Dallas couldn't overcome two pick 6's, one from Antonio Rogers-Cromartie (29) on the Cowboys' first possession, and kicker David Buehler's extra point went wide left as Arizona won on a last-second field goal. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)The Dallas Cowboys (5-10) are still a dumb and inefficient football team.
They may have tried to fool you the last couple of weeks with some strong play but, I assure you, it was all a mirage. Despite out-gaining the Arizona Cardinals (5-10) by over 110 yards and holding the ball for over 16 more minutes than the Cards, Dallas was beaten by a Jay Feely 48-yard field goal with only five seconds left in regulation.
Arizona drove 46 yards with less than 1:45 left in the contest and only one timeout, converting a 4th and 15 along the way against a Cowboys defense that is now ranked 31st in the NFL against the pass.
This came after Cowboys' kicker David Buehler blew an extra point attempt, allowing the Cardinals the chance to win the game on a field goal - and ruining rookie Stephen McGee's first passing touchdown as a pro.
"I'm not feeling too good," Buehler said. "I feel bad for Stephen. He drove the team down there and got the touchdown. PATs are something that is something automatic. You have to put them through the uprights. I think I just rushed it a little bit."
That wasn't the only blunder as the Cowboys committed three turnovers for the game (compared to zero for the Cardinals), and Buehler's missed PAT was the culmination of a season chocked-full with boneheaded plays. Two interceptions on the Cowboys first two possessions of the game put Dallas in an early hole and both were due to receiver error.
Miles Austin fell down on the first INT, paving the way for Antonio Rogers-Cromartie to return the ball 32 yards to the house for the first six points of the game. Roy Williams dropped a quick out on the next possession, and Cardinals' corner Greg Toler made a shoestring catch and beat Jon Kitna's horrible angle to make it 14-0 with over eight minutes left in the first quarter.
"Really, nothing's bigger than beating the Dallas Cowboys on Christmas Day right now," Cardinals' rookie quarterback John Skelton said. "Whiz [coach Ken Whisenhunt] was shaking my hand before the game and I said, 'We have one last gift to unwrap.' Sure enough, it took the last minute, but we got it."
Dallas had trouble blocking anybody all game (another recurring theme this season) and lost another quarterback because of it. Kitna went down late in the second quarter after scrambling near the goal line after being flushed from the pocket. McGee came in and excelled despite heavy pressure, completing 11 of 17 passes for 111 yards and a touchdown, while showing poise in the pocket in the face of a strong pass rush. Unfortunately for the Cowboys, the second-year QB's strong play wasn't enough to mask both a mistake-prone team outing along with the Cowboys' gaping holes on defense.
This is nothing new for anyone who has watched the Cowboys throughout the season. Dallas is a team that has trouble getting out of it's own way, and this is why the loss total has reached double-digits with one week left in the season.
(Portions of this article were taken from The Associated Press)
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