeback. The Cowboys fell to 7–4, and lost their third consecutive game on Thanksgiving Day.

Week 13: at New Orleans Saints

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Cowboys	7	6	7	7	27
Saints	0	7	3	7	17

Game information

First quarter DAL – Michael Gallup 1-yard pass from Dak Prescott (Greg Zuerlein kick), 0:59. Cowboys 7–0. Drive: 6 plays, 80 yards, 3:16. Second quarter NO – Lil'Jordan Humphrey 24-yard pass from Taysom Hill (Brett Maher kick), 12:54. Tied 7–7. Drive: 7 plays, 75 yards, 3:05. DAL – Greg Zuerlein 55-yard field goal, 9:04. Cowboys 10–7. Drive: 7 plays, 39 yards, 3:50. DAL – Greg Zuerlein 34-yard field goal, 0:00. Cowboys 13–7. Drive: 12 plays, 79 yards, 2:19. Third quarter NO – Brett Maher 42-yard field goal, 8:26. Cowboys 13–10. Drive: 11 plays, 55 yards, 5:03. DAL – Tony Pollard 58-yard run (Greg Zuerlein kick), 3:55. Cowboys 20–10. Drive: 4 plays, 71 yards, 1:03. Fourth quarter DAL – Carlos Watkins 29-yard interception return (Greg Zuerlein kick), 2:52. Cowboys 27–10. NO – Deonte Harris 70-yard pass from Taysom Hill (Brett Maher kick), 2:32. Cowboys 27–17. Drive: 2 plays, 70 yards, 0:20. Top passers DAL – Dak Prescott – 26/40, 238 yards, TD, INT NO – Taysom Hill – 19/41, 264 yards, 2 TD, 4 INT Top rushers DAL – Tony Pollard – 7 rushes, 71 yards, TD NO – Taysom Hill – 11 rushes, 101 yards Top receivers DAL – CeeDee Lamb – 7 receptions, 89 yards NO – Deonte Harris – 4 receptions, 96 yards, TD

Week 13: Dallas Cowboys at New Orleans Saints – Game summary

at Caesars Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana

• Date: December 2
• Game time: 7:20 p.m. CST
• Game weather: None (indoor stadium)
• Game attendance: 69,170
• Referee: Brad Rogers
• TV announcers (Fox/NFLN/Prime Video): Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, Erin Andrews and Kristina Pink
• Recap, Game Book

With Mike McCarthy in COVID-19 protocols, Dan Quinn took the interim head coaching position in place of McCarthy. The Cowboys ended their losing streak against the Saints in New Orleans with the win, as well as improving to 8–4.

Week 14: at Washington Football Team

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Cowboys	18	6	3	0	27
Washington	0	0	8	12	20

Game information

First quarter DAL – Greg Zuerlein 35-yard field goal, 9:37. Cowboys 3–0. Drive: 12 plays, 54 yards, 5:23. DAL – Amari Cooper 7-yard pass from Dak Prescott (Ezekiel Elliott run), 3:42. Cowboys 11–0. Drive: 5 plays, 41 yards, 1:44. DAL – Dorance Armstrong 37-yard fumble return (Greg Zuerlein kick), 0:29. Cowboys 18–0. Second quarter DAL – Greg Zuerlein 38-yard field goal, 4:58. Cowboys 21–0. Drive: 11 plays, 61 yards, 5:23. DAL – Greg Zuerlein 37-yard field goal, 0:15. Cowboys 24–0. Drive: 12 plays, 58 yards, 1:59. Third quarter WAS – Cam Sims 43-yard pass from Taylor Heinicke (Taylor Heinicke run), 6:57. Cowboys 24–8. Drive: 6 plays, 90 yards, 2:20. DAL – Greg Zuerlein 29-yard field goal, 1:35. Cowboys 27–8. Drive: 5 plays, 15 yards, 1:37. Fourth quarter WAS – Jonathan Williams 1-yard run (pass failed), 5:09. Cowboys 27–14. Drive: 13 plays, 73 yards, 4:15. WAS – Cole Holcomb 31-yard interception return (kick blocked), 4:13. Cowboys 27–20. Top passers DAL – Dak Prescott – 22/39, 211 yards, TD, 2 INT WAS – Taylor Heinicke – 11/25, 122 yards, TD, INT Top rushers DAL – Ezekiel Elliott – 12 rushes, 45 yards WAS – Antonio Gibson – 10 rushes, 36 yards Top receivers DAL – CeeDee Lamb – 7 receptions, 61 yards WAS – Cam Sims – 3 receptions, 69 yards, TD

