ARLINGTON, Texas– So many missed chances for the Cowboys, it's hard to keep count. There were plenty of times when this team looked in position to either take the lead, control of the game, or both.
Turnovers, penalties and missed kicks added up as the Cowboys fell to the Seahawks, 21-12.
Still, all games have those plays that can get lost in the shuffle, but still play a huge part in the final outcome. Check out the five from this game that turned the tide.
Second Down Pass To Zeke –Early in the second quarter, the Cowboys were on a drive that saw Ezekiel Elliott dominating his way to the end zone. However, the coaches went away from a running game that had produced runs of 5, 6, 6, 5, 4 and 4 already during the drive. On second-and-5, the Cowboys opted for a pass that resulted in 2 yards, and then on third-and-3, went for another pass that fell incomplete. The Cowboys had to settle for the first of four Dan Bailey field goals.
Swaim's Penalty Leads To 3 – With the Cowboys leading 3-0 early in the second quarter, the offense appeared to have to a fourth-and-1 at the Seattle 25-yard line and probably were about to attempt a first down. However, on third down, Geoff Swaim was flagged for an illegal crack-back block that pushed them back 15 yards. Instead of attempting a fourth-and-1, the Cowboys had to settle for a check-down pass on third-and-long and Bailey kicked another field goal. They were dominating on the field but led just 6-0.
Wilson's Alert Recovery – As the Seahawks were driving for their first score, a fumbled exchange on a handoff led to the ball being on the ground in between two Cowboys defenders. However, quarterback Russell Wilson was able to dive in between Jeff Heath and DeMarcus Lawrence and wrestle the ball away, keeping possession for the Seahawks, who scored on the next play for a 7-6 lead.
Dak Takes Sack After Long Penalty– The Cowboys were looking to shake off the untimely pick-six, and benefited from a 43-yard pass interference penalty on a pass to Cole Beasley. But on the next play, Prescott was sacked for a 5-yard loss, setting up second-and-15, and the Cowboys never recovered, settling for yet another field goal.
Decision Not To Run On Second Down – With the Cowboys trailing 21-12 midway through the fourth, the Cowboys had second down-and-goal from the 2-yard line. With the crowd chanting for "Zeke," the offense instead called for a pass that rolled Prescott to the right. Not only did he not find a receiver, but Jason Witten was flagged for holding. After that call and then a sack, Bailey missed a field goal that kept the game at two scores.
