If you woke up today and typed who won the Dallas Cowboy game yesterday into your phone, you might be feeling a little confused. Or maybe just disappointed. There is a very specific reason for that, and honestly, it’s not what most people expected when this season kicked off.
The Dallas Cowboys did not play a game yesterday.
Wait. Don't close the tab yet.
There's a lot more to the story than just a blank spot on the calendar. While the NFL playoffs are currently screaming toward the Divisional Round this weekend, the Cowboys are nowhere to be found. They are already deep into their offseason, having missed the postseason entirely after a year that basically fell apart at the seams.
If you saw a headline about a "Dallas" team losing a heartbreaker yesterday, January 15, 2026, you likely saw the Dallas Stars hockey score. They dropped a tough one, 2-1, to the Utah Mammoth. But as for America’s Team? Their pads are in storage.
The Reality of the Cowboys’ Missing Game Yesterday
The Cowboys’ season actually ended on January 4, 2026. It was a ugly 34-17 loss to the New York Giants. That game was the final nail in the coffin for a 2025-2026 campaign that ended with a lackluster 7-9-1 record.
Think about that for a second.
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Seven wins. Nine losses. One weird tie.
Because of that record, the Cowboys finished second in the NFC East but weren't even close to a Wild Card spot. While the Philadelphia Eagles and other heavyweights were battling it out yesterday in preparation for the next round, the Cowboys' front office was likely looking at mock drafts.
Why You Might Have Thought They Played
It is easy to get turned around. The NFL playoff schedule is a beast, and usually, we expect Dallas to be somewhere in the mix, even if it's just to see them lose in the first round. Yesterday was a Thursday. In the playoffs, Thursday isn't a game day.
The real action is happening on:
- Saturday, Jan 17: Buffalo Bills vs. Denver Broncos and San Francisco 49ers vs. Seattle Seahawks.
- Sunday, Jan 18: Houston Texans vs. New England Patriots and LA Rams vs. Chicago Bears.
If you are looking for who won the Dallas Cowboy game yesterday, you are essentially looking for a ghost. The only "win" the team had yesterday was avoiding any new injury reports.
What Happened to the 2025-2026 Season?
Let’s be real. This season was supposed to be different. It was Brian Schottenheimer’s first real run as the head man after the McCarthy era finally folded. But the "Texas Coast" offense didn't exactly light the world on fire.
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Dak Prescott put up some decent numbers—surpassing 4,500 yards again—but the consistency just wasn't there. They had a brutal stretch in December where they lost three out of four games. Losing 34-30 to the Lions and then getting smacked 34-17 by the Chargers really killed the vibe.
By the time they hit that Week 18 finale against the Giants, the players looked like they were already thinking about Cabo. Jaxson Dart, the Giants' young QB, carved up the Dallas secondary. It was a mess.
The Clowney Bright Spot
If there was one thing worth watching this year, it was Jadeveon Clowney. Seriously. The guy had a career-high three sacks in that final game against New York. He finished with double-digit sacks on the season and was basically the only reason the defense didn't completely cave in some weeks.
But one pass rusher can't fix a team that can't run the ball when it matters.
The 2026 Opponents: Looking Forward
Since the Cowboys aren't playing, the talk has already shifted to who they face next year. The NFL's rotation is set. We know the "who," even if we don't know the "when" yet.
Next season, the Cowboys have to deal with the AFC South and the NFC West. That means trips to Houston to face the Texans and a long flight to see the Rams. There is even a rumor floating around from the Canadian Press and other sports outlets that Dallas might play an international game in 2026.
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Melbourne, Australia? Mexico City? It’s all on the table.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Cowboys Right Now
People assume the Cowboys are "broken" because they missed the playoffs. It’s a bit more nuanced than that. They finished 4-2 in the division. They actually played well against the Eagles and Commanders.
The problem was the "interconference" games. They went 0-for-the-world against the AFC. You can't make the playoffs in today's NFL if you can't beat teams outside your own bubble.
So, when you ask who won the Dallas Cowboy game yesterday, the answer is actually "nobody," but the deeper answer is that the team is currently losing the most important game of all: the game of relevance. While the 49ers and Seahawks are preparing for a Divisional showdown, Dallas fans are arguing on Reddit about whether Dak is still the guy.
Actionable Next Steps for Cowboys Fans
Stop checking the scores for yesterday. Instead, do these three things to get ready for the 2026 cycle:
- Watch the NFL Draft Combine: Since the Cowboys finished 7-9-1, they have a decent mid-round pick. Keep an eye on the interior defensive linemen and a second-tier running back.
- Monitor the Coaching Staff: There are already rumors about defensive coordinator shifts. If the Cowboys don't fix the secondary, 2026 will look just like 2025.
- Check the Schedule Release in May: That is when we will know if that Australia trip is actually happening.
The Cowboys didn't play yesterday, and they won't play next week either. The best thing to do is settle in, watch the teams that actually made the cut, and start scouting the talent that Dallas desperately needs to add this spring.