ARLINGTON — The Cowboys don’t ask their defense to win games. They just ask their defense to compete.
It’s the job of Tony Romo and the offense to win games. That’s where all the money and talent is on the Cowboys. It’s the job of the offense to control the ball, control the clock, protect this defense and win games.
Because the more this undermanned defense plays, the more it gets exposed.
The Washington Redskins exposed that unit Monday night, pushing the Cowboys around for 409 yards with a third-string quarterback in a stunning 20-17 overtime victory that brought this magic carpet ride through September and October to a crashing conclusion.
The Cowboys fell to 6-2 and saw their first-place lead in the NFC East over the Philadelphia Eagles trimmed to a half game.
The Cowboys’ offense had done a fine job of protecting its defense through the first seven weeks. The less this defense played, the better it played. Fresh legs were productive legs.
With NFL rushing leader DeMarco Murray controlling the weekly tempo with his own legs, the Dallas defense had to play only 18 minutes against Tennessee, 22 minutes against Seattle, 25 against New Orleans and 26 against the Giants. And the Cowboys won all four of those games.
But asked to play 32 minutes in regulation against the Redskins, the Cowboys’ defense became gassed and overmatched.
Colt McCoy, making his first NFL start since 2011, played like he was back on campus at Texas, completing 25 of 30 passes for 299 yards. DeSean Jackson ran past Sterling Moore for a 49-yard completion in the first half and zipped past Brandon Carr for a 45-yard catch in the third quarter.
Big plays, little plays — the Cowboys had no answer on defense for the 91/2-point underdog Redskins.
Twice Washington drove 80 yards for touchdowns — pushing the number of 70-yard-plus scoring drives against the Cowboys this season to 10. Six of them have been for 80 yards or more.
Not only did the offense fail to protect the defense, the offense hurt its defense. Three times Tony Romo was sacked for double-digit yardage on third downs, tilting the field position in Washington’s favor with longer punts and shorter fields.
And when Romo wasn’t getting sacked in the first half, the Cowboys were committing turnovers — forcing the defense to trot back onto the field after brief sideline respites. DeMarco Murray and Joseph Randle both lost fumbles in the first half.
The defense hung in there in the opening 30 minutes, limiting Washington to five first downs and 127 yards. But the usually potent Dallas offense could manage only a touchdown for a 7-3 halftime lead. The Cowboys owned the clock in the first half, asking their defense to play less than 13 minutes.
But the Cowboys let the Redskins hang around and would wind up paying for it.
The tables turned dramatically in the second half. The Redskins held onto the ball for 11 minutes in the third quarter and nine minutes in the fourth, leaving the Dallas defense gasping for air and groping desperately for big plays — but not finding any.
The Redskins marched 80 yards following the second-half kickoff for the go-ahead TD on a short run by Alfred Morris. Washington pieced together another 80-yard touchdown drive at the close of the third quarter and start of the fourth, capped by a 7-yard quarterback draw by McCoy.
After winning the overtime coin toss, the Redskins moved 58 yards with little resistance for the game-winning field goal by Kai Forbath. McCoy completed a 23-yard pass to Pierre Garcon over Moore and a 16-yard lob to tight end Jordan Reed over Bruce Carter along the home sideline.
The Cowboys did collect a season-high three sacks, including two by tackle Henry Melton, and safety J.J. Wilcox intercepted McCoy in the red zone to snuff out a first-quarter possession.
But the more this defense was asked to play, the more it struggled. And that’s on the offense. Big brother let little brother down on this night.
It’s the job of Tony Romo and the offense to win games. That’s where all the money and talent is on the Cowboys. It’s the job of the offense to control the ball, control the clock, protect this defense and win games.
Because the more this undermanned defense plays, the more it gets exposed.
The Washington Redskins exposed that unit Monday night, pushing the Cowboys around for 409 yards with a third-string quarterback in a stunning 20-17 overtime victory that brought this magic carpet ride through September and October to a crashing conclusion.
The Cowboys fell to 6-2 and saw their first-place lead in the NFC East over the Philadelphia Eagles trimmed to a half game.
The Cowboys’ offense had done a fine job of protecting its defense through the first seven weeks. The less this defense played, the better it played. Fresh legs were productive legs.
With NFL rushing leader DeMarco Murray controlling the weekly tempo with his own legs, the Dallas defense had to play only 18 minutes against Tennessee, 22 minutes against Seattle, 25 against New Orleans and 26 against the Giants. And the Cowboys won all four of those games.
But asked to play 32 minutes in regulation against the Redskins, the Cowboys’ defense became gassed and overmatched.
Colt McCoy, making his first NFL start since 2011, played like he was back on campus at Texas, completing 25 of 30 passes for 299 yards. DeSean Jackson ran past Sterling Moore for a 49-yard completion in the first half and zipped past Brandon Carr for a 45-yard catch in the third quarter.
Big plays, little plays — the Cowboys had no answer on defense for the 91/2-point underdog Redskins.
Twice Washington drove 80 yards for touchdowns — pushing the number of 70-yard-plus scoring drives against the Cowboys this season to 10. Six of them have been for 80 yards or more.
Not only did the offense fail to protect the defense, the offense hurt its defense. Three times Tony Romo was sacked for double-digit yardage on third downs, tilting the field position in Washington’s favor with longer punts and shorter fields.
And when Romo wasn’t getting sacked in the first half, the Cowboys were committing turnovers — forcing the defense to trot back onto the field after brief sideline respites. DeMarco Murray and Joseph Randle both lost fumbles in the first half.
The defense hung in there in the opening 30 minutes, limiting Washington to five first downs and 127 yards. But the usually potent Dallas offense could manage only a touchdown for a 7-3 halftime lead. The Cowboys owned the clock in the first half, asking their defense to play less than 13 minutes.
But the Cowboys let the Redskins hang around and would wind up paying for it.
The tables turned dramatically in the second half. The Redskins held onto the ball for 11 minutes in the third quarter and nine minutes in the fourth, leaving the Dallas defense gasping for air and groping desperately for big plays — but not finding any.
The Redskins marched 80 yards following the second-half kickoff for the go-ahead TD on a short run by Alfred Morris. Washington pieced together another 80-yard touchdown drive at the close of the third quarter and start of the fourth, capped by a 7-yard quarterback draw by McCoy.
After winning the overtime coin toss, the Redskins moved 58 yards with little resistance for the game-winning field goal by Kai Forbath. McCoy completed a 23-yard pass to Pierre Garcon over Moore and a 16-yard lob to tight end Jordan Reed over Bruce Carter along the home sideline.
The Cowboys did collect a season-high three sacks, including two by tackle Henry Melton, and safety J.J. Wilcox intercepted McCoy in the red zone to snuff out a first-quarter possession.
But the more this defense was asked to play, the more it struggled. And that’s on the offense. Big brother let little brother down on this night.
