Tag: 2022 week 15

Cowboys loss to Jaguars sucked, but these 3 players did their jobs well

Yes, the Cowboys lost, but that doesn’t mean that 48 players on the game-day roster all had terrible days. Here’s who stood out. | From @CDPiglet

The Week 14 game was a tale of two halves for the Dallas Cowboys. In the first, they went up by 14 points on two different occasions, successful in both rushing and passing. In addition, the defense was strong, holding the Jaguars to seven points and creating a turnover..

Unfortunately, things did an about face in the second half. The Cowboys’ defense allowed 27 points, a last-minute, game-tying drive, and allowed the majority of the whopping 500 total yards gained by Jacksonville. The offense didn’t help matters with their own turnovers and inability to score.

It’s always difficult to find stars in a loss like this. The team blew a 17-point lead to a young, inexperienced opponent with an under .500 record, losing almost any chance at winning the NFC East and the top record in the league. Someone had to help Dallas get up 17 though, and others had to do something right in order for them to take the lead back in the fourth quarter. Here were the top performers of the overtime loss to Jacksonville.

Good, Bad, Ugly: Situational football cost Cowboys the most vs Jaguars

The Cowboys choked away another game, blowing a 17-point lead. What’s to blame? Several things, but there was a bit of good, too. | From @BenGrimaldi

The Dallas Cowboys gave away yet another game in the 2022 season where they had a double-digit lead in the second half to a team with a losing record. That’s extremely embarrassing.

This is what the Cowboys of the 21st century have become; an organization that stumbles its way through seasons and finds new ways to lose. After blowing another game, and now sitting with a record of 10-4, the Cowboys don’t feel like a team on the brink of competing for a Super Bowl. Dallas feels more like a team that is about to implode with another late-season swoon.

Players may change, and coaches may change, but the results for the Cowboys haven’t.

There was no reason the Cowboys should have lost this game. Up 27-10 in the third quarter, yet here the team was to remind everyone again, that nothing is a given with the Cowboys.

Here’s the good, the bad and the ugly in the Week 15 disaster.

Cowboys Week 15 photo gallery from stunning loss to Jaguars

Somehow, this play turned into the winning points for the other team. Here’s all of the evidence to what transpired in Jacksonville. | From @KDDrummondNFL

The game didn’t go as planned. Dallas went into their Week 15 contest against the Jacksonville Jaguars with a chance to punch their ticket to the dance. Instead, they left Florida stunned, after a third-down conversion ended up as a drop and a Pick-6 to leave the Cowboys wondering what happened.

In control for much of the game, things changed direction midway through the third quarter as the Cowboys’ defensive depth was unable to corral the up and coming Jacksonville offense. The loss dropped Dallas to 10-4, unable to celebrate a second consecutive playoff berth just yet. Here’s all of the action from the contest.

With win in hand, Cowboys fall apart and lose to Jaguars in OT, 40-34

The Cowboys had the game and a playoff berth right where they wanted it, until they didn’t. | From @KDDrummondNFL

The Dallas Cowboys had the opponent exactly where they wanted them. Looking to win their fifth straight game, the club was rolling in Jacksonville. The club scored touchdowns on two of their first three possessions before leading 21-7 at halftime. They stretched the lead to 27-10 with just over five minutes remaining in the third quarter and appeared to have righted their ship from a couple games against inferior opponents that took far too long to salt away.

But Dallas didn’t salt this game away, either, despite the big lead. Trevor Lawrence led the Jaguars on two quick scoring drives sandwiched around a horrible Dak Prescott interception. Soon after, Dallas found themselves trailing, then leading, then botching a chance to seal the win only to end up in overtime. There, a defensive stand led to a game-winning drive bounce off the arms of Noah Brown and right to a Jaguars defender who returned an interception for a Pick-Six. Game over, Dallas loses, 40-34.

To add insult to injury, literally, the Cowboys suffered additional manpower losses as Leighton Vander Esch and Dorance Armstrong left the game and didn’t return.

Dallas’ record falls to 10-4 and combined with the Philadelphia Eagles holding on against Chicago puts their chances of defending the NFC East title on life support. The Cowboys have to win out, including Saturday at home against the Eagles, and Philadelphia has to los their last two after that.

The Cowboys also failed to clinch a playoff berth on the day, though that may still happen if the New York Giants defeat the Washington Commanders on Sunday Night Football.

WATCH: Noah Brown’s second TD gives Cowboys late lead

The Cowboys stepped up with their back against the wall yet again, this time it was Noah Brown’s second score of the day. | From @CDBurnett7

The Cowboys’ first half performance was a strong one, but the second half has been nothing short of bad. A mix of an untimely interception by quarterback Dak Prescott and mistakes from the defense made it 21 unanswered points from the Jaguars, targeting the young Dallas cornerbacks.

Suffering their first deficit of the game, quarterback Dak Prescott got back on track with a 25-yard gainer to wide receiver CeeDee Lamb, releasing the stress for a moment. After the big gain, Dallas went to the run game with seven-straight to move near the red zone. Kellen Moore strategically worked down the clock and Prescott regained the lead with a 13-yard touchdown strike to Noah Brown.

