One loss didn’t just sting the Dallas Cowboys; it all but erased their postseason hopes, leaving Dak Prescott and his team staring down the barrel of a near-impossible scenario. Though Prescott completed 294 yards in the game, the Vikings walked away with the win. They buried a bigger hole in the Cowboys’ chances of getting to the playoffs. Prescott’s side now sits with a 6-7-1 record, with playoff dreams dangling by a thread.

ESPN Senior NFL writer Adam Schefter recently posted his calculations on X and shared that there is a 1% chance the Cowboys will still make the playoffs. However, they would need some help from the Philadelphia Eagles.

Heading into the final three, the Eagles secured a massive 31-0 win against the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday. It will be tough to imagine the Eagles losing to the Commanders twice in their final three games, especially with the latter on a 4-10 record. Currently, the Cowboys sit second in the NFC East standings and are technically alive, but by the finest of margins. Prescott realized this and opened up about it in a conversation with NFL insider Ed Werder.

“Unfortunately, I’m sure the playoffs are out of the picture, but it’s about taking pride in who you are as a man,” Prescott said. “Not only that, and your job and everything that’s gotten you to this point.”

Dak Prescott dropped his lowest completion percentage this season in the 36-26 loss against the Vikings on Sunday. Now, with postseason odds shrinking and frustration mounting, the focus inside Dallas shifted away from percentages and scenarios. Instead, accountability took center stage, as head coach Brian Schottenheimer addressed the loss head-on in his post-game remarks, owning the result and setting the tone for what comes next.

Brian Schottenheimer opens up after loss against the Vikings

The Cowboys’ defense had a good start in the game against the Vikings; however, the offense struggled. The team was only able to convert 2-12 on third-down attempts, a glaring figure that ultimately did not go unnoticed in Brian Schottenheimer’s blunt post-game assessment.

“I’m frustrated,” the head coach said. “We didn’t find a way to get this game done. I’m frustrated that we were that poor on third down. We’re better than that. 
I’m better than that.”

Schottenheimer did not hold back on where the team should have done better. He also addressed the offensive problems against the Vikings.

“It’s always gonna start with me, and the things that I messed up and didn’t do very well,” Schottenheimer further mentioned in the post-game presser. “Brian Flores was better than me today. I won’t sleep very well tonight, but I promise you I’ll wake up tomorrow, work my ass off, and I’m [gonna] figure it out.”