The Dallas Cowboys defense took another step forward in Rio, even if the final numbers still leave plenty of room to complain. Against the Ravens, the unit bent in some familiar ways, but it also delivered the kind of timely stops that kept Dallas alive deep into the game.
Baltimore finished with four touchdowns - two on the ground and two through the air - plus two field goals. The Ravens piled up 378 total yards, splitting it between 186 passing yards and 192 rushing yards. Lamar Jackson posted a 136.7 passer rating, and Baltimore averaged 5.1 yards per carry.
Still, Dallas made the Ravens work in the spