If you’re checking your phone or asking your smart speaker what's the score of the dallas football game, you might be surprised to find a whole lot of silence. It’s Friday, January 16, 2026, and the harsh reality for Cowboys fans is that there is no score to report.
The season is over. Done. Dusted.
While the NFL playoffs are heating up this weekend with the Divisional Round, the Dallas Cowboys are currently at home, likely watching from their couches like the rest of us. They didn't make the cut. After a regular season that felt like a rollercoaster with the brakes cut, the Cowboys officially moved into "offseason mode" nearly two weeks ago.
The Last Time They Laced Up
The final whistle for the 2025-2026 campaign blew on January 4, 2026. It wasn't exactly a cinematic ending. Dallas traveled to MetLife Stadium to face the New York Giants—a team that, frankly, hadn't done much right all year.
Most people expected a get-right game. Instead, the Dallas Cowboys lost 34-17.
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It was a weird one. Dallas actually came out looking okay, leading 10-6 in the first quarter thanks to a 14-yard touchdown run by Jaydon Blue. But then the wheels just fell off. The offense, led by a mix of Dak Prescott and Joe Milton III, couldn't find the end zone again until the fourth quarter. By then, the Giants had already piled on 34 points.
Breaking Down That Final Score
If you’re looking for the specific numbers from that last outing, here is how the scoring shook out:
- First Quarter: Cowboys 10, Giants 6 (A promising start!)
- Second Quarter: Cowboys 0, Giants 10 (The momentum shift)
- Third Quarter: Cowboys 0, Giants 8 (Total stall)
- Fourth Quarter: Cowboys 7, Giants 10 (Too little, too late)
- Final Score: 17-34
Honestly, losing by 17 points to a three-win Giants team to close the year? That's a tough pill to swallow for a fan base that expects Super Bowls.
Why Aren't They Playing Today?
The Cowboys finished the year with a record of 7-9-1. In the NFC East, that was good enough for second place, but in the broader NFC landscape, it was a "no-man's land" finish. They weren't bad enough to get a top-three draft pick, but they weren't nearly good enough to snag a Wild Card spot.
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While you're searching for what's the score of the dallas football game, the teams that actually are playing are gearing up for a massive Divisional Round. Tomorrow, January 17, the Buffalo Bills take on the Denver Broncos, and the 49ers head to Seattle.
Dallas is watching from the sidelines because of a few glaring issues that haunted them all year. Their red-zone efficiency was, to put it lightly, a mess. They relied way too much on Brandon Aubrey to kick 60-yarders because the offense couldn't sustain drives. You can't win in January if you can't score seven points when you get inside the 20.
The Brian Schottenheimer Era Begins
This season was the first full year under Brian Schottenheimer as head coach. There’s been a lot of talk in Frisco this week about whether the "system" is working.
Tommy Yarrish and other staff writers over at The Star have been busy analyzing what went wrong. The consensus? The defense had flashes of brilliance, but the inconsistency at quarterback—switching between the veteran Prescott and the high-upside Milton—prevented the team from finding a real rhythm.
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What to Watch for Next
Since there’s no game today, the "score" fans should actually be watching is the 2026 NFL Draft order.
- Free Agency: Will they keep the current QB room together?
- The Draft: They desperately need help in the trenches and perhaps another explosive playmaker in the backfield.
- Coaching Staff: Do they make changes to the defensive coordinator position?
What's Next for the Cowboys?
Even though you won't find a live score for a Dallas game today, the team is already looking at their 2026 opponents. We already know they’ll be facing the NFC West and the AFC South next season. That means tough road trips to places like Seattle and Indianapolis are on the horizon.
If you're looking for football to watch right now, your best bet is to tune into the playoff games starting tomorrow afternoon. The Cowboys' quest for another ring is officially on hold until September.
To stay ahead of the curve, keep an eye on the official team injury reports and the start of the "legal tampering" period in March. That's when the real "score" for next season starts to be settled. For now, the 17-34 loss to the Giants is the last number that matters.
Check the NFL Divisional Round schedule for the games happening this weekend if you need your football fix.