3 Players Cowboys Fans Should Blame if They Miss the Playoffs

Things went from bad to worse on "Thursday Night Football," as the Cowboys got outplayed by the Chicago Bears, giving Dallas a losing record for the first time this season.

The blame for the team's struggles can go in a number of different directions, as the coaching staff, ownership and players have all contributed to the struggles. While personnel is (and should be) third in the order of that list, let's take a look at the three players Cowboys could blame if the team misses the playoffs.

1. Dak Prescott

Dak Prescott threw for 334 yards against the Bears. / Tom Pennington/Getty Images

Dak Prescott's numbers have been great this season, but he's beaten up on bad teams and struggled against the NFL's best. The Cowboys have not won a game against a team that currently has a winning record, and part of the reason is that Dak has thrown eight touchdowns to seven interceptions in losses, which is a significant drop in production from the 16 TDs and four INTs he's tossed in wins. Prescott has the chance to flip the script on this narrative with pivotal upcoming games against the Philadelphia Eagles and Los Angeles Rams, but if he doesn't light it up in those two Prescott will likely come under some scrutiny.

2. Ezekiel Elliott

Ezekiel Elliott rushed for 81 yards against the Chicago Bears in Week 14. / Harry How/Getty Images

Along the same lines as Dak, Ezekiel Elliott has not performed well against good teams. He has failed to run for 100 yards against a team with a winning record, and he has three performances this season where he averaged less than 3.0 yards per carry. In fact, Zeke hasn't had a 100-yard rushing performance since Week 9. Considering the massive contract he signed in the offseason, and how talented Dallas' offensive line is, it's fair to say Zeke has underwhelmed this season.

3. Leighton Vander Esch

Leighton Vander Esch has missed each of the last three games for the Dallas Cowboys. / Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

Leighton Vander Esch is a terrific young linebacker, but he's dealt with injuries this season and Dallas' defense has been noticeably worse when he's been sidelined. Of course, that's not to say this is Vander Esch's fault, but Dallas needs him to return to the field as soon as possible. The Cowboys have surrendered 21.8 points per game (PPG) across their first nine games this season, but they've surrendered 23.3 PPG with him off the field. Dallas has now given up at least 26 points in back-to-back games without Vander Esch, and both of those came against offenses that are below league average in offensive DVOA.

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