The Cowboys would lose 26 players to free agency or retirement during the offseason leading up to the 2021 campaign.
Most notable among the departures were center Joe Looney, linebacker Sean Lee, and defensive end Tyrone Crawford to retirement.
The two most notable additions to the team came in the coaching box and the draft. Dallas’ defense had been horrid in 2020.
To address that weakness, the Cowboys hired former Falcons’ head coach Dan Quinn to be its defensive coordinator.
In addition to signing seven defensive players via free agency, the Cowboys devoted their first six draft picks to shoring up Quinn’s defense.
Most notable among the draftees was Penn State linebacker Michah Parsons, who Dallas took with the 12th overall pick.
The overhaul paid off as did the return of Dak Prescott from his devastating injury in 2020.
The Champs Are Here
The Cowboys drew the assignment of playing the defending champion Buccaneers on the road to kick off the NFL season.
Prescott went toe-to-toe with Tom Brady, throwing for 403 yards and three touchdowns against Brady’s 379 yards and four touchdowns.
In a game that saw a combined 32 running plays by the two teams against 108 pass attempts, Dallas took a 29-28 lead on Greg Zuerlein’s 48-yard field goal with 1:24 remaining.
It was way too much time left on the clock with Brady on the field and with possession of the ball.
After a 57-yard drive, Ryan Succop hit a 36-yard field goal with two seconds left to win the game for Tampa Bay.
Six-Game Win Streak
On the road for a second-straight week, the Cowboys drove 50 yards in the final 3:50 to set up a game-winning 56-yard field goal by Zuerlein for a 20-17 win over the Chargers.
Dallas would play the next three games at home, defeating the Eagles (41-21), the Panthers (36-28), and the Giants (44-20).
Prescott would throw for 445 yards and three touchdowns, including a 35 yarder to CeeDee Lamb to win the game in overtime, 35-29, over the Patriots.
But Prescott would be injured on that final play. Despite a bye week the next Sunday, Prescott was not healthy enough to play when Dallas came off the bye.
Cooper Rush was thrust into the starting role in place of Prescott in Minnesota. Rush would throw for 325 yards against the Vikings.
Rush’s five-yard pass to Amari Cooper with 51 seconds remaining would give Dallas a 20-16 victory, extending the win streak to six games.
Bizarre Loss To Broncos
When the Cowboys hosted Denver the next week it seemed they were fated to lose no matter what. Mostly due to self-inflicted wounds at that.
Twice in the first quarter, the Cowboys passed on field goal attempts and failed to convert on fourth down. The Broncos happily took a 16-0 lead at halftime.
On the opening drive of the second half, the Cowboys defense forced a three-and-out. Sam Martin’s punt from the Denver 17 was blocked.
The ball was recovered by the Vikings on the 19, well short of a first down. But, by rule, because it had been touched by Dallas, the recovery gave the Vikings a first down.
Denver would go on to take a 30-0 lead before a pair of late Prescott touchdown passes got the Cowboys on the board.
Revenge For Quinn
Dallas would rout the Falcons 43-3 the following week, gaining some revenge for their defensive coordinator. A 19-9 loss to the Chiefs in Kansas City followed.
The Raiders got five Daniel Carlson field goals, including the game-winner in overtime, for a 36-33 Thanksgiving Day win.
The final drive was sparked by a 33-yard pass interference call on Anthony Brown trying to cover Zay Jones.
Driving For The Divisional Crown
Dallas recovered with a strong December, reeling off four straight wins. New Orleans (27-17), at Washington (27-20), the Giants (21-6), and Washington again (56-14) sealed the NFC East division title.
At 11-4, Dallas had a shot at a first round bye. But another flat effort, with a late comeback bid falling short, led to a 25-22 loss to the Cardinals at home.
The Cowboys destroyed the Eagles 51-26 in Philadelphia to close out the season.
They had made the playoffs, but would have to host a wild card round game against the 49ers.
Another One-And-Done
The Cowboys spotted the 49ers the first 13 points of the game. A 20-yard pass from Prescott to Cooper got Dallas on the board and back in the game.
The 49ers answered with 10 straight points before Zuerlein hit a 51-yard field goal. Prescott’s five-yard run with eight minutes left got Dallas to within six points.
San Francisco would drain five minutes off the clock before punting the ball back with 2:42 left. A six-play drive took 53 seconds off the clock and ended with an incomplete pass on fourth-and-11.
The 49ers would work the clock down to 28 seconds remaining before punting. With no timeouts, Prescott moved the Cowboys from the 20 out to the 49ers 41 with 14 seconds remaining.
But instead of taking two shots into the end zone, or at least deep down the sideline, Prescott ran the ball from the 41 to the 49ers 27 before sliding.
In the ensuing chaos, the Cowboys could not get the ball reset by the referee in time to get off one final snap.
The game ended with a 23-17 49ers victory and an end to Dallas’ season.
