The Cowboys’ game against the Packers once again shown that every critique of the team is valid.

The Dallas Cowboys 2023 season ended in the blink of an eye, just like that. Dallas had everything set up just right to go to the NFC Championship Game for the first time since 1995. With two home playoff games at their disposal as the No. 2 seed and a 16-game home winning streak under their belt, the Cowboys’ circumstances seemed ideal for a strong postseason run. Unfortunately, the Cowboys’ Sunday afternoon preparations were derailed by an old playoff foe in the Green Bay Packers.

It was doomed from the beginning. With relative ease on their opening drive, Green Bay marched down the field like an HBCU band to grab a 7-0 lead, and the floodgates opened. Darnell Savage, whose last name is appropriate given how the Packers handled the Cowboys in this game, returned a 64-yard interception to give the Packers a 27-0 lead with less than two minutes remaining in the first half. With some false output from the Cowboys to make the score appear higher than it actually was, Green Bay prevailed 48–32 in the end. The Cowboys had never given up as many points in a postseason game as they did against the Packers.

This epic failure starts at the top with head coach Mike McCarthy. Yes, he’s won 12 games for three seasons in a row, and that’s to be respected. However, in four playoff games under his watch, the Cowboys have lost three of them. Last season against the San Francisco 49ers, the game was tied at 12 in the fourth quarter, and if the Cowboys got anything from Dak Prescott and the offense, they could have easily won that game. In the two other losses, the Cowboys have looked completely unprepared on both sides of the ball, which is inexcusable for a coach who has accomplished what he has. Their one win was against the 8-9 Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2022, who they were clearly better than, and it would’ve taken something unforeseen for them to lose.

Nobody is denying that McCarthy can coach. At some point, though, regular season success has to turn into postseason wins, especially with a roster as talented as the Cowboys have. He’s the man who drives the bus, and more often than not, he’s driven it into a brick wall when it comes to preparation in the biggest moments which is the playoffs. Now, questions are circling about his future with the Cowboys with one year left on his deal, and rightfully so. These types of meltdowns simply can’t happen, and if the Cowboys decide to move on, it will be completely understandable.

Defensive coordinator Dan Quinn also has to be looked at. He’s turned the Cowboys’ defense around since arriving in 2021. They led the league in turnovers in back-to-back seasons (2021, 2022) and finished tied for sixth-best this season with 26. As good as that is, he hasn’t shown the ability to make adjustments at times when his defense has been shredded, especially in 2023. The tape from the Cowboys’ losses to the Arizona Cardinals, 49ers, and Buffalo Bills proved that. Also, his unit gave up 169 rushing yards to the 49ers in their 2021 playoff loss, and Jordan Love and the Packers offense had a field day on Sunday, and Quinn had no answer whatsoever.

Everyone knows that without Quinn and his ability as a defensive coordinator, the Cowboys don’t win 12 games three years in a row. With that said, these playoff performances by his unit, or lack thereof, can’t be denied either. His name is high on a lot of head coaching searches, and he could very well take one. If he is to return, he has to find a way to get his side of the ball to perform when it matters the most, or the 2024 campaign will need to be his last in Dallas, although it could likely be the case before that.

And lastly, the players. Furthermore, they must be held responsible.

With nine selections to the All-Pro team in 2023, Dallas dominated the NFL. Thus, the ability exists. But at what point will enough be enough? They should be happy about the media attention they are receiving, especially considering how many games they have recently won, but eventually they will have had enough of being all show and no substance. There is no other word to describe their performance against the Packers except appalling. So much so that Hall of Famer Michael Irvin expressed his annoyance during their humiliating loss to the Packers, and former head coach Jimmy Johnson chastised them during halftime.

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