2014 Dallas Cowboys season

Last updated

2014 Dallas Cowboys season
Owner Jerry Jones
General manager Jerry Jones
Head coach Jason Garrett
Home field AT&T Stadium
Results
Record12–4
Division place1st NFC East
Playoff finishWon Wild Card Playoffs
(vs. Lions) 24–20
Lost Divisional Playoffs
(at Packers) 21–26
Pro Bowlers QB Tony Romo
RB DeMarco Murray
WR Dez Bryant
TE Jason Witten
T Tyron Smith
G Zack Martin
C Travis Frederick
LS L. P. Ladouceur
AP All-Pros RB DeMarco Murray (1st team)
WR Dez Bryant (1st team)
OT Tyron Smith (1st team)
OG Zack Martin (1st team)
QB Tony Romo (2nd team)
C Travis Frederick (2nd team)
Uniform
Cowboys uniforms12.png

The 2014 Dallas Cowboys season was the franchise's 55th season in the National Football League (NFL), the sixth playing their home games at AT&T Stadium and the fourth full season under head coach Jason Garrett.

Contents

The team improved on their 8–8 record from 2013, finishing 12–4 in a three-way tie for first place in the NFC. However, the Cowboys lost the conference record tiebreakers to both the Seattle Seahawks and Green Bay Packers and had to start their postseason in the wild-card round. They started with a tough 24–20 win over the Detroit Lions before losing to the Packers 26–21 the following week, ending their season.

2014 draft class

2014 Dallas Cowboys draft
RoundSelectionPlayerPositionCollege
1 16 Zack Martin OT Notre Dame
234 DeMarcus Lawrence DE Boise State
4119 Anthony Hitchens LB Iowa
5146 Devin Street WR Pittsburgh
7231 Ben Gardner DE Stanford
7238 Will Smith LB Texas Tech
7248 Ahmad Dixon S Baylor
7251 Ken Bishop DT Northern Illinois
7254 Terrance Mitchell CB Oregon
Compensatory selection
Notes

Offseason

After the departure of long time Cowboys favorites defensive end/linebacker DeMarcus Ware and defensive tackle Jason Hatcher to free agency, and a season-ending knee injury to middle linebacker Sean Lee during organized team activities in late May, the Dallas Cowboys were one of the most heavily admonished and second-guessed NFL franchises through the entire preseason and well into the regular season. Much of the criticism was in response to the Cowboys selecting Notre Dame offensive guard Zack Martin over the perceived Cowboys savior (Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel) in the first round of the NFL draft. Even Cowboys owner Jerry Jones uncharacteristically downplayed expectations for the upcoming season during spring training, emphasizing to the media and fans that it might take a little more time for the Cowboys' young players to mature into a championship-caliber team.

Regular season

Adding injury to the many insults hurled at Jerry Jones, quarterback Tony Romo and the Cowboys organization in general, Romo did not play well during two preseason starts after receiving only a small percentage of snaps throughout training camp, due to his continuing recovery from off-season surgery to repair a herniated intervertebral disc in his lower back. For these reasons, Romo and the Cowboys' passing offense struggled for the first two games of the regular season, causing many fans and media to declare the Dallas Cowboys as the absolute worst team in the league after their week 1 loss to the 49ers at AT&T Stadium. A humiliating turnover led to defeat for Dallas, which appeared to prove all the Cowboys' critics right, that Jerry Jones should have selected quarterback Johnny "Football" Manziel in the first round of the NFL 2014 draft to eventually replace Romo. But by season's end, not only would Romo have the highest passer rating (113.2) in the NFL for the 2014 regular season, but first-round pick offensive guard Zack Martin (whom the Cowboys had drafted instead of Manziel) would have a well deserved All-Pro season while establishing himself as a critical piece in what many considered to be the best offensive line in the NFL. The stout run-blocking of the Cowboys' offensive line would help two different Cowboys running backs (DeMarco Murray in 2014 and Ezekiel Elliott in 2016 and 2018) win 3 NFL rushing titles in 5 seasons.

