What happened: The Dallas Cowboys have failed to string together consecutive victories through the first eight games of the 2026 regular season, falling to 3-5 after a 33-30 loss to the Arizona Cardinals. Dallas recorded 11 back-to-back win streaks in 2016 and seven in 2023, but has recorded zero two-game streaks this fall.

Why it matters: The inability to build sustained momentum contrasts with franchise benchmarks established under Tom Landry, who produced 20 consecutive winning seasons from 1966 to 1985. The recent slide places Dallas 13th in the NFC standings as internal scrutiny mounts.

What to watch: Dallas evaluates its roster direction ahead of the Nov. 10 NFL trade deadline.