Minshew Magic: Cardinals Stun Cowboys 33-30 in OT Comeback
ARLINGTON, Texas — The Arizona Cardinals were dead in the water. Down 17-3 late in the third quarter, with their starting quarterback benched and their season sliding toward another lost Sunday, they turned to a backup who had not thrown a pass all year. What followed was one of the wildest finishes of the NFL season.
Gardner Minshew came off the bench and threw three touchdown passes, rallying Arizona from a 14-point deficit to a stunning 33-30 overtime victory over the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium on Sunday. Chad Ryland, who missed the extra point that would have won the game in regulation, atoned with a 42-yard field goal in overtime to complete the comeback.
The win lifted Arizona to 3-5 and dropped Dallas to the same mark, but the numbers behind the collapse tell the real story. Since 2000, the Cowboys had been 69-0 when leading by at least 14 points in the fourth quarter. The Cardinals had been 1-147-1 when trailing by that much in the final period. Both streaks ended on the same afternoon.
The benching that changed everything
Cardinals head coach Mike LaFleur made the switch with 1:35 remaining in the third quarter. Starter Jacoby Brissett had completed just 10 of 23 passes for 119 yards with an interception and had been sacked four times. Arizona’s offense had managed only a field goal, and the Cowboys led 17-3.
LaFleur said afterward that the team needed “a spark.” Minshew provided far more than that. Two plays into his first appearance of the season, running back Tyler Allgeier broke free for a 63-yard touchdown run, and suddenly a rout felt like a game again.
Minshew then led touchdown drives on each of his first four possessions. He capped the next series with a five-yard touchdown pass to Allgeier, cutting the Dallas lead to 24-17 with 10:47 left in the fourth quarter after Dak Prescott’s rushing touchdown had briefly restored a two-score cushion for the Cowboys.
A fourth quarter for the record books
Brandon Aubrey’s 35-yard field goal stretched Dallas’ lead to 27-17 with 3:54 remaining, and the Cowboys looked to have survived. Instead, the final four minutes produced chaos.
Aided by a roughing-the-passer penalty on Rashan Gary that wiped out what would have been a fourth-and-10, Minshew found tight end Trey McBride wide open in the end zone for a 14-yard touchdown with 2:11 to play. The score pulled Arizona within 27-24.
Dallas recovered the ensuing onside kick but could not pick up a first down, and Prescott took a six-yard sack on the drive. Aubrey’s field goal with 1:09 left made it 30-24, leaving Arizona 80 yards from the end zone, out of timeouts, and with barely a minute on the clock.
Minshew needed just 63 seconds. He completed five passes on an eight-play drive, repeatedly finding wide receiver Michael Wilson, and connected with Wilson for a 13-yard touchdown with six seconds remaining. The stadium braced for a Cardinals celebration — and then Ryland pushed the extra point wide left, his first miss since 2024, sending the game to overtime at 30-30.
Redemption in overtime
Both teams punted on their first overtime possessions, and Dallas’ chance ended when former Eagles edge rusher Josh Sweat sacked Prescott on third down to force a punt. Minshew went back to work, with Wilson gaining 17 yards on a jet sweep and Allgeier moving Arizona inside the Dallas 30-yard line.
This time, Ryland did not miss. His 42-yard field goal split the uprights and gave Arizona a walk-off win — its fifth straight victory over Dallas and its ninth in the last 10 meetings between the teams. The Cardinals are also now 5-0 all-time at AT&T Stadium, a quirk that continues to baffle Cowboys fans.
Minshew finished 17 of 23 for 188 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions, good for a 137.3 passer rating. It was his first touchdown pass since November 2024, when he was with the Las Vegas Raiders. Allgeier finished with 147 rushing yards on 11 carries plus the touchdown catch, while Wilson caught eight passes for 111 yards and the game-tying score. Arizona outgained Dallas 467-261 and rushed for 202 yards.
What it means for both teams
For Arizona, the win matches its victory total from all of last season and keeps faint playoff hopes alive heading into a Week 9 trip to Seattle on Nov. 8. The bigger question is who starts at quarterback. LaFleur declined to commit to Minshew for next week, saying no decision had been made — but after Sunday, going back to Brissett will be a hard sell in the locker room and beyond.
For Dallas, the loss is another entry in a growing file of defensive collapses. The Cowboys led 14-0, 17-3, 24-10 and 30-24, and lost anyway. They were outscored 21-6 over the final 14:20 of regulation, and their defense, which has been under scrutiny all season, surrendered four straight touchdown drives to a backup quarterback.
Minshew, never one to downplay a moment, said afterward that he stays ready at all times. On Sunday in Arlington, ready was more than enough.
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the final score of Cardinals vs. Cowboys?
The Arizona Cardinals beat the Dallas Cowboys 33-30 in overtime on Sunday, Nov. 1, 2026, at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
How did Gardner Minshew perform against the Cowboys?
Minshew replaced Jacoby Brissett late in the third quarter and completed 17 of 23 passes for 188 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions, leading four straight touchdown drives to erase a 17-3 deficit.
Who kicked the game-winning field goal for the Cardinals?
Chad Ryland kicked a 42-yard field goal in overtime to win the game, redeeming himself after missing the extra point that would have won it in regulation.
Will Gardner Minshew start for the Cardinals in Week 9?
Head coach Mike LaFleur said after the game that no decision had been made about the starting quarterback for Week 9 at Seattle, when Arizona faces the Seahawks on Nov. 8.
Sources: Reuters, NBC Sports, Arizona Sports, USA Today (Cards Wire), azcentral. Reporting compiled from game coverage and postgame remarks.