Following a win against the Indianapolis Colts in Week 16 (and after the Philadelphia Eagles' loss to the Washington Redskins), the Cowboys clinched the NFC East title, putting them in the playoffs for the first time since 2009. The Cowboys finished 12–4, improving on their 8–8 record from 2013. For the season, the team was 8–0 on the road. Plenty of milestones were established by the 2014 Cowboys team, topped by DeMarco Murray's record-setting rushing season. The Cowboys defeated the Detroit Lions at home 24–20 in the wild-card round of the playoffs and advanced to the divisional round. However, the Green Bay Packers defeated them 26–21, handing the Cowboys their first road loss and ending their season.

Staff

2014 Dallas Cowboys staff

Front office

  • Owner/president/general manager – Jerry Jones
  • COO/executive vice president/director of player personnel – Stephen Jones
  • Assistant director of player personnel – Will McClay
  • Director of football administration – Todd Williams
  • Assistant Director of pro scouting – Judd Garrett

Head coaches

Offensive coaches

Defensive coaches

Special teams coaches

Strength and conditioning

  • Strength and conditioning – Mike Woicik
  • Assistant Strength and conditioning – Brett Bech
  • Assistant Strength and conditioning – Kendall Smith

Rosters

Opening preseason roster

2014 Dallas Cowboys opening preseason roster
Quarterbacks

Running backs

Wide receivers

Tight ends

Offensive linemen

Defensive linemen

Linebackers

Defensive backs

Special teams

Reserve lists

90 active, 5 inactive

Week one roster

2014 Dallas Cowboys week one roster
Quarterbacks

Running backs

Wide receivers

Tight ends

Offensive linemen

Defensive linemen

Linebackers

Defensive backs

Special teams

Reserve lists

Practice squad

53 active, 12 inactive, 10 practice squad

Final roster

2014 Dallas Cowboys final roster
Quarterbacks

Running backs

Wide receivers

Tight ends

Offensive linemen

Defensive linemen

Linebackers

Defensive backs

Special teams

Reserve lists

Practice squad

53 active, 11 inactive, 10 practice squad

Preseason

WeekDateOpponentResultRecordGame siteNFL.com
recap
1August 7at San Diego Chargers L 7–270–1 Qualcomm Stadium Recap
2August 16 Baltimore Ravens L 30–370–2 AT&T Stadium Recap
3August 23at Miami Dolphins L 20–250–3 Sun Life Stadium Recap
4August 28 Denver Broncos L 3–270–4AT&T Stadium Recap

Regular season

Schedule

WeekDateOpponentResultRecordGame siteNFL.com
recap
1September 7 San Francisco 49ers L 17–280–1 AT&T Stadium Recap
2September 14at Tennessee Titans W 26–101–1 LP Field Recap
3September 21at St. Louis Rams W 34–312–1 Edward Jones Dome Recap
4September 28 New Orleans Saints W 38–173–1AT&T Stadium Recap
5October 5 Houston Texans W 20–17 (OT)4–1AT&T Stadium Recap
6October 12at Seattle Seahawks W 30–235–1 CenturyLink Field Recap
7October 19 New York Giants W 31–216–1AT&T Stadium Recap
8October 27 Washington Redskins L 17–20 (OT)6–2AT&T Stadium Recap
9November 2 Arizona Cardinals L 17–286–3AT&T Stadium Recap
10 November 9 at Jacksonville Jaguars W 31–177–3 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Wembley Stadium (London, England) Recap
11 Bye
12November 23at New York Giants W 31–288–3 MetLife Stadium Recap
13 November 27 Philadelphia Eagles L 10–338–4AT&T Stadium Recap
14December 4at Chicago Bears W 41–289–4 Soldier Field Recap
15December 14at Philadelphia Eagles W 38–2710–4 Lincoln Financial Field Recap
16December 21 Indianapolis Colts W 42–711–4AT&T Stadium Recap
17December 28at Washington Redskins W 44–1712–4 FedExField Recap
Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

Game summaries

Week 1: vs. San Francisco 49ers

Week One: San Francisco 49ers at Dallas Cowboys – Game summary
Period1234Total
49ers2170028
Cowboys307717

at AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas

Game information
Game notes

The Cowboys were 16–17–1 against the San Francisco 49ers from 1960 to 2014. Since then, Dallas won the next three meetings, in 2016, 2017, and 2020. But the Cowboys would lose to the 49ers in the 2021 wild-card round of the playoffs.

