Once-Hilarious Cowboys ‘Starter’ Black Cat Now Seems Like Bad Luck
Sometimes the unexpected happens in an NFL game and it goes viral. This happened in the Cowboys‘ Monday night game at the Giants in Week 9, when a black cat caused an interruption in the game and roamed around the field.
People online joked that the feline was good luck for America’s Team as they ended up winning, 37-18. The following week, though, the cat’s luck turned from positive to negative when the Cowboys took on the Vikings.
The black cat was a Cowboys starter?
The Cowboys’ social media team had fun with the previous week’s viral sensation on the morning of the team’s Week 10 contest. The Cowboys’ official Twitter account tweeted that the black cat was joining the likes of Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott as a starter for the upcoming Sunday night battle.
Followers reacted by posting memes of the cat and calling the tweet “hilarious,” among other responses. After the Cowboys blew out the Giants on the night of the cat’s NFL debut, Dallas fans were hopeful for a similar result against the Vikings — but it did not happen.
The Cowboys lose a close one to the Vikings
The Cowboys were riding high after beating their division rivals and coming home for a second straight primetime game, this one against a tough Vikings team. The Vikings won the game 28-24, but it wasn’t because of a lack of good play from the Cowboys’ offense.
Prescott outplayed Minnesota counterpart Kirk Cousins by throwing for 397 yards, with three touchdowns and an interception. His performance also led to good games for two of his receivers. Amari Cooper and Randall Cobb each totaling more than 100 receiving yards and a touchdown.
But it wasn’t enough. Elliott had a disappointing game, as did the defense. Cowboys kicker Brett Maher missed one of his two field-goal attempts, while former Cowboy Dan Bailey converted both of his field-goal tries for the Vikings.
Questioning the Cowboys’ execution?
Prescott and Elliott felt the game was winnable and they let it get away from them. Having Maher attempt a 57-yard field goal, which he missed, on their opening drive led to the Vikings having a short field to work with on their first offensive drive.
This ended with Cousins throwing a touchdown pass to TE Kyle Rudolph to give them the early lead. The Cowboys had the ball for a chance to win it on the last play of the game, but the Vikings intercepted it in the end zone to solidify the victory.
After the game, Prescott called it “frustrating,” explaining that they “had a chance, an opportunity right there at the end” when he had the ball in his hand with a chance to pick up the win. But he gave credit where it was due and complimented the Vikings, saying “they made a great play. They made more plays than we did when it counted and beat us situationally.”
Cooper wasn’t as complimentary in his postgame comments, calling out his own team for “a lack of execution.” He said the team “can’t execute for some reason early on in these ball games and it’s hard to start from behind the eight ball and try to fight your way back.” He went on to say that the Cowboys need to work on that.
What’s in the Cowboys’ future?
Heading into Week 12, the Cowboys are 6-4 and a game ahead of the Eagles for first place in the NFC East, but winning the division is likely the only way they’ll make the playoffs as they are a couple games behind the current wild card teams.
If the Cowboys fall out of the division lead and miss the playoffs, there may be a new coaching staff in Dallas next season because head coach Jason Garrett, who is in the final year of his contract, may be fired for his lack of postseason success during his tenure with the Cowboys.