Week 14: Dallas Cowboys at Washington Football Team – Game summary

at FedExField, Landover, Maryland

• Date: December 12
• Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST/12:00 p.m. CST
• Game weather: Sunny, 48 °F (9 °C)
• Game attendance: 61,308
• Referee: Alex Kemp
• TV announcers (Fox): Kevin Burkhardt, Greg Olsen and Pam Oliver
• Recap, Game Book

The Cowboys continued their road trip against the Washington Football Team. Dallas would jump out to a 24–0 lead by halftime. One of those scoring plays involved Micah Parsons forcing a fumble, which was recovered by Dorance Armstrong for a touchdown. In the second half, Washington would awaken from their slump and score three touchdowns of their own, including a pick-six by Cole Holcomb. However, Dallas was able to stave off the late rally and keep the game out of Washington's reach by forcing a game-ending fumble. The win improved the Cowboys to 9–4.

Week 15: at New York Giants

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Cowboys	6	9	6	0	21
Giants	3	0	3	0	6

Game information

First quarter DAL – Ezekiel Elliott 13-yard run (kick failed), 6:31. Cowboys 6–0. Drive: 2 plays, 13 yards, 0:09. NYG – Graham Gano 35-yard field goal, 0:37. Cowboys 6–3. Drive: 11 plays, 58 yards, 5:54. Second quarter DAL – Greg Zuerlein 26-yard field goal, 10:30. Cowboys 9–3. Drive: 10 plays, 58 yards, 5:07. DAL – Greg Zuerlein 42-yard field goal, 1:39. Cowboys 12–3. Drive: 16 plays, 68 yards, 6:37. DAL – Greg Zuerlein 27-yard field goal, 0:00. Cowboys 15–3. Drive: 6 plays, 37 yards, 0:41. Third quarter NYG – Graham Gano 42-yard field goal, 12:05. Cowboys 15–6. Drive: 8 plays, 51 yards, 2:55. DAL – Dalton Schultz 1-yard pass from Dak Prescott (kick failed), 1:57. Cowboys 21–6. Drive: 5 plays, 29 yards, 2:28. Fourth quarter No scoring plays. Top passers DAL – Dak Prescott – 28/37, 217 yards, TD NYG – Mike Glennon – 13/24, 99 yards, 3 INT Top rushers DAL – Tony Pollard – 12 rushes, 74 yards NYG – Devontae Booker – 8 rushes, 74 yards Top receivers DAL – Dalton Schultz – 8 receptions, 67 yards, TD NYG – Kenny Golladay – 3 receptions, 53 yards

Week 15: Dallas Cowboys at New York Giants – Game summary

at MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey

• Date: December 19
• Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST/12:00 p.m. CST
• Game weather: Cloudy, 40 °F (4 °C)
• Game attendance: 77,413
• Referee: Jerome Boger
• TV announcers (Fox): Adam Amin, Mark Schlereth and Shannon Spake
• Recap, Game Book

The Cowboys continued their dominance against the Giants. The Cowboys defense continued to be superior to the Giants offense, as the Cowboys held the Giants without a touchdown. The win improved the Cowboys to 10–4. Several days later, the Cowboys clinched a postseason berth after the 49ers lost to the Titans.