Week 2: at Tennessee Titans

Week Two: Dallas Cowboys at Tennessee Titans – Game summary
Period1234Total
Cowboys3137326
Titans0010010

at LP Field, Nashville, Tennessee

Game information
Game notes

The win against the Titans meant that the Cowboys wouldn't start 0–2, which they hadn't done since 2010, when Wade Phillips was fired midway through the season and Jason Garrett was promoted to head coach.

Week 3: at St. Louis Rams

Week Three: Dallas Cowboys at St. Louis Rams – Game summary
Period1234Total
Cowboys010101434
Rams71401031

at Edward Jones Dome, St. Louis, Missouri

Game information
Game notes

The Cowboys' 21-point comeback win against the Rams was a new Cowboys' record for the largest point deficit that a Cowboys team had come back from and won in a game that didn't go into overtime. It was the third 21-point comeback victory in Cowboys' history. The other two came in overtime, in 1984 against the New Orleans Saints and 1999 against the Washington Redskins.

The Rams' 2nd-quarter 21-point lead was the second-largest lead blown by the Rams. The biggest deficit overcome by a Rams opponent was 23 points by the Green Bay Packers in 1982, and the Denver Broncos had a 21-point rally in 1982.

Cowboys kicker Dan Bailey set a franchise record by making his 28th field goal in a row on a 40-yarder in the third quarter. Cowboys kicker Chris Boniol hit 27 straight field goals in 1996.

Week 4: vs. New Orleans Saints

Week Four: New Orleans Saints at Dallas Cowboys – Game summary
Period1234Total
Saints0031417
Cowboys7177738

at AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas

Game information
Game notes

After 4 weeks of regular season play, DeMarco Murray found himself in elite company with his 149-yard 2 touchdown performance against the Saints, joining Jim Brown, O. J. Simpson and former Cowboy Emmitt Smith as the only players to rush for 100 or more yards, while scoring a touchdown, in the first four games of a season.

The Cowboys' three-game winning streak was their first since the 2012 season.

Week 5: vs. Houston Texans

Week Five: Houston Texans at Dallas Cowboys – Game summary
Period1234OTTotal
Texans00710017
Cowboys0377320

at AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas

Game information
Game notes

After hauling in a 34-yard completion from Tony Romo mid-way through the third quarter, Cowboys TE Jason Witten surpassed 10,000 receiving yards for his career, making him only the 3rd tight end in NFL history to do so. Witten's 59-yard day against the Texans left him just 46 yards shy of the No. 2 position held at the time by Shannon Sharpe with 10,060 career receiving yards. Tony Gonzalez led all tight ends in career receiving yards at 15,127.

The Cowboys' four-game winning streak was their first since 2011, and their best start since 2008.

Week 6: at Seattle Seahawks

Week Six: Dallas Cowboys at Seattle Seahawks – Game summary
Period1234Total
Cowboys71031030
Seahawks10010323

at CenturyLink Field, Seattle, Washington

Game information
Game notes

DeMarco Murray's 115-yard rushing day against the Seahawks made him only the second running back in NFL history – next to Jim Brown – to rush for 100 yards in the first 6 games of the season. Jim Brown did it for the first six games of the 1958 season.

With the victory, the Cowboys improved to 5–1 on the season, their best record since the 2007 campaign.

Dallas became the first team outside the NFC West to win in Seattle since 2011.

Five days after Seattle's loss at home to the Cowboys, the Seahawks traded WR Percy Harvin to the New York Jets for an undisclosed draft selection. It was reported that the surprisingly sudden move by Seattle was due in large part to Harvin refusing to return to the game in the fourth quarter. While Harvin had a 46-yard kickoff return, his total yardage for rushing and receiving was –1 yard against the Cowboys.

Dan Bailey's 3rd quarter 42-yard field goal made him 100-for-110 on field goals for his career, making him the most accurate kicker in NFL history with a FG percentage of 90.826% from 2011 to 2014. Mike Vanderjagt was second in all-time NFL accuracy with a FG percentage of 86.466% from 1998 to 2006. Stephen Gostkowski was a close third in NFL accuracy with a FG percentage of 86.328% from 2006 to 2014.

