Cowboys' latest playoff disaster is franchise's worst loss yet in long line of failures

ARLINGTON, Texas – The rich tradition of the Dallas Cowboys has struck again.

For all of the hype and glory that has spanned decades for the NFL's most popular franchise, you can't forget this: No operation blows it with magnanimous playoff upsets quite like Jerry Jones' team.

The fresh example came on Sunday, when the heavily favored Cowboys became the first team since the NFL expanded its playoff field to lose to a seventh seed. The Green Bay Packers might be the youngest team in the playoffs, but they were ready for the high-profile Cowboys as they marked quarterback Jordan Love's playoff debut by trouncing "America's Team."

"I didn't see that coming at all," Jones said after the 48-32 setback – which wasn't as close as the score indicated – sent the Cowboys home and fueled speculation that coach Mike McCarthy won't survive with his job intact.

The Cowboys won 12 regular-season games for the third consecutive season under McCarthy and had won 16 consecutive home games until Sunday. But for the second time in three years, they were upset while hosting a playoff opener at AT&T Stadium.

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This time, they were essentially dead on arrival with the ineptness covering all areas of the team. The Packers drove 75 yards in 12 plays for a touchdown on the opening series, then, enabled by two Dak Prescott interceptions, proceeded to build a 27-0 lead in the second quarter.

It was an embarrassment of epic proportions.

And it was so much a reminder of previous postseason meltdowns. Or even worse for a franchise that hasn't been to the Super Bowl – or even advanced to the NFC title game – in 28 years.

How does this one rank? As it stands now, it was the most embarrassing playoff loss in franchise history.

"It seems like the most painful, because we all had such great expectations and hope for this team," Jones said. "I thought that we were aligned and in great shape. And this is as fresh on me right now as it is for everybody."

Jones wouldn't address McCarthy's status, although he indicated at the end of the regular season that it could hinge on how the team fared in the playoffs. Well, they've flopped again. 

Does he still think the Cowboys are close to being a championship contender?

"The main thing is that I thought it was close coming in," he replied.

Here they go again. Pick up the pieces. There are certainly precedents for one-and-done debacles on their own turf.

Two years ago, in McCarthy's playoff debut for the franchise, the Cowboys were stung by a loss to the San Francisco 49ers in an NFC wild-card playoff contest.

Another case came under previous coach Jason Garrett against the Packers – then coached by McCarthy – when a 13-win team fell in a three-point loss in the NFC divisional playoffs following the 2016 season.

And longtime Cowboys followers (and Jones) probably don't need to be reminded of what happened to end the 2007 season under then-coach Wade Phillips. Dallas earned the No. 1 seed in the NFC playoffs but was upset in its playoff opener by the eventual Super Bowl-champion New York Giants.

Now here's another reason to label the Cowboys as "America's Tease."

Dallas won the NFC East crown this year and earned the No. 2 seed, benefitting from the Philadelphia Eagles slump despite back-to-back road losses at Buffalo and Miami in December. A victory against the Detroit Lions in Week 17 gave the Cowboys the tiebreaker edge that pushed Detroit to the No. 3 seed. Suddenly, the Cowboys had their best path in years to reach the NFC title game.

Now that opportunity evaporated in a flash.

Maybe they should have seen it coming, and not just because of the Cowboys' tradition for upset defeats. Entering Sunday, the Packers (9-8) had won nine of the previous 10 meetings against Dallas. Although renowned Cowboys-killer Aaron Rodgers has moved on, running back Aaron Jones is still in the mix. And Jones shredded the Cowboys for 118 rushing yards – his fourth consecutive 100-yard game against Dallas – with three touchdowns on Sunday.

Envisioned or not, it happened. And it provided Dallas' owner with a new reality check.

As he headed back to his suite following his group interview on Sunday night, Jones lamented the task of re-arranging his schedule for this week.

No, he did not plan for what comes now...because he – like his players, coaches and staff – did not see the meltdown coming.

"There was no time (scheduled) tonight or tomorrow that had anything to do with disbanding the team," Jones told USA TODAY Sports. "I've got to put that on the schedule tomorrow. Really, all of our time was spent thinking about who we were going to have for the second playoff game.

"This whole thing was rigged to be in the second playoff game. It's a shock for everybody involved."

At least Jones and the Cowboys know the feeling because they've been here before.

After all, it's tradition.