Week 16: vs. Washington Football Team

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Washington	0	7	0	7	14
Cowboys	21	21	7	7	56

Game information

First quarter DAL – Ezekiel Elliott 5-yard pass from Dak Prescott (Greg Zuerlein kick), 7:42. Cowboys 7–0. Drive: 9 plays, 71 yards, 3:45. DAL – Dalton Schultz 9-yard pass from Dak Prescott (Greg Zuerlein kick), 3:08. Cowboys 14–0. Drive: 8 plays, 74 yards, 3:00. DAL – DeMarcus Lawrence 40-yard interception return (Greg Zuerlein kick), 2:17. Cowboys 21–0. Second quarter WAS – Antonio Gibson 8-yard pass from Taylor Heinicke (Joey Slye kick), 14:45. Cowboys 21–7. Drive: 5 plays, 75 yards, 2:32. DAL – Ezekiel Elliott 11-yard run (Greg Zuerlein kick), 10:34. Cowboys 28–7. Drive: 8 plays, 75 yards, 4:11. DAL – Terence Steele 1-yard pass from Dak Prescott (Greg Zuerlein kick), 2:31. Cowboys 35–7. Drive: 9 plays, 80 yards, 3:58. DAL – Amari Cooper 13-yard pass from Dak Prescott (Greg Zuerlein kick), 0:05. Cowboys 42–7. Drive: 12 plays, 89 yards, 1:37. Third quarter DAL – Chauncey Golston blocked punt recovery in end zone (Greg Zuerlein kick), 6:06. Cowboys 49–7. Fourth quarter DAL – Malik Turner 9-yard pass from Cooper Rush (Greg Zuerlein kick), 14:16. Cowboys 56–7. Drive: 5 plays, 79 yards, 2:59. WAS – John Bates 13-yard pass from Kyle Allen (Joey Slye kick), 2:46. Cowboys 56–14. Drive: 12 plays, 61 yards, 7:02. Top passers WAS – Taylor Heinicke – 7/22, 121 yards, TD, 2 INT DAL – Dak Prescott – 28/39, 330 yards, 4 TD Top rushers WAS – Jaret Patterson – 9 rushes, 33 yards DAL – Ezekiel Elliott – 9 rushes, 37 yards, TD Top receivers WAS – Dyami Brown – 2 receptions, 53 yards DAL – Amari Copper – 7 receptions, 85 yards, TD

Week 16: Washington Football Team at Dallas Cowboys – Game summary

at AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas

• Date: December 26
• Game time: 7:20 p.m. CST
• Game weather: None (retractable roof closed)
• Game attendance: 93,482
• Referee: Bill Vinovich
• TV announcers (NBC): Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth, Michele Tafoya and Terry McAulay
• Recap, Game Book

Having already clinched the NFC East after the Broncos lost to the Raiders, the Cowboys looked to add to their momentum as they returned home to play against the Washington Football Team. The Cowboys dominated the game in every way. Their defense continued to shine with an additional 2 takeaways, one of which was a pick six. Dak Prescott became the first quarterback in NFL history to throw at least one touchdown pass to a wide receiver, running back, offensive tackle, and a tight end, all in one game, with one touchdown pass going to running back Ezekiel Elliott, one touchdown pass going to wide receiver Amari Cooper, one touchdown pass going to offensive tackle Terence Steele, and one touchdown pass going to Dalton Schultz. The Cowboys scored their most points since 1980 when they romped the 49ers, 59–14. This win improved the Cowboys to 11–4 and swept Washington for the first time since 2019.

