Cowboys Recap & Takeaways: Dallas Collapses in 33-30 Cardinals Overtime Disaster

The Dallas Cowboys had a 10-point lead, less than four minutes remaining and a struggling Arizona Cardinals team exactly where they wanted it.

Somehow, they still lost.

Dallas fell 33-30 in overtime Sunday, November 1, at AT&T Stadium, dropping to 3-5 after surrendering a late comeback and wasting multiple opportunities to finish the game.

The Cardinals even missed an extra point with six seconds remaining that would've won the game in regulation.

And still won.

For coach Brian Schottenheimer - who after the game insultingly insisted, "there's a lot of football left'' - this wasn't just another frustrating defeat. It was an outright collapse.

Quinnen Williams jumped into the neutral zone on Arizona's opening possession. Jonathan Mingo muffed the ensuing punt but recovered.

Not exactly a promising start.

CeeDee Lamb moved the chains, but Schottenheimer lost a challenge on Dak Prescott's third-down scramble before Javonte Williams was stuffed on fourth-and-1.

Another defensive penalty helped Arizona reach the Dallas 1, where rookie Caleb Downs combined with Kenny Clark to stonewall fellow rookie Jeremiyah Love on fourth down.

What a stop.

Dallas punted again, but James Houston sacked Jacoby Brissett before Shemar James intercepted him and returned it 33 yards to the Arizona 5.

Then things got weird.

Williams fumbled near the goal line, only for tight end James Mitchell to recover in the end zone for a touchdown.

7-0 Cowboys.

1. Downs wins the rookie battle - His fourth-and-goal stop against Love prevented an early Arizona touchdown.

2. James makes a statement - The rookie's first career interception and 33-yard return created Dallas' first scoring opportunity.

3. Schotty's gamble backfires - A failed challenge and fourth-down attempt handed Arizona excellent field position. The defense bailed him out.

Quinnen Williams continued making his presence felt, sacking Brissett to force another Cardinals punt.

Dallas finally found some offensive rhythm.

Prescott connected with Lamb for 27 yards, and Williams helped move the chains before Ryan Flournoy made an outstanding one-handed grab for a nine-yard touchdown.

14-0 Cowboys.

Joey Porter Jr.'s defensive holding penalty extended Arizona's next possession, but Dallas eventually forced a third-down incompletion.

Chad Ryland connected from 37 yards.

14-3 Cowboys.

After another Dallas punt, former Cowboy Simi Fehoko contributed a 17-yard reception to move Arizona toward midfield.

Then came one of the game's best defensive plays.

DeMarvion Overshown delivered a crushing hit on Bam Knight, forcing a fumble that LT Overton recovered with 21 seconds left.

Dallas took over near midfield, but Brandon Aubrey missed a 61-yard attempt as time expired.

14-3 at halftime.

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1. Big Q is delivering - Williams recorded his fourth sack of the season, continuing a stretch that has made him one of Dallas' most reliable defenders.

2. Flournoy does it again - His acrobatic touchdown capped an impressive 12-play, 85-yard scoring drive.

3. Overshown brings the violence - Eight tackles and a forced fumble. His physicality is becoming impossible to ignore.

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Dallas opened the second half with a 15-play, 70-yard possession that consumed 8:23.

Prescott converted fourth-and-1 himself, while Brevyn Spann-Ford and Flournoy contributed important receptions.

But the drive stalled inside Arizona's 20.

Aubrey connected from 31 yards.

17-3 Cowboys.

The defense responded with consecutive sacks from Donovan Ezeiruaku and Von Miller, the latter recording his first as a Cowboy.

Ezeiruaku now has sacks in back-to-back games.

Arizona had seen enough of Brissett. Gardner Minshew entered with 1:35 remaining in the quarter.

Two plays later, Tyler Allgeier broke free for a 63-yard touchdown.

17-10 Cowboys.

Prescott found George Pickens for a 37-yard gain on the ensuing possession, and a defensive pass interference penalty moved Dallas to the Arizona 2.

The quarter ended with Williams losing two yards.

