If you were looking for a miracle, it didn't happen. The Dallas Cowboys didn't play a game today, January 15, 2026, because their season is already over. While the rest of the league is gearing up for the divisional round of the playoffs, Jerry Jones and the front office are sitting at home in Frisco, staring at a 7-9-1 record and a lot of uncomfortable questions.
Honestly, the dallas cowboy scores today conversation is really about the autopsy of that final Week 18 disaster against the New York Giants. On January 4, Dallas went into MetLife Stadium with a slim hope of ending on a high note. Instead, they got bullied. A 34-17 loss to a three-win Giants team is how the year ended. It wasn't just a loss; it was a flat-out collapse that saw Dak Prescott hit the bench by the third quarter.
Looking Back at the Final Dallas Cowboy Scores Today
The Week 18 score was 34-17, Giants. It’s a number that feels worse the more you look at it. Dallas actually started okay. Brandon Aubrey knocked through a 22-yard field goal, and rookie Jaydon Blue looked like a spark plug with a 14-yard touchdown run in the first quarter. For a minute there, it looked like the Cowboys might actually sweep the season series.
Then the wheels fell off.
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Jaxson Dart, the Giants' rookie quarterback, started picking apart a Cowboys defense that looked like they’d already checked out for vacation. By halftime, Dallas was down 16-10. By the time the fourth quarter rolled around, Joe Milton III was in at quarterback because the coaching staff had seen enough of the starters. Milton managed to lead one touchdown drive, capped off by a Phil Mafah 1-yard run, but an interception by New York’s Bobby Okereke basically turned out the lights.
The December Slide That Killed the Season
You can’t talk about the final scores without looking at the month-long car crash that preceded it. Dallas went 1-3 in December. They lost to the Lions (44-30), the Vikings (34-26), and the Chargers (34-17). The only "win" in that stretch was a 30-23 victory over the Commanders on Christmas Day, but even that felt more like Washington losing than Dallas winning.
- Total Points Allowed in December: 135
- Takeaways Produced: 3
- Final Standing: 2nd in the NFC East (but nowhere near a Wild Card spot)
The defense, led by coordinator Matt Eberflus, just couldn't get off the field. Opponents converted nearly 60% of their third downs against Dallas in the final three weeks. That's not just a slump; that's a schematic failure.
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Why 7-9-1 Feels Like a Rock Bottom Moment
Usually, a seven-win season is just "mediocre." But for this roster, it feels like a crisis. Dak Prescott finished the season with over 4,500 yards and 30 touchdowns, which sounds great on paper. But he also struggled with consistency in the red zone and looked visibly frustrated during the Giants game before being pulled.
The most surprising part of the season wasn't the losses, though—it was that weird Week 4 tie against the Green Bay Packers. 40-40. It was a game that summarized the entire 2025-2026 campaign: plenty of offense, zero defense, and a result that satisfied absolutely no one.
Jerry Jones spoke to reporters recently and sounded like a man ready to clean house. He mentioned that "standing still is not an option." We’ve heard the "all-in" talk before, but being $34 million over the salary cap heading into the 2026 offseason means some fan favorites are likely getting their walking papers.
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Moving Forward: The 2026 Roadmap
So, what happens now that the dallas cowboy scores today are officially in the history books? The focus shifts to the NFL Draft and free agency. Dallas is currently locked into a mid-round pick, and they desperately need help in the trenches.
- Fix the Defensive Interior: Osa Odighizuwa needs help. The Giants rushed for over 160 yards in the finale because the Cowboys couldn't hold the point of attack.
- The Coordinator Search: With rumors swirling that Eberflus is out, the search for a new defensive mind is priority number one.
- Drafting a Successor?: Joe Milton III showed some mobility in his limited Week 18 action (scrambling for 23 yards on one play), but is he the long-term backup, or do they look for a young QB to develop behind Dak?
The 2026 schedule is already out, and it’s a gauntlet. They’ve got road games against the Seahawks, Rams, and Packers—all teams that have had the Cowboys' number lately. If the team doesn't make "dramatic" changes like Jerry promised, next January might look a lot like this one.
The reality is that the Dallas Cowboys are currently a team in limbo. They have elite talent at wide receiver with George Pickens and a franchise QB, but the lack of discipline and a porous run defense have made them a "get right" game for the rest of the league.
For fans looking for immediate action, the next big date is the start of the league year in March. Until then, those final scores from the Giants game will continue to serve as a reminder of how far this team has to go to rejoin the NFC's elite.
Actionable Next Steps:
- Monitor the Coaching Staff: Watch for official announcements regarding the defensive coordinator position; a hire with a "4-3" background could signal a major roster shift.
- Track the Salary Cap: Keep an eye on restructured contracts for veteran players like Dak Prescott or CeeDee Lamb, as these moves will dictate how much Dallas can spend in free agency.
- Review Draft Prospects: Focus on interior defensive linemen and linebackers in the upcoming scouting combine, as these are the primary areas of weakness identified in the season-ending losses.