The Dallas Cowboys fell back down hard after last week's win. Up 17-3 in the 3rd quarter, Dallas completely choked and ended up losing to the Cardinals in overtime. This marks the ninth time in 10 meetings that the team has lost to Arizona.
Brian Schottenheimer and his entire staff deserve more blame than any player who was on the field Sunday. However, the guys out there still need to execute to close out a game like this, and they could not do it.
Dak Prescott is at the forefront because, once again, the offense disappeared at key moments. He might deserve the most blame of any player, but others need to be called on the carpet too.
3 players who deserve the most blame for loss to the Cardinals
1. Dak Prescott - QB
Dak Prescott and the "GOTI" offense put up 30 points, but for a large part of the game, they did not execute nearly as well as they did last week. Prescott threw for under 200 yards, which is about what he averages in every loss this season.
The biggest reason he deserves a lot of blame as a player is that once again could not adjust on the field. Once the Cardinals started blitzing, the offense went into the tank.
An 11-year-veteran quarterback being paid $60 million annually should know how to read a blitz and change on the fly. Also, Prescott kept sticking with running plays despite the fact that Javonte Williams was getting stuffed at the line nearly every time in the second half.
Prescott also has arguably the best receiver duo in the league with CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens. They combined for only nine catches. The "greatest offense there is" statement he made during training camp is looking worse and worse every time this offense does not close out a game.
The defense gave this unit plenty of chances to put the game away late in the first half and late in regulation. Prescott's inability to lead this offense to close this one out puts him in the spotlight as the player to blame the most of any player on that sideline.
2. Tyler Guyton - OT
A good amount of blame also has to go to the offensive line, and the poster child for that blame has to be Tyler Guyton. After he looked like a proven left tackle in the first seven games, Guyton did not provide much help on the left side of the line in Week 8.
His biggest gaffe came when he let Josh Sweat easily get around him for a sack on the 3rd down in overtime that basically decided the game. Sure, Sweat is a solid pass rusher who is looking for a new home through a trade, but at that stage of the game, with the defense having regrouped to get a stop, the offense needed to win the game there.
Guyton also could not help get the running game going like he did last week. Williams and the running game went back to mediocrity with only 93 total yards. Unfortunately for Guyton, this was a massive step back game for him to what fans have seen the previous two years.
He still deserves to be the starter, but he needs to make a difference on that left side of the line for pass protection and run blocking for this offense to live up to its name.
3. Ameer Speed - CB
A similar story unfolded on defense for the Cowboys on Sunday. Injuries piled up during the game once again, forcing subpar backups into action. Joey Porter Jr., P.J. Locke, and Caleb Downs all went down in this game, forcing guys like Ameer Speed into bigger roles.
Once that happened, Gardner Minshew, who did not even start the game, immediately started picking on Speed. Speed gave up multiple big plays to Michael Wilson that basically sealed this defense's fate in regulation.
Yes, Speed is a backup who arrived in Dallas as a camp body, but he had been praised at times during this season. Sunday afternoon proved that without Porter, this cornerback room is toast, literally.
Sure, plenty of blame can go to Christian Parker, but players need to be more ready when called on. Speed was not, and he helped the Cardinals' offense come to life after they only had 10 points through three quarters. He deserves some blame for this loss.
Add us as a preferred source on Google