Dumb mistakes continue to haunt Cowboys

October, 14, 2012
10/14/12
7:48
PM CT
BALTIMORE -- Your Dallas Cowboys didn't lose because Dan Bailey missed a 51-yard field goal attempt into a swirling wind Sunday afternoon against the Baltimore Ravens.

And they didn't lose because Dez Bryant dropped what should have been a two-point conversion following his diving touchdown catch with 32 seconds to play.

SportsNation

What played the biggest role in the Cowboys' two-point loss at Baltimore?

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    23%
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    4%
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    19%
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    14%
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    40%

Discuss (Total votes: 14,035)

The truth is Baltimore beat Dallas 31-29 because the Cowboys committed a litany of dumb mistakes.

Again.

Do you know how hard it is to lose an NFL game when a team gains 481 yards -- 227 rushing and 254 passing -- totals 30 first downs and keeps the ball for 40 minutes and 3 seconds?

It's virtually impossible, but give the Cowboys a handclap, because they did it.

The Cowboys finished with 13 penalties, the third time that's happened this season, for 82 yards. The Cowboys had three presnap penalties inside the Baltimore 15. Two of those drives ended in field goals instead of touchdowns.

It's just too hard to win games with that many unforced errors that result in points being given away.

Read the whole the story here.
Jean-Jacques Taylor joined ESPNDallas.com in August 2011. A native of Dallas, Taylor spent the past 20 years writing for The Dallas Morning News, where he covered high schools sports, the Texas Rangers and spent 11 seasons covering the Dallas Cowboys before becoming a general columnist in 2006.

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