Week 7: vs. New York Giants

Week Seven: New York Giants at Dallas Cowboys – Game summary
Period1234Total
Giants0140721
Cowboys7771031

at AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas

  • Date: October 19
  • Game time: 3:25 p.m. CDT
  • Game weather: Played indoors (retractable roof closed)
  • Game attendance: 91,028
  • Referee: Jerome Boger
  • TV announcers (Fox): Thom Brennaman, Troy Aikman and Charissa Thompson
  • Recap, Gamebook
Game information
Game notes

DeMarco Murray continued his amazing season by rushing for his seventh straight 100-yard game to start a season, breaking the record held by the great Jim Brown.

With the win over the Giants, the Cowboys improved to a league-best 6–1 on the season, moving into sole possession of first place in the NFC East due to the Eagles having a bye week. This was the Cowboys' best start to a season since 2007 when they also were 6–1 after the first 7 games.

Week 8: vs. Washington Redskins

Week Eight: Washington Redskins at Dallas Cowboys – Game summary
Period1234OTTotal
Redskins3077320
Cowboys0737017

at AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas

Game information
Game notes

Colt McCoy completed 83.3 percent of his passes (25–30 for 299 yards), the most in Redskins history by a quarterback with at least 30 attempts.

Murray extended his 100-yard game rushing streak to eight games with 19 carries for 141 yards.

The game was the 107th meeting in 54 years between the Cowboys and the Redskins. After the loss to Washington, the Cowboys now had a total of 64 wins to 41 losses and 2 ties in 54 years.

Including the loss to the Redskins on Monday Night, the Cowboys had played in a total of 75 Monday Night games and had an overall record of 43–32.

Week 9: vs. Arizona Cardinals

Week Nine: Arizona Cardinals at Dallas Cowboys – Game summary
Period1234Total
Cardinals01401428
Cowboys1000717

at AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas

  • Date: November 2
  • Game time: 12:00 p.m. CST
  • Game weather: 57 °F (14 °C), cloudy (retractable roof open)
  • Game attendance: 85,688
  • Referee: Craig Wrolstad
  • TV announcers (Fox): Joe Buck, Troy Aikman and Erin Andrews
  • Recap, Gamebook
Game information
Game notes

Brandon Weeden started in place of Tony Romo, who had injured himself the week prior. Weeden had a rough time of it against the stingy Cardinals defense, throwing two interceptions and only managed to compile 183 yards through the air.

It was the Cowboys' third home loss of the season, and the same score as the season opener against the 49ers. The Cardinals also managed to hold DeMarco Murray under the 100-yard mark, the first team to do so in 2014.

Week 10: at Jacksonville Jaguars

NFL International Series
Week Ten: Dallas Cowboys at Jacksonville Jaguars – Game summary
Period1234Total
Cowboys10147031
Jaguars7001017

at Wembley Stadium, London, England

  • Date: November 9
  • Game time: 6:00 p.m. GMT/12:00 p.m. CST
  • Game weather: 50 °F (10 °C), clear
  • Game attendance: 83,603
  • Referee: John Parry
  • TV announcers (Fox): Kenny Albert, Daryl Johnston and Tony Siragusa
  • Recap, Gamebook
Game information
Game notes

Tony Romo's return was a successful one, as the Cowboys went across the pond and posted a comfortable win over one of the worst teams in the league.

Dez Bryant had a monster day receiving, catching six passes for 158 yards and two scores, all in the first half. DeMarco Murray got back in the 100-yard category after losing his streak in the loss to the Cardinals the week before.

Week 12: at New York Giants

Week Twelve: Dallas Cowboys at New York Giants – Game summary
Period1234Total
Cowboys3714731
Giants7140728

at MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey

  • Date: November 23
  • Game time: 8:30 p.m. EST/7:30 p.m. CST
  • Game weather: 51 °F (11 °C), cloudy
  • Game attendance: 80,520
  • Referee: Bill Vinovich
  • TV announcers (NBC): Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth and Michele Tafoya
  • Recap, Gamebook
Game information
Game notes

The Cowboys swept their season series against the Giants for the second year in a row. The Cowboys beat the Giants 5 out of the 6 meetings from 2012 to 2014.

With the win, Dallas improved to 8–3 on the season, setting up a showdown with the 8–3 Eagles for first place in the NFC East on Thanksgiving Day.

DeMarco Murray went over 100 yards yet again, rushing for 121 yards but failed to get in the end zone.

Giants rookie wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. finished his historic night with 10 catches for 146 yards and two scores.

