Sadly:Cowbells sent packing...

Sadly:Cowboys sent packing

From Tony Romo’s bobbled snap to Dez Bryant’s reversed catch to Dak Prescott’s tardy spike to last Sunday’s shocking

blowout, the Dallas Cowboys have suffered their share of early exits from the NFL Playoffs.

FRISCO: The Dallas Cowboys do have it on their list. a notorious list. But in the history of “America’s Team,” “10 Worst Early

Playoff Exits,” and the NFL playoffs, where does their (deceptively close) 48-32 loss to the Green Bay Packers rank?

Let me lead you through a torturous history lesson.

Be aware that out of the 64 seasons the Cowboys have played, all but five have resulted in a loss. However,

this one stings particularly. due to the anticipations. because to the humiliation.

Following an additional 12-5 regular season marked by individual heroics that earned them the NFC Playoffs’

second seed and a home matchup against the 9-8 Packers, the Cowboys conclude the 2023 campaign with an

identical win total to that of the 2-15 Carolina Panthers.

Cowboys Nation’s rage is genuine, save from FS1 actor Skip Bayless, whose staged, manufactured “temper tantrum” is

enhanced by a “knock” cue and belongs in the WWE. The Cowboys were shouted at by Michael Irvin to “clean house.” And

some of us said throughout the day that we were crazy to think the Cowboys would easily defeat the Packers.

We’ll leave out Super Bowl loses and NFC/NFL Championship Game losses because those are intrinsically painful experiences.

Thus, the “Ice Bowl” at Lambeau Field, the field goal attempt against the Baltimore Colts in the last seconds, Jackie Smith’s

intercepted score against the Pittsburgh Steelers, and “The Catch” in San Francisco will all be omitted.

10. 2008: at Eagles 44, Cowboys 6 – They are blown out to end up with a dismal 9-7 record in what is effectively a de facto NFC

East championship game, even though they added Pacman Jones as a purported “missing piece” to a 13-3 squad from the

previous campaign.

yards rushing to Eric Dickerson.

goes to offensive lineman Herb Scott on the final, fatal drive.

until the waning minutes of the final playoff game with Troy Aikman, Emmitt Smith and Irvin together.

6. 2016: Packers 34, at Cowboys 31 – Aaron Rodgers converts an unlikely 3rd-and-20 to set up a 51-yard field goal on the

final play to dramatically spoil a 13-3 season in the rookie seasons of Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott.

5. 2023: Packers 48, at Cowboys 32 – 16-game home winning streak ends with a humiliating thud as MVP candidate

Prescott throws two first-half interceptions and the 12-5 division champs trail by as many as 32 and cough up the most points

by an opponent in franchise postseason history.

4. 2021: Cowboys 17, 49ers 23 – In an apparent attempt to put the Cowboys in position for one more play, Prescott runs a

quarterback draw, but he is unable to spike the ball as time runs out on a 12-5, division-championship season.

3. 2006: at Seahawks 21, Cowboys 20 – Tony Romo’s infamous bobbled hold of a perfect snap blows a chance for a chip-

shot field goal and a late lead in the Wild Card game. This one forces coach Bill Parcells into retirement.

2. 2014: at Packers 26, Cowboys 21 – Dez Bryant’s apparent touchdown catch with four minutes remaining is reversed

into a fourth-down incompletion. It’s the closest the Cowboys have been to an NFC Championship Game since the 1995

season.

1. 2007: Giants 21, at Cowboys 17 – Armed with a 13-3 record and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs, they lose

to a New York team they beat twice during the regular season when Romo is intercepted in the end zone in the final seconds.