Brandon Aubrey's missed long-shot FGs, kickoff penalties among troublesome Cowboys stats

The Dallas Cowboys faced a devastating overtime loss to the Arizona Cardinals in Week 8, ranking as one of their most painful losses in recent memory. The Cowboys, who led by 14 points in the fourth quarter, then by 10 points with under four minutes left, and finally by six points with 10 seconds remaining, saw their chances of victory diminish significantly in the third quarter.

According to Next Gen Stats, the Cardinals had a mere 4% chance of winning at that point. Arizona's comeback, led by a backup quarterback and third-string running back, was statistically improbable, but the Cowboys were largely responsible for their own downfall due to longstanding issues.

Defensively, the Cowboys struggled, giving up crucial plays and allowing Arizona to put together four straight touchdown drives, each lasting less than four minutes. Brandon Aubrey's missed field goals and kickoff penalties also contributed to the Cowboys' woes, with Aubrey missing several long-distance attempts and accumulating four penalties in eight games.

Meanwhile, George Pickens saw his playing time drop dramatically, seeing 57% of the offense's snaps. Dallas' rushing attack was ineffective, averaging only 94.2 yards per game, placing them in the bottom-10 of the league. Gardner Minshew's stellar performance added to the Cowboys' woes, throwing for 137.3 yards and completing passes.