Rapper and New York City native Jay Z attended the game and was seen having a brief conversation with Jerry Jones on the field prior to kickoff. This was somewhat of an event due to Jay Z's agency, Roc Nation, signing on as Dez Bryant's representation earlier in the month. The pair spoke briefly before the game, which led to questions about whether they were discussing Bryant's contract negotiations. Jones later claimed that the brief conversation had nothing to do with contract negotiations.[ citation needed ]

Week 13: vs. Philadelphia Eagles

Thanksgiving Day game
Week Thirteen: Philadelphia Eagles at Dallas Cowboys – Game summary
Period1234Total
Eagles1497333
Cowboys073010

at AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas

  • Date: November 27
  • Game time: 3:30 p.m. CST
  • Game weather: Played indoors (retractable roof closed)
  • Game attendance: 91,379
  • Referee: Clete Blakeman
  • TV announcers (Fox): Joe Buck, Troy Aikman and Erin Andrews
  • Recap, Gamebook
Game information
Game notes

With the 33–10 victory against Dallas, the Eagles were now 2–0 against the Cowboys on Thanksgiving Day and 6–0 overall for Thanksgiving games.

Tony Romo's 38-game streak with at least one touchdown pass came to an end against Philadelphia. Romo's 38-game touchdown streak was the longest in franchise history and fifth longest in NFL history and the second-longest among active streaks, behind Peyton Manning's 50. Romo was 18 of 29 for 199 yards and 0 TDs in the loss.

It was the fourth loss of the season for Dallas at home, and DeMarco Murray failed to break 100 yards for only the second time this season.

Week 14: at Chicago Bears

Week Fourteen: Dallas Cowboys at Chicago Bears – Game summary
Period1234Total
Cowboys01421641
Bears0702128

at Soldier Field, Chicago, Illinois

Game information
Game notes

With the win, the Cowboys avoided going 8–8 for the first time since 2010, and clinched a winning season, the first since the 2009 team won the NFC East and won a playoff game.

After defeating the Bears in Chicago, the Cowboys were 6–0 on the road after 13 games into their 2014 season. Oddly enough, the last time Dallas lost on the road was in Chicago 45–28 nearly a year earlier on December 9, 2013. That devastating loss to the Bears began the 7–5 Cowboys' late-season slide, losing 3 out of their 4 final games, and ending the year with a 3rd straight 8–8 season and no playoff appearance for the 4th year in a row.

Week 15: at Philadelphia Eagles

Week Fifteen: Dallas Cowboys at Philadelphia Eagles – Game summary
Period1234Total
Cowboys14771038
Eagles01014327

at Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

  • Date: December 14
  • Game time: 8:30 p.m. EST/7:30 p.m. CST
  • Game weather: 41 °F (5 °C), partly cloudy
  • Game attendance: 69,596
  • Referee: Terry McAulay
  • TV announcers (NBC): Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth and Michele Tafoya
  • Recap, Gamebook
Game information
Game notes

For the second consecutive year, Dallas and Philadelphia split the season series with the road team winning all four games. Dallas had now won 5 out of their last 6 meetings in Philadelphia.

With the win, the Cowboys took a one-game lead in the NFC East with two games to go.

The victory over the Eagles in Philadelphia improved the Cowboys' road record to 7–0 for the season.

Week 16: vs. Indianapolis Colts

Week Sixteen: Indianapolis Colts at Dallas Cowboys – Game summary
Period1234Total
Colts00077
Cowboys14147742

at AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas

  • Date: December 21
  • Game time: 3:25 p.m. CST
  • Game weather: Played indoors (retractable roof closed)
  • Game attendance: 91,899
  • Referee: Bill Leavy
  • TV announcers (CBS): Jim Nantz, Phil Simms and Tracy Wolfson
  • Recap, Gamebook
Game information
Game notes

Through the 2014 season, the Cowboys won the NFC East 22 times in their 54-year history.

After quarterback Tony Romo completed a 25-yard touchdown pass to TE Jason Witten late in the third quarter, Romo eclipsed Troy Aikman as the all-time leader in passing yards in franchise history. The throw put Romo at 32,961 passing yards in his career, passing Aikman's career total of 32,942. Romo finished the game with 218 yards, putting him at 32,971 for his career.

