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By Rowan Fisher-Shotton
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The Dallas Cowboys had one of their most embarrassing losses on Sunday, blowing a 14-point fourth-quarter lead before losing 33-30 in overtime to the Arizona Cardinals.
Dallas looked firmly in control after taking a 24-10 lead early in the fourth, but Arizona rallied behind backup quarterback Gardner Minshew, who threw three fourth-quarter touchdowns. The Cardinals eventually tied the game with just six seconds left before winning it on a 42-yard field goal in overtime.
The loss dropped Dallas to 3-5 on the season, while Arizona moved up to 3-5. It also marked the first time in Cowboys' franchise history that the team had lost a home game after leading by at least 14 points in the fourth quarter.
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After the game, Jerry Jones came to the defense of Brian Schottenheimer, who was getting blasted for the late-game collapse, with Jones insisting that "a lot of people let Brian down today," taking the blame off of the head coach.
ESPN's Dan Orlovsky addressed Jones' comments on Monday, agreeing with the Cowboys owner and arguing that the team's struggles go beyond Schottenheimer.
"The Cowboys need to make a change. The Cowboys need to make a change somewhere within their football team," Orlovsky said. "And I actually agree a little bit with Jerry Jones. The issues that plague this offense are still the issues that plague this offense. They still are not good when teams blitz them. That showed up in critical moments yesterday. George Pickens' impact up and down, up and down. The effort across the football team. That's probably the biggest issue. I know we sit here and say talented team, but the effort that shows on a week-to-week basis. Sometimes it's more defense. Sometimes it's more offense. So I understand Jerry Jones kind of backing Brian Schottenheimer."
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Dallas' biggest problem remains its defense. Through eight games, the Cowboys rank near the bottom of the NFL in nearly every major category, including dead last in total yards allowed (385.4 per game) and 27th in points allowed (26.6 per game). They've also allowed at least 20 points in 15 straight games going back to last season, the longest active streak in the league.
The offense has been better, ranking seventh in scoring at 27.4 points per game and ninth in total offense, averaging 342 yards per game, but it hasn't always delivered in important moments. Sunday's overtime possession, which ended in a three-and-out, was another example.
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Not all of that is on Schottenheimer, but it was also his decision to hire first-year defensive coordinator Christian Parker, who's now the face of the worst defense in football. The criticism also falls on Jones and the Cowboys' front office, and it all brings back into focus the decision to trade Micah Parsons, a player the team could desperately use right now.
The Cowboys have nine games left to try and turn things around, starting with the Colts in Indianapolis on Sunday, followed by three straight home games against the 49ers, Titans, and Eagles. San Francisco will be a difficult test, but the other three are winnable matchups, and even at 3-5, Dallas is still in second place in the NFC East. The upcoming weeks present a perfect opportunity for Schottenheimer to quiet some of the noise.
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