IRVING, Texas – The Cowboys failed to create a single takeaway in Sunday's loss to the Chiefs after forcing six turnovers a week prior.
Safety Will Allen and linebacker Bruce Carter both had opportunities for interceptions, and it still sticks with them a day later that they weren't able to secure the picks.
"Not creating the turnovers, not getting the takeaways, that's what's painful about (the loss)," Allen said. "If we get one at a crucial moment, that's the game for us."
The safety, who had an opportunity early on while crashing on a route to secure a tough pick, said the lack of takeaways sticks in his mind more than the fact that the defense allowed the Chiefs to eat up time and pick up crucial first downs to secure their win.
"If we get takeaways, it doesn't even matter at the end of the game," Allen said.
Pressure on the quarterback wasn't the problem for the Cowboys' defense, as they brought Alex Smith down four times for sacks. They just couldn't capitalize on the pressures, failing to intercept a pass and allowing the quarterback to scramble and run for 57 yards on eight attempts.
Carter had one of those sacks, but he also had an opportunity to potentially take an out route back for six points. He read the pass, but he couldn't secure the catch near the sideline at midfield.
"That was a key play that I have to make to put my team in position to win the game," Carter said. "I just have to finish and catch and go to the house. I was already thinking about going to the end zone before I caught it." [embedded_ad]
Carter said it's difficult to go through a game without a takeaway, considering how hard the defense works in practice to rip the ball out.
The special teams unit also had a chance to secure a fumbled kickoff return by the Chiefs, but Knile Davis recovered the catch he muffed inside the Chiefs' 20-yard line. B.W. Webb was one of the defenders close to the play.
"I was pretty close, but I was hesitating because that really wasn't my job to be in that area," Webb said. "I was like, 'Should I go or stay in my job?' I was the safety on that play and didn't know if he was going to get it back. When I looked at it, I was closer than I thought."
The Cowboys had a few opportunities to make the game-changing types of plays the Kansas City defense came up with. The Chiefs ended the night leading the turnover ratio, 2-0, after forcing two fumbles.
Allen said the defense can't go entire games without forcing a takeaway and that keeps him up at night, but they have to forget about it now and move on.
"Me and Bruce Carter both had opportunities to turn the game around, to get the offense an extra possession or two," he said. "We didn't do that."
