The 2020 season was the Dallas Cowboys' 61st in the National Football League and their first under head coachMike McCarthy. This was the first season since 2006 that Jason Garrett was not part of the coaching staff, as his contract expired on January 14, 2020. For the second time since 2002, tight end Jason Witten was not on the opening day roster, as he signed with the Las Vegas Raiders on March 17, 2020. For the first time since 2012, center Travis Frederick was not on the opening day roster, as he announced his retirement on March 23, 2020.
The Cowboys failed to improve upon their 8–8 season from the previous year after their Thanksgiving loss to the Washington Football Team. The next week, they were defeated by the Baltimore Ravens to suffer their first losing season since 2015. Factors in their struggles during the season included multiple key injuries – most notably starting quarterback Dak Prescott suffering a compound fracture and dislocation to his ankle during their Week 5 win against the Giants – and the defense allowing a per-game average of 29.4 points over a total of 6,361 yards gained.[1] The Cowboys were eliminated from playoff contention for the second consecutive year in Week 17.
Rookies in italics
52 active, 17 inactive, 14 practice squad
Preseason[]
The Cowboys would have played the Pittsburgh Steelers in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game on August 6, at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio, and the Cowboys were to represented by head coachJimmy Johnson and safetyCliff Harris.[2] However, the game, the annual Hall of Fame enshrinement and the remainder of the preseason were later cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic,[3] and the Hall of Fame game between the Cowboys and Steelers was rescheduled for 2021.[4]
LAR – Malcolm Brown 1-yard run (Sam Sloman kick), 11:37. Rams 7–0. Drive: 7 plays, 75 yards, 3:23.
Second quarter
DAL – Ezekiel Elliott 19-yard pass from Dak Prescott (Greg Zuerlein kick), 12:24. Tied 7–7. Drive: 8 plays, 80 yards, 2:38.
LAR – Sam Sloman 35-yard field goal, 8:42. Rams 10-7. Drive: 11 plays, 58 yards, 3:42.
LAR – Sam Sloman 31-yard field goal, 1:56. Rams 13–7. Drive: 7 plays, 44 yards, 3:16.
DAL – Ezekiel Elliott 1-yard run (Greg Zuerlein kick), 0:17. Cowboys 14-13. Drive: 9 plays, 73 yards, 1:39.
Third quarter
LAR – Malcolm Brown 2-yard run (Sam Sloman kick), 5:33. Rams 20–14. Drive: 11 plays, 85 yards, 5:51.
DAL – Greg Zuerlein 33-yard field goal, 1:50. Rams 20–17. Drive: 6 plays, 24 yards, 1:53.
Fourth quarter
No scoring plays.
Top passers
DAL – Dak Prescott – 25/39, 266 yards, TD
LAR – Jared Goff – 20/31, 275 yards, INT
Top rushers
DAL – Ezekiel Elliott – 22 rushes, 96 yards, TD
LAR – Malcolm Brown – 18 rushes, 79 yards, 2 TD
Top receivers
DAL – Michael Gallup – 10 receptions, 81 yards
LAR – Robert Woods – 6 receptions, 105 yards
The Cowboys were denied a chance to tie the game or take the lead in the fourth quarter when wide receiver Michael Gallup was controversially called for offensive pass interference, negating a 47-yard pass from quarterback Dak Prescott and leading to the Cowboys' final drive stalling. With the loss, Dallas began the season at 0–1.[6]
Week 2: vs. Atlanta Falcons[]
Week Two: Atlanta Falcons at Dallas Cowboys – Game summary
The game began with the Cowboys falling behind 20–0 at the heaviest deficit. The Cowboys would start fighting back with Ezekiel Elliott's touchdown in the second quarter. The Falcons would re-boost their lead but failed the two-point conversion attempt. At halftime, the Cowboys would trail 29–10. Dak Prescott ran for two more touchdowns to keep Dallas in the game. The Falcons added another ten points as the Cowboys trailed 39–24. Late in the fourth quarter, the Cowboys scored 16 unanswered points to prevent the Cowboys from starting 0–2. They finished the comeback after they successfully recovered a Greg Zuerlein onside kick with 1:49 left in the game and drove down to the 30 yard-line, where Zuerlein kicked a 46-yard field goal as time expired. This was the first time Dallas successfully kicked an onside kick since Week 17 of the 2014 season. With their first win, the Cowboys improved to 1–1 on the season. This win also makes the Cowboys the first team in NFL history to allow at least 39 points and win without defensive takeaways.[7]
Week 3: at Seattle Seahawks[]
Week Three: Dallas Cowboys at Seattle Seahawks – Game summary
1
2
3
4
Total
Cowboys
9
6
7
9
31
Seahawks
9
14
7
8
38
at CenturyLink Field, Seattle, Washington
Date: September 27
Game time: 3:25 p.m. CDT/1:25 p.m. PDT
Game weather: Sunny, 63 °F (17 °C)
Game attendance: 0
Referee: Carl Cheffers
TV announcers (Fox): Joe Buck, Troy Aikman and Erin Andrews
DAL – Michael Gallup – 6 receptions, 138 yards, TD
SEA – DK Metcalf – 4 receptions, 110 yards, TD
Despite initially battling back to take a 31–30 lead late in the 4th quarter, the defense allowed the Seattle offense to score a go-ahead touchdown with 1:47 left to play. The Cowboys would drive into Seattle territory, but the Seahawks would intercept Prescott in the end zone with just six seconds left. With this loss, the Cowboys dropped to 1–2 on the season.
