The Dallas Cowboys are one of the 30 teams watching the Super Bowl on Sunday, rather than participating in it. This season’s Wild Card collapse was as painful as ever, getting blown out – at home – by the first No. 7 seed to ever win an NFL playoff game.
The loss had Dallas’ future hanging in the balance, warming the temperature of head coach Mike McCarthy’s seat and prompting offseason conversations about what “all in” really means for a Jerry Jones-owned team.
Cowboys defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence joined a championship edition of “First Take” on Thursday and commented on his team’s playoff catastrophe.
“All honestly, I think the main thing is we was burnt out,” Lawrence said. “Long season, team is dominantly healthy throughout the season, the legs get tired.”
Despite his disclaimer, Lawrence’s answer seems … less than actionable. Nobody is hoping the Cowboys face more injuries next year, nor is being tired an acceptable excuse for being embarrassed on national television. Lawrence, having spent a decade in the biggest media spectacle of the sport, knows the drill. Sports debate shows aren’t necessarily the place to candidly reflect on one’s performance.
He did, however, give credit to the Green Bay Packers, who went on to scare the lights out of the San Francisco 49ers before crumbling late in the NFC Divisional Round.
“But also, you gotta give hats off to Green Bay,” Lawrence continued. “They came out with a great game plan, rolling out towards Micah [Parsons] and running away from me. I feel like that’s what they needed to get their game started, and they jumped on us fast.”
The Packers made it a point to eliminate Micah Parsons from the game and were successful. Dallas’ defense struggled with the physicality of Green Bay’s ground game and quarterback Jordan Love had one of the best playoff games in recent memory.
The Packers jumped out early – 27-0 – and didn’t look back, winning 48-32. They were outplayed and woefully outcoached, though Lawrence softened the blow.
“Adjustments, man,” he said. “I feel like we went into the locker room and we came out ready with our adjustments but still didn’t go the way we planned it to go.”
The man presumably making those adjustments, defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, has left to be the head coach of the Washington Commanders, opening the door for a new face to lead a unit with some of the most dynamic players in the sport.
Getting this hire right is paramount in optimizing talents like Lawrence and Parsons and ensuring the rest of the defense can compete with the offenses that have widened the gap between the NFC’s elite and its perpetual playoff fodder.
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