In a heart-wrenching 28-23 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, the Dallas Cowboys once again found themselves outscored after halftime, highlighting a recurring issue. Despite their strong defense, the Cowboys have struggled to maintain their leads and secure victories when failing to score in the second half.
Throughout the season, the Cowboys have experienced this trend in their three losses to the Cardinals, 49ers, and Eagles. In these defeats, they were outscored 42-15 after halftime, making it challenging to close out games late without offensive contributions.
In contrast, during their five wins this year, the Cowboys have outscored their opponents 56-21 and have been outscored in the second half only once, with an 11-10 loss to the Chargers. In three of their victories, they kept their opponents from scoring in the second half, demonstrating their capability to finish strong against specific teams like the Giants, Jets, and Patriots.
However, recent games have seen a more even distribution of second-half scoring, with the Cowboys outscoring their opponents 11-10 in one game and 14-6 in the other. Notably, in the game against the Rams, Dallas held a substantial lead at halftime with a score of 33-9.
The discrepancy of being outscored 42-15 in second halves has raised questions about the Cowboys’ ability to thrive in clutch situations. Developing a habit of late-game scoring could be a crucial area for improvement.
Head coach Mike McCarthy expressed confidence in the team’s identity after the loss but acknowledged the need for improvement. The Cowboys are aware of their second-half struggles and are looking for ways to address them.
With a 5-3 record, the Cowboys are currently trailing the 8-1 Eagles by two full games and the tiebreaker. Although the NFC East has not seen a repeat winner since 2004, breaking this trend will require the Cowboys to embark on an incredible second-half season run, potentially resolving their second-half game management and scoring challenges along the way.