The Dallas Cowboys‘ last game of the season didn’t really turn out to be pleasant. After missing the playoffs, Dallas ended their season with a defeat and a disappointing 7-9 record. As if the 34–17 defeat against the New York Giants wasn’t painful enough, the Dak Prescott-led team was hit with two significant punishments this week. Here’s all about the two hefty Week 18 punishments for Donovan Ezeiruaku and Donovan Wilson.

The Cowboys linebacker Donovan Ezeiruaku was fined $10,258 for unnecessary roughness (facemask) because of an incident at the 9:53 mark of the game. Ezeiruaku finished the contest with limited defensive impact, recording minimal involvement before the infraction, which came during a sequence where the Cowboys’ defense struggled to slow the Giants’ offense.

However, this wasn’t just the end of disappointment for the team. Safety Donovan Wilson received a substantially larger fine of $23,186 for unnecessary roughness due to the use of the helmet at 11:55. Wilson logged four total tackles in the game but failed to generate a turnover or pass breakup, and the penalty occurred during a stretch where the Giants controlled possession.

After leading 10-6 in the first quarter, the Cowboys failed to score in both the second and third quarters. The Giants, on the other hand, responded with 10 points before halftime and continued to extend their lead in the second half. Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart threw for about 230 yards and two touchdowns, and New York controlled the pace of possession. The Cowboys were outgained 380 yards to 286, converted only 25 percent of third downs, and eventually lost the turnover battle.

Taking a deeper look into the penalties scenario, the season was flagged by discipline issues as well as concerning results for the Cowboys. Besides facing a total of 9 defeats this season, they finished with 133 accepted penalties for 1,136 yards, one of the highest totals in the league. The offensive line led the team with 31 penalties (249 yards), repeatedly stalling drives, while defensive backs committed 29 penalties for 329 yards. This frequently extended opponents’ possessions, resulting in a concerning score throughout the season.

The defensive line also added 21 penalties, while wide receivers were flagged 16 times. The team committed 66 penalties at home and 67 on the road in all, adding up to the season-long inconsistency.

Dak Prescott marks one major issue for the Cowboys this season

The Dallas Cowboys endured one of the most troublesome records this season. Missing the playoff spot turns out to be a segment of the bigger story. Prescott’s team has secured a playoff berth just three times since 2020, marking long-time concerns that need to be addressed. However, Prescott focused on the particular season as he highlighted one core reason that resulted in a concerning result from the team.

“One of the first seasons- if not the first of my career- I can’t directly correlate my play to the wins or losses, or the end of the season, or overall success of the season,” the QB said.

“There’s been enough times being up here talking to you guys and saying, ‘I need to fix this. I need to get better at this. And to have a season where it wasn’t on my play… I do still put some of it on myself, but unfortunately, we just didn’t get it done.”

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Dak signed a four-year, $240 million contract extension with the Dallas Cowboys in September 2024, making him one of the highest-paid players in NFL history with about $231 million guaranteed and an $80 million signing bonus.

His 2024 season was cut short by a hamstring injury after eight games. During that season, the QB threw for 1,978 yards with 11 touchdowns and eight interceptions, which were below his usual numbers. The 2025 season, however, saw him bounce back as he stood strong with 4,552 passing yards, 30 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions. While his contract is expected to keep him until 2028, the QB’s plans for a turnaround remain to be seen.