Brown has been Mr. Reliable for the Cowboys this season and his second touchdown of the day gives his team a 34-31 lead with just over three minutes to play. After surrendering 21 unanswered, the Dallas defense has to step up.

WATCH: Bland’s fourth INT leads to three-possession game

The fifth-round pick has starred in the nickel position and robbed Trevor Lawrence with his fourth interception on the year. | From @CDBurnett7

Coming in as a fifth-round pick, cornerback DaRon Bland impressed in the preseason and the opportunities opened up for him in the regular season. When Jourdan Lewis went down for the season, Bland stepped into his role and there was no noticeable drop-off at the nickel corner.

Bland had his coming-out party against the Colts with two interceptions, but his play was stellar up to that point regardless. Now, he has his fourth pick of the season. Trevor Lawrence thought he had Christian Kirk for a big gainer, but Bland cut off the pass and got the Cowboys’ second takeaway of the day.

Bland’s interception set up Dallas at the Jacksonville 44-yard line and the drive was stifled after a near miss downfield between quarterback Dak Prescott and running back Tony Pollard. Kicker Brett Maher continued his impressive season with a 53-yard field goal, making it a three-possession game at 27-10.

Cowboys respond to Jaguars score with 3rd-straight TD drive

Doug Pederson showed some wrinkles and Kellen Moore matched the energy with a flashy, efficient Cowboys TD drive. | From @CDBurnett7

The Cowboys came out to a quick 14-0 lead, but Doug Pederson dialed up the misdirection to confuse the Dallas defense. The struggles also a result of Leighton Vander-Esch’s absence with a neck injury and the Jaguars cut into the lead, making it 14-7 late in the first half.

Following the score, wide receiver KaVontae Turpin found a crease to spring a 38-yard return and give the Cowboys great field position. With less real estate to cover, Kellen Moore matched Pederson’s offensive message with some wrinkles of his own. After marching down into the red zone, Moore called a zone read which quarterback Dak Prescott took down to the 1-yard line, just a step from a score. Two plays later, Prescott went play-action and found wide receiver Noah Brown creeping near the offensive line for the third Dallas touchdown.

Amidst all the new additions and conversations at receiver, Brown continues his efficiency and has four catches for 32 yards in the first half. Prescott and the offense are running on all cylinders, and the Jaguars defense has no answers in the first half.

WATCH: Kellen Moore isolates Jags DE, Cowboys rook finds end zone

Dak Prescott was perfect on the Cowboys’ third drive, extending the lead to double digits in Jacksonville. | From @cdburnett7

The Jaguars’ surrenders the sixth-most yards per game with 368.7 and the Cowboys have capitalized on it early. With 13 minutes left in the second quarter, Dallas has 144 yards and a double-digit lead.

Quarterback Dak Prescott took over the reins after the run game delivered the first touchdown, and he was a perfect 5-for-5 on the Cowboys’ third drive for 56 yards and forced a defensive pass interference for 17 yards to add onto the yardage. On the first play in the red zone, Prescott attacked a pass rusher in coverage with a anticipation throw to tight end Peyton Hendershot, who had the ball drop right into his hands in the end zone.

Hendershot is an undrafted free agent, but he’s made his presence felt as the third-string tight end. Jake Ferguson is inactive in Jacksonville, so Hendershot was given the opportunity and delivered. With plenty of time left in the first half, the Cowboys have a 14-0 lead and can play their own style of football.

Cowboys LB Vander Esch leaves game with neck injury

The Cowboys’ leader in total tackles is questionable to return with an injury that has plagued his career. | From @CDBurnett7

UPDATE: Leighton Vander Esch has been ruled out for the rest of the game.

Coming into 2022, linebacker Leighton Vander-Esch’s status in Dallas wasn’t a certainty. Thirteen games into the season, he’s elevated his play as the Cowboys’ leading tackler with 90 total on the season.

During the first quarter in Jacksonville, Vander-Esch suffered a neck injury and is questionable to return. Neck injuries have haunted him throughout his career,

Vander-Esch was walked to the locker room and his role will be covered by the pair of Anthony Barr and Damone Clark if he’s unable to return. Considering the history of neck injuries, it’s an immediate worry for a Dallas defense already battling through injuries.

WATCH: Cowboys’ smashmouth drive ends in Elliott TD

After a gift turnover from the Jaguars, Dallas went to their 1-2 punch in the run game to take an early lead. | From @CDBurnett7

The Cowboys elected to receive after winning the coin toss in Jacksonville, looking to set the tone on offense. After crossing midfield, the drive stalled out and the aggressive approach hurt Dallas. On the ensuing Jaguars drive, the Cowboys defense responded.

Jacksonville worked near midfield after two first downs then running back Travis Etienne Jr. mishandled the ball, with safety Donovan Wilson waiting on the spot for the recovery in opposing territory.

Gifted a short field, running back Tony Pollard got the offense moving with two first-down conversions then his counterpart came in and finished the job. Ezekiel Elliott finished the drive with a 10-yard touchdown run, capitalizing on the defensive effort.

Kellen Moore dialed up the run game and only the run game on the scoring drive, with six rushes for 41 yards to force their will on the Jaguars. With Tyron Smith starting at right tackle, there was no drop-off from the offensive line, leading to the score.