ARLINGTON, Texas -- Looking for someone to blame for the Dallas Cowboys’ six-game losing streak being snapped? Safety Barry Church pointed the thumb at himself.
“I feel like I played my worst game since I’ve been a Dallas Cowboy,” Church said. “I played terrible.”
Church, a defensive captain, was particularly upset about a pair of missed tackles. He prides himself on being a sound open-field tackler, but his two whiffs allowed the Washington Redskins to make big plays in their 20-17 overtime win over the Cowboys.
The first occurred on a pass in the flat to tight end Niles Paul on the Redskins’ second offensive play of the game. Church had a chance to make the stop for a short gain, but Paul broke the tackle and picked up 20 yards to set up a field goal.
The second happened on the opening series of the second half, allowing running back Alfred Morris to gain 29 yards, the biggest play of an eight-play, 80-yard touchdown drive.
“I missed two wide-open tackles out there, and there were just a lot of missed tackles on the defensive side of the ball,” Church said. “If we want to win and be the defense we want to be, we just can’t let that happen.”