Dallas Cowboys edge rusher Rashan Gary he knows made a horrible mistake in Sundays loss to Arizona Cardinals
A roughing the passer penalty on an incomplete pass on third down helped pave the way for what is being described as one of the worst losses in franchise history.
Instead a facing a fourth and 10 from the Cowboys 29 and possibly going for it or kicking the field goal to narrow the score from 27-17 to 27-29 with 2:23 left in the game, the Cardinals took advantage of the Gary gift of a first down with z touchdown pass. Gardner Minshew to Trey McBride on the next play to make the score 27-24.
The Cardinals would go on to win overtime 33-30 and become the first team in NFL history to rally from 14 points down in the fourth quarter to beat the Cowboys at home, making it the worst loss in franchise. The Cowboys led 17-3 in third quarter and 24-10 in the fourth before the final collapse.
Gary owned up to his mistake to his fellow teammates as well asthe media.
He came in the locker room after the game on Monday but no one bothered to talk to him.
He sat at his locker on Wednesday as a throng of reporters talked to defensive tackle Kenny Clark right next to him.
Everyone walked away to talk to another teammate.
When approached by DLLS, he was more than willing to talk.
“I feel like I let the team down,” Gary said. “I got to be smarter. It comes down to locking in and being consistent in those type situations. It’s really focusing and playing smart ball.”
Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer said Gary was taken out for a few plays and given a talking to. It was discussed again on Monday.
“We pulled him out, talked to him about it, addressed it,” Schottenheimer said. “We addressed it today again in the meeting. RG is aware. It’s a big play in the game, but it’s not the only play in the game that affected the outcome of the game, but he was removed and it was discussed.”
Gary remains remorseful but is ready to move on to Sunday’s game against the Indianapolis Colts.
He didn’t apologize to the entire team but he let his fellow defenders know it won’t happen again.
“I told them for sure I got to play better,” Gary said
Gary is a member of the Cowboys leadership council, appointed by Schottenheimer.
Vice president Stephen Jones said Gary’s mistake doesn’t offset the good he has done this year.
“When you play this game and you play it as fast as they play it, you’re going to have people are going to make mistakes, and some of our great ones have those mistakes,” Jones explained. “And that’s part of it when you play the game as fast as they’re playing it. And certainly, he’s done some really, really good things for us.”