Week 4: vs. Cleveland Browns[]
Week Four: Cleveland Browns at Dallas Cowboys – Game summary
The Cowboys defense had no answers for the Browns' rushing attack. Despite initially leading 14–7, the Cowboys allowed 34 unanswered points by the end of the 3rd quarter. The Cowboys would cut the lead to 41-38 late in the 4th quarter, but the Browns proved they were too strong for the Cowboys as they ran away with the 49–38 win.
With this loss, the Cowboys dropped to 1–3 on the season. This was also the first time since 1994 that the Cowboys lost to the Browns.
Week 5: vs. New York Giants[]
Week Five: New York Giants at Dallas Cowboys – Game summary
1
2
3
4
Total
Giants
14
6
3
11
34
Cowboys
3
21
7
6
37
at AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas
Date: October 11
Game time: 3:25 p.m. CDT
Game weather: Clear, 95 °F (35 °C) (retractable roof open)
Former head coach Jason Garrett, now offensive coordinator of the rival Giants, made his first return to Dallas since leaving the team following the previous season. The game turned into an offensive shootout, with the lead changing multiple times. The Cowboys claimed victory after scoring two consecutive field goals in the final minutes of the game, improving to 2–3 after beating the still-winless Giants. Midway through the third quarter, starting quarterback Dak Prescott suffered a compound fracture and dislocation to his right ankle during a tackle made by Logan Ryan, ending his season. Former Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton finished the comeback for the Cowboys.[8] This win was proven costly as the Cowboys would only win four more games in Prescott's absence.
Week 6: vs. Arizona Cardinals[]
Week Six: Arizona Cardinals at Dallas Cowboys – Game summary
1
2
3
4
Total
Cardinals
0
21
7
10
38
Cowboys
0
3
0
7
10
at AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas
Date: October 19
Game time: 7:15 p.m. CDT
Game weather: Clear, 64 °F (18 °C) (retractable roof open)
Game attendance: 25,174
Referee: Clete Blakeman
TV announcers (ESPN): Steve Levy, Brian Griese, Louis Riddick, Lisa Salters and John Parry
Dallas concluded its three-game homestand on Monday Night Football against the Arizona Cardinals, with Andy Dalton making his first start in a Cowboys uniform in place of the injured Dak Prescott. However, Prescott's absence would quickly be felt as the Cowboys would struggle on both sides of the ball throughout the game. The Cardinals raced out to a 21–0 lead in the second quarter and never looked back, taking advantage of two fumbles by Ezekiel Elliott and adding an 80-yard touchdown reception by Christian Kirk. The Cowboys offense committed a season-high four turnovers, all of which led to Cardinals scoring drives. Moreover, Dalton struggled in his Cowboys debut, throwing two interceptions and finishing with a 65.8 passer rating. With the 38-10 blowout loss, Dallas dropped to 2-4 for the first time since the 2015 season. The 28-point loss marked their worst at home since losing 37–9 to the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 11 of the 2017 season, and tied that loss for their worst margin of defeat at AT&T Stadium.
