The Dallas Cowboys lost 33-30 to the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday, Nov. 1, after blowing a 14-point lead in the fourth quarter. Quinnen Williams played like a star with two sacks and seven total pressures, yet the team fell to 3-5. This loss marks the fifth straight defeat for Dallas against Arizona, including a fourth straight at home. The game ended in overtime when kicker Chad Ryland made a 42-yard field goal to win it.
Dallas led 24-10 with early in the fourth quarter. After 2000, Dallas went 69-0 whenever holding a 14-plus point lead late in the fourth quarter. They are now 69-1. The team allowed 23 points in the final 40 seconds and overtime. Blogging The Boys reported that the defense collapsed completely in the second half despite Williams’ strong effort.
Quinnen Williams Carries The Defense
Williams was the only bright spot in a demoralizing loss. The 28-year-old defensive tackle earned the game ball for his performance. He led all defenders with seven total pressures and five QB hurries. His two sacks were key in the first half. Williams tallied three defensive stops, which was the most for any Cowboys defender. His stop percentage was 23.1 percent. Blogging The Boys reported a 20 percent pass-rush win rate for him, the top mark among defenders with 15 or more pass-rush snaps.
He looked comfortable in the new defense after a few weeks of struggle. Williams kept constant pressure on the Cardinals’ pass and run game. He was arguably Dallas’ best defender against the run. This performance shows what the team needs from its star interior lineman. The rest of the defense failed to match his energy. The unit gave up big plays when it mattered most.
Special Teams Mistakes Cost The Game
Chad Ryland made two critical errors before his winning kick. He missed the extra point after Arizona tied the game 30-30. He then kicked the ball into the end zone on the ensuing kickoff. This mistake gave Dallas extra time to get into field-goal range. Yahoo Sports reported that head coach Mike LaFleur admitted the kickoff was a mistake.
LaFleur said, “We didn’t want to do that.” He added, “We wanted to keep that one in play, so that was that. We have to execute that better.” Ryland redeemed himself with the overtime field goal. He likely kept his job because of that final kick. The missed PAT and bad kickoff gave Dallas a chance to win in regulation.
Injuries And The Road Ahead
The Cowboys face a tough week with a 3-5 record. Coach Brian Schottenheimer stated that rookie OLB Malachi Lawrence is suffering from an ankle injury. Lawrence could miss multiple weeks. Defensive backs Caleb Downs and P.J. Locke are in concussion protocol. Downs has played 509 defensive snaps this season. Locke just returned from injured reserve.
The team struggles to win back-to-back games. They have a losing record in the 25 games of the Schottenheimer era. They have only won three in a row once since he took over. The next game is on Sunday, Nov. 8, against the Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium. The margin for error is now zero.
