Cowboys News: Eagles Win the Super Bowl, Marking the End of Disastrous 2024 Season for Dallas
The 2024 NFL season came to a disappointing end for the Dallas Cowboys, as the team faced an array of struggles that ultimately culminated in a disastrous campaign. The season saw the Cowboys, once again, fall short of the lofty expectations they had set for themselves, and their bitter rivals, the Philadelphia Eagles, added insult to injury by claiming the Super Bowl LIX title.
With high hopes for a potential championship run, Dallas entered the season with a roster filled with talent on both sides of the ball. However, injuries, inconsistent play, and lackluster performances led to a series of defeats that left fans and analysts questioning the future of the franchise. As the Eagles secured their second Super Bowl victory in just a few seasons, Dallas’ season came to an abrupt and painful end. The Cowboys’ inability to overcome their shortcomings has now led to another offseason filled with questions and changes on the horizon.
Let’s take a deeper dive into the 2024 season for the Cowboys, what went wrong, how the Eagles’ Super Bowl victory adds insult to injury, and what the future holds for this beleaguered franchise.
A Rocky Start: Cowboys’ Season Full of Hope, But Lacked Execution
Entering the 2024 season, the Dallas Cowboys were viewed as one of the top contenders in the NFC. With quarterback Dak Prescott leading the offense, and a defense that boasted star players such as linebacker Micah Parsons and cornerback Trevon Diggs, the team was poised to challenge for the NFC East title and make a deep playoff run. However, things quickly went off the rails.
The Cowboys started the season with a 2-2 record, but those early losses revealed cracks in their overall game. Dak Prescott struggled with inconsistency, unable to build on his solid performances from the previous season. While he showed flashes of brilliance, especially when targeting CeeDee Lamb, Prescott was often prone to costly turnovers and misfires on critical throws. As the season progressed, this inconsistency became more pronounced and would play a pivotal role in the Cowboys’ downfall.
But it wasn’t just the offense that failed to deliver. Despite boasting one of the NFL’s most dominant defenses on paper, the Cowboys’ defensive unit failed to contain some of the league’s top offenses, including their divisional rivals, the Philadelphia Eagles.
Midseason Struggles: Critical Losses to NFC Rivals
In the middle of the season, the Cowboys faced several key matchups that would determine their playoff aspirations. The most painful of these losses came at the hands of the Philadelphia Eagles, who dominated Dallas in both of their regular-season meetings.
On November 10, 2024, the Cowboys traveled to Philadelphia to face the Eagles in a highly anticipated NFC East showdown. However, the game turned into a nightmare for Dallas, as they were blown out in a 34-6 loss. Prescott struggled under pressure, throwing two interceptions, while the Cowboys’ defense was unable to slow down Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts and the Eagles’ high-powered offense. The loss dropped the Cowboys to 5-5 on the season, and their playoff hopes began to fade.
The second meeting came just under two months later, on December 29, 2024, when the Cowboys once again visited Philadelphia for a crucial divisional matchup. This time, the loss was even more humiliating, as the Cowboys were thoroughly dismantled in a 41-7 rout. Hurts and the Eagles’ offense exposed Dallas’ defensive weaknesses, while the Cowboys’ offense failed to generate any real momentum. By the time the game ended, Dallas found themselves in third place in the NFC East with little hope of recovering.
The Cowboys’ Playoff Dream Fades: Another Missed Opportunity
After the embarrassing loss to the Eagles in Week 17, the Cowboys’ playoff aspirations were all but dashed. Their 7-10 record was far below the expectations of fans and analysts who had anticipated a championship-caliber season. A lack of timely execution, compounded by injuries and inconsistent play, led to their downfall.
The defense, which had been heralded as one of the best in the league, failed to live up to its billing. Micah Parsons, who had been a game-changing force in previous seasons, saw his impact diminished as teams adapted to his play. While Parsons still managed to register double-digit sacks, he was often neutralized by opposing offensive lines, making it harder for the Cowboys to create turnovers or put pressure on opposing quarterbacks. Trevon Diggs, the team’s top cornerback, also dealt with inconsistency, as opposing quarterbacks were able to exploit his gambles in coverage.
On the offensive side, the Cowboys simply couldn’t find any rhythm. Prescott, who had entered the season as one of the league’s top quarterbacks, threw 14 interceptions on the year, a staggering figure that proved costly in several key games. Though CeeDee Lamb posted solid numbers, the lack of a reliable second option at wide receiver meant that the offense was easy to predict and limit. Tony Pollard, the team’s running back, showed flashes of brilliance but was often hampered by poor offensive line play, leaving him with few opportunities to establish a consistent ground game.
In the end, the Cowboys’ inability to close out games, their lack of depth in key positions, and their failure to adapt to opponents left them on the outside looking in at playoff time.
Eagles’ Super Bowl LIX Victory: Adding Insult to Injury for Dallas
To add insult to injury, the Cowboys’ archrivals, the Philadelphia Eagles, went on to win Super Bowl LIX, further highlighting the disparity between the two teams. The Eagles, who had already cemented themselves as the top team in the NFC East during the regular season, capped off their dominant campaign by defeating the Kansas City Chiefs 40-22 in a thrilling Super Bowl matchup.
Jalen Hurts, the Eagles’ star quarterback, was named Super Bowl MVP after a stellar performance in which he threw for 305 yards and three touchdowns, while also rushing for a touchdown. Hurts’ performance was symbolic of the Eagles’ remarkable season, where they found success both on the ground and through the air. The Eagles’ win marked their second Super Bowl victory in just a few years, and it further solidified their status as the team to beat in the NFC.
For Cowboys fans, watching the Eagles win the Super Bowl while their team failed to even make the playoffs was a bitter pill to swallow. The Cowboys had been projected to contend for a Super Bowl themselves, but once again, they found themselves on the outside, watching as their most bitter rival hoisted the Lombardi Trophy.
Looking Ahead: Offseason Decisions and the Future of the Cowboys
As the 2024 season fades into the rearview mirror, the Dallas Cowboys now enter a crucial offseason filled with difficult decisions. With the NFC East now firmly in the hands of the Eagles, the Cowboys will need to reevaluate their roster and coaching staff in order to avoid another failed season in 2025.
Quarterback Play: The first area that will undoubtedly be scrutinized is the quarterback position. Dak Prescott has been a steady presence under center for the Cowboys, but his inconsistency in 2024 has led to questions about his future. Will the Cowboys stick with Prescott, or will they look for a new quarterback to lead the team moving forward? The answer to this question will shape the team’s direction for years to come.
Coaching Changes: It is also likely that there will be some shakeups in the coaching staff. Head coach Mike McCarthy faces increasing pressure after another disappointing season, and many fans are calling for a change. The Cowboys will need to decide whether McCarthy is the right leader to guide them through the next phase of their rebuilding process or if it’s time to make a change at the top.
Roster Adjustments: The Cowboys will also need to address the shortcomings on both sides of the ball. Adding more weapons to complement CeeDee Lamb and Tony Pollard should be a priority on offense, while defensive reinforcements may be necessary to keep pace with the high-scoring offenses in the NFC. The Cowboys will need to be active in both free agency and the NFL Draft in order to bolster their roster.