Week 7: at Washington Football Team[]
Week Seven: Dallas Cowboys at Washington Football Team – Game summary
1
2
3
4
Total
Cowboys
3
0
0
0
3
Washington
9
13
0
3
25
at FedEx Field, Landover, Maryland
Date: October 25
Game time: 1:00 p.m. EDT/12:00 p.m. CDT
Game weather: Cloudy, 46 °F (8 °C)
Game attendance: 0
Referee: Ronald Torbert
TV announcers (Fox): Joe Davis, Daryl Johnston, and Pam Oliver
WAS – Terry McLaurin – 7 receptions, 90 yards, TD, INT
The situation went from bad to worse for the Cowboys, who had no answers for Washington's defense. After a goal-line stand on Washington's opening drive, a strip sack by Landon Collins on Andy Dalton led to an early Washington safety. Washington then marched down the field, extending their lead to 9–0 on a 12-yard touchdown run by Antonio Gibson. The Cowboys responded with their only points of the afternoon on a Greg Zuerlein field goal. However, Washington would score two more touchdowns in the second quarter to put the game out of reach for Dallas. With this loss, Dallas dropped to 2–5 on the season, and 0–2 without Dak Prescott. Quarterback Andy Dalton would leave the game in the third quarter following a late hit by Washington linebacker Jon Bostic, who was subsequently ejected. Rookie quarterback Ben DiNucci would finish the game in place of Dalton, who was evaluated for a concussion.
Week 8: at Philadelphia Eagles[]
Week Eight: Dallas Cowboys at Philadelphia Eagles – Game summary
1
2
3
4
Total
Cowboys
3
6
0
0
9
Eagles
7
0
8
8
23
at Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
With Andy Dalton ruled out due to the concussion he suffered during the Week 7 loss to Washington, rookie quarterback Ben DiNucci made his first NFL start as the Cowboys visited the rival Philadelphia Eagles in a key NFC East showdown. The Cowboys' struggling defense stepped up against the sputtering Eagles offense, forcing a season-high four turnovers and holding Philadelphia to seven first half points. However, Dallas' offense had struggles of its own - DiNucci lost two fumbles, both of which led to Eagles touchdowns, including a controversial 53-yard return by Eagles safety Rodney McLeod. Further, the Cowboys were held without a touchdown for the second consecutive week, only being able to muster three Greg Zuerlein field goals. DiNucci finished with 180 yards passing and a rating of 64.6 in the 23–9 loss, and Dallas fell to 2–6 on the season and third place in the NFC East. This marked the first time that the Cowboys lost multiple division games in one season since the 2016 season, when all three of their regular season losses came within the division.
Week 9: vs. Pittsburgh Steelers[]
Week Nine: Pittsburgh Steelers at Dallas Cowboys – Game summary
The Cowboys entered the game as 14-point underdogs. It would only be the second time in Cowboys history that they would be double digit underdogs at home. The Cowboys would lead at halftime, but the Steelers would pull away and win the game. The Cowboys dropped to 2–7, and suffered their first four-game losing streak since 2015, when the Cowboys had the same such start. This loss also ensures the Cowboys got pushed to the brink of a non-winning season for back-to-back years. This was the first time the Cowboys would do so since they did in 2010–2013.
Week 11: at Minnesota Vikings[]
Week Eleven: Dallas Cowboys at Minnesota Vikings – Game summary
1
2
3
4
Total
Cowboys
6
10
0
15
31
Vikings
7
0
7
14
28
at U.S. Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Date: November 22
Game time: 3:25 p.m. CST
Game weather: None (indoor stadium)
Game attendance: 0
Referee: Bill Vinovich
TV announcers (Fox): Kenny Albert, Jonathan Vilma and Shannon Spake
DAL – Ezekiel Elliott 6-yard pass from Andy Dalton (kick blocked), 9:26. Cowboys 6–0. Drive: 3 plays, 30 yards, 1:31.
MIN – Dalvin Cook 1-yard run (Dan Bailey kick), 2:11. Vikings 7–6. Drive: 12 plays, 75 yards, 7:15.
Second quarter
DAL – CeeDee Lamb 4-yard pass from Andy Dalton (Greg Zuerlein kick), 4:55. Cowboys 13–7. Drive: 9 plays, 52 yards, 5:01.
DAL – Greg Zuerlein 19-yard field goal, 0:02. Cowboys 16–7. Drive: 5 plays, 47 yards, 0:47.
Third quarter
MIN – Adam Thielen 2-yard pass from Kirk Cousins (Dan Bailey kick), 9:50. Cowboys 16–14. Drive: 9 plays, 75 yards, 5:10.
