These losers become stranger and stranger

ARLINGTON, Texas – It can be hard to believe.

Instead of the Texans’ 34, the Cowboys’ 10.

Instead the Cowboys lost their fifth game in a row.

Instead now 0-5 here at AT&T Stadium after winning 16 consecutive regular season home games heading into the 2024 season.

Instead, the Cowboys are now 3-7, their worst start since COVID 2020 and coming on the heels of three consecutive 12-5 seasons since.

And consider that the now 7-4 Texans gained just three more yards than the Cowboys and the Cowboys threw for 74 more yards than the Texans.

But still, with 4 minutes and 16 seconds left in the third quarter of this Monday night football game, with Cowboys Hall of Famers Troy Aikman, Emmitt Smith and Michael Irvin on hand, the Cowboys only trailed in this Texas Showdown when this game was billed, 20-13. And that despite the fact that the Texans have already rushed for 92 yards, 80 of which belong to Joe Mixon.

And then the roof caved in, and have to admit there’s a cheap line here for what took place on a high-wind afternoon when the roof was actually open about 3½ hours before kickoff, causing the roof to retract on a perfect blue, uh, sunny day.

This despite still playing without Dak Prescott, DaRon Bland, Brandin Cooks, DeMarcus Lawrence, Marshawn Kneeland and heading into this one without Jourdan Lewis and Hunter Luepke. And then lost tight end Jake Ferguson to a concussion at halftime.

Cowboys started Josh Butler at left corner, signed to the 53-man roster before the game, his first NFL game; got Israel Mukuamu to play the slot machine; and first-year free agent Princeton Fant, elevated from the practice squad and making his NFL debut at running back.

And then self-destruction reminiscent of last week’s 34-6 loss to the Eagles, when they came away with just one field goal on two first-and-goal possessions from the 6-yard line. Now trailing 20-10, and desperate to score a touchdown, the Cowboys took Brandon Aubrey’s 64-yard field goal off the board, which had originally cut Houston’s lead to 20-13. But after the Texans were called for a head slap, gave up 15 yards and a first down at the 31, head coach Mike McCarthy couldn’t bear to let the opportunity slip away to push for a touchdown.

And here we go again, first-and-10 at the Texans’ 16, the Dead Zone. Backup quarterback Cooper Rush, as he did against the Eagles, drops the shotgun, minus-5. Almost throws an interception on second down. But on third down, CeeDee Lamb, as he did eight times in the game for 93 yards, hits this one for 13 yards, setting up a fourth-and-2 at the eight.

Stubborn for a touchdown, the Cowboys played. And while Rush’s pass was high for a coming touchdown to an open Jonathan Mingo, the recent acquisition, it wouldn’t have been since Luke Schoonmaker was flagged for holding.

And then 2½ minutes into the fourth quarter, there is some hope for the Cowboys. Texans defensive end Derek Barnett knocks the ball out of Rush’s hand as he attempts a pass. Now the fumble is recovered by rookie tackle Tyler Guyton, but instead of just falling to the ground, he tries to run with the ball. Not sure where he thought he was going in that huddle, and of course Houston’s Jalen Pitre knocks the ball out of his hands, only for Barnett to scoop and score from 28 yards out for the Texans’ first second-half touchdown in five games .

Texans 27, Cowboys still 10. Ball game.

“It’s very frustrating,” McCarthy said. “It’s frustrating for everybody, frustrating for players, frustrating for coaches. I know it’s disappointing for the fans.

“We have a lot of moving parts going on and we just have to be cleaner and more detailed in certain spots. We’re not playing well enough, executing well enough, coaching well enough to overcome some of the mistakes we’re making. at the critical times of the game.”

Bad enough, right? No father. Now it gets worse.

When the game ends, the Cowboys are missing three-fifths of their starting offensive line.

Down went left tackle Guyton (shoulder again). Asim Richards came in after him.

Down went right guard Zack Martin, another ankle and shoulder again. TJ Bass came in after him.

Left guard Tyler Smith (ankle) went down. Brock Hoffman came in after him. There were no more active offensive linemen. Another injury to either Terence Steele or Cooper Beebe, and the Cowboys likely would have used a tight end in there and moved Hoffman to center if Cooper Beebe went down.

The Cowboys are now on a short week, six days to get ready for Washington on the road, which does not bode well for Ferguson, who is returning in time from the concussion. And then there are only four days until the giants arrive for Thanksgiving. As McCarthy points out, they won’t have another padded practice because they now play three games in 11 days until the week of the Dec. 9 Cincinnati game, another nationally televised Monday night game here on AT&T.

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones was asked if he can ever remember a season that went south with another home loss and four of the seven losses by 25 points, 38 points, 29 points and now 24 points, all four here at AT&T Stadium.

“Well, we won a game my freshman year,” Jones points to the 1-15 season in 1989. “We’ve had some tough (years). This one we didn’t foresee this season and the way we’re playing. right now.”

Of course, those who don’t see or choose not to pay attention to the injuries, those who don’t see this team being overwhelmed by more talented teams and the Cowboys’ own mistakes right away, will point to efforts like those players have tucked tails.

Wish it was the truth. But it isn’t. Still not good enough, and with every missed start, missing Pro Bowler, missing veteran, it’s getting worse.

“It’s exaggerated,” Jones said of the blame attempt. “A lot of times it’s exaggerated.”

He’s right. Such a cliche. If they don’t try, how does Eric Kendricks finish with nine tackles. How does Malik Hooker finish with eight tackles, a tackle for loss, an interception and a QB hit. Guess Butler, playing in his first NFL game, isn’t trying. Same for Fant. Think the Rush mails it in an attempt to… wait for it… 55 passes while getting beat up with five sacks in the second half alone. Think Schoonmaker, with just eight receptions in nine games, sending it in his first opportunity to be the lead tight end with Ferguson out, catching a career-high six passes for 56 yards, or rookie free agent Brevyn Spann- Ford doesn’t blow his butt block and catch four passes.

It looked like KaVontae Turpin just ran for his second touchdown catch of the season and looked like he was shot out of a cannon on the 64-yard TD that Next Gen Stats clocked him with running 22.3 mph, NFL fastest this season?

“I’m not coming out here playing to lose,” Lamb says, refusing to budge.

Be realistic, as difficult as this season to circle the drain is to understand. Documented all the weird things that happened this past week, not to mention the weirdness that started in training camp when one of the player’s hotel apartment rooms caught fire and took about six hours to get to Las Vegas for the second preseason game on due to flight delays, Mazi has an allergic reaction to an energy drink and drives to LAX in Friday rush hour traffic. And now this, Monday, Monday that comes, “cannot trust that day.”

As if the sky really was falling.