4 takeaways from Cowboys' season-defining loss vs. Commanders

The Dallas Cowboys finished the regular season with a back-breaking loss to the Washington Commanders. Here are the four takeaways from the heartbreaking loss.

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The Dallas Cowboys end the 2024-25 regular season in a fashion that shouldn't be a surprise to anyone. The Washington Commanders took the Cowboys down 23-19 on a last-second drive, led by backup quarterback Marcus Mariota

Losing in this fashion sums up the type of season the Cowboys have had. The team will finish 7-10, with plenty to discuss this offseason.

MORE: Cowboys Cheerleader gets crushed in the head by Brandon Aubrey kickoff

Before we get to the offseason, let's take one final look at the Week 18 defeat. Here are four takeaways from the Cowboys' loss.

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4. A Golden Boot

#Cowboys K Brandon Aubrey now has the most field goals made during a season in team history (37). pic.twitter.com/Fk5THKpi7q

— Kicker Update (@kickerupdate) January 5, 2025

One position the Cowboys will not have to worry about going into the offseason is at kicker. Brandon Aubrey continued to be the team's biggest weapon, going four for four in field goal attempts. Aubrey now holds the single-season record of most-made kicks in Cowboys history.

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3. Lance Earning His Stripes

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Even in the loss, backup quarterback Trey Lance had a good performance. Lance finished the day 20 of 34 with 244 passing yards. While he didn't have a touchdown pass, he also didn't create turnovers. That stat line is what should be expected from a backup.

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2. Micah Is Back

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Even with missing time due to an ankle injury this season, Micah Parsons didn't miss a beat since his return. Parsons started the game with two sacks on the first drive, making history.

The Cowboys star would later add a half-sack, proving that this team should desperately be looking to get a deal done with Parsons this offseason.

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1. Uncertain Future

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There's no question that if the Cowboys had not been dealt with the injury situation they had this season, this team would have been in the postseason discussion.

However, there are a lot of questions that need to be answered before this team takes the field in 2025, and that starts with what the franchise will do with head coach Mike McCarthy.

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