Cowboys Reeling After Back-to-Back Losses, Prescott Speaks Out: “It’s About Pride Now”
The Dallas Cowboys are at a crossroads.
After taking down the defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs and the NFC East-leading Eagles in back-to-back weeks, Dallas looked like a team peaking at the right time. But just as quickly as the momentum built, it vanished.
First came a 44-30 loss to the Detroit Lions. Then, in Week 15, a 34-26 defeat at the hands of a struggling Minnesota Vikings squad sent the Cowboys into a full-blown skid.
And that’s not sitting well with one of the franchise’s most iconic voices.
Three-time Super Bowl champion and Cowboys legend Michael Irvin didn’t hold back when discussing the team’s recent slide during a Sunday appearance on the It Is What It Is podcast. Irvin, never one to mince words, expressed his frustration with the team’s inability to maintain consistency after showing flashes of championship-caliber play.
“When you see a team beat the current champs and the perennial champs back-to-back, you start seeing glory,” Irvin said. “That must mean we can one day be the champs. And then you see this team lose to a team that they should have beaten like Minnesota…”
Irvin’s point hits hard because it’s rooted in something Cowboys fans have felt all season: this team can look like a contender one week and completely lose its edge the next. That inconsistency is maddening - especially when the stakes are high and the margin for error is razor-thin.
“You won those games [against the Chiefs and Eagles], but turn around and lose these games,” Irvin continued. “How am I supposed to measure you if that’s the case?
You only rise to the occasion when the odds are against you? But when you’re expected to win, you can’t get it up.
You need some Viagra, Cialis, whatever they got out there for it. I don’t know.
You know what I’m saying? That’s my issue.
So it has to be a pride thing, because it’s not a physical thing. And that’s my frustration.”
Irvin’s colorful commentary aside, his message is clear: this isn’t about talent - it’s about mentality. And right now, the Cowboys are losing the mental battle.
Prescott: “You Can’t Just Stop”
Quarterback Dak Prescott didn’t sugarcoat things after Sunday’s loss either. Speaking with the media on Monday, he acknowledged what many already suspected - the playoff window is nearly shut. But Prescott made it clear that the team still has something to play for.
“You’re a professional football player. You have to come to work and give your absolute best, regardless,” Prescott said.
“Unfortunately, I’m sure the playoffs are out of the picture. But it’s about taking pride in who you are as a man, and not only that - your job and everything that’s gotten you to this point.”
That’s a veteran quarterback speaking not just to the media, but to his locker room. For a team that’s now 6-7-1 and sitting second in the NFC East behind Philadelphia, the postseason may be slipping away. But Prescott is challenging his teammates to finish with purpose.
“I know for a lot of guys and just the business of the world, that’s interviews for some people,” he added. “You can’t just give up. You can’t just stop.”
Prescott’s numbers on Sunday weren’t bad - 23-of-38 for 294 yards - but the lack of touchdowns told the story. Dallas moved the ball, but couldn’t finish drives.
The offense leaned on running backs Javonte Williams and Malik Davis for scores, while kicker Brandon Aubrey added four field goals to keep things close. But close doesn’t count in December.
What’s Next for Dallas?
The Cowboys now find themselves in desperate need of a bounce-back performance when they take on the Chargers this Sunday at 1 p.m. ET.
The challenge isn’t just about X’s and O’s anymore - it’s about identity. Can this team find the pride and resilience Prescott is calling for?
Can they respond to Irvin’s challenge and prove they’re more than just a team that shows up when the lights are brightest?
Because if Dallas wants to salvage anything from this season - playoff berth or not - it starts with playing for each other, for the jersey, and for the standard that legends like Irvin helped build.
Time’s running out. Let’s see what kind of fight the Cowboys still have left.