JJT: 5 plays that shaped the Cowboys' 28-17 loss to Arizona

Cotton

One-armed Knife Sharpener
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5 plays that shaped the Cowboys' 28-17 loss to Arizona

November, 3, 2014

By Jean-Jacques Taylor | ESPNDallas.com


IRVING, Texas -- There were 124 plays in the Dallas Cowboys' 28-17 loss to the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday. They weren’t all created equal. It’s never that way. Touchdowns and turnovers get most of the attention, but who wins or loses is often determined by plays that get lost in the shadows of those that command the most attention.

Here’s a look at five plays that shaped the Cowboys’ loss:

Play: DeMarco Murray run
Situation: Fourth-and-1 from Arizona 34
Score: Arizona leads 14-10
Time: 9:41 left in fourth quarter

Taylor's Take: It was pretty clear Jason Garrett wanted to take the lead on this drive. Even if he let Dan Bailey attempt a 52-yard field goal to pull within 14-13, the Cowboys would still have needed another scoring drive to win. So he decided to take a chance with the league’s best running game against the league’s best run defense. It was no contest. Arizona surged and stopped Murray for no gain. Actually, it wasn’t even close. Then Arizona drove for a game-clinching touchdown.

Play: Larry Fitzgerald reception
Situation: Third-and-2 from Arizona 36
Score: Dallas leads 10-0
Time: 2:21 left in first quarter

Taylor's Take: A third-down stop would’ve positioned the Cowboys to get good field position and seize complete control of the game. Instead, the Cardinals ran a perfectly executed pick play that gave Fitzgerald the step he needed on Orlando Scandrick for a 31-yard gain. It was Arizona’s longest play of the game and set up their first touchdown.

Play: Justin Bethel blocked field goal
Situation: Fourth-and-11 from Arizona 17
Score: Arizona leads 14-10
Time: 0:03 left in second quarter

Taylor's Take: The Cowboys don’t have a chance to win the game in the fourth quarter if Jason Witten doesn’t make a great play after Bethel blocked Bailey’s 35-yard field goal attempt on the final play of the first half. The ball bounced fortuitously into speedy cornerback Patrick Peterson’s arms and he headed down the left sideline. Witten took a good angle immediately and tackled Peterson at the 19 after a 60-yard gain.

Play: Brandon Weeden interception
Situation: Third-and-9 from Arizona 18
Score: Arizona leads 14-10
Time: 8:06 left in third quarter

Taylor's Take: A 27-yard punt return by Dwayne Harris had given the Cowboys their best field position of the game at the Dallas 46. The Cowboys had moved inside the red zone and were positioned to take the lead. Witten was wide open along the left sideline, but Weeden threw the late, giving Tyrann Mathieu time to recover, undercut the route and intercept the pass to end the threat.

Play: Brandon Weeden scramble
Situation: Third-and-2 from Dallas 43
Score: Arizona leads 14-10
Time: 14:20 left in fourth quarter

Taylor's Take: All game, it seemed like Weeden was a tick slow making decisions. It was no different on this broken third-down play. If Weeden had opted to run a tick earlier, he probably would’ve gained the two yards he needed for a first down. Instead, he was tripped up from behind a yard shy of the first down as the Cowboys wasted one of their better drives of the game.
 

boozeman

28 Years And Counting...
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Still blows my effing mind we had a 10-0 lead and couldn't do shit thereafter.
 
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