You're probably staring at your remote or refreshing your sportsbook app wondering what's the score on the Dallas Cowboys game tonight only to find... nothing. It’s frustrating. We’ve all been there, settled into the couch with a drink ready for kickoff, but the screen is just showing talking heads or a different matchup entirely.
The reality is a bit of a gut punch for Cowboys fans. The Dallas Cowboys are not playing tonight, January 18, 2026.
While this is the weekend of the NFL Divisional Playoffs, the Cowboys didn't make the cut. Their 2025-2026 season hit a wall exactly two weeks ago on January 4th. If you missed that finale, it wasn't pretty. They traveled to MetLife Stadium and got handled by a New York Giants team that, frankly, didn't have much to play for other than pride. The final score of that last game was 34-17 in favor of New York.
Where Did It All Go Wrong for Dallas?
It’s easy to look at a 7-9-1 record and start pointing fingers. Actually, people in Dallas have been doing that for months. This wasn't supposed to be a "rebuilding" year, but it certainly felt like one by December.
One of the biggest storylines of that final game—and the season—was Dak Prescott’s hunt for the passing title. He actually started that Giants game with a real shot at being the first Cowboy ever to lead the NFL in passing yards for a single season. But head coach Brian Schottenheimer pulled him at halftime.
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Dak finished that day with just 70 yards on 11 attempts. He ended the season with 4,525 yards, which is a massive number, but not enough to hold off the rest of the league. After he sat, we saw a lot of Joe Milton III. Milton is flashy, sure, but he struggled, going 7 for 13 with an interception that basically iced the game for the Giants.
The Defensive Meltdown
Jadeveon Clowney was a lone bright spot on the defense that night, racking up a career-high three sacks. But one man can't stop a whole team. The Giants' rookie QB, Jaxson Dart, looked like a veteran against the Dallas secondary. He threw for 230 yards and two scores.
What really hurt was the ground game. The Cowboys' defense allowed 161 rushing yards to a Giants team that had struggled to run the ball all year. Tyrone Tracy Jr. went over 100 yards, which was the first time any Giant had done that in the entire 2025 season. It was a symbolic ending to a season defined by "almost" and "not quite."
What's the score on the Dallas Cowboys game tonight: The Playoff Picture
If you're looking for football tonight, you're going to see the Divisional Round. These are the "Elite Eight" of the NFL. Usually, we expect to see the Star in this mix, but the NFC East was won by the Philadelphia Eagles this year.
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The playoff bracket for this weekend looks like this:
- The NFC Side: The Carolina Panthers, Los Angeles Rams, and San Francisco 49ers are all still in the mix.
- The AFC Side: The Pittsburgh Steelers, Houston Texans, and Jacksonville Jaguars have been the stories of the postseason.
Watching the Texans (who are just down the road) prepare for a deep run while the Cowboys' facilities in Frisco are quiet is a bitter pill for many fans. The "Next Year" mantra has already started in North Texas.
Looking Ahead to the 2026 Season
Since there is no score to report for tonight, the focus shifts to the front office. The 2026 schedule is already taking shape, even if the specific times and dates aren't locked in yet.
We know the Cowboys will have a tough road back. They are slated to face their usual NFC East rivals, but they also have some heavy hitters on the calendar. They'll be playing the Houston Texans (the "Battle of Texas"), the Indianapolis Colts, and a very dangerous Green Bay Packers squad on the road.
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The roster is going to look different. With the season over, the front office is looking at the 2026 NFL Draft and free agency, which starts in early March. There are massive questions about the running back room. We saw rookies Jaydon Blue and Phil Mafah get their first career touchdowns in that Giants loss, which might be a hint at the future. Blue finished that game with 64 yards on 16 carries, showing some explosive potential that the team desperately lacked in the mid-season slump.
Coaching and Front Office Moves
Brian Schottenheimer is still at the helm, but the pressure in Dallas is unlike anywhere else. When you miss the playoffs with a roster that has CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens (who had a quiet season finale with just 9 yards), people start asking questions about the scheme.
How to Follow the Offseason
Even though there isn't a game tonight, the "Cowboys News" cycle never actually stops. It's a 365-day business.
If you want to stay updated on the moves that will determine if there's a score to check next January, keep an eye on:
- The Scouting Combine in February: This is where the Cowboys usually fall in love with a high-upside offensive lineman.
- Free Agency: Will they finally spend big to fix the run defense?
- The Schedule Release: Usually happens in May, which will tell us exactly when the 2026 campaign kicks off.
Basically, the Cowboys are "on the clock" rather than on the field. It's a long wait until September, but for a team that finished 7-9-1, the extra time to fix the defense might be exactly what they need.
Actionable Next Steps:
Since the Cowboys aren't playing, your best bet for live football tonight is to tune into the AFC/NFC Divisional matchups on FOX and CBS. If you’re a die-hard Dallas fan looking for a fix, the team's official site usually drops "Season in Review" film sessions this time of year, which are great for seeing the nuanced details of where the blocking schemes broke down. You can also start tracking the mock drafts for the #14-18 range, where Dallas is likely to pick.