Former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Ben DiNucci delivered a scathing assessment of his old team after their 33-30 overtime loss to the Arizona Cardinals at AT&T Stadium on Sunday.
The defeat dropped the Cowboys to 0-5 all-time against the Cardinals in their home venue. Dallas held a 10-point lead with 3:54 remaining in regulation and led by as many as 14 points in the fourth quarter, yet lost for the first time this century in a home game with such a late advantage, ending a streak of 69 consecutive wins in similar situations.
DiNucci calls loss 'embarrassing'
"This was absolutely embarrassing today," DiNucci said on CBS Sports HQ. "They stink. I'm lost for words, honestly. They have so much talent on both sides of the ball, and year after year, week after week, all we see is just letdowns from them."
DiNucci questioned the team's effort and consistency, suggesting that the Cowboys' culture needs to change. "At some point, something inside that locker room needs to change. The leaders, whoever it is: Dak Prescott, Quinnen Williams, CeeDee Lamb. Whoever it is, somebody needs to take control of that locker room and say, 'Guys, whatever we're doing right now is simply not working.'"
The Cowboys' collapse was aided by a missed extra point by the Cardinals that sent the game to overtime. Arizona's comeback was sparked by backup quarterback Gardner Minshew, who replaced Jacoby Brissett, and running back Tyler Allgeier.
Despite the loss, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones indicated that firing offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer during the season is not under consideration. DiNucci, who spent the 2020 and 2021 seasons as Dallas' backup, also pointed to off-field distractions, such as facility tours on off days, as a potential factor affecting player focus.
Dallas faces the Indianapolis Colts, Tennessee Titans, and Philadelphia Eagles in three of their next four games before a Week 14 bye.
