The Dallas Cowboys entered Week 3 as the biggest odds-on favorite on the slate.
They had dominated their opponents from start to finish, so it wasn’t surprising to see them as 12.5-point road favorites over the 0-2 Arizona Cardinals.
The Cardinals were projected to be one of the worst teams in the NFL this season and even blew a 21-point lead late in their Week 2 matchup vs. the New York Giants.
However, it looked the other way around when both teams took the field, as Mike McCarthy’s squad wasn’t ready and could never get back into the game, eventually losing 16-28.
Following the game, Cowboys star Micah Parsons talked to Jon Machota of The Athletic about how they beat themselves and how they cannot afford to play down to their opponents’ level.
Cowboys DE/LB Micah Parsons: "I think we just beat ourselves. We put ourselves behind the eight ball a couple times. It just wasn't championship football. … The outcome was definitely shocking. It definitely hurts. I take full ownership. … The last two weeks we were on fire…
— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) September 25, 2023
Parsons took full ownership of the loss, stating that they knew they needed to be better and approach every single game as if it were the Super Bowl.
He also admitted the loss was as hurtful as it was surprising, but he knew they didn’t play up to their standard and didn’t look like a championship-caliber team at all.
The Cowboys are stacked on both sides of the field, and they should still be considered one of the teams to beat in the NFC.
Nonetheless, some long-withstanding issues surfaced again in this loss.
McCarthy’s decision-making and ability to make adjustments when trailing have been a concern for years, and Dak Prescott failed to show any sense of urgency late into the game, even turning the ball over in the end zone to kill his team’s comeback hopes.
NEXT: Video Shows Dak Prescott's Frustration Amid Loss To Cardinals
