Analyzing the Cowboys’ Playoff Struggles Since Last NFC Title Game Appearance

It’s been 28 years since the Dallas Cowboys beat Brett Favre and the Green Bay Packers, 38-27, in the 1995 NFC Championship Game, before beating Bill Cowher’s Pittsburgh Steelers, 27-17, in Super Bowl XXX.

That’s the last time Dallas has made it as far as a conference championship game. You’d be hard-pressed to find a more disappointing playoff stretch for any franchise than the Cowboys’ over this time.

They’ve endured 12 playoff exits since then, the most recent a 19-12 defeat to the San Francisco 49ers last postseason. Here’s a number and fact for each one, to sum up the postseason agony for America’s Team.

1. Teams worth $9 billion in sports (2023 Cowboys)

There’s ONE team worth $9 billion in sports. It’s just the 2023 Cowboys, according to Forbes. They’ve been the most valuable NFL franchise for 15 straight years. They say money can’t buy you happiness. Well, it can’t buy you a championship either.

2. Cowboys’ times with No. 1 seed since 1996

Dallas has had the No. 1 seed TWO times since 1996. In 2007, it went one-and-done against the Giants and Terrell Owens got emotional defending Tony Romo during an infamous postgame interview, saying “That’s my quarterback.” In 2016, the Cowboys lost after Aaron Rodgers’ iconic sideline throw to Jared Cook set up the game-winning field goal.

3. Dez Bryant’s controversial no-catch vs. Packers

Dez Bryant had THREE catches in the Cowboys’ 26-21 divisional round loss at Lambeau Field in 2014. It would have been four if replay review didn’t overturn his controversial no-catch. Had the catch stood up, Dallas could have taken the lead in the final minutes of the game. Safe to say Dallas wants to put its last two playoff games vs. the Packers (2014 and 2016) in the rearview mirror. 

4. Mike McCarthy losses vs. 49ers in postseason

Mike McCarthy is 0-4 in his playoff career vs. the 49ers (two losses with the Packers and two with the Cowboys), tying Tom Landry (vs. Rams) for the most losses by a head coach against a single team in NFL playoff history. McCarthy and the Cowboys may need to go through San Francisco to make the Super Bowl this year. And a bonus No. 4: Dak Prescott has four losses in his playoff career (2-4 record). 

5. Cowboys playoff losses as a favorite since 1996

The Cowboys are 5-5 as a favorite in the postseason since 1996, tied for the third-worst record (.500) by any team in that span. They are a TD favorite vs. Green Bay and have lost two straight playoff games as a TD favorite (1998 vs Cardinals and 2007 vs Giants). No team since the 1970 NFL-AFL merger has lost three straight playoff games favored by at least seven points.

6. Teams without a conference title game since 1996 

SIX teams have failed to play in a conference title game since 1996: the Cowboys, Texans, Browns, Lions, Dolphins and Commanders. Not exactly the franchises you would normally associate Dallas with. The Cowboys are the only team in that group with a winning record in the regular season over that span. 

7. Cowboys’ one-and-done postseason trips since 1996 

The Cowboys have gone one-and-done SEVEN times since 1996. That’s a lot of quick exits. The only team with more in that span is the Colts with 10. Dallas’ most painful early exit was a 21-20 loss in Seattle in the 2006 wild card round when Tony Romo mishandled a snap on the Cowboys’ potential go-ahead 19-yard field goal attempt. They avoided a one-and-done last postseason but still could not snap their conference championship drought. Dallas has also lost seven straight divisional round games, the longest streak by any team since the merger.

8. Cowboys’ playoff losing streak as an underdog

After their loss to San Francisco last postseason, the Cowboys have lost EIGHT straight playoff games as an underdog. Their last win was in the 1992 NFC Championship Game at Candlestick Park. Surely they’ll need to win a game as an underdog to achieve their goals this postseason.

9. Seconds left after Dak Prescott’s slide in playoff loss to 49ers

There were NINE seconds left on the clock after Dak Prescott’s slide against the 49ers in a 23-17 wild card playoff loss two years ago. Prescott was bumped by an official as Dallas scrambled to spike the ball with no timeouts left, to no avail. Executed properly and the Cowboys would have had one play left at San Francisco’s 24-yard line to win the game. That’s been close enough for other teams — namely the 49ers in “The Catch II” — to score last-second game-winning touchdowns in the postseason.

10: Cowboys’ consecutive playoff losses with under 21 points

They have lost 10 straight playoff games when failing to score 21 points, including in each of their last two playoff exits at the hands of the 49ers.

11: Micah Parsons’ jersey number

Number ELEVEN, Micah Parsons, represents one of Dallas’ best hopes to reaching expectations. Parsons and Reggie White are the only players with 13.0+ sacks in each of their first three seasons since 1982.

12: Cowboys’ consecutive playoff appearances without a conference championship game

The Cowboys have made TWELVE straight playoff appearances without a trip to a conference championship game. Dallas’ early exit streak has gone on for such a long time that it’s now the longest drought of its kind in playoff history. Yes, no other team has gone this many consecutive playoff trips without at least reaching an AFC or NFC title game. 

The Cowboys can make it 13 in a row if they are knocked out early again this postseason. Here’s a look at Dallas’ 12 playoff exits since 1996.