The Dallas Cowboys didn’t make much of a game out of their return to Denver. If you ask social media, though, there was a specific moment where the Cowboys’ 44-24 loss to the Broncos was put on ice.
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Head coach Brian Schottenheimer’s decision to punt on 4th-and-6 from the Cowboys’ 44-yard line while trailing by 13 points in the third quarter was, let’s just say, not the most popular choice among Cowboys fans. It was made all the worse when Denver responded with a 12-play, 84-yard touchdown drive to put the game on ice.
Mix in a season-worst performance from Dak Prescott, and Sunday’s matchup just made for another stomach-churning drop on the Cowboys’ season-long roller coaster.
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Check out more reactions from the Cowboys’ loss below.
The Cowboys choose to punt on 4th and 5 while trailing by 13 points.
They have arguably the worst defense in the entire league and they have already allowed the Broncos to score 30 points today.
Some coaches just don’t get it. pic.twitter.com/ZKEdERMFAH
— Scott Reichel (@ReichelRadio) October 26, 2025
Pretty horrible decision to punt.
Kind of a bummer to see given everything to this point.
Feels like waving the white flag which hasn’t necessarily been Schotty’s style.
— Blogging The Boys (@BloggingTheBoys) October 26, 2025
Now Schotty’s just trying to keep it respectable. He just surrendered by punting on 4th and 5 from his 44 with a defense that couldn’t stop me throwing to Ernestine and Hazel.
— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) October 26, 2025
I am uncomfortable calling for people to be fired or dismissed.
But the Cowboys cannot expect anyone to believe that they are serious about football if they do not make some kind of adjustment on defense or with their defensive staff. Maybe at the bye.
This is an indictment.
— RJ Ochoa (@rjochoa) October 26, 2025
This is why the Cowboys can’t afford to ever punt.
And Schotty needs to remember that in high-leverage situations.
— Marcus Mosher (@Marcus_Mosher) October 26, 2025
Schotty coaches like he has a good defense and not the worst defense in modern NFL history
— nicky (@PFF_Nicky) October 26, 2025
Cowboys cannot punt there. This game is over.
— Zain Dhanani (@DhananiZain) October 26, 2025
Cowboys defense is awful and depleted.
You HAVE to go for it on 4th and 1.
You HAVE to go for it more often.
You cant punt.
— Dan Twigs (@RealTwigs) October 26, 2025
I’d punt on 1st down here. The defense will get a stop so it makes sense
— Defy (@defytalkcowboys) October 26, 2025
Dak Prescott almost got pick sixed. SMH, Cowboys. Perpetual disappointment when it’s time to exceed expectations.
— Eddie Resurreccion (@EdmarResurrecc1) October 26, 2025
When you place blame on today, you gotta look upstairs. The front office trading Micah Parsons is still bothering this team. Of course, the injuries today, at safety, and the defensive scheme doesn’t help. The early play calls from Schotty were an issue too.
— Calvin Watkins (@calvinwatkins) October 26, 2025
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