Following a win against the Carolina Panthers in week 15, I had renewed hopes for the Dallas Cowboys’ chances of making the playoffs.
Just like last season, and most seasons before that, I was met with disappointment.
The Cowboys went into their week 16 matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with a small chance to clinch a spot in the playoffs. Before kickoff, that hope ran out, as the team was eliminated from playoff contention when their division rivals, the Washington Commanders, beat the Philadelphia Eagles.
The Cowboys came to play against Tampa Bay and pulled off a close 26-24 victory. The result was one that came with bittersweet feelings from fans, as the team was officially out of the playoffs, and the only thing that mattered then was the draft and upcoming free-agent period.
The hope I clung onto after the game against the Panthers dwindled like a wick on an old candle, and the flame of hope burned out. When the team’s performance meets the high standards of the fans, no one has a problem, but when they do poorly, everyone speaks up and starts pointing out flaws that have been there from the start.
My observations were even more distinct after the Cowboys were embarrassed by the Eagles in their week 17 matchup. Watching the game was painful; I couldn’t watch past the first half. The worst part was that the Eagles didn’t even have their starting quarterback and still put up 41 points. It is important to point out that the Cowboys have also dealt with many injuries this season, but it doesn’t excuse the performance. The thing that makes it even harder to digest as a fan is that this wasn’t the first time the team had been embarrassed, rather it was another example of what has been a common occurrence.
Heading into the final week of the season, the team elected to sideline some key starters such as wide receiver CeeDee Lamb and quarterback Cooper Rush to give younger players an opportunity. Quarterback Trey Lance, who has had a rough start in his young career, had a decent showing and exceeded my expectations. That wasn’t enough though, as the team still lost to the Commanders, giving up a last-second touchdown to lose the game in front of their home crowd. It was a symbolic end to what has been a horrendous season.
The 2024-25 Cowboys season was one I will remember, not because it was a happy time to be a fan, but rather because it encapsulated all the problems with this franchise. I have never seen such blatant disregard for wanting to win as I did this season. This season, and in this blog series, I felt as if I were repeating myself every week because fans have gone insane trying to support this team.
Hopefully in the offseason, things will change; however, the likelihood of that happening is the same as getting struck by lightning. Whether we like it or not, us fans will continue to support this team and embrace the insanity of being a Cowboys fan because I love this team, and that, like the Cowboys, will never change.