At the start of the game, Murray had a total of 1,686 yards on the season and needed only 87 yards to pass Hall of Famer Emmitt Smith's team record for the most rushing yards in a single season with 1,773 yards set in 1995. However, with Murray still nursing the injury, coupled with an early Cowboys rout, Murray ended up with only 22 carries for 59 yards on the day, leaving him with a total of 1,745 yards for the year, just 28 yards short of Smith's single season record with one more game left to be played.

Week 17: at Washington Redskins

Week Seventeen: Dallas Cowboys at Washington Redskins – Game summary
Period1234Total
Cowboys171001744
Redskins730717

at FedExField, Landover, Maryland

Game information
Game notes

With the victory, the Cowboys finished 12–4 on the season, their best record since the team's 13–3 campaign of 2007.

DeMarco Murray made Cowboys' history by finishing the season with 1,845 yards on 393 carries, surpassing Emmitt Smith's record of 1,773 in 1995; the 32-yard carry was Murray's longest since a 40-yard carry on December 4 against the Chicago Bears.

Dez Bryant also made Cowboys' history by catching 2 touchdown passes, giving him a total of 16 touchdown receptions on the year, breaking Terrell Owens's previous single-season touchdown reception record of 15 in 2007 (the second touchdown was originally called incomplete by the refs, but was overturned after review).

The game was the 108th meeting in 54 years between the Cowboys and Redskins. After this game, the Cowboys' all-time record versus the Redskins was 65-41-2 in 54 years.

Standings

Division

NFC East
WLTPCTDIVCONFPFPASTK
(3) Dallas Cowboys 1240.7504–28–4467352W4
Philadelphia Eagles 1060.6254–26–6474400W1
New York Giants 6100.3752–44–8380400L1
Washington Redskins 4120.2502–42–10301438L1

Conference

#TeamDivisionWLTPCTDIVCONFSOSSOVSTK
Division leaders
1 [lower-alpha 1] Seattle Seahawks West1240.7505–110–2.525.513W6
2 [lower-alpha 1] Green Bay Packers North1240.7505–19–3.482.440W2
3 [lower-alpha 1] Dallas Cowboys East1240.7504–28–4.445.422W4
4 Carolina Panthers South781.4694–26–6.490.357W4
Wild Cards
5 [lower-alpha 2] Arizona Cardinals West1150.6883–38–4.523.477L2
6 [lower-alpha 2] Detroit Lions North1150.6885–19–3.471.392L1
Did not qualify for the postseason
7 Philadelphia Eagles East1060.6254–26–6.490.416W1
8 San Francisco 49ers West880.5002–47–5.527.508W1
9 [lower-alpha 3] New Orleans Saints South790.4383–36–6.486.415W1
10 [lower-alpha 3] Minnesota Vikings North790.4381–56–6.475.308W1
11 [lower-alpha 4] New York Giants East6100.3752–44–8.512.323L1
12 [lower-alpha 4] Atlanta Falcons South6100.3755–16–6.482.380L1
13 [lower-alpha 4] St. Louis Rams West6100.3752–44–8.531.427L3
14 Chicago Bears North5110.3131–54–8.529.338L5
15 Washington Redskins East4120.2502–42–10.496.422L1
16 Tampa Bay Buccaneers South2140.1250–61–11.486.469L6
Tiebreakers [lower-alpha 5]
  1. 1 2 3 Seattle, Green Bay and Dallas were ranked in seeds 1–3 based on conference record.
  2. 1 2 Arizona defeated Detroit head-to-head (Week 11, 14–6).
  3. 1 2 New Orleans defeated Minnesota head-to-head (Week 3, 20–9).
  4. 1 2 3 The NY Giants defeated both Atlanta and St. Louis head-to-head (Atlanta: Week 5, 30–20; St. Louis: Week 16, 37–27), while Atlanta finished ahead of St. Louis based on conference record.
  5. When breaking ties for three or more teams under the NFL's rules, they are first broken within divisions, then comparing only the highest-ranked remaining team from each division.

