Cowboys Fallout: Jerry Jones Calls Loss to Cardinals 'an Indictment of the Whole Show' as Minshew Earns a Look

The Arizona Cardinals’ 33-30 overtime win at AT&T Stadium on Sunday left the two teams with very different questions. In Dallas, owner Jerry Jones was asked whether coach Brian Schottenheimer’s job is safe. In Arizona, coach Mike LaFleur was asked whether Gardner Minshew, who came off the bench to lead the comeback, is now his starting quarterback.

Both teams are 3-5.

A historic Cowboys collapse

The numbers from CBS Sports show how rare this loss was. Dallas led by 14 twice, including 24-10 with 14:20 to play. Before Sunday, the Cowboys were 202-0-1 at home when leading by 14 or more in the fourth quarter, playoffs included. This was the first loss in franchise history after leading by at least 14 in the fourth quarter.

CBS Sports added that the Dallas defense has now allowed 20 or more points in 15 straight games, the longest active streak in the NFL. The Cowboys have scored 30-plus points five times this season but have lost two of those games. They still haven’t put together a winning streak in 2026.

Jerry Jones: ‘An indictment of the whole show’

Jones didn’t single anyone out. “We just did not play well enough, at all, to win that ball game,” he said, per DallasCowboys.com. “So it’s an indictment of the whole show.”

Asked about a coaching change, he said: “We’re not going to get into anything. That’s not in my mind at this time.” He added, according to CBS Sports, “I’m not pointing at Schotty. I’m not pointing to anybody, but none of us have it done.”

Jones also brought up the one in-season coaching change of his 38 years as owner, the firing of Wade Phillips in 2010. “I made a change, and I don’t want to mention it because I’m not proud of it,” he said. “But I made a change with Wade Phillips there in the middle of the season, and I don’t see that here.”

He also said “a lot of people let Brian down today.” CBS Sports noted that Dallas is 10-14-1 under Schottenheimer.

Schottenheimer and Prescott respond

Schottenheimer took responsibility. “I’m going to always own my part of this as a head football coach. It starts with me and there’s certainly things that I need to do better,” he said, per CBS Sports. He pointed to positives from the first half, including the pass rush from Quinnen Williams.

Dak Prescott pushed back on blaming the coach. “It’s all of us,” he said. “Don’t put the blame on one person. Simple as that. I think that’s weak. I think that’s cowardice.”

Gardner Minshew: will he start for the Cardinals?

Minshew replaced Jacoby Brissett with 1:35 left in the third quarter, with Arizona down 17-3. The Cardinals scored touchdowns on his first four possessions. In his first action of the season, he finished 17 of 23 for 188 yards and three touchdowns, per NBC Sports. CBS Sports said he was the first player in the NFL this season with three touchdown passes in a fourth quarter.

LaFleur said he made the change because the team needed “a spark.” Yahoo Sports reported that Brissett was 10 of 23 for 119 yards with an interception before he was pulled. LaFleur didn’t commit to a starter for Week 9. “I know what the story is going to be, and so does [Brissett], but it was the collective,” he said, per NBC Sports.

Yahoo Sports, citing ESPN’s Josh Weinfuss, reported that Minshew is expected to remain the starter. That would put him in line to face the Seattle Seahawks next Sunday, though it is not official.

Minshew, in his eighth NFL season, signed a one-year, $5.75 million deal with Arizona this offseason, according to Yahoo Sports. His best season came in 2023 with Indianapolis, when he threw for 3,305 yards and made the Pro Bowl.

LaFleur also warned against reading too much into the comeback. “I don’t want this last 30 minutes or 35 minutes to mask the stuff that we need to fix on offense,” he said.

Allgeier’s big day

Running back Tyler Allgeier had 191 yards from scrimmage and two touchdowns, including a career-high 147 rushing yards on 11 carries, CBS Sports reported. His 63- and 52-yard runs made him the first player in the league this season with two 50-yard runs in the same game.

FAQ

Earlier coverage: Cardinals Stun Cowboys 33-30 in Overtime as Gardner Minshew Sparks Comeback (Nov 1)