Cowboys suffer shocking upset loss to Cardinals, who exploit Dallas’ defense

Trevon Diggs is good, but he’s not that good.

The Dallas Cowboys lost their two-time Pro Bowl cornerback to a torn ACL in practice this week. Then they looked like a completely different defense on Sunday.

The Cowboys suffered the most shocking loss on a day with plenty of upsets, falling 28-16 to the Arizona Cardinals. Dallas’ defense let down against a Joshua Dobbs-led Cardinals offense, the Cowboys flushed away multiple chances in the red zone when they were trying to come back and they suffered a massive upset loss.

If you had laughed at friends who had the Jacksonville Jaguars or Baltimore Ravens in their survival pool early Sunday, thinking you’d be moving on with an Cowboys win, well, sorry for your loss.

Cowboys start poorly

The game started innocuously enough. The Cardinals took their first possession downfield for a field goal. That happens. As it turned out, that was the first sign that the Cowboys were in trouble.

Against a defense that looked like it might be the best in the NFL through two games, the Cardinals scored on all five of their first-half possessions. They had three field goals, two touchdowns and led 21-10. Dallas’ defense, which had allowed just 10 points through two games and looked incredible doing it, suddenly couldn’t stop the Cardinals. Diggs being out was certainly a factor, but it shouldn’t have been that big of a problem against Arizona.

The Cowboys looked like perhaps the best team in football after two games. The Cardinals were more competitive than expected, but still 0-2 and one of the least talented teams in football. And the Cowboys never led.

Dallas had a chance to cut into the lead and perhaps tie it late in the third quarter when they went for it on fourth-and-3 from Arizona’s 4-yard line. Dak Prescott rolled to his right, got pressured and threw incomplete. The score remained 21-13. That was a turning point.

The Cowboys had another shot inside the 10-yard line early in the fourth quarter. A strange looking option play got nothing on second-and-goal, and then on third-and-goal Prescott threw incomplete to CeeDee Lamb. Dallas settled for a field goal.

It was a frustrating game for the Cowboys and their fans. They came in expected to roll the Cardinals. They had their chances to take the lead. And they couldn’t pull even with Arizona, who closed as an 11.5-point underdog.

Cowboys can’t come back

The Cowboys’ miserable day was summed up on the drive after they cut the Cardinals’ lead to 21-16.

A blown coverage left Cardinals rookie receiver Michael Wilson wide open for a 69-yard gain. Three plays later, Marquise Brown scored a 2-yard touchdown. The Cowboys defense needed to get a stop but instead allowed one of the easiest touchdown drives you’ll see. Dallas faced a 28-16 deficit with 7:22 to go.

Dallas still wasn’t done after that. They drove back inside the Cardinals’ 10-yard line. But Prescott threw an interception to linebacker Kyzir White. Then the Cowboys really were done. So were your survival pool hopes if you had Dallas.

The Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles should battle all season for the NFC East crown. The Eagles are one of the best teams in the NFL and won’t lose many games. The Cowboys can’t afford bad losses if they want to keep up. Sunday seemed like a really bad loss for them.