ARLINGTON, Texas – The Cowboys came into Sunday afternoon looking to stack back-to-back wins for the first time in 2026, and just the second time in Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer's tenure in Dallas.
After a promising first half, the Cowboys gave up 27 points in the second half, including a game-tying touchdown to Michael Wilson with six seconds left, and fell in overtime to the Arizona Cardinals 33-30 to fall to 3-5 on the season.
"It was a tale of two halves, for sure," Schottenheimer said. "What I told the guys is we obviously have to learn to finish in all three phases. We had a chance to do it a lot of different ways. Got to get stops on defense. Had a four-minute opportunity that we didn't seize to try to put the game away. Had a chance for a long field goal before the end of the first half. I think it's all three phases, it really was a tale of two halves. And the second half was not good enough. When you have people down, you've got to finish them, and that's the most disappointing thing."
Putting back-to-back wins together is something that Schottenheimer and the Cowboys emphasized as important in the week leading up to the game. As for why they haven't been able to string together multiple victories, Schottenheimer didn't have an answer.
"That's a tough question to sit here and answer," Schottenheimer said. "At the end of the day, I'm disappointed that we did not finish better in the second half… You've got to put teams away when you're in that position, and we certainly did not do that in all three phases…"
"It's frustrating. But there's an answer, there's a solution, you've just got to keep looking for it. Again, first half, came out of the first half feeling good. Talked about it at halftime with the guys. And the second half, we didn't execute the way we need to in all three phases."
In the second half, the Cardinals outgained Dallas 286 yards to 157 yards, had nearly nine less minutes of possession, went four-for-five on third down and three-for-three in the red zone.
"Disappointed in the way we played in the second half," Schottenheimer said. "But I only know how to do it one way. And that's to work. I'm a worker, I'm a problem solver. I think we've got guys in that locker room that are problem solvers. We have guys in there that want to be great. We got guys that believe in what we're doing as a football team in all three phases. They're hurting. They're hurting right now too. As a leader, I'm going to stand in front and hit them with the truth, that's what I did in there. I think that's important."
Can Schottenheimer remember a game where the tale of each half was as different as it was on Sunday afternoon?
"Not off the top of my head, no." Schottenheimer said.
Following the loss, Cowboys owner/GM Jerry Jones was asked if the loss would prompt him to make a chance on the coaching staff.
"We're not gonna get into anything," Jones said. "That's not in my mind at this time. The main thing that's in my mind is we tee it up for those kinds of spots to win it. We really do want those situations. We call for it. Bring it on. And we got it and didn't get it."
The Cowboys have suffered some difficult losses this season. A last-second field goal to the Ravens in Week 3 after poor coverage got Baltimore into field goal range with one second left, a loss to backup QB Jalon Daniels and the once winless Buccaneers at home in Week 6, and now a blown 14-point lead in the fourth quarter against the Cardinals. Schottenheimer took accountability for his role in that being the case.
"I'm going to always own my part of this as the head football coach," Schottenheimer said. "It starts with me. There's certainly things that I need to do better. But as a football team in all three phases, I can point out three, four, five, six plays right off the top of my head, I'm not going to, about that. A lot of football left."
Nine games remain on the Cowboys' schedule, and the NFC East is still technically within reach as the Giants sit atop the division at 4-2-1. Schottenheimer still believes that his team can flip the script of their season.
"I believe in our staff, I believe in our players," Schottenheimer said. "Like I said, we played a really good game in Philadelphia, and we played a pretty good first half here. The second half was not very good. We've got to look at the film and learn from it…"
"I think you've seen us perform much better than we did in the second half tonight. I believe in Dak Prescott. I believe in Shemar James. I believe in Quinnen Williams. And they should as well. We're going to work our asses off to get right and fix it."
The Cowboys will now look to regroup next Sunday on the road against the Indianapolis Colts, who are 2-6 and have recently traded away key pieces like G Quenton Nelson and DL DeForest Buckner.
