The Dallas Cowboys starters may not be getting any family time this Christmas. They are all scheduled to kick off the game against the Washington Commanders. But why isn’t head coach Brian Schottenheimer giving his squad some rest, especially since America’s team did not qualify for the playoffs this season?  

The Cowboys are pivoting from the traditional approach this season. The major reason is that Brian Schottenheimer wants to end the season with a win. The head coach discussed this approach during a media appearance earlier this week.

“We want to finish strong. We want to build on the momentum,” head coach Schottenheimer said. “I’m not asking their opinion. We’re playing to win. But I guarantee you if I took a poll of guys in that locker room that wanted to play, every hand would shoot up, for all the reasons that I’ve said. They love one another. They know we’re building something special here.” 

The NFL has a long-standing tradition, popularly known as the organic tanking approach. Teams give their starters rest and play the final weeks with younger or second-team players. One of the main reasons is to avoid any risk of injury, and the other is the fact that it improves the draft position.

America’s team is aiming for a winning record before the season ends, even if that can’t translate into a playoff seat. Standing at 6-8-1 record, they intend to finish above .500 with a 5-1 divisional mark. Jerry Jones, too, emphasized the need for a win, especially after the fight they gave to the Chargers in Week 16. He believes the team owes a victory to the fans. 

“A win is important to me,” Jones said on 105.3 The Fan. “We certainly owe it to our fans [to be] competitive… We will not try for a draft position.”

Just like Schottenheimer said, quarterback Dak Prescott isn’t planning on sitting out the remaining games, regardless of the team’s playoff hopes. He already missed nine to ten games last season due to a hamstring injury, so he doesn’t want to sit out any more games. However, the three-time Pro Bowler believes Dallas may have had a fighting chance at making the postseason if only his locker room hadn’t given up. 

“You know how hard we worked, the sacrifices we made to even get to this league,” he said. “I said it to the team on Friday when we were breaking down, or on Saturday. ‘This game has given us so much; how could you cheat it?”

The dreams of making the playoffs were shattered for the Cowboys when divisional rival the Eagles destroyed the Commanders, 29-18. The next time they stepped on the field against Los Angeles, it felt as if they had already given up on the season. All because Jones termed the season “underachieved,” and Prescott didn’t like the events that followed. 

Dak Prescott’s epic bounce post-injury

Despite 2024 not going as planned following a season-ending hamstring injury, Dak Prescott’s 2025 season had a positive start. The Cowboys’ QB was medically cleared in early March and, since then, hasn’t missed a game this season. Even though the defense struggled, the signal-caller managed the offense to a certain extent. So far, he has racked up 4,175 yards with 28 touchdowns and 10 receptions. Additionally, he’s ranked second across the league in terms of passing yards and third in passing touchdowns. Even billionaire owner Jerry Jones appreciated Prescott for his best season. 

“I am pleased with what we have in Dak, very pleased going forward,” Jones said. “Nothing we’ve done so far this season gives me anything but optimism about going forward at one of the key, if not the key position.”

This is Prescott’s 10th season in the league, and considering how his 2024 came to an end, he wants to finish strong in the 2025 season. Do you think the Cowboys could defeat the Commanders? 

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