Postseason

Schedule

Playoff roundDateOpponent (seed)ResultRecordGame siteNFL.com
recap
Wild cardJanuary 4, 2015 Detroit Lions (6)W 24–201–0 AT&T Stadium Recap
DivisionalJanuary 11, 2015at Green Bay Packers (2)L 21–26 1–1 Lambeau Field Recap

Game summaries

NFC Wild Card Playoffs: vs. (6) Detroit Lions

NFC Wild Card Playoffs: (6) Detroit Lions at (3) Dallas Cowboys – Game summary
Period1234Total
Lions1433020
Cowboys0771024

at AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas

Game information
Game notes

The Dallas Cowboys now lead the all-time head-to-head match-up against the Detroit Lions (14–12). The Cowboys also lead the all-time playoff match-up against the Lions (2–1).

This was the first time in franchise history that the Cowboys won a post-season game when trailing by 10 points or more at half time.

At the time, with this win over the Lions, the Cowboys became the team with the most NFL playoff wins with 34, one more than the Pittsburgh Steelers.

NFC Divisional Playoffs: at (2) Green Bay Packers

NFC Divisional Playoffs: (3) Dallas Cowboys at (2) Green Bay Packers – Game summary
Period1234Total
Cowboys777021
Packers7310626

at Lambeau Field, Green Bay, Wisconsin

  • Date: January 11, 2015
  • Game time: 12:05 p.m. CST
  • Game weather: 24 °F (−4 °C), cloudy
  • Game attendance: 79,704
  • Referee: Gene Steratore
  • TV announcers (Fox): Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, Erin Andrews and Chris Myers
  • Recap, Gamebook
Game information
Game notes

The Packers defeated the Cowboys 26–21, ending their season. The Packers handed the Cowboys their first road loss of the season, snapping a 9-game road winning streak that began in week 16 of the 2013 season against the Washington Redskins.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">2015 Dallas Cowboys season</span> 56th season in franchise history

The 2015 Dallas Cowboys season was the franchise's 56th season in the National Football League (NFL), the seventh playing their home games at AT&T Stadium and the fifth full season under head coach Jason Garrett. The Cowboys finished the regular season at 4–12. It was the team's worst record since 1989, when they went 1–15.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2015 New Orleans Saints season</span> NFL team season

The 2015 season was the New Orleans Saints' 49th in the National Football League (NFL), their 40th playing home games at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome and their ninth under head coach Sean Payton. On November 16, 2015, the Saints hired Dennis Allen to replace fired defensive coordinator Rob Ryan. However, the Saints still missed the playoffs for the second consecutive season. The Saints set a new league record for the most passing touchdowns allowed with 45.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2016 Green Bay Packers season</span> NFL team season

The 2016 Green Bay Packers season was their 98th season overall, 96th season in the National Football League (NFL), and the 11th under head coach Mike McCarthy. Despite a 4–6 start to the season, the Green Bay Packers went on a 6-game winning streak to finish the regular season with a 10–6 record. The team clinched the NFC North for the fifth time in six years with their week 17 win over the Detroit Lions. They routed the fifth-seeded New York Giants 38–13 in the wild card round of the playoffs and defeated the top-seeded and heavily favored Dallas Cowboys 34–31 in the divisional round of the playoffs, but their season came to an end when they were beat by the second-seeded Atlanta Falcons in the NFC Championship Game 44–21.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2016 Dallas Cowboys season</span> 57th season in franchise history; last season for Tony Romo

The 2016 Dallas Cowboys season was the franchise's 57th season in the National Football League (NFL), the eighth playing their home games at AT&T Stadium and the 6th full season under head coach Jason Garrett.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2016 Washington Redskins season</span> 85th season in franchise history

The 2016 Washington Redskins season was the franchise's 85th season in the National Football League (NFL), the 20th playing their home games at FedExField and the third under head coach Jay Gruden.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2017 Dallas Cowboys season</span> 58th season in franchise history

The 2017 Dallas Cowboys season was the franchise's 58th season in the National Football League (NFL), the ninth playing their home games at AT&T Stadium and the seventh full season under head coach Jason Garrett. It was also the 29th season under owner Jerry Jones.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2017 Atlanta Falcons season</span> 52nd season in franchise history

