Honestly, looking at the Dallas Cowboys stats from today feels a bit like staring at a beautiful car that just failed its emissions test. On paper, there’s so much to like. In reality? They’re sitting at home while the NFL playoffs rumble on without them. The final 17-34 loss to the New York Giants on January 4th was the sour cherry on top of a 7-9-1 season that most fans would just as soon forget.
But if you actually dig into the numbers, things get weird. How does a team with a top-five quarterback and a pair of 1,000-yard receivers end up with a losing record?
It’s a paradox.
The Dak Prescott Statistical Mirage
Dak Prescott finished this 2025-2026 campaign with some seriously beefy numbers. He threw for 4,552 yards. That’s third-best in the entire league. He tossed 30 touchdowns against just 10 interceptions. On most teams, those are MVP-neighboring stats.
He even passed his own 2019 self for the third-highest single-season passing yardage in franchise history.
📖 Related: Jake Paul Mike Tyson Tattoo: What Most People Get Wrong
But here is the catch.
In that final Week 18 disaster against the Giants, Dak only played a fraction of the game, finishing with a measly 70 yards. It was a white flag. A surrender. While PFF gave him a season grade of 86.9—ranking him 7th among all quarterbacks—the wins just didn't follow the production. You’ve got to wonder if the stats were just "empty calories" accumulated while playing from behind.
The Cowboys offense averaged 5.7 yards per play this year. That’s moving the chains. Yet, they finished the year with a -9 turnover ratio. You can't give the ball away that often and expect Jerry Jones to be smiling in the owner's box come January.
CeeDee, Pickens, and the Missing End Zone
CeeDee Lamb is still the guy in Dallas, but the 2025 cowboys stats from today show a strange dip in his scoring. He hit 1,077 yards on 75 catches. That’s his fifth straight 1,000-yard season.
👉 See also: What Place Is The Phillies In: The Real Story Behind the NL East Standings
Impressive? Yeah.
Frustrating? Also yeah.
He only found the end zone three times all year. Three. For a WR1 with his talent, that's almost statistically impossible. Meanwhile, the trade for George Pickens actually looked like a stroke of genius. Pickens led the team with 1,429 yards and 9 touchdowns.
Why the offense stalled
- Red Zone Efficiency: They could move between the 20s, but they developed a sudden allergy to the goal line.
- The Ground Game: Javonte Williams was a workhorse with 1,201 yards, but the team averaged 4.6 yards per carry—just middle of the pack.
- Kicking Reliance: Brandon Aubrey was arguably the team MVP, knocking down 36 of 42 field goals. When your kicker is your leading scorer, you're usually losing.
The Micah Parsons-Sized Hole
We have to talk about the elephant in the room: the defense. Specifically, the lack of Micah Parsons. After the blockbuster trade that sent Parsons to the Green Bay Packers for Kenny Clark and a haul of picks, the Dallas pass rush just wasn't the same.
Jadeveon Clowney tried his best. He actually put up a career-high three sacks in that final game against the Giants, finishing the year with 8.5 total. But as a unit? The Cowboys only managed 31 sacks all season. For comparison, the opponents got to Dallas quarterbacks 35 times.
✨ Don't miss: Huskers vs Michigan State: What Most People Get Wrong About This Big Ten Rivalry
The secondary had its moments. DaRon Bland finished with 73 tackles, and Shemar James—the rookie out of Florida—actually led the team with 91 total tackles. But they were on the field way too much. The Giants game saw New York hold the ball for over 33 minutes. You can't win if your defense is gasping for air by the fourth quarter.
Hard Truths and Next Steps
The 2025 season is buried. Brian Schottenheimer’s first year as head coach ended without a playoff berth, and the "America's Team" moniker is feeling heavier than ever. The Cowboys finished 2nd in the NFC East, but they weren't even close to the 11-6 Eagles.
If you're looking for where this team goes next, keep an eye on the 2026 NFL Draft. They hold a decent pick after this 7-9-1 finish.
Actionable Next Steps for the Offseason:
- Prioritize the Interior DL: Kenny Clark is a vet, but they need youth next to Quinnen Williams to stop the 161-yard rushing performances like the one they just gave up to the Giants.
- Red Zone Play-Calling: They have to find a way to get CeeDee Lamb involved inside the 10-yard line. Three touchdowns for a player of his caliber is a coaching failure, period.
- Fix the Turnover Bug: Dak played well, but the team-wide -9 turnover margin is the fastest way to miss the playoffs.
The talent is clearly there. The stats prove the engine is running. It's just that somewhere along the way, the wheels kept falling off.