In a roller-coaster 30-24 loss to the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday Night Football, the Dallas Cowboys found themselves outpaced in critical moments, with San Francisco capitalizing on gaps in the Cowboys’ defense – including gaps that some are blaming on cornerback Trevon Diggs.
Rather shockingly, in the late going, Dallas avoided a blowout and narrowed the lead to six in the fourth quarter when Dak Prescott connected with CeeDee Lamb on a 20-yard touchdown pass, leaving the Cowboys within striking distance.
Despite the late touchdown, the Cowboys needed a final defensive stop to secure another scoring opportunity and would earn just that, but would fail to capitalize, throwing four straight incompletions.
The 49ers would get the ball back and continue to dominate time of possession, relying on crucial scrambles and sustained drives that kept Prescott and the Dallas offense off the field in the game’s closing minutes. Dallas’ offense struggled to establish the run, managing only 56 yards on the ground, which forced Prescott to carry the offensive load and increased passing pressure. Key interceptions and a stalled ground game ultimately limited Dallas’ scoring potential.
One surprising factor in San Francisco’s approach was quarterback Brock Purdy, who contributed to the 49ers’ offense in unexpected ways. Purdy, often recognized for his passing, also took to the ground with significant impact, rushing for 56 yards himself-an output equal to the Cowboys’ entire team rushing total. (Dalvin Cook and Ezekiel Elliott were supposed to fix all of that … right?) His mobility provided San Francisco with a critical edge, exposing vulnerabilities in the Cowboys’ defensive approach and maintaining crucial drives when Dallas seemed close to a stop.
But there were other times with Dallas couldn’t get that “stop,” including occasions when star cornerback Diggs – known as a ballhawk but not necessarily as a tackler – finds himself accused of being unenthusiastic about that latter task.
Indeed, it seems immediately after the game, Diggs took to Twitter to check out what was being said about him, found a tweet from WFAA-TV reporter Mike Leslie, and in a wild scene, came marching out of the locker room seeking verbal vengeance.
Trevon just came out of the locker room to approach me about this tweet. He said I don’t know football, and I can’t do what he does.
He and I are in agreement about that.
Trevon just came out of the locker room to approach me about this tweet. He said I don’t know football, and I can’t do what he does.
He and I are in agreement about that.
He didn’t offer an answer as to what he was doing on the play, however. https://t.co/WaJJCRkFo5
— Mike Leslie (@MikeLeslieWFAA) October 28, 2024
“What is Trevon Diggs doing on this play?” Leslie wrote, referencing a play in which 49ers tight end George Kittle beats Diggs down the sideline, finishing just short of the end zone.
Diggs comes out of the locker room to confront a reporter for a social media post. #Cowboys
@NBCDFWSports pic.twitter.com/2iDdVjdz69— Newy Scruggs (@newyscruggs) October 28, 2024
In the video now going viral, Diggs barks, “That’s what you took from that? Out of that whole play, that’s what you took from that? You don’t know football. You can’t do nothing that (bleeping) I do. You can’t go out there and do nothing. Stay in your lane, buddy. Stop trying me, dog.”
Responded Leslie: “Just asking the question, Trevon. I mean, I’m happy to have you answer the question. … We can talk about it more.”
Fired back Diggs: “Talk about deez (bleeps).”
Questioning a player’s effort is a delicate matter. But the player rushing to social media to check out his reviews, then seeking out the reporter to start an argument with him? That’s a bit too … delicate.
By the way, the angered Diggs did not make himself available for comment in the postgame locker room.
In the end, unable to answer San Francisco’s pace on both sides of the ball, Dallas faltered in this comeback effort, turning over the ball on downs in the final minutes.
The Cowboys are left looking for answers to address defensive gaps, particularly in containing quarterbacks with mobility – and maybe in overall effort, too – as they prepare for the next phase of their season. The Cowboys now sit 3-4 on the season in an uncomfortable third place in the NFC East.
