The Dallas Cowboys aren’t quite invincible after all.
Following their 33-13 beatdown of the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 14, the Cowboys received nonstop praise from the media. However, those good feelings quickly fizzled following their 31-10 loss to the Buffalo Bills in Week 15. In fact, the Cowboys were so soundly dominated that they didn’t score a touchdown until there was 2:48 remaining in the fourth quarter.
Although the Cowboys have been an unstoppable beast at home this season — 7-0 while averaging 39.9 points per game with a plus-10 turnover differential — they’ve been extremely vulnerable on the road this season. Their blowout loss at Buffalo was only their latest one, dropping to 3-4 on the season on the road. They’re averaging just 21.7 points per game with a minus-1 turnover differential in road games this season.
Quarterback Dak Prescott acknowledged the “big” gap in how the Cowboys play at home compared to how they play on the road.
“It’s a huge difference and, really, that’s what these next couple weeks are about — is figuring out that difference, and trying to close that gap,” said Prescott after the game. “We want to come out and start how we do at home, and that’s just not been the case. We’ve gotta find out what those answers are … we can’t be two different teams: winning at home against a good team last week and then come out here today and not get anything done in all three phases.”
Mike McCarthy Doubles Down on Cowboys’ Road Struggles
Head coach Mike McCarthy also didn’t hold back in his message to the team following the game, stressing that the Cowboys need to correct the “gap” between their play on the home and on the road.
“It’s a gap, and that’s part of my message,” said McCarthy. “We play so well at home. There’s just too big of a gap on our road games. We’re conscious of it, and we’ve got a long flight home to think about it, and to talk about it. We’ve got to move on to Miami in the morning, and get this one corrected but, yes, we’ve gotta be better.”
Why Cowboys’ Road Struggles Are a Big Problem
As great as the Cowboys have been this season — second in points per game and fifth in points per game allowed, just one of three teams ranked in the top five in both categories — their road struggles are a major reason why they may not win the Super Bowl this season.
Great teams find a way to win on the road and it’s no secret that Dallas no longer controls their destiny as far as winning the NFC East; the Eagles do. Entering their game against the Seattle Seahawks in Week 15, Philadelphia is a half game ahead of Dallas for the division lead.
If the Eagles win out, they’ll obviously have the better overall record. Even prior to the Cowboys’ loss to the Bills, Philadelphia would have won the tiebreaker based upon better conference record if they had won out. The Eagles have the fourth-easiest remaining schedule (opponents with a .345 winning percentage), while the Cowboys have one of the top 10 toughest remaining schedules, with opponents holding a .571 winning percentage.
If the Cowboys lose out on the NFC East, they’ll have to win every one of their playoff games on the road.
For a team that has struggled drastically in away games, that’s not a recipe for success.
