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There was every reason to believe the Dallas Cowboys would make the playoffs again. After all, they’d ran off three straight 12-5 seasons the last years, and they have a roster filled with stars.
But, the first nine weeks of the season have been unkind to the Dallas Cowboys, who are now 3-5. And, with quarterback Dak Prescott set to miss some time, their playoff odds have dropped to a level no one saw coming this early in the season.
Since they got off to a 3-2 start, Dallas has been trounced in three straight games by the Lions, 49ers, and Falcons. Late scores in the two latter games made them appear closer than they actually were, as Dallas was thoroughly outplayed in both.
Injuries have hurt the Cowboys all year. Micah Parsons, who was considered the favorite to win NFL Defensive Player of the Year coming into the season, hasn’t played since Week 4 with a leg injury. Fellow defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence has also missed time with injury. The offensive line has been beat up too.
Now, Dak Prescott is hurt. While the recently-extended quarterback has not been at his best this season, his hamstring injury that is likely to land him on IR.
That’s sent Cowboys playoff odds spiraling. They weren’t great before the news of the injury. At 3-5, there was always going to be a big climb back into the playoff picture. Now, they’ve declined even more since the injury news.
The Cowboys entered the season with a 63% chance of making the playoffs, according to ESPN Analytics, which was fourth-highest in the NFC. After Sunday’s loss, that dropped to 6%, fourth-lowest in the NFC. Following the Dak Prescott injury news, it’s now down to 3%.
— Todd Archer (@toddarcher) November 6, 2024
That’s a nightmare for Dallas fans. Yes, they’ve been falling short in the playoffs recently. But, they should’ve been better than they are. Now, unless Cooper Rush goes on a heater, their season is over.