Week 17: vs. Arizona Cardinals

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Cardinals	3	10	9	3	25
Cowboys	0	7	0	15	22

Game information

First quarter ARI – Matt Prater 24-yard field goal, 7:46. Cardinals 3–0. Drive: 9 plays, 78 yards, 3:12. Second quarter ARI – Antoine Wesley 1-yard pass from Kyler Murray (Matt Prater kick), 5:27. Cardinals 10–0. Drive: 15 plays, 91 yards, 8:25. DAL – Michael Gallup 21-yard pass from Dak Prescott (Greg Zuerlein kick), 1:25. Cardinals 10–7. Drive: 11 plays, 77 yards, 4:02. ARI – Matt Prater 53-yard field goal, 0:00. Cardinals 13–7. Drive: 10 plays, 40 yards, 1:25. Third quarter ARI – Antoine Wesley 19-yard pass from Kyler Murray (pass failed), 9:39. Cardinals 19–7. Drive: 8 plays, 75 yards, 5:21. ARI – Matt Prater 26-yard field goal, 4:01. Cardinals 22–7. Drive: 9 plays, 49 yards, 4:44. Fourth quarter DAL – Cedrick Wilson Jr. 2-yard pass from Dak Prescott (Greg Zuerlein kick), 13:49. Cardinals 22–14. Drive: 8 plays, 31 yards, 2:52. ARI – Matt Prater 38-yard field goal, 8:32. Cardinals 25–14. Drive: 5 plays, 24 yards, 1:58. DAL – Amari Cooper 4-yard pass from Dak Prescott (Dak Prescott–Cedrick Wilson Jr. pass), 4:42. Cardinals 25–22. Drive: 8 plays, 75 yards, 3:50. Top passers ARI – Kyler Murray – 26/38, 263 yards, 2 TD DAL – Dak Prescott – 24/38, 226 yards, 3 TD Top rushers ARI – Chase Edmonds – 18 rushes, 53 yards DAL – Dak Prescott – 5 rushes, 20 yards Top receivers ARI – Christian Kirk – 6 receptions, 79 yards DAL – Dalton Schultz – 6 receptions, 54 yards

Week 17: Arizona Cardinals at Dallas Cowboys – Game summary

at AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas

• Date: January 2
• Game time: 3:25 p.m. CST
• Game weather: None (retractable roof closed)
• Game attendance: 93,459
• Referee: Scott Novak
• TV announcers (Fox): Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, Erin Andrews and Tom Rinaldi
• Recap, Game Book

The Cowboys stayed home for the second straight week to take on the Arizona Cardinals. Dallas struggled in the first half and could not keep pace with Arizona. They later fought back in the fourth quarter to pull within 3 points, but a controversial fumble call ended the Cowboys' momentum. This loss dropped the Cowboys to 11–5 on the season.

Wide receiver Michael Gallup left the game with a knee injury in the second quarter after a touchdown reception. It was confirmed to be a torn ACL, ending his season.

Week 18: at Philadelphia Eagles

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Cowboys	10	20	0	21	51
Eagles	7	10	3	6	26