1. The run defense strikes again - Allgeier's 63-yard touchdown exposed a familiar weakness. One play erased much of Dallas' defensive work.

2. The pass rush is alive - Ezeiruaku and Miller delivered consecutive sacks. Dallas finished with five sacks and 11 quarterback hits.

3. Three instead of seven - A 15-play drive produced only a field goal. Dallas controlled the clock but couldn't deliver the knockout blow.

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Prescott opened the quarter with a five-yard rushing touchdown.

24-10 Cowboys.

Game over?

Not even close.

Allgeier immediately ripped off another 52-yard run, setting up Minshew's five-yard touchdown pass to the running back.

24-17 Cowboys.

Dallas responded with a 15-play, 56-yard possession that consumed nearly seven minutes. But Aubrey's 35-yard field goal was all it produced.

27-17 Cowboys with 3:54 remaining.

Then the wheels fell off.

With Downs ruled out due to a concussion, Dallas' defense faced another test.

Minshew marched Arizona downfield, aided by Rashan Gary's costly roughing-the-passer penalty. Trey McBride scored from 14 yards.

27-24 Cowboys.

Dallas recovered the onside kick, but Prescott took a six-yard sack and the offense couldn't move the chains.

Aubrey made it 30-24 with 1:09 left.

Surely that was enough?

Nope.

Minshew marched Arizona 80 yards in 63 seconds, finding Michael Wilson for a 13-yard touchdown with six seconds remaining.

Chad Ryland lined up for the winning extra point ...

Wide left.

30-30. Overtime.

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1. Allgeier embarrasses Dallas - With Love and Knight injured, Arizona had one available running back. Allgeier finished with a career-high 147 rushing yards on 11 carries.

2. Gary's penalty was brutal - His roughing-the-passer flag extended Arizona's late touchdown drive. Another costly mistake at the worst possible time.

3. Minshew takes over - The backup finished 17-of-23 for 188 yards and three touchdowns after replacing Brissett. Dallas had no answer when it mattered.

Quinnen Williams opened overtime by sacking Minshew for a six-yard loss.

Malik Hooker broke up a second-down pass, and Overshown made an excellent tackle on third-and-16 to force a punt.

One more opportunity for Dallas.

Prescott's second-down pass was knocked away, and Josh Sweat sacked him on third down.

Three-and-out.

Of course.

Arizona took over and began moving the ball. Allgeier picked up 11 yards, Michael Wilson added 17 on an end-around, and the Cardinals worked their way inside the Dallas 25.

Ryland connected from 42 yards.

33-30 Cardinals. Final.

1. Quinnen deserved better - Seven tackles, two sacks and two tackles for loss. He now has five sacks in his last five games.

2. The offense disappeared - Dallas needed only a field goal after forcing an Arizona punt. Instead, Prescott was sacked and the Cowboys managed minus-five yards on their possession.

3. Schottenheimer has questions to answer - The Cowboys blew a double-digit fourth-quarter lead, allowed 202 rushing yards and wasted multiple opportunities to win. Inexcusable.

The Cowboys entered Sunday with an opportunity to reach .500 and build on their impressive victory over Philadelphia.

Instead, they're 3-5 after blowing a 10-point fourth-quarter lead to a Cardinals team that entered the game 2-5 and benched its starting quarterback during the third quarter.

Dallas managed just 93 rushing yards on 39 carries, while Prescott completed 19 of 29 passes for 195 yards and a touchdown.

Five defensive sacks. Two takeaways. Multiple opportunities to finish.

None of it mattered.

Next come the Indianapolis Colts (2-6) at Lucas Oil Stadium on Sunday, November 8, at 1 p.m. ET. Indianapolis is coming off a 42-7 loss to Jacksonville, but after Sunday's disaster, Dallas isn't in any position to overlook anybody.

The Cowboys had a chance to turn their season around against Arizona.

Instead, they're heading to Indianapolis with more questions than answers ... and a head coach facing criticism that will only get louder if this continues.

At some point, potential stops mattering.

Results are all that count.