The 2017 Atlanta Falcons season was the franchise's 52nd season in the National Football League (NFL) and their third under head coach Dan Quinn. They entered the season as the defending NFC champions and tried to defend their NFC title for a second consecutive trip to the Super Bowl after losing the previous year against the Patriots in Super Bowl LI after blowing a 28-3 lead. This was the Falcons' first year in Mercedes-Benz Stadium after spending the previous 25 seasons in the Georgia Dome, which was demolished on November 20, 2017. Mercedes-Benz Stadium opened as scheduled on August 26, 2017; however, its retractable roof system was incomplete. The roof of Mercedes-Benz Stadium remained in the closed position for most of the 2017 season, with the roof opened only during the September 17 game against the Green Bay Packers, as contractors continued to fully mechanize the roof.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2017 New Orleans Saints season</span> NFL team season

The 2017 season was the New Orleans Saints' 51st in the National Football League (NFL), their 42nd playing home games at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome and their 11th under head coach Sean Payton. The team improved on their 7–9 output from the previous season, while achieving an eight-game winning streak after losing their first two contests, their longest streak since 2009, when they won Super Bowl XLIV. In Week 13 the Saints clinched their first winning season since 2013 and swept the Carolina Panthers for the first time since 2011. In Week 16, the Saints clinched a playoff spot for the first time since 2013 by defeating the Atlanta Falcons. In Week 17, the Saints clinched the NFC South for the first time since 2011 with the Panthers loss to the Falcons. This was the first of four consecutive NFC South titles for the Saints. On January 7, 2018 the Saints played their divisional rival Carolina Panthers in the playoffs for the first time in franchise history. They beat Carolina 31–26 in the Wild Card, but lost 29–24 to the Minnesota Vikings in the Divisional Round in a shocking ending.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2018 Dallas Cowboys season</span> 59th season in franchise history

The 2018 season was the Dallas Cowboys' 59th in the National Football League (NFL), their 30th under the ownership of Jerry Jones, their 10th playing their home games at AT&T Stadium, and their eighth full season under head coach Jason Garrett. AT&T Stadium also became the first stadium venue to host the annual draft. For the first time since 2009, wide receiver Dez Bryant was not on the opening day roster, as he was released on April 13, 2018 and later signed with the New Orleans Saints on November 7, 2018. For the first time since 2002, tight end Jason Witten was not on the opening day roster, having announced his retirement on May 3, 2018. For the first time since 2010, kicker Dan Bailey was not on the opening day roster, as he was released on September 1, 2018.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2018 Washington Redskins season</span> 87th season in franchise history

The 2018 season was the Washington Redskins' 87th in the National Football League and their fifth under head coach Jay Gruden. This was the first season since 2011 that quarterback Kirk Cousins was not on the roster, as he joined the Minnesota Vikings in the offseason as a free agent.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2018 Houston Texans season</span> 17th season in franchise history

The 2018 season was the Houston Texans' 17th season in the National Football League and their fifth under head coach Bill O'Brien. This marks the first season since 2005 that Rick Smith would not be the general manager as he took a leave of absence for family reasons. Despite an 0–3 start, their first in a decade, the Texans surpassed their win total from the previous season with a Week 8 win over the Miami Dolphins. They had a franchise record 9 consecutive wins that also broke the NFL record for most consecutive wins after starting 0–3. The streak ended with a Week 14 loss to the Indianapolis Colts. With a Week 15 win over the New York Jets, the Texans clinched their first 10-win season under head coach Bill O’Brien, their first 10-win season since 2012 and their third 10-win season in franchise history.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2018 New Orleans Saints season</span> NFL team season

The 2018 season was the New Orleans Saints' 52nd in the National Football League (NFL), their 43rd at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome and their 12th under head coach Sean Payton.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2019 Dallas Cowboys season</span> 60th season in franchise history

The 2019 season was the Dallas Cowboys' 60th in the National Football League (NFL), their 11th playing home games at AT&T Stadium and their ninth and final season under head coach Jason Garrett. It also marked the return of tight end Jason Witten, who retired in 2018 and spent a year as the color analyst for Monday Night Football. Wide receiver Cole Beasley, who was the second-longest tenured player on the roster, left the team in the offseason and signed with the Bills.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2021 Dallas Cowboys season</span> Sports season

The 2021 season was the Dallas Cowboys' 62nd season in the National Football League (NFL), their 33rd under the ownership of Jerry Jones, and their 13th playing home games at AT&T Stadium.

References

  1. "2014 NFL Draft Pick Transactions". ProSportsTransactions.com.
  2. "2014 Conference Standings". NFL.com. Retrieved December 11, 2023.