Game information

First quarter PHI – Tyree Jackson 3-yard pass from Gardner Minshew (Jake Elliott kick), 9:41. Eagles 7–0. Drive: 11 plays, 75 yards, 5:19. DAL – Cedrick Wilson Jr. 14-yard pass from Dak Prescott (Greg Zuerlein kick), 5:08. Tied 7–7. Drive: 10 plays, 75 yards, 4:33. DAL – Greg Zuerlein 48-yard field goal, 1:37. Cowboys 10–7. Drive: 5 plays, 26 yards, 1:57. Second quarter PHI – Jake Elliott 38-yard field goal, 12:24. Tied 10–10. Drive: 10 plays, 44 yards, 4:13. DAL – Cedrick Wilson Jr. 24-yard pass from Dak Prescott (Greg Zuerlein kick), 8:07. Cowboys 17–10. Drive: 7 plays, 74 yards, 4:17. PHI – Kenneth Gainwell 7-yard run (Jake Elliott kick), 3:40. Tied 17–17. Drive: 10 plays, 75 yards, 4:27. DAL – Dalton Schultz 2-yard pass from Dak Prescott (kick failed), 1:45. Cowboys 23–17. Drive: 8 plays, 75 yards, 1:55. DAL – Dalton Schultz 9-yard pass from Dak Prescott (Greg Zuerlein kick), 0:05. Cowboys 30–17. Drive: 4 plays, 43 yards, 0:19. Third quarter PHI – Jake Elliott 40-yard field goal, 5:58. Cowboys 30–20. Drive: 15 plays, 53 yards, 6:41. Fourth quarter DAL – Corey Clement 8-yard pass from Dak Prescott (Greg Zuerlein kick), 14:33. Cowboys 37–20. Drive: 14 plays, 84 yards, 6:25. DAL – Ito Smith 4-yard run (Greg Zuerlein kick), 10:16. Cowboys 44–20. Drive: 5 plays, 52 yards, 2:28. DAL – JaQuan Hardy 22-yard run (Greg Zuerlein kick), 8:36. Cowboys 51–20. Drive: 3 plays, 26 yards, 1:32. PHI – Quez Watkins 36-yard pass from Gardner Minshew (pass failed), 1:50. Cowboys 51–26. Drive: 14 plays, 75 yards, 6:46. Top passers DAL – Dak Prescott – 21/27, 295 yards, 5 TD PHI – Gardner Minshew – 19/33, 186 yards, 2 TD, INT Top rushers DAL – Ezekiel Elliott – 18 rushes, 87 yards PHI – Kenneth Gainwell – 12 rushes, 78 yards, TD Top receivers DAL – Cedrick Wilson Jr. – 5 receptions, 119 yards, 2 TD PHI – Quez Watkins – 5 receptions, 84 yards, TD

Week 18: Dallas Cowboys at Philadelphia Eagles – Game summary

at Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

• Date: January 8
• Game time: 8:15 p.m. EST/7:15 p.m. CST
• Game weather: Clear, 26 °F (−3 °C)
• Game attendance: 69,796
• Referee: Ronald Torbert
• TV announcers (ESPN/ABC/ESPN+): Steve Levy, Brian Griese, Louis Riddick, Lisa Salters, and John Parry
• Recap, Game Book

The Cowboys traveled to Philadelphia to play the backup-laden Eagles, who had also already clinched a playoff spot. Dak Prescott threw for 5 touchdowns, a career high. He also surpassed Tony Romo's single-season touchdown pass record. It was the first time in history the Cowboys would score 50+ points on the road. This was the first time since 1998 that the Cowboys completed a season sweep of the NFC East. The Cowboys finished the regular season 12–5 in the first ever 17-game NFL season.

Standings

Division

NFC East
view talk edit	W	L	T	PCT	DIV	CONF	PF	PA	STK
(3) Dallas Cowboys	12	5	0	.706	6–0	10–2	530	358	W1
(7) Philadelphia Eagles	9	8	0	.529	3–3	7–5	444	385	L1
Washington Football Team	7	10	0	.412	2–4	6–6	335	434	W1
New York Giants	4	13	0	.235	1–5	3–9	258	416	L6

