Cowboys Look To Clinch NFC East After Loss To Colts
(CBSDFW.COM) - The Dallas Cowboys will have a chance to clinch the NFC East division title and a playoff spot when they host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday at AT&T Stadium.
That's because the Cowboys squandered a chance to clinch the division and a postseason berth against the Colts yesterday.
The Cowboys looked lifeless on the field during their 23-0 shutout loss, which caused a pointed reaction in the locker room following the game.
"We can't go out there and do that. We cannot. That is not us, at all. It's embarrassing," Ezekiel Elliott declared after the game.
The Cowboys running back is confident the team can learn from the many mistakes made against the Colts. "At one point, we were 3-5 and all you guys were counting us out. None of you guys thought we would have a chance of making the playoffs," Elliott told the media gathered around his locker. "We took that on the chin and won 5 straight. Now we hold our future in our hands. We've just got to win one more ballgame to make the playoffs."
Brad Sham, the voice of the Cowboys radio network, described Dallas' lackluster performance this way: "I would say that the Cowboys did not lay an egg today, they laid an omelette."
Cowboys defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence admitted the team had egg on their face in snapping a five-game winning streak. "You know that win streak had us feeling like we was bigger than what we are. This game, right here, showed us that we've got to get back to the basics and keep working."
Lawrence agreed that the Cowboys seemed to play without the edge that helped them win five straight games before the shutout loss to Indianapolis.
"It was humbling. When you are on a winning streak, you think you are better than what you are. Until somebody comes and hits you in the mouth." Lawrence said. "I'm glad we got hit in the mouth today. I can't wait to hit our next opponent in the mouth."
The Cowboys will get their next chance to take a swing on Sunday when they host Tampa Bay.
