ARLINGTON, Texas — For three quarters, the Dallas Cowboys looked like a team ready to put together a complete football game but fell to the Cardinals 33-30 in overtime.
The defense was making plays, the offense was finding ways to score, and the Cowboys had built a comfortable lead in front of their home crowd.
Then came the fourth quarter.
And just like that, another promising afternoon ended in disappointment.
The Cowboys watched a 14-point lead disappear Sunday as the Arizona Cardinals rallied for a 33-30 overtime victory at AT&T Stadium, handing Dallas another frustrating loss in a season filled with missed opportunities.
Dallas (3-5) led 24-10 early in the fourth quarter and appeared to be in control. But the Cardinals (3-5) had other plans, and the Cowboys’ defense had few answers once Arizona’s offense found its rhythm.
Backup quarterback Gardner Minshew, who replaced starter Jacoby Brissett in the third quarter, helped turn the game around.
He threw three touchdown passes, including a 13-yard strike to Michael Wilson with just six seconds remaining in regulation.
That touchdown capped an eight-play, 80-yard drive that wiped away Dallas’ 30-24 lead.
Arizona kicker Chad Ryland missed the extra point, however, giving the Cowboys another chance as the game headed to overtime tied at 30.
Early on, the Dallas defense looked like it was finally putting things together.
The Cowboys forced two turnovers and recorded five sacks, including two from defensive tackle Quinnen Williams.
Linebacker Shemar James intercepted Brissett in the first quarter, helping set up Dallas’ first touchdown.
Tight end James Mitchell recovered a fumble by running back Javonte Williams in the end zone, and Dak Prescott later connected with Ryan Flournoy for another score.
By halftime, Dallas held a 14-3 advantage.
Brandon Aubrey added a 31-yard field goal in the third quarter, stretching the lead to 17-3.
But Arizona wasn’t finished.
Running back Tyler Allgeier broke loose for a 63-yard touchdown run, cutting into the Cowboys’ lead. Prescott responded with a 5-yard touchdown run early in the fourth quarter, putting Dallas back ahead by 14 points.
At that point, the Cowboys appeared to have the game exactly where they wanted it.
Unfortunately for Dallas, the defense couldn’t finish the job.
Minshew began picking apart the Cowboys’ secondary, while Arizona continued finding room to run.
The Cardinals scored touchdowns on four consecutive possessions, erasing Dallas’ advantage and putting the pressure squarely back on the Cowboys.
Allgeier finished with 147 rushing yards on just 11 carries, while Minshew completed 17 of 23 passes for 188 yards and three touchdowns.
Arizona piled up 467 yards of total offense and scored 20 points in the fourth quarter.
The Cowboys scored 30 points, but their offense struggled to find consistency throughout the afternoon.
Prescott finished with 195 passing yards and a touchdown while adding a rushing score. Dallas managed 261 yards of total offense, including just 93 rushing yards on 39 carries.
Still, the Cowboys had a chance to put the game away.
Aubrey connected on a 41-yard field goal with just over a minute remaining, giving Dallas a 30-24 lead.
All the defense needed was one stop.
Instead, Arizona marched 80 yards down the field and scored the tying touchdown with six seconds left.
Even after surviving that late collapse and getting another opportunity in overtime, the Cowboys couldn’t take advantage.
Dallas won the overtime coin toss and elected to play defense. The defense responded by forcing a three-and-out, handing the offense a chance to win the game.
But Prescott and company went three-and-out themselves, returning possession to Arizona.
This time, the Cardinals didn’t let the opportunity slip away.
Ryland drilled a 42-yard field goal, completing the comeback and sending the Cowboys home with another loss.
The Cowboys forced turnovers, pressured the quarterback, built a two-touchdown lead and even had multiple opportunities to close things out.
Yet when the game was on the line, neither side of the football could deliver the plays needed to secure the victory.
For Cowboys fans, the ending was painfully familiar: a strong start, a comfortable lead and a defense that couldn’t hold up when it mattered most.
Dallas will have little time to dwell on the loss as the Cowboys return to the road Sunday, Nov. 8, to face the Indianapolis Colts.
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