If you spent any time watching Dallas Cowboys football scores this past year, you probably feel like you need a long nap and maybe a light therapy session. It was weird. Truly. We are talking about a team that managed to beat the Kansas City Chiefs on Thanksgiving and then somehow looked like they’d forgotten how to play defense against the New York Giants just a few weeks later.
It was the kind of season that makes you check your thermostat to see if you're hallucinating. The final tally was a bizarre 7-9-1. Yes, a tie. Because of course the 2025 Cowboys would have a tie.
The Numbers That Actually Matter
People love to look at the surface, but the reality of the Dallas Cowboys football scores from this 2025-2026 campaign tells a story of a team that was basically two different people living in one jersey. On one hand, you had an offense that was technically the second-best in the entire league for total yardage. Dak Prescott put up over 4,500 yards. He was slinging it. George Pickens—who, let’s be honest, was a massive bright spot—hauled in over 1,400 yards and 9 touchdowns.
But then there's the other side. The defense.
Dallas finished dead last in the NFL for points allowed. They gave up 511 points over 17 games. That is roughly 30 points every single time they stepped on the grass. You can’t win like that. It doesn't matter if Dak is throwing for 350 yards; if the other team is scoring at will, you’re just running on a treadmill that’s going way too fast.
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A Breakdown of the Mid-Season "Hope"
There was this one stretch in November where it actually looked like they might pull it off. They went on a three-game tear.
- Week 11: They handled the Raiders in Vegas, 33-16.
- Week 12: A gritty 24-21 win over the Eagles that had everyone in North Texas screaming.
- Week 13: The big one. A 31-28 win over the Chiefs on Thanksgiving.
That Thanksgiving game was peak Cowboys. The food tasted better. Jerry Jones was smiling. The playoffs felt like a lock. Honestly, we all fell for it. Again.
The December Collapse
Then December hit, and the wheels didn't just fall off—they disintegrated. After that win against Kansas City, Dallas lost four of their last five games. The Dallas Cowboys football scores during that stretch were a nightmare. They gave up 44 points to the Lions. They gave up 34 to the Vikings. They even got handled by the Chargers at home, losing 17-34 in a game that officially killed their playoff dreams.
What’s wild is that during this whole time, the offense was still moving the ball. They just couldn't stop anybody. The departure of Micah Parsons to Green Bay—a trade that still feels like a glitch in the Matrix—left a hole in the pass rush that Jadeveon Clowney and Kenny Clark tried to fill, but the chemistry just wasn't there. Clowney had 8.5 sacks, which is fine, but he isn't a game-wrecker like #11 was.
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Why the Tie Against Green Bay Was the Turning Point
In Week 4, the Cowboys tied the Packers 40-40. It was a shootout.
It was also a sign of things to come.
Dallas could score 40 points and still not win. That’s a fundamentally broken way to play football. That single half-win/half-loss ended up being the anchor that kept them at second place in the NFC East, behind an 11-win Eagles team that they actually beat once but couldn't keep pace with in the long run.
Behind the Scenes: Coaching and Changes
Brian Schottenheimer took over the head coaching reins this year, and while the offense clicked, the "identity" of the team felt... mushy. They were 1st in the league in passing yards but 32nd in scoring defense. That’s a total failure of balance. By the time the season ended with a thud in a 34-17 loss to the Giants on January 4, the writing was on the wall for the defensive staff.
Firing Matt Eberflus right after the season ended was a "no-brainer" move. You can't be the worst defense in the league and keep your job in Dallas. It just doesn't happen.
Key Player Stats from the 2025 Campaign
- Dak Prescott: 4,552 passing yards, 30 TDs, 10 INTs.
- Javonte Williams: 1,201 rushing yards. He was actually a great pickup, averaging 4.8 yards a carry.
- George Pickens: 93 catches, 1,429 yards. Absolute beast.
- Brandon Aubrey: Continued to be a cheat code, hitting 36 of 42 field goals, including a 63-yarder.
The irony is that individually, some of these guys had career years. But as a unit? It was a mess. They only won a single game against a team that actually made the playoffs. That is a damning stat. If you can’t beat the good teams, you aren't a good team. Period.
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What’s Next for the Cowboys?
The 2026 offseason is going to be a bloodbath. Jerry Jones is clearly frustrated, and the fans are past the point of "maybe next year." The first priority has to be fixing the secondary. Dallas gave up way too many big plays in the fourth quarter. They also need to figure out if Joe Milton III is actually a viable backup or just a project, especially since he had to step in during that Week 18 disaster against the Giants.
If you’re looking to track the next steps, keep an eye on the defensive coordinator search. That hire will dictate whether 2026 is a rebound or just more of the same.
Actionable Steps for Fans:
- Review the 2026 Draft Order: Dallas picks early this year. Look for them to target a high-end edge rusher or a shutdown corner.
- Watch the Waiver Wire: With the cap situation tightening, expect some veteran cuts. The defensive line needs bodies.
- Audit the Coaching Staff: The new DC will likely bring in an entirely new scheme. Check if they stick with a 4-3 or move back to a 3-4, as that will change which current players actually fit the roster.
The 2025 season is over. Thank goodness. Now the real work begins.