Fourth quarter
MIN – Adam Thielen 3-yard pass from Kirk Cousins (Dan Bailey kick), 14:57. Vikings 21–16. Drive: 12 plays, 81 yards, 6:47.
DAL – Tony Pollard 42-yard run (CeeDee Lamb run), 12:02. Cowboys 24–21. Drive: 5 plays, 75 yards, 2:55.
MIN – Justin Jefferson 39-yard pass from Kirk Cousins (Dan Bailey kick), 9:37. Vikings 28–24. Drive: 5 plays, 75 yards, 2:25.
DAL – Dalton Schultz 2-yard pass from Andy Dalton (Greg Zuerlein kick), 1:37. Cowboys 31–28. Drive: 11 plays, 61 yards, 2:23.
Top passers
DAL – Andy Dalton – 22/32, 203 yards, 3 TD, INT
MIN – Kirk Cousins – 22/30, 314 yards, 3 TD
Top rushers
DAL – Ezekiel Elliott – 21 rushes, 103 yards
MIN – Dalvin Cook – 27 rushes, 115 yards, TD
Top receivers
DAL – Amari Cooper – 6 receptions, 81 yards
MIN – Adam Thielen – 8 receptions, 123 yards, 2 TD
The Cowboys were 7-point underdogs entering the game. Despite this, the Cowboys snapped their 4-game losing streak and improved to 1-4 without Dak Prescott. The game would be sealed after forcing a turnover on downs and then running out the game clock. The game's biggest highlight was a CeeDee Lamb catch for a touchdown. This win improved the Cowboys to 3–7 on the season.
Week 12: vs. Washington Football Team[]
Thanksgiving Day games
Week Twelve: Washington Football Team at Dallas Cowboys – Game summary
1
2
3
4
Total
Washington
7
10
3
21
41
Cowboys
3
10
3
0
16
at AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas
Date: November 26
Game time: 3:30 p.m. CST
Game weather: Sunny, 73 °F (23 °C) (retractable roof open)
Game attendance: 30,048
Referee: Clay Martin
TV announcers (Fox): Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, Erin Andrews and Kristina Pink
DAL – Greg Zuerlein 33-yard field goal, 8:30. Cowboys 3–0. Drive: 11 plays, 57 yards, 4:38.
WAS – Antonio Gibson 5-yard run (Dustin Hopkins kick), 1:37. Football Team 7–3. Drive: 12 plays, 75 yards, 6:53.
Second quarter
DAL – Amari Cooper 54-yard pass from Andy Dalton (Greg Zuerlein kick), 14:08. Cowboys 10–7. Drive: 5 plays, 75 yards, 2:29
WAS – Dustin Hopkins 23-yard field goal, 7:13. Tied 10–10. Drive: 14 plays, 67 yards, 6:55
WAS – Logan Thomas 5-yard pass from Alex Smith (Dustin Hopkins kick), 2:26. Football Team 17–10. Drive: 5 plays, 19 yards, 2:51.
DAL – Greg Zuerlein 32-yard field goal, 0:19. Football Team 17–13. Drive: 10 plays, 61 yards, 2:07.
Third quarter
WAS – Dustin Hopkins 36-yard field goal, 10:48. Football Team 20–13. Drive: 6 plays, 15 yards, 3:29.
DAL – Greg Zuerlein 28-yard field goal, 2:32. Football Team 20–16. Drive: 4 plays, 6 yards, 1:38.
Fourth quarter
WAS – Antonio Gibson 23-yard run (Dustin Hopkins kick), 12:07. Football Team 27–16. Drive: 1 play, 23 yards, 0:06.
WAS – Antonio Gibson 37-yard run (Dustin Hopkins kick), 3:31. Football Team 34–16. Drive: 10 plays, 76 yards, 5:50.
WAS – Montez Sweat 15-yard interception return (Dustin Hopkins kick), 3:24. Football Team 41–16.
Top passers
WAS – Alex Smith – 19/26, 149 yards, TD, INT
DAL – Andy Dalton – 25/35, 215 yards, TD, INT
Top rushers
WAS – Antonio Gibson – 20 rushes, 115 yards, 3 TDs
DAL – Ezekiel Elliott – 10 rushes, 32 yards
Top receivers
WAS – Terry McLaurin – 7 receptions, 92 yards
DAL – Amari Cooper – 6 receptions, 112 yards, TD
With the loss, the Cowboys dropped to 3–8 and were swept by Washington for the first time since 2012.[9] This loss also ensures the Cowboys could no longer improve on their 8–8 season from the previous season.
