SANTA CLARA, Calif. – When the season started, the Dallas Cowboys never thought they would find themselves in such a tough situation after seven games.

With Sunday’s 30-24 loss to the San Francisco 49ers, the Cowboys are 3-4 and closer to the bottom of the NFC than any Super Bowl contender is right now.

“We’re disappointed,” coach Mike McCarthy said. “Our men have had a really good week of preparation. I thought there were areas for improvement. But we still have a lot to work on.”

The last time the Cowboys had a 3-4 record with a healthy Dak Prescott at quarterback was 2018. In 2020, the Cowboys were 2-5 on their way to 2-7, but Prescott suffered a compound fracture and dislocation of his right ankle in the fifth game of the season.

The 2018 Cowboys got off to a flying start with a midseason trade for wide receiver Amari Cooper and finished the year with a 10–6 record, winning the NFC East and a playoff game. Only five players are still active Sunday from the 2018 roster: Prescott, running back Ezekiel Elliott, right guard Zack Martin, cornerback Jourdan Lewis and special teamer C.J. Goodwin.

The Cowboys will play the NFC South leader Atlanta Falcons next week.

“We know what it takes in this league,” Prescott said. “You’re excited, you get to work, that’s all you want to do. That’s my point: This is frustrating, but no one gives up. No one is shocked, as you might say, from where we are now. We are just arrived to focus, get ready to hit the road and there’s another good team coming, and do everything we can do to make sure we come out with a win. Worry about it after that about the next road race.

The Cowboys’ next four opponents are a combined 22-7, with the Falcons, Philadelphia Eagles, Houston Texans and Washington Commanders all winning on Sunday.

“We have to go every Sunday through Sunday,” Lewis said. “We can’t think about the future. That’s where we are now. Thinking about that next game and that next opportunity.”

However, frustration is increasing. The Cowboys have lost four straight games to the 49ers, including two postseason games and three straight against San Francisco at Levi’s Stadium.

Cornerback Trevon Diggs, still in uniform, came out of the locker room to confront a television reporter about a tweet during the game that seemed to question his efforts.

“It really sucks,” wide receiver CeeDee Lamb said. ‘Especially because I’ve been here three times in the last three years. It’s sickening.’

Despite trailing 27-10 after being outscored 21-0 and outscored 167-16 in the third quarter, the Cowboys still had a chance to pull off the improbable victory, but Prescott had four straight incompletions after had taken over with 3:05 to play.

It was the end of a game Prescott would like to forget. While throwing two fourth-quarter touchdown passes to Lamb, he became the first Cowboys quarterback with two interceptions in three straight games since Troy Aikman in 1992, according to ESPN Research.

He finished with 243 yards on 25 of 38 passing and was sacked twice.

“I mean myself, personally frustrated. Myself frustrated in my game. I imagine the rest of the guys are too,” Prescott said. “I’m not getting the win, two in a row now, with the score at 3-4. But I can tell you for sure that no one is shocked or giving up. The frustration is very high. But it’s a long season. I mean, it is a long season. Division games, there is still a lot ahead of us.

‘Frustrated. That’s the best way I can put it.’