Cowboys Eliminated from Playoff Contention: Jerry Jones Reflects on Disappointment, Looks Ahead
The Dallas Cowboys' 2025 season officially came to a crashing halt on Sunday, as a 34-17 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 16 sealed their elimination from playoff contention. It’s the third straight defeat for Dallas, and another year added to the growing list of seasons without a Super Bowl run.
After the game, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones didn’t sugarcoat the situation. In a candid postgame conversation, Jones acknowledged that the team fell well short of expectations - not just externally, but internally as well.
“From what we expected, from what we thought, absolutely. We did.
We all underachieved. Really,” Jones said.
“The fact we’re not in the playoffs, it says that for you.”
Jones, never one to shy away from facing the music, was clear: the Cowboys didn’t meet their own standard. But he also pointed to some silver linings - flashes of potential that could serve as building blocks moving forward.
“I thought we’ve done some things out there that frankly we can carry forward with us,” he added. “There’s always the case that there’s some positive things.”
That’s the duality of a season like this one. Yes, the record speaks volumes, but Jones emphasized the importance of finding value in the film room - not just to praise what went right, but to be honest about what went wrong.
“If you don’t look out, you’ll see positive things when you really should be more critical to the negative,” he said. “And I think you have to do that to play the game and be involved in the game.”
Big Moves, Small Returns
Jones made bold moves in the offseason to try and spark a postseason push. The headline-grabbing trade that sent star linebacker Micah Parsons to the Green Bay Packers raised eyebrows, but the front office aimed to bolster the defense by bringing in reinforcements like Quinnen Williams and Logan Wilson.
Despite those efforts, the defense never found its footing. The unit currently ranks 29th in total defense, giving up an average of 374.9 yards per game and allowing 50 touchdowns - numbers that simply won’t cut it for a team with playoff aspirations.
On the offensive side, Dak Prescott had a decent outing against the Chargers, completing 21 of 30 passes for 244 yards and two touchdowns. But it wasn’t enough to overcome the defensive shortcomings or stop the bleeding during this late-season slide.
Eberflus Under the Microscope
Defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus, hired back in January to revamp the Cowboys’ defense, is now facing serious questions about his future with the team. Jones didn’t dodge the topic.
“I might not couch it as difficult,” Jones said when asked about evaluating Eberflus. “It’s certainly something that we’ll have to do. And that is to look at the entire year and look at what our options are, and how to correct it so we’re not here at the same time next year.”
He acknowledged that the spotlight is squarely on Eberflus - and understandably so, given the defensive numbers.
“Obviously, the target is on him because of our statistical, as well as actual play on the defensive side of the ball, but that goes with it,” Jones said.
What’s Next for Dallas?
With a 6-8-1 record, the Cowboys sit second in the NFC East behind the Philadelphia Eagles. They’ll close out the season with a Thursday matchup against the Washington Commanders - a game that won’t affect their playoff fate, but could offer one last look at a team trying to salvage something from a year that didn’t go according to plan.
For Jerry Jones and the Cowboys, the focus now shifts to reflection, evaluation, and - inevitably - change. The pieces are there, but the question remains: can they finally fit them together in time to make next season different?
Because in Dallas, expectations don’t disappear - they just get louder.