Conference

NFC v t e
#	Team	Division	W	L	T	PCT	DIV	CONF	SOS	SOV	STK
Division winners
1[a]	Green Bay Packers	North	13	4	0	.765	4–2	9–3	.479	.480	L1
2[a]	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	South	13	4	0	.765	4–2	8–4	.467	.443	W3
3[b]	Dallas Cowboys	East	12	5	0	.706	6–0	10–2	.488	.431	W1
4[b]	Los Angeles Rams	West	12	5	0	.706	3–3	8–4	.483	.409	L1
Wild cards
5	Arizona Cardinals	West	11	6	0	.647	4–2	7–5	.490	.492	L1
6	San Francisco 49ers	West	10	7	0	.588	2–4	7–5	.500	.438	W2
7[c]	Philadelphia Eagles	East	9	8	0	.529	3–3	7–5	.469	.350	L1
Did not qualify for the postseason
8[c]	New Orleans Saints	South	9	8	0	.529	4–2	7–5	.512	.516	W2
9	Minnesota Vikings	North	8	9	0	.471	4–2	6–6	.507	.434	W1
10[d]	Washington Football Team	East	7	10	0	.412	2–4	6–6	.529	.420	W1
11[d][e]	Seattle Seahawks	West	7	10	0	.412	3–3	4–8	.519	.424	W2
12[d][e]	Atlanta Falcons	South	7	10	0	.412	2–4	4–8	.472	.315	L2
13	Chicago Bears	North	6	11	0	.353	2–4	4–8	.524	.373	L1
14	Carolina Panthers	South	5	12	0	.294	2–4	3–9	.509	.412	L7
15	New York Giants	East	4	13	0	.235	1–5	3–9	.536	.485	L6
16	Detroit Lions	North	3	13	1	.206	2–4	3–9	.528	.627	W1
Tiebreakers[f]
Green Bay finished ahead of Tampa Bay based on conference record (9–3 vs. 8–4), claiming the No. 1 seed. Dallas claimed the No. 3 seed over LA Rams based on conference record (10–2 vs. 8–4). Philadelphia finished ahead of New Orleans based on head-to-head victory, claiming the 7th and final playoff spot. Washington finished ahead of Atlanta and Seattle based on head-to-head victories. Seattle finished ahead of Atlanta based on win percentage in common games (4–2 vs. 3–3 against: San Francisco, New Orleans, Jacksonville, Washington, and Detroit). When breaking ties for three or more teams under the NFL's rules, they are first broken within divisions, then comparing only the highest-ranked remaining team from each division.

Postseason

See also: 2021–22 NFL playoffs

Round	Date	Opponent (seed)	Result	Record	Venue	Recap
Wild Card	January 16	San Francisco 49ers (6)	L 17–23	0–1	AT&T Stadium	Recap

Game summaries

NFC Wild Card Playoffs: vs. (6) San Francisco 49ers

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
49ers	10	6	7	0	23
Cowboys	0	7	0	10	17

Game information

First quarter SF – Elijah Mitchell 4-yard run (Robbie Gould kick), 10:54. 49ers 7–0. Drive: 7 plays, 75 yards, 4:06. SF – Robbie Gould 53-yard field goal, 4:53. 49ers 10–0. Drive: 9 plays, 23 yards, 4:34. Second quarter SF – Robbie Gould 40-yard field goal, 9:40. 49ers 13–0. Drive: 12 plays, 56 yards, 7:58. DAL – Amari Cooper 20-yard pass from Dak Prescott (Greg Zuerlein kick), 5:19. 49ers 13–7. Drive: 9 plays, 67 yards, 4:21. SF – Robbie Gould 52-yard field goal, 3:03. 49ers 16–7. Drive: 5 plays, 41 yards, 2:16. Third quarter SF – Deebo Samuel 26-yard run (Robbie Gould kick), 5:50. 49ers 23–7. Drive: 1 play, 26 yards, 0:08. Fourth quarter DAL – Greg Zuerlein 51-yard field goal, 11:53. 49ers 23–10. Drive: 11 plays, 37 yards, 4:41. DAL – Dak Prescott 5-yard run (Greg Zuerlein kick), 8:02. 49ers 23–17. Drive: 5 plays, 28 yards, 1:35. Top passers SF – Jimmy Garoppolo – 16/25, 172 yards, INT DAL – Dak Prescott – 23/43, 254 yards, TD, INT Top rushers SF – Elijah Mitchell – 27 rushes, 96 yards, TD DAL – Ezekiel Elliott – 12 rushes, 31 yards Top receivers SF – Brandon Aiyuk – 5 receptions, 66 yards DAL – Dalton Schultz – 7 receptions, 89 yards

