Dallas Cowboys Playoff Loss History (1966-2023)

Dallas Cowboys Historical Losses Analysis

Dallas Cowboys Historical Losses (1960-Present)

Total Franchise Losses
375
Playoff Losses
41
Worst Season
1989 (1-15)
Longest Losing Streak
1960 (0-11-1 start)
Most Losses in a Decade
2000s (80 losses)

1960s

  1. 1966 NFL Championship
    • Opponent: Green Bay Packers
    • Score: Packers 34, Cowboys 27
    • Venue: Cotton Bowl (Dallas, TX)
    • Coach: Tom Landry
    • Note: First NFL Championship appearance for Cowboys
  2. 1967 NFL Championship (“Ice Bowl”)
    • Opponent: Green Bay Packers
    • Score: Packers 21, Cowboys 17
    • Venue: Lambeau Field (Green Bay, WI)
    • Coach: Tom Landry
    • Note: Game played in -13°F weather with -48°F wind chill
  3. 1969 Eastern Conference Playoffs
    • Opponent: Cleveland Browns
    • Score: Browns 38, Cowboys 14
    • Venue: Cotton Bowl (Dallas, TX)
    • Coach: Tom Landry

1970s

  1. 1972 Divisional Round
    • Opponent: San Francisco 49ers
    • Score: 49ers 30, Cowboys 28
    • Venue: Kezar Stadium (San Francisco, CA)
    • Coach: Tom Landry
  2. 1976 Divisional Round
    • Opponent: Los Angeles Rams
    • Score: Rams 14, Cowboys 12
    • Venue: Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
    • Coach: Tom Landry
  3. 1979 Divisional Round
    • Opponent: Los Angeles Rams
    • Score: Rams 21, Cowboys 19
    • Venue: Texas Stadium (Irving, TX)
    • Coach: Tom Landry

1980s

  1. 1980 NFC Championship
    • Opponent: Philadelphia Eagles
    • Score: Eagles 20, Cowboys 7
    • Venue: Veterans Stadium (Philadelphia, PA)
    • Coach: Tom Landry
  2. 1981 NFC Championship
    • Opponent: San Francisco 49ers
    • Score: 49ers 28, Cowboys 27
    • Venue: Candlestick Park (San Francisco, CA)
    • Coach: Tom Landry
    • Note: Famous for “The Catch” by Dwight Clark
  3. 1982 Divisional Round
    • Opponent: Green Bay Packers
    • Score: Packers 37, Cowboys 26
    • Venue: Texas Stadium (Irving, TX)
    • Coach: Tom Landry
  4. 1983 Wild Card Round
    • Opponent: Los Angeles Rams
    • Score: Rams 24, Cowboys 17
    • Venue: Texas Stadium (Irving, TX)
    • Coach: Tom Landry
  5. 1985 Divisional Round
    • Opponent: Los Angeles Rams
    • Score: Rams 20, Cowboys 0
    • Venue: Anaheim Stadium (Anaheim, CA)
    • Coach: Tom Landry
    • Note: First playoff shutout loss in franchise history

1990s

  1. 1991 Divisional Round
    • Opponent: Detroit Lions
    • Score: Lions 38, Cowboys 6
    • Venue: Pontiac Silverdome (Pontiac, MI)
    • Coach: Jimmy Johnson
  2. 1994 NFC Championship
    • Opponent: San Francisco 49ers
    • Score: 49ers 38, Cowboys 28
    • Venue: Candlestick Park (San Francisco, CA)
    • Coach: Barry Switzer
    • Note: Ended Cowboys’ bid for three straight Super Bowls
  3. 1996 Divisional Round
    • Opponent: Carolina Panthers
    • Score: Panthers 26, Cowboys 17
    • Venue: Carolina Stadium (Charlotte, NC)
    • Coach: Barry Switzer
  4. 1998 Wild Card Round
    • Opponent: Arizona Cardinals
    • Score: Cardinals 20, Cowboys 7
    • Venue: Texas Stadium (Irving, TX)
    • Coach: Chan Gailey

2000s

  1. 2003 Wild Card Round
    • Opponent: Carolina Panthers
    • Score: Panthers 29, Cowboys 10
    • Venue: Bank of America Stadium (Charlotte, NC)
    • Coach: Bill Parcells
  2. 2006 Wild Card Round
    • Opponent: Seattle Seahawks
    • Score: Seahawks 21, Cowboys 20
    • Venue: Qwest Field (Seattle, WA)
    • Coach: Bill Parcells
    • Note: Famous for Tony Romo’s botched field goal hold
  3. 2007 Divisional Round
    • Opponent: New York Giants
    • Score: Giants 21, Cowboys 17
    • Venue: Texas Stadium (Irving, TX)
    • Coach: Wade Phillips
    • Note: Cowboys were #1 seed in NFC
  4. 2009 Divisional Round
    • Opponent: Minnesota Vikings
    • Score: Vikings 34, Cowboys 3
    • Venue: Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome (Minneapolis, MN)
    • Coach: Wade Phillips

2010s

  1. 2014 Divisional Round
    • Opponent: Green Bay Packers
    • Score: Packers 26, Cowboys 21
    • Venue: Lambeau Field (Green Bay, WI)
    • Coach: Jason Garrett
    • Note: Famous “Dez Caught It” controversy
  2. 2016 Divisional Round
    • Opponent: Green Bay Packers
    • Score: Packers 34, Cowboys 31
    • Venue: AT&T Stadium (Arlington, TX)
    • Coach: Jason Garrett
    • Note: Cowboys were #1 seed, lost on last-second field goal
  3. 2018 Divisional Round
    • Opponent: Los Angeles Rams
    • Score: Rams 30, Cowboys 22
    • Venue: Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
    • Coach: Jason Garrett

2020s

  1. 2021 Wild Card Round
    • Opponent: San Francisco 49ers
    • Score: 49ers 23, Cowboys 17
    • Venue: AT&T Stadium (Arlington, TX)
    • Coach: Mike McCarthy
    • Note: Controversial ending with QB draw play
  2. 2022 Divisional Round
    • Opponent: San Francisco 49ers
    • Score: 49ers 19, Cowboys 12
    • Venue: Levi’s Stadium (Santa Clara, CA)
    • Coach: Mike McCarthy
  3. 2023 Wild Card Round
    • Opponent: Green Bay Packers
    • Score: Packers 48, Cowboys 32
    • Venue: AT&T Stadium (Arlington, TX)
    • Coach: Mike McCarthy
    • Note: First #7 seed to defeat a #2 seed in NFL playoffs

Statistical Breakdown

  • Total Playoff Losses: 25
  • Losses by Round:
    • Wild Card: 6
    • Divisional: 12
    • Conference/Championship: 5
    • NFL Championship: 2
  • Most Losses Against:
    • Green Bay Packers: 6
    • San Francisco 49ers: 5
    • Los Angeles Rams: 4
    • Carolina Panthers: 2
  • Losses by Head Coach:
    • Tom Landry: 11
    • Mike McCarthy: 3
    • Jason Garrett: 3
    • Barry Switzer: 2
    • Wade Phillips: 2
    • Bill Parcells: 2
    • Others: 2
  • Home vs Away Losses:
    • Home: 9
    • Away: 16
  • Decades:
    • 1960s: 3
    • 1970s: 3
    • 1980s: 5
    • 1990s: 4
    • 2000s: 4
    • 2010s: 3
    • 2020s: 3
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