Hot take: the Dallas Cowboys don’t lose to the Arizona Cardinals anymore, they check in with them, like an ex you only call when your life is already falling apart. Sunday’s 33-30 overtime loss at AT&T Stadium was Arizona’s ninth win in the last ten meetings, and Dallas led 24-10 early in the fourth quarter. I’ve had relationships with better late-game management, which is why the Cowboys Cardinals memes were loading before the overtime kick finished spinning.
The short version, per KLIF’s recap of the Cowboys’ overtime loss: backup Gardner Minshew replaced Jacoby Brissett with Arizona down 17-3, then tied it with a 13-yard touchdown to Michael Wilson with six seconds left. The extra point missed. Dallas still lost, on a 42-yard field goal in overtime, which takes real commitment.
Jerry Jones Had the Best Seat for the Worst Ending
The Jerry Jones branch is the strongest because the man is a meme generator with a private suite. Henry McKenna caught the “Gotta be kidding me” moment, and the FOX broadcast found him mid-gesture, arm flung out like he was trying to return the fourth quarter without a receipt.
Then came the walk. Joseph Hoyt filmed Jones heading to the locker room in total silence and pointed out that Dallas never trailed until the winning kick in overtime. That’s not losing a game. That’s getting left at the altar after you already paid the band.
The Cardinals Took a Victory Lap on Social Media
Arizona’s official account posted “Ws are bigger in TX” over a grid of analysts who picked Dallas, plus a few very smug photos, which is the pettiest thing a team account can do and therefore the correct thing. Cardinals fans followed with the energy of people inheriting a family business.
Ralph Amsden calling it the only thing he’s proudly passed down to his oldest son is better parenting than most of what I got growing up. Kyle Odegard’s death-and-taxes line, meanwhile, is going straight into my rotation for every family dinner I didn’t want to attend.
Gardner Minshew Is a Limited-Time Menu Item
Minshew hadn’t thrown a pass all season before Sunday. Then he went 17 of 23 for 188 yards and three touchdowns off the bench, per the Next Gen Stats chart Warren Sharp shared, and ESPN Insights noted the Cardinals had been 1-147-1 since 2000 when trailing by 14 or more in a fourth quarter. That’s not a comeback. That’s a solar eclipse with a mustache.
Adam Rank compared him to the McRib, and Sam Farmer compared watching him to hitting your buddy’s new driver perfectly once and never again. Both are correct. Minshew isn’t a quarterback so much as a vibe that shows up when you least need it, like an ex texting “hey” during a wedding.
Dallas Fans Want a Word About the Play-Calling
Most of the anger landed on head coach Brian Schottenheimer, who calls the plays. RJ Ochoa called it one of the most embarrassing losses in franchise history, then added that Dallas netted under 10 yards on 7 of its 12 real possessions. Jerry Jones, for the record, told reporters that a lot of people let Brian down, which is exactly what my mom used to say about my prom date.
One fan summed it up in three lines: up 10 with 2:15 left, Arizona holding one timeout, loss. I’ve blown a lead like that exactly once, in a game of Monopoly against my little brother, and I still bring it up in therapy.
Cowboys Loss Memes Have Become a Support Group
The last branch is pure fan exhaustion, which is the most relatable sport there is. Ian Hartitz called it the worst Cowboys loss since two weeks ago, a joke that lands because it’s basically a stat, and the rest of the Cowboys Cardinals memes read like a group chat that has been through this before and packed snacks.
My prediction: Dallas fixes nothing, beats somebody good in two weeks, and convinces everyone that this is the year again. Arizona will be waiting on next season’s schedule, with a backup quarterback warming up and an extra point it didn’t even need.
For the specific ache of loving a team that keeps doing this, 20 Dallas Cowboys Memes For Fans Who Love Pain works like a cold compress. Cowboys Buccaneers Memes After Dallas Lost to the Team With Zero Wins is the follow-up dose, and Fair Warning: NFL Week 7 Memes Contain Graphic Footage of Your Team’s Second Half treats everyone else’s Sundays. Take as needed.
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