A lack of accountability from the Cowboys.
The Dallas Cowboys lost on Sunday. Losing only six times since September sounds like a deal we would sign up for, but knowing that it would all end on a loss is a bitter pill to swallow. This season was supposed to be different for the Cowboys – it was different at times – yet it all ended in the same way that it always has for the better part of three decades.
Perhaps what is most frustrating about Dallas failing, yet again, to deliver in the postseason is that, unlike previous years, they are not even able to come to terms with it themselves.
Sunday evening saw Dak Prescott take to the podium following a Cowboys game like many times before but in this instance QB1 approached things very differently.
When asked about the state of the game Prescott chose to partly blame the officials. Seriously.
Cowboys QB Dak Prescott: “The fans felt the same way as us. I guess that’s why the refs took off and got out of there so fast. I think everybody is upset with the way this thing played out.” https://t.co/39p4x4itkE pic.twitter.com/bj1nHCuIfu
— Michael Gehlken (@GehlkenNFL) January 17, 2022
To be clear, the Cowboys committed 14 penalties. San Francisco lost great players in Nick Bosa and Fred Warner. In spite of all of Dallas’ shortcomings they still had the ball late in the game with a chance to take the lead with a touchdown and turned the ball over on downs. Complaining about officiating and acting like that is why the Cowboys lost is not facing reality.
Of course, much is being said about the final play of the game when Prescott was trying to spike the ball after running a quarterback draw with little time remaining and no clock stoppages left. For what it’s worth Prescott said that the team has practiced it many times and that they were prepared to trust their training.
Dak Prescott: “Made the call knowing that we’re gonna get some yards, get down and clock it. That’s something we’ve practiced over and over again. When I got behind Tyler, saw there was :04 left… then I got hit from behind.” Says he still thought they could’ve gotten snap off.
— Mike Leslie (@MikeLeslieWFAA) January 17, 2022
If the Cowboys have really practiced this play and trained for it then how were they unaware of the fact that the ball had to be given to the official to place and not Tyler Biadasz? This sounds like excuse-making from the Cowboys and like they are trying to place the blame for their loss on the referees as opposed to their own errors.
Obviously officials aren’t perfect, but the Cowboys were at fault on Sunday and hardly some sort of victim. Fans were displeased with the way that the game ended and chose to throw debris at officials as they ran off of the field which was an ugly thing to see. Prescott was asked about the debris flying and mistakenly thought that fans were throwing things at players. When he was corrected in that things were being thrown at officials he said “a credit to them” talking about the fans doing the throwing.
Full @dak response to fans throwing bottles at refs. pic.twitter.com/9S5bMNA2P4
— Mark Lane (@therealmarklane) January 17, 2022
Ever since being drafted by the Cowboys in 2016 we have seen Dak only say and do the right thing as far as when he is in the public space. For him to openly endorse fans throwing debris at officials because they did not like the calls that they made is poor judgment by Prescott. Losing sucks and will always put people in bad moods, but as the leader of the organization Dak has to be better than this.
Sunday was really disappointing in that the Cowboys completely collapsed as a football team. Seeing them point fingers and blame officiating in the aftermath only solidified some of our worst fears in that they don’t believe they were in the wrong in any real way.
That’s a big problem.