The Dallas Cowboys' historic streak of dominance and postseason heartbreak
In short: The 2023 Dallas Cowboys achieved something unprecedented: they won 12 or more games in three consecutive seasons without ever reaching a conference championship game. Despite a dominant regular season and a fierce home-field advantage, their season ended in a shocking playoff upset.
The 2023 season was a study in statistical paradox for the Dallas Cowboys. Under head coach Mike McCarthy, the team matched their previous two seasons with a 12–5 record, securing the NFC East title for the second time in three years. They entered the playoffs as the second seed after winning a head-to-head tiebreaker against the Detroit Lions, despite losing both the conference and tiebreaker to the San Francisco 49ers.
The season was marked by several historic milestones. No other NFL squad has ever managed to put up 30+ points during their opening seven home contests of a season, a feat achieved by the Cowboys. Additionally, kicker Brandon Aubrey achieved a feat never before seen in the league, successfully converting two field goals from 59 yards or further in a single game. On the defensive side, DaRon Bland set a new NFL record by recording six interceptions in one season.
However, the Cowboys' regular-season success did not translate to postseason glory. In a surprising Wild Card round upset, they were defeated 48–32 by the seventh-seeded Green Bay Packers. During the fourth quarter, Dallas trailed by as many as 32 points, at one point falling behind 48–16. This loss made them the first team to lose a playoff game to a seventh seed since the NFL expanded the playoff bracket for the 2020–21 season. This outcome marked the sixth time in their last ten postseason appearances that the Cowboys were eliminated in their first game.
Opens the Intellect+ feed with this card first. Swipe up for the next one.
Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: 2023 Dallas Cowboys season
To cite this card, link to https://intellectplus.co.uk/app/history-2023-dallas-cowboys-season.
How we source, check and correct cards: Editorial standards.
General information, not professional advice. Spotted an error? Flag the card or see corrections and complaints.
Intellect Plus is a visual educational discovery platform for exploring fascinating facts and ideas. Brain Food, Not Brain Rot. What is Intellect Plus?
Related
More in Born on this day · More in History · Latest · A–Z · All topics