NFC Wild Card Playoffs: (6) San Francisco 49ers at (3) Dallas Cowboys – Game summary

at AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas

• Date: January 16, 2022
• Game time: 3:30 p.m. CST
• Game weather: None (retractable roof closed)
• Game attendance: 93,470
• Referee: Alex Kemp
• TV announcers (CBS, Nickelodeon and Amazon Prime Video):
  • CBS: Jim Nantz, Tony Romo, Tracy Wolfson, and Jay Feely
  • Nickelodeon: Noah Eagle, Nate Burleson, Gabrielle Nevaeh Green, and Dylan Gilmer
  • Prime Video: Hannah Storm and Andrea Kremer
• Recap, Game Book

The Cowboys hosted the San Francisco 49ers for the Wild Card Playoffs. However, the Cowboys were plagued by miscues and penalties throughout the game, and a late fourth-quarter rally fell short in a heartbreaking loss. San Francisco scored first with a touchdown run by Elijah Mitchell on the game's opening drive, and built their lead to 23–7 by the start of the fourth quarter. Dallas started their rally with a long field goal by Greg Zuerlein, followed by a touchdown run by Dak Prescott. On the game's final drive, Prescott led the Cowboys deep into San Francisco territory, but with seconds remaining and no time-outs, he was stopped in bounds on a run up the middle as the game clock continued running. The Cowboys had a first down at the 49ers 24-yard line, but the clock expired before Prescott could stop it by spiking the ball, in part because members of the Cowboys offense unintentionally prevented the Umpire from touching the ball to officiate the start of the snap, ending the game and Dallas's season. The 23–17 loss marked the second time in their past three postseason appearances, and the seventh time in their past ten, that Dallas went one-and-done in the playoffs. The Cowboys finished the season with a total record of 12–6.

Statistics

Further information: National Football League records

Team

Category	Total yards	Yards per game	NFL rank (out of 32)
Passing offense	4,800	282.4	2nd
Rushing offense	2,119	124.6	9th
Total offense	6,919	407.0	1st
Passing defense	4,049	238.2	20th
Rushing defense	1,918	112.8	16th
Total defense	5,967	351.0	19th

Individual

Category	Player	Total yards
Offense
Passing	Dak Prescott	4,449
Rushing	Ezekiel Elliott	1,002
Receiving	CeeDee Lamb	1,102
Defense
Tackles (Solo)	Jayron Kearse	67
Sacks	Micah Parsons	13
Interceptions	Trevon Diggs	11

Statistics correct as of the end of the 2021 NFL season^[8][9]

References

1. Walker, Patrik (April 1, 2021). "L.P. Ladouceur 'not thinking about retirement' after Cowboys decide to move on from legendary long snapper". CBSsports.com. Retrieved September 15, 2021.
2. Phillips, Rob (March 17, 2021). "Cowboys Release Longtime Punter Chris Jones". dallascowboys.com. Retrieved September 15, 2021.
3. "Cowboys DL Tyrone Crawford Retiring from NFL after 9 seasons". Dallasnews.com. March 25, 2021. Retrieved September 15, 2021.
4. Archer, Todd (April 26, 2021). "Dallas Cowboys LB Sean Lee retires after 11 seasons". ESPN.com. Retrieved September 15, 2021.
5. "Dallas Cowboys to be featured in HBO's 2021 'Hard Knocks' series". Fox4News.com. July 2, 2021. Retrieved September 15, 2021.
6. Schefter, Adam (June 25, 2020). "Cowboys-Steelers Hall of Fall Game called off; enshrinement ceremony postponed". ESPN. Retrieved June 25, 2020.
7. Williams, Chareen (February 15, 2021). "Unprecedented Hall of Fame weekend will kick off with Cowboys-Steelers". NBC Sports. Retrieved February 15, 2021.
8. "2021 NFL Team Total Statistics". ESPN. Retrieved January 10, 2022.
9. "Dallas Cowboys Stats". Dallas Cowboys. Retrieved January 11, 2022.

External links

• "2021 Dallas Cowboys Statistics & Players". Pro-Football-Reference.com.
• Official website