The Dallas Cowboys started Week 18 by making it look like they were deploying our "Organic Tanking" method at the New York Giants on Sunday by seemingly trying to lose and climb in the NFL Draft order... Though it wasn't initially because of key players sitting out.

There were a series of wild and wacky plays: Brandon Aubrey's stinger kick that warranted a penalty on the opening kickoff, Dak Prescott's slip and fumble under center on the first drive, and a how-did-that-happen touchdown flip from Giants QB Jaxson Dart that turned a third-and-long into a touchdown to give 3-13 New York the 16-10 lead at halftime.

Prescott and the rest of the stars were sat down at halftime, officially waiving the wide flag on the game and the season as the Giants pulled away with a 34-17 win at MetLife Stadium.

Tensions overflowed as a brawl broke out after another Dart touchdown pass to begin the second half, which just about describes the pot of boiling emotions that Cowboys Nation has brewed throughout the year.

Dallas ends 7-9-1 for its second consecutive losing season. It's the first time that has happened in over 20 years.

New York moves to 4-13 and, yet again, will miss out of potentially landing the No. 1 pick in the upcoming NFL Draft.

We close the 2025 season with a look at Sunday's 'Winners & Losers' before what's likely a busy day inside The Star in Frisco on Monday...

The 32-year-old off-the-couch midseason free agent signing will end the schedule as the Cowboys' leader in sacks this season with 8.5. If that isn't enough justification that he deserves another crack at contributing next season - with a full offseason/training camp program and likely new a defensive coordinator - then I don't know what is.

Clowney was everywhere for Dallas on Sunday. He deflected a pass from Dart, completed multiple TFLs, forced and recovered a fumble, and recorded three sacks for a pass rush unit that had been expectedly poor all year following the trade of generational talent Micah Parsons.

Clowney is the sixth Cowboy since 1982 to record at least 2.0 sacks, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery in a single game ... and the first since Parsons (2023 vs. Jets).

He isn't the full-fledged star he once was, but Clowney is worth keeping around. He proved that, again, in Week 18.

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has gotten worse and worse at hiding the fact that his team is headed toward another defensive coordinator firing.

Dallas will end the season giving up the most points in the league and the most in franchise history in a single season.

The Cowboys surrendered 511 points. Yes, you read that right.

Against the lowly Giants who had nothing to play for, Eberflus' pass defense was still as advertised: the worst in the NFL by a wide margin.

Dart threw for 230 yards on 22-of-32 with two touchdowns. Perhaps the play of his rookie season came on the circus act play below with tight end Daniel Bellinger just before the half.

Will Eberflus be fired first thing Monday morning? Or by the end of next week? That much isn't the debate; it's what does Jones do from here?

"It's going to be a busy offseason for us," Jerry said pregame.

That starts with sending Matt Eberflus on his way and finding Dallas' fourth defensive coordinator in as many years.

The Texas Ex running back saw his first big chunk of NFL action in Dallas' first two drives of the regular-season finale. He exploded onto the scene with 42 rush yards on his first three carries. What followed was his first career touchdown.

He carries some momentum into Year 2 prep with a career-high 64 yards on the game, which ends a rookie season that questioned Blue's maturity and work ethic.

With a performance like this, he momentarily quieted those critics. We'll see what the front office does with breakout star Javonte Williams in free agency before dictating Blue's role next season...

But for now, maybe he should've been taken out of the doghouse earlier?

The Cowboys' pass rusher saw his rookie season come to an early end as a result of the aforementioned scrum. Ezeiruaku, who was drafted by Dallas in the second round out of Boston College and had a solid season, inexcusably ripped off the helmet of a Giants player to warrant the ejection.

He also had what would've been his fourth-career sack negated after the Cowboys chose to accept a penalty, which resulted in the Giants making use of the extended drive by ending it with the touchdown to Bellinger.

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Dallas' QB1 finished the game achieving what he wanted: starting a full 17-game slate after another major surgery last season.

However, he'll have to wait to see if he becomes an even bigger winner historically.

Prescott can be the first Cowboys quarterback ever to lead the NFL in passing yards in a season if he avoids the three quarterbacks behind him posting massive numbers.

Dallas entered Week 18 with the No. 13 pick in the upcoming NFL Draft - one of their two first-round selections (the other is much lower and dictated by playoff-bound Green Bay).

With a loss, the Giants would have a pick no worse than No. 2, with the top selection still a possibility. They beat Dallas, so Las Vegas locks up No. 1 officially and New York could now drop to as low as No. 7 with a 4-13 record.

For the rebuilding G-Men, that's a loss, but Dart figures to be the QB of the future, so there isn't a need to get Indiana's Fernando Mendoza or Oregon's Dante Moore at the top of the draft. But they will not own that coveted No. 2 positioning to trade, either.

The Cowboys can possibly jump to as high as No. 11 with the loss after starting the day able to land anywhere from 11 to 19 in the first round.

With a defense as poor as the Cowboys' is that desperately needs the help, that's a tank-worthy win.

So yes, even the losers can be winners to close out a disappointing season.

As Jones said ... a busy offseason awaits.

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