The Dallas Cowboys didn't just lose to the New York Giants to close out their 2025-2026 campaign. Honestly, they kinda face-planted. If you were looking for a high-note finish to a season that felt like a rollercoaster with the brakes cut, the 34-17 results of the Dallas Cowboys game on January 4, 2026, weren't it.
MetLife Stadium was cold. The vibe was even colder.
What happened in the season finale?
Basically, everything that could go wrong in the second half did. The Cowboys actually held a lead early on. Jaydon Blue, one of the few bright spots of the rookie class, gashed the Giants for a 14-yard touchdown in the first quarter. For a minute there, it looked like Dallas might actually sweep the season series against New York.
But then the wheels came off.
Brian Schottenheimer, in his first year at the helm, decided to pull Dak Prescott at halftime. Why? Well, Dak was chasing the single-season passing title, and while he finished his day with 70 yards, the team seemingly decided they’d seen enough. In came Joe Milton.
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Milton has an arm like a cannon, but he’s raw. Real raw. He finished 7-of-13 for 73 yards and a back-breaking interception to Bobby Okereke that essentially sealed the deal with six minutes left.
The Giants found a rhythm
New York wasn't even playing for a playoff spot. They were 3-13 coming into this. Yet, Jaxson Dart—the Giants' rookie QB—looked like a seasoned vet against a Dallas defense that seemed to have one eye on the offseason. Dart threw for 230 yards and two scores.
Tyrone Tracy Jr. was the real headache, though. He put up 159 total yards. 159! The Dallas linebackers just couldn't track him out of the backfield. By the time Devin Singletary punched in a 6-yard run late in the fourth, the Cowboys' sideline looked like they were ready to catch the first flight back to DFW.
Breaking down the results of the Dallas Cowboys game
When you look at the box score, it's a mess of "what-ifs."
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- Final Score: Giants 34, Cowboys 17
- The Quarterback Carousel: Dak Prescott (70 yards) vs. Joe Milton (73 yards, 1 INT)
- A Lone Star Bright Spot: Jadeveon Clowney actually had a monster day with 3 sacks. It was a career-high for him, but it’s hard to celebrate individual stats when the scoreboard looks like that.
- Rookie Watch: Phil Mafah made his NFL debut and managed to find the end zone from a yard out. It's a small win, but you'll take it.
The defense struggled with discipline all afternoon. It’s been the story of the year. They allowed the Giants to convert a 96-yard drive—New York's longest of the season—which ended in a Daniel Bellinger touchdown right before halftime. You just can't give up 96 yards to a three-win team and expect to win in the NFL.
Why this result matters for the 2026 offseason
This loss isn't just one game. It's a 7-9-1 record staring Jerry Jones in the face. It’s consecutive losing seasons for the first time since the early 2000s.
People are going to talk about the "November surge" where Dallas beat the Eagles and the Chiefs in the same week. That felt like the turning point. But the results of the Dallas Cowboys game against Detroit in early December started a slide that this New York loss just punctuated.
The biggest elephant in the room is the defense. Despite trading for Quinnen Williams earlier in the season, they still get bullied at the point of attack. Even when they win the turnover battle or get sacks from guys like Clowney, they give up huge chunks of yardage to players like J.J. McCarthy or, in this case, Tyrone Tracy Jr.
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The Marshawn Kneeland Factor
You can't talk about this season without acknowledging the heavy hearts in that locker room. The tragic passing of Marshawn Kneeland in November clearly took a toll. The team rallied for a few weeks, showing incredible grit, but the emotional gas tank seemed to hit "E" by January. Schottenheimer has a lot of work to do to rebuild the culture and the roster depth this spring.
What’s next for Dallas?
If you're a Cowboys fan, you're probably already looking at mock drafts.
The 2026 schedule is already out, and it’s a gauntlet. They’ve got to face the 49ers (who have beaten them four straight times), the Packers, and a road trip to Seattle to face Sam Darnold and the high-flying Seahawks.
Actionable Insights for the Offseason:
- Fix the Rush Defense: Dallas allowed 5 yards per carry to the Giants. That has to change through the draft or free agency.
- Solidify the QB2 Spot: If the plan is to rest Dak in meaningless games, the backup needs to be able to protect the ball better than Milton did at MetLife.
- Find a Bell-Cow: Jaydon Blue and Phil Mafah show promise, but the lack of a consistent 100-yard rusher this season made the offense too one-dimensional.
The results of the Dallas Cowboys game are in the books. Now, the real work starts in Frisco. The 2026 offseason is officially here, and with a 7-9-1 record, nobody’s job is truly safe.
Check the official NFL standings and the Cowboys' 2026 opponent list to see how the draft order shakes out after this final Week 18 loss.