SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- When the season started, the Dallas Cowboys never believed they would be in such a predicament 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 a Super Bowl contender at the moment.
"We're disappointed," coach Mike McCarthy said. "Our men really had a good week of preparation. I thought there were areas of improvement. But still, we have a ton 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 were jump-started by a midseason trade for wide receiver Amari Cooper and finished the campaign with a 10-6 record, winning the NFC East and a playoff game. Only five players active on Sunday remain 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 at the Atlanta Falcons, leaders of the NFC South, next week.
"We know what it takes in this league," Prescott said. "You got hot, you get rolling, that's all you're looking to do. That's my point, that this is frustrating but nobody is giving up. Nobody is shook, as you can say, from where we're at. We just got to focus up, get ready to go on the road and got another good team coming up and do whatever we can do make sure we come out with a victory. Get even. Then worry about after that after this next road game."
The Cowboys' next four opponents -- the Falcons, Philadelphia Eagles, Houston Texans and Washington Commanders -- are a combined 22-9 after each won on Sunday.
"We've got to go every Sunday by 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."
Frustration, however, is growing. The Cowboys have lost four straight games to the 49ers, including two postseason contests and three in a row at Levi's Stadium.
Dallas cornerback Trevon Diggs, still in uniform, came out of the locker room to confront a television reporter about a tweet during the game that appeared to question his effort.
"It really sucks," wide receiver CeeDee Lamb said. "Especially coming here three times in the last three years. It's sickening."
Despite falling behind 27-10 after being outscored 21-0 and outgained 167 yards to 16 in the third quarter, the Cowboys still had a chance to pull out an improbable victory, but Prescott had four straight incompletions after taking over with 3:05 to play.
It was the end to a game Prescott would like to forget. While he threw two fourth-quarter touchdown passes to Lamb, Prescott became the first Cowboys quarterback with two interceptions in three straight games since Troy Aikman in 1992, according to ESPN Research.
Prescott finished 25-of-38 for 243 yards and was sacked twice.
"I mean me, personally frustrated. Frustrated myself in my play. I imagine the rest of the guys are," Prescott said. "Not getting the win, two in a row now, sitting at 3-4. But I can definitely tell you that nobody's shaken or giving up. Frustration is very high. But it's a long season. I mean it's a long season. Division games, a lot are still ahead of us.
"Frustrated. That's the best way that I can put it."