SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — Two extra interceptions from Dak Prescott. One other missed further level by Brett Maher. Some weird play-calling on the finish of the sport.
All of it added as much as one other playoff exit for the Dallas Cowboys and extra questions on what must be achieved to get them over the hump.
Prescott had two turnovers and led just one landing drive and the Cowboys fell wanting the NFC title sport for the twelfth straight postseason journey, shedding 19-12 to the San Francisco 49ers within the divisional spherical on Sunday.
“I felt we had been in an excellent scenario to come back in right here and win this factor,” proprietor Jerry Jones stated. “Frankly, I wouldn’t say shocked, I’d say simply actual dissatisfied that we perhaps couldn’t make one thing occur.”
A franchise that gained three Tremendous Bowl titles in a four-year span early in Jones’ tenure is now recognized largely for playoff flops.
And now there might be hypothesis concerning the job safety of coach Mike McCarthy, who has gained one playoff sport in three seasons — final week over Tampa Bay.
Jones stated the loss did not change his opinion on McCarthy, however he was clearly annoyed by one other early ending.
“That is very sickening,” he stated.
The Cowboys (13-6) have not made it even so far as the convention championship sport since profitable the Tremendous Bowl following the 1995 season, shedding seven occasions within the divisional spherical and 5 occasions within the wild-card spherical. Solely 5 different groups have not gotten to a convention title sport since then.
That they had their probabilities to get that far Sunday due to a robust defensive efficiency however received knocked out by the rival 49ers for the second straight season.
An early interception by Prescott arrange a area objective by San Francisco.
The Cowboys then put collectively their solely TD drive of the sport with Prescott connecting with Dalton Schultz on a 4-yard rating. However Maher had his extra-point attempt blocked after lacking a report 4 final week in a win at Tampa Bay.
Prescott then threw one other interception — his thirteenth within the final 9 video games — to show a possible scoring drive on the finish of the half right into a area objective that gave San Francisco a 9-6 lead on the break.
The Cowboys then did not capitalize on two massive particular groups performs, settling for area objectives following a fumbled punt by Ray-Ray McCloud and a protracted kickoff return by KaVontae Turpin.
That left them in a determined scenario late once they took over at their very own 18 with 2:59 remaining, trailing 19-12.
Prescott threw two straight incompletions and was sacked on third down. McCarthy opted to punt on fourth-and-10 with all three timeouts left.
The Cowboys received the ball again at their 6 with 45 seconds left however might solely transfer the ball to the 24 earlier than an odd remaining play that began with working again Ezekiel Elliott snapping the ball to Prescott and ended instantly earlier than the deliberate laterals when Jimmie Ward tackled Turpin after a brief cross.
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