The Dallas Cowboys’ three-game winning streak from Week 11 to Week 13 was full of playoff hopes. But then came the crash. Back-to-back losses to the Detroit Lions and the Minnesota Vikings unraveled everything in a hurry. Now, the Cowboys are all but out of the playoff race, and franchise legend Michael Irvin didn’t hesitate to call the season exactly what he believes it is: a failure, even though the NFL legend Cam Newton isn’t on board with his statement.

“Cam, I understand you’re talking more of the floor with the defense,” Irvin said, addressing Newton. “I was talking more of the ceiling with the offense to cover up that floor and get it done. When the defense did start playing better, I expected more consistency out of Dak Prescott in that offense. I expected it to carry this football team to be able to put up 30-35 points per game, and that’s what we thought would have to do.”

Irvin had no issues with the defense or even the offense. He just wanted Dak Prescott and the offense to stay consistent when the defense was clicking. The Cowboys’ defense was shaky early in the season, but Irvin believed Prescott and the offense had the talent to be elite and cover for those lapses. Once the defense actually started to play better, Irvin expected Prescott to stay consistent. Instead, things unraveled quickly in the last two weeks.

Riding the momentum of a three-game win streak, Dallas traveled to Detroit and got humbled on both sides of the ball. Even though the Cowboys out-gained the Lions 417–408 in total yards, the offensive line couldn’t protect Prescott. He finished 31-of-47 for 376 yards, one TD, and two INTs, but took five sacks.

Week 15 against the Vikings was better, but not exactly good. Prescott went 23-of-38 for 294 yards with no TDs and no picks, while taking two sacks. That marked his third outing of the season without a touchdown, and the Cowboys lost each time.

That’s exactly where Irvin’s take comes in. Yes, the defense was the early problem, but according to Irvin, the offense was supposed to be the answer. If the defense got better, the offense just needed to stay consistent.  Instead, the offense didn’t produce that lift. And to make things worse, the defense also came out flat in the last two games.

Against the Lions and the Vikings, the Cowboys gave up 44 and 34 points while failing to generate consistent pressure on Jared Goff and J.J. McCarthy. That combination ultimately derailed Dallas and pushed them to the brink of playoff elimination. In both of the last two games, the Cowboys’ defense only managed one sack combined. But according to Irvin, the home game atmosphere had taken a major hit both times.

Michael Irvin explains why the Cowboys’ season is a failure

The Cowboys dropped to 6–7–1 after the 34–26 loss to the Vikings, and the home game atmosphere may be to blame. With only three games left, their playoff odds have dipped below around percent. The only path left is winning the division, which means not only running the table themselves but also needing the Philadelphia Eagles to lose all three of their remaining games. That reality explains why faith has faded among the fanbase and why visiting teams are now outnumbering Cowboys fans inside AT&T Stadium.

“I’ve been in that stadium the last two games,” Michael Irvin added. “My guts are hurting. I saw a lot of red in that stadium when Kansas City played. I saw a lot of purple in that stadium last night when the Minnesota Vikings played. You telling me that ain’t a failure? You got all it had gotten so bad now that even the visiting team has more fans in our stadium than us. That’s what we did to everybody. It’s a complete failure when you look at it like that and a complete failure to all the great fans of the Dallas Cowboys.”

Everything felt possible after the Cowboys beat the Kansas City Chiefs on Thanksgiving and the Eagles later. That run raised expectations and likely pulled fans back into AT&T Stadium. But the Week 14 loss to the Lions seemed to derail that momentum. It only got worse when Dallas followed it up with a home loss to Minnesota, a game Michael Irvin believes had more Vikings fans in the building than Cowboys fans.

Now, Dallas returns home to face the Los Angeles Chargers next weekend. With another playoff-less season looming, the way things are trending suggests AT&T Stadium could once again be filled with more visiting fans than Cowboys supporters.