The Dallas Cowboys came into Week 17 knowing their postseason hopes were officially over. After the Eagles clinched a spot with their win on Saturday, the Cowboys followed it up with a third straight loss-this time a 34-17 defeat at the hands of the Los Angeles Chargers. It was another frustrating chapter in a season that started with playoff expectations and has instead spiraled into disappointment.
What makes the downturn especially tough to swallow is that the offense, led by Dak Prescott, has still been firing. Statistically, this is one of the top passing attacks in the league.
Prescott has been putting up numbers, the receivers have been producing, and yet the wins just haven’t followed. It's a reminder that football isn't just about piling up yards-execution, situational play, and consistency matter just as much, if not more.
Despite the recent skid, the mood inside the Cowboys’ locker room hasn’t completely soured. With a Christmas Day matchup against the Washington Commanders on deck, the team has tried to keep things light-and no one embodied that more than Jerry Jones.
The Cowboys owner went full Santa Claus on Christmas Eve, literally. He dressed up in the red suit and beard, handing out gifts to players at the team hotel.
“I know this team got so much out of it, I’ll never forget it,” Jones said during an appearance on 105.3 The Fan. “A lot of fun.”
Say what you will about the Cowboys’ season, but that kind of gesture speaks to a team still trying to stay connected, even when the record says otherwise.
As for the game itself, Dallas took a 24-10 lead into halftime against a 4-11 Commanders squad that’s also had its share of struggles this year. Washington is without rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels, who’s been ruled out for the rest of the season. The game is airing on Netflix as part of the league’s new streaming experiment.
There’s not much left on the line for either team in terms of standings, but for Dallas, finishing strong still matters. It’s about pride, momentum, and maybe even a little redemption after a season that didn’t go according to plan.