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Tribune News Service

Sport

Calvin Watkins

Close loss to Steelers has the Cowboys addressing turnovers yet again: 'That has haunted us all year'

Dallas Cowboys safety Donovan Wilson (37) and cornerback Trevon Diggs (27) run into each other as they attempt to make an interception for a ball intended for Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Diontae Johnson (18) during the first quarter on Sunday, Nov. 8, 2020 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. (Vernon Bryant/The Dallas Morning News/TNS)

ARLINGTON, Texas — Outside of injuries, ineffective play and attitude, turnovers is one of the biggest things Mike McCarthy can't stand about his football team.

The Cowboys coach saw his team commit two more turnovers in a 24-19 loss to the Steelers on Sunday. And while those turnovers didn't cost the Cowboys the game, it was just another item to check off when dissecting this 2020 season.

"But once again, it came down to taking care of the football," McCarthy said. "We have to get rid of that. That has haunted us all year."

Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Eric Ebron (85) hurdles Dallas Cowboys cornerback Saivion Smith (32) to score the winning touchdown in the fourth quarter on Sunday, Nov. 8, 2020 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. The Cowboys lost, 24-19. (Tom Fox/The Dallas Morning News/TNS)

As the Cowboys enter the bye week, they've committed an NFL-high 20 turnovers leading to 100 points. Opponents have scored 13 touchdowns and converted three field goals this season.

And for only the third time in franchise history, the Cowboys started four different quarterbacks in a season. Those four quarterbacks turned the ball over 14 times combined.

It's pretty amazing, sad, really, when you consider the number of turnovers this offense is committing. It says a lot about the lack of discipline the team has and whether or not the coaching being implemented is working. Every quarterback knows not to commit a turnover in the red zone. It's not an NFL thing, it's something you're taught whether you play at Texas, SMU, Texas Southern, Ball State, North Carolina A&T, Rutgers, Alabama ... well, you get the picture.

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Garrett Gilbert (3) runs for a first down against the Pittsburgh Steelers during the second quarter on Sunday, Nov. 8, 2020 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. (Vernon Bryant/The Dallas Morning News/TNS)

It's not acceptable behavior.

The two turnovers Sunday led to just three points but were still painful.

Late in the first half, the Cowboys were leading 13-6 and attempting to get a field goal try, at worst, with quarterback Garrett Gilbert, making his first NFL start.

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Garrett Gilbert (3) communicates to his teammates from the line of scrimmage against the Pittsburgh Steelers during the first quarter on Sunday, Nov. 8, 2020 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. (Vernon Bryant/The Dallas Morning News/TNS)

Gilbert completed a pass to rookie receiver CeeDee Lamb for a 14-yard reception before cornerback Cameron Sutton punched the ball out with 52 seconds left. It was recovered by safety Minkah Fitzpatrick at the Cowboys' 39. The Steelers ended the half with a 59-yard field goal by Chris Boswell, cutting the deficit to 13-9.

"It was a great play by the DB," Lamb said. "I lost him, obviously, in my view. He made a great play on the ball. I was holding the ball kinda loose and I definitely learned from that mistake and, you know, you gotta use it as a stepping stone."

The second turnover occurred in the fourth quarter in the red zone. On third and goal from the Steelers' 5, Gilbert faced pressure up the middle and tried to throw the ball away. Gilbert said he got hit as he threw but he should have just held it. Everything happens so fast, so it's easy to criticize the play. Gilbert was making his first NFL start and it was a gutty effort considering he was signed off the Browns' practice squad last month.

Dallas Cowboys defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence (90) on the bench against the Pittsburgh Steelers during the first quarter on Sunday, Nov. 8, 2020 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. (Vernon Bryant/The Dallas Morning News/TNS)

Gilbert's pass was intercepted by Fitzpatrick in the end zone with 11:45 to play.

"I was just trying to throw the ball over (Cedrick Wilson's) head out of the back of the end zone and somebody got underneath my wrist and the ball kind of fluttered," Gilbert said. "Good play by them and a great play by Minkah to go make the catch."

The Steelers did not score after this turnover, so the Cowboys will head into the bye week having given up a C-note in points off turnovers this season.

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Garrett Gilbert (3) tosses the ball to running back Tony Pollard (20) against the Pittsburgh Steelers during the first quarter on Sunday, Nov. 8, 2020 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. (Vernon Bryant/The Dallas Morning News/TNS)

It's one of those unfortunate things because the Cowboys turned the ball over just 18 times in 2019. In 2018, there were just 17 turnovers committed.

McCarthy took pride during his 13 seasons in Green Bay that his team didn't commit a huge amount of turnovers. In his final year with the Packers, 2018, that group turned it over just 15 times. Now, McCarthy lasted 12 games in 2018 before getting fired, but he treated turnovers like a virus.

Yes, McCarthy's team turned it over 25 times in 2017, but in 2016, they gave it up just 17 times.

The Dallas Cowboys defense celebrates after making a stop on fourth down, forcing a change of possession from the Pittsburgh Steelers during the second quarter on Sunday, Nov. 8, 2020 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. (Vernon Bryant/The Dallas Morning News/TNS)

This Cowboys season is defined by the missing of numerous players because of their health. The players who remain, including running Ezekiel Elliott with four lost fumbles, know turnovers is something you can't dismiss as an integral part to this season.

"It's definitely hard and definitely costly," Elliott said. "They were in situations, it allowed (the Steelers) to kick a field goal before half and the one in the red zone. I think it's the second week in a row we had a turnover in the red zone and we can't get to the red zone and not get points so we got to take better care of the ball. That's been the moral of the season, I mean we got to get better at that."