Ezekiel Elliott two fumbles fuel Dallas Cowboys’ 21-3 halftime deficit to Cardinals
Dak Prescott is gone but the turnover problems and defensive let downs remain the same in the first half for the Dallas Cowboys.
The Cowboys entered Monday’s game against the Arizona Cardinals hoping to lean on running back Ezekiel Elliott and take some pressure off of quarterback Andy Dalton, who was replacing Prescott, who is out for the season with a fractured ankle.
However, Elliott proved to be the Cowboys undoing early against the Cardinals with fumbles on back-to-back drives that led to touchdowns and a 14-0 deficit.
Elliott now has five fumbles, including four lost for the season. Coming into 2019, he had 15 fumbles and five lost for his career.
The Cardinals made it 21-0 on an 80-yard bomb from Kyler Murray to Christian Kirk, who ran by Cowboys cornerback Daryl Worley. The Cowboys got a field goal late in the second quarter to make the halftime score 21-3.
Andy Dalton starts rough
The Cowboys opened the game without Prescott at quarterback for the first time since the end of the 2015 season.
Andy Dalton replaced an injured Prescott, snapping a streak of 69 straight starts.
It didn’t look good early for Dalton, who nearly threw a pick and barely avoided a safety with an incompletion to Elliott.
It didn’t help that All-Pro guard Zack Martin left the game in the first quarter due a concussion.
He was replaced by Connor McCovern putting backups at four spots on the offensive line from what the Cowboys hoped to start the season with. Tackles La’el Collins and Tyron Smith are out for the season and center Joe Looney is on injured reserve.
Dalton was sacked twice in the first half, but he was under constant pressure
Cowboys defense let down by offense
The much-maligned Cowboys defense had its best performance of the season to open the game against the Cardinals.
It forced punts on the first three drives of the game and limited quarterback Kyler Murray three of 10 passing.
Credit the return of linebacker Leighton Vander Esch for settling the unit.
Credit running back Elliott for getting it off kilter again.
Elliott’s two lost fumbles led to touchdown drives of 54 and 27 yards by the Cardinals.
Kyler Murray returns to AT&T Stadium
Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray, the most decorated high school football player in the history of Texas football, appears to be on his way to staying undefeated at AT&T Stadium.
Murray entered the game with a 6-0 mark at the venue, including three state championships at Allen High School and a Big 12 title during a Heisman Trophy-winning campaign Oklahoma.
Murray started slow Monday night, completing three of his first 10 passes.
But he was a wizard on the ground with six carries for 57 yards and he tossed a six-yard touchdown pass to Christian Kirk as the Cardinals jumped out to a 14-0 lead.
He then tossed an 80-yard bomb to Christian Kirk to make the score 21-0.
