Unfortunately, the penalty problems for the Dallas Cowboys continue to bite them at the worst moments. There is controversy about some missed calls, especially toward star pass-rusher, Micah Parsons expressed his frustration. It’s deeper than that, a lot of mental mistakes such as unprovoked false starts and personal fouls. It’s something that Dallas can’t seem to figure out.
Despite that, there’s a deeper reason why it leaves the Cowboy’s season in doubt because one mistake causes another, then it’s nothing that the team can clean up. Dallas is now 3-5 on the road and it’s only going to get treacherous come playoff time if it’s yet another road game.
It’s like a bad nightmare waiting to happen and the Cowboys are paying the price for it. Here are three reasons why the Dallas Cowboys find themselves in doubt after their penalty limbo.
Penalty Fiasco: 3 Reasons Why the Dallas Cowboys Are in Doubt
The Confidence is Lost
The Cowboys are not the same team as they have been at their own home. The Christmas Eve showdown with the Dolphins was the perfect representation, they had the chance to rewrite that story, but they were unsuccessful. Once frustration and costly penalties became a thing, the mentality of this team was lost.
There was no coming back from their frustration. However, things started to get fiery once Hunter Luepke fumbled in the endzone during the first quarter which should’ve been an easy punch-in touchdown. It might not be the end of the world for the team, but it’s something to watch out for if Dallas can turn it around.
If Dallas wants to have long-term success then they need to learn and understand that penalties are just a part of the game, unfortunately. They could talk about controversy and missed calls, but that all comes with adversity in the process. The Cowboys need to be willing to show the “No Fun League” what they’re capable of regardless of calls not going their way. It’s all a mental game up to that point.
The Cowboy’s Offense Continues to Lag
CeeDee Lamb had another big day despite the meltdown of the Dallas defense late in the fourth quarter. On the first two drives, Lamb capped off for over 100 yards including a 49-yard catch-and-run. It looked like he was going to be out there for the rest of the game, but he was nowhere to be found in the middle stretch of the game.
That’s when the offensive production went south, causing no points or any answer from Mike McCarthy to adjust. It’s questionable that the Cowboys didn’t keep their star receiver on the field which could’ve been helpful for Dak Prescott. It’s frustrating for Dallas to go against a team that was eventually going to put up points at the right time.
Lamb expressed his frustrations after the loss, “They weren’t doing anything. I feel like if I’m gonna be involved, keep me involved. It was weird, the second and third quarters. Very weird.”
Doomsday Defense Struggling
The game was all in Dallas’s hands because it got off to a fantastic start for them. The offense relied on Lamb for long yardage and Luepke for short-yardage possessions, but they came out of that drive with nothing. The Cowboys failed to gain momentum and seize the opportunity that was in front of them. Many Dallas fans knew what to expect from there throughout the rest of the game.
The struggles continued to collapse the team in the second and third quarters when the defense finally snapped. It didn’t completely break, but the Dolphins were in hurry-up mode before the half ended. They continued to punch the Cowboys in the mouth which eventually ended in a six-yard touchdown pass by Tua Tagovailoa to Raheem Mostert.
This was the representation of how the rest of the contested matchup was going to play out. The Cowboy’s offense re-took the lead after an endzone pass from Prescott to Brandin Cooks. The defense completely broke in half when the Dolphins marched down the field, gaining 64 yards and kicking the game-winner.
The Cowboys are always excellent in these types of situations but now questions arise after the final drive they failed to stop.
Main Photo Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