Week 13: at Baltimore Ravens[]
Week Thirteen: Dallas Cowboys at Baltimore Ravens – Game summary
Andy Dalton made his first return to Cincinnati since getting released by the Bengals during the 2020 offseason. The Cowboys improved to 4–9 with the blowout win. This win keeps the Cowboys in the race for an NFC East title, aided by the fact that all NFC East teams had losing records.
Week 15: vs. San Francisco 49ers[]
Week Fifteen: San Francisco 49ers at Dallas Cowboys – Game summary
1
2
3
4
Total
49ers
7
7
10
9
33
Cowboys
14
3
7
17
41
at AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas
Date: December 20
Game time: 12:00 p.m. CST
Game weather: 57 °F (14 °C) (retractable roof open)
DAL – Michael Gallup 7-yard pass from Andy Dalton (Greg Zuerlein kick), 0:12. Cowboys 20–17. Drive: 11 plays, 75 yards, 1:57.
Third quarter
DAL – CeeDee Lamb 52-yard pass from Andy Dalton (Greg Zuerlein kick), 12:26. Cowboys 27–17. Drive: 5 plays, 75 yards, 2:34.
DAL – Greg Zuerlein 21-yard field goal, 8:31. Cowboys 30–17. Drive: 6 plays, 80 yards, 2:22.
Fourth quarter
DAL – CeeDee Lamb 19-yard run (Greg Zuerlein kick), 1:53. Cowboys 37–17. Drive: 5 plays, 87 yards, 2:01.
Top passers
PHI – Jalen Hurts – 21/39, 342 yards, TD, 2 INT
DAL – Andy Dalton – 22/30, 377 yards, 3 TD, INT
Top rushers
PHI – Jalen Hurts – 9 rushes, 69 yards
DAL – Ezekiel Elliott – 19 rushes, 105 yards
Top receivers
PHI – Quez Watkins – 2 receptions, 57 yards
DAL – Michael Gallup – 6 receptions, 121 yards, 2 TD
After falling behind 14-3 after one quarter, the Cowboys outscored the visiting Eagles 34–3 over the final three quarters. The 37–17 win improved Dallas to 6–9 on the season and eliminated Philadelphia from playoff contention. The Cowboys' own playoff hopes were also kept alive thanks to the Washington Football Team's 20–13 loss to the Carolina Panthers. This win was Dallas' 40th home win and 70th overall win against Philadelphia in their rivalry.
Week 17: at New York Giants[]
Week Seventeen: Dallas Cowboys at New York Giants – Game summary
1
2
3
4
Total
Cowboys
3
6
7
3
19
Giants
6
14
0
3
23
at MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey
Date: January 3, 2021
Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST/12:00 p.m. CST
Game weather: Overcast, 33 °F (1 °C)
Game attendance: 0
Referee: Brad Allen
TV announcers (Fox): Joe Buck, Troy Aikman and Erin Andrews
Despite a second-half comeback, the Cowboys lost to the Giants for the first time since 2016, ending a seven-game winning streak against them. With the loss, Dallas finished 6–10 and missed the playoffs in back-to-back seasons for the first time since the 2010–13 seasons. This was also the first time since 2015 that the Cowboys lost 10 or more games in a season. With this loss, the Cowboys are 4-7 without Dak Prescott.
^ abNew Orleans finished ahead of Seattle based on conference record.
^ abChicago finished and clinched the 7th and final playoff spot ahead of Arizona based on better win percentage in common games (against Detroit, the NY Giants, Carolina, and the LA Rams, Chicago finished 3–2, while Arizona finished 1–4).
^ abSan Francisco finished ahead of the NY Giants based on head-to-head victory. Division tie break was initially used to eliminate Dallas (see below).
^ abNY Giants won tiebreaker over Dallas based on division record.
^ abCarolina finished ahead of Detroit based on head-to-head victory.
^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.
Notes[]
^ abThe Cowboys' Week 13 game at the Baltimore Ravens, originally scheduled for Thursday Night Football on December 3, was moved to December 8 due to a COVID-19 outbreak within the Ravens' organization that forced the Ravens' Week 12 game at the Pittsburgh Steelers, originally scheduled for November 26, to be pushed back to December 1.[5]
