Frustration is growing within the Cowboys following another loss following their bye week

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Two more interceptions for Dak Prescott and a failed return attempt. A defense that allowed three straight TDs in the third quarter. Star player speaking to a member of the media regarding a social media post just minutes after the match ended.

A week off for the Dallas Cowboys did little to address the litany of issues facing a team that has won 12 games in each of the last three seasons as it fights for a playoff spot in 2024 after a 30-24 loss to the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday evening.

“I can definitely say that no one is shaking down or giving up,” Prescott said. “There is a lot of frustration, but it’s a long season. Many league matches are still ahead of us. Frustrated. That’s the best way I can put it.

Frustration for the Cowboys (3-4) boiled over when linebacker Trevon Diggs emerged from the locker room in full uniform just minutes after the end of the game and came face-to-face with a reporter who had posted questioning his performance in the second quarter. X, formerly known as Twitter, while playing.

However, the Cowboys’ biggest problems once again came on the field.

The defense struggled to put any pressure on Brock Purdy and Micah Parsons was still sidelined with an ankle injury. Dallas was hurt after racking up 223 rushing yards in the game – including a couple of key plays by Purdy – and gave up 7.3 yards per play while generating zero turnovers. Dallas has five takeaways in seven games after leading the NFL in that category the past two seasons.

While the defense struggles to concede turnovers, Prescott keeps giving the ball away, becoming the first Cowboys quarterback in 32 years to throw multiple interceptions in three straight games.

“We can learn from this as coaches and players,” coach Mike McCarthy said. “We have 3-4, these are the facts of this contract. I’m disappointed. Of course we felt we would come here and do everything we had to do to win, but we didn’t.

The second interception proved particularly costly against San Francisco. It came on Dallas’ first drive of the third quarter, just three plays after San Francisco had taken a 13-10 lead. The Niners quickly turned it into another touchdown.

“This one hurts,” Prescott said. “Starting the third quarter like that allowed them to score a touchdown. Look at the final score, a try makes the difference. Once again, we fell behind in the loss fight and it’s my fault. I can’t have that to try and win games. I need to clean it up properly.

San Francisco added a third TD in the third quarter before the Cowboys even had their first turnover in the second half.

Prescott tried to come back with two TD drives in the fourth quarter and a TD pass to CeeDee Lamb, but was narrowly unsuccessful.

With 3:05 left, the Cowboys got the ball back at their 25 and needed a touchdown to take the lead. Prescott had four straight incompletions, and KaVontae Turpin was unable to get a deep shot down the sideline on third down, then on fourth down he passed to Jalen Brooks, who fell incomplete, and Ji’Ayir Brown appeared to make contact just before the arrival of the ball.

“That’s all I can ask for, all this team can ask for, is a chance to get the ball in our hands and win the game.” Prescott said. “Third down, I liked the fight, I scored. I didn’t convert it. Fourth down, I felt the pressure early, I had to get out of the pocket and put something on my hopes. I was hoping that there would be contact eventually, but it didn’t happen that way, two players against one. They played when they needed to and we didn’t.