Cowboys get brutal assessment after embarrassing Vikings loss

The Dallas Cowboys' 34-26 loss to the Minnesota Vikings that effectively ended their playoff hopes saw everything wrong with the state of the team right now.

Defensively, Matt Eberflus' unit looked like the worst in football again, as they allowed J.J. McCarthy to look like a Pro Bowler, offering little to no resistance for the young quarterback.

Offensively, as has been the case all year, if Dak Prescott and Co. aren't perfect, Dallas can't win football games, and that reared its ugly head again. We have seen what happens when the defense plays average, but against the Vikings, they were poor.

Granted, so too was the offense, only having two third-down conversions for the night, and for CBS Sports' John Breech, he was rather generous with his "C-" grade, but did offer a damning assessment of the Cowboys.

"If the Cowboys' goal was to make J.J. McCarthy look like an All-Pro, they pulled it off,” Breech wrote. “With their playoff hopes on life support, the Cowboys needed a win in the worst way possible, but instead, they got bullied on their home field.”

More: Cowboys drop inactive list ahead of Vikings clash with huge update on injured duo

Cowboys need a reboot in the offseason

Most of the work will be done defensively, because George Pickens will be back in 2026, but on the franchise tag, and it isn't known if Javonte Williams will be sticking around, but for this argument, let's say he is.

That then leaves the Cowboys, who have ample amounts of cap room (again), and two first-round picks to focus fully on the defense in the offseason.

Linebacker, pass rusher, corner, and safety are the biggest areas of need, and there is no doubting the Cowboys have the artillery to do it. 

As is the case with Dallas, it's just a matter of whether it wants to or not.

Eberflus, for most, can't return as defensive coordinator, so it will be another change, as you can't have a person return after allowing 30+ points seven times in one season.

Changes need to happen in Dallas; let's see if they do.

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