The Dallas Cowboys saw their playoff hopes take a serious hit in Week 15, dropping a 34–26 loss to the Minnesota Vikings at AT&T Stadium on Sunday night. In a pivotal NFC battle that had huge implications for the postseason, the Cowboys couldn’t hold off the Vikings and fell to
6‑7‑1 on the season, damaging their already slim chances of making the playoffs.
After the game — with Dallas needing wins down the stretch just to stay alive in the NFC East chase — reporters asked Cowboys head coach
Brian Schottenheimer whether quarterback Dak Prescott will remain the team’s starter for the final three games of the season.
“Yes,” Schottenheimer replied.
The coach didn’t offer any additional analysis about Prescott’s performance or the team’s offensive direction, leaving the future somewhat open to interpretation despite Schottenheimer’s simple affirmation.
“We know there’s things we need to improve,” Schottenheimer added. “We’ll evaluate everything as we go.”
Cowboys Let Lead Slip, Playoff Picture Worsens
In Week 15, the Cowboys took an early lead and stayed competitive throughout, but
Minnesota’s balanced attack and late scoring drives ultimately put Dallas behind. Prescott finished with 294 passing yards, while backs Javonte Williams and Malik Davis each found the end zone on the ground. Wideout CeeDee Lamb led the team with 111 receiving yards, but Dallas couldn’t finish the comeback.
The Vikings, led by quarterback J.J. McCarthy, threw two touchdowns and ran for another
en route to the road victory — a result that not only improved Minnesota’s record but put a major dent in Dallas’ playoff aspirations.
With the loss, the Cowboys now sit below .500 at
6‑7‑1, and their path into the postseason has effectively become one of the most difficult in football: win out and hope multiple NFC rivals collapse in the final weeks.
What This Means for Prescott and Dallas’ Future
Prescott, one of the league’s most experienced quarterbacks, has delivered solid numbers this season — even drawing MVP‑caliber chatter in some analytics circles — but the Cowboys’ inconsistency and inability to finish close games has overshadowed individual performance.
Despite the setback, Schottenheimer’s one‑word answer indicates he’s still backing Prescott as the leader of the offense down the stretch. Whether Dallas sticks with that approach heading into 2026, or whether a change might ultimately be considered, will depend heavily on how Prescott — and the rest of the team — responds in the final games.
The Cowboys now turn their attention to Week 16 at home vs. the Los Angeles Chargers, a must‑win situation if they hope to keep their playoff dream alive.
Dak Prescott Sends Serious Message to Cowboys After Difficult Loss
The numbers for Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott were not bad coming out of Sunday’s 34-26 loss to the Vikings. He completed 23 of his 38 passes for 294 yards on the day and took only two sacks. But despite the numbers, it was clear throughout the game that Minnesota’s vaunted blitz defense, which he had discussed repeatedly through last week, had befuddled him. The Vikings sent aggressive looks to the line throughout the game, and Prescott had a hard time identifying when they would back off and when they would send pressure.
The Cowboys were just 2-for-12 on third-down conversions, and if there is any indicator that points to what kind of day it was for Prescott, it’s that.
Coach Brian Schottenheimer was frustrated after the loss, and made no bones about saying so.
“I’m frustrated that,” he said. “We didn’t find a way to get this game done. I’m frustrated that we were that poor on third down. We’re better than that. I’m better than that.”
Cowboys Now on a Losing Streak
For the Cowboys, now on a two-game losing streak, the reality of the final five games is pretty grim–there is virtually no chance that they can find their way into the postseason, not at 6-7-1. It would be easy at this juncture to punch out for a lot of these Cowboys players, who had raised their playoff hopes with a three-game winning streak that followed the acquisition of defensive lineman Quinnen Williams at the trade deadline.
Prescott will be on guard for that sort of approach, though, as the Cowboys prepare for these final three games.
“We’ve gotta—it’s professionals,” Prescott said. “Professional football player. Like, you gotta come to work and give your absolute best regardless. Unfortunately, I am sure the playoffs are out of the picture, but it is about taking pride as a man and not only that, your job. What’s gotten you to this point. For a lot of guys, in just the business of the world, that’s interviews for some people. You can’t just give up, you can’t just stop, you can’t just say, ‘We’re not going to the playoffs.’”
Dak Prescott: Cowboys Must ‘Take Pride in Who You Are’
Indeed, there is still something at stake for the Cowboys, as the playoffs are not completely removed from the picture, and for several on the roster–including stars like running back Javonte Williams and receiver George Pickens–they will be looking to secure a big contract next offseason. Others will be fighting to keep a job in the league.
And that’s how Prescott will try to keep lighting a fire under this team, keep sending a clear message to the Cowboys: Take some pride in the job.
“We’ve got to show up and do our job,” Prescott said. “We’ve got to do our job, and that starts throughout the week and when you get to the game days, it is a celebration of the hard work that you put in through your preparation. Nothing is going to change for me. That’s going to be my influence as a leader, my message to anybody around me—taking pride in who you are as a man, who you are as a football player, and job responsibility you have.
“What that entails is giving your best every day and if you don’t, you probably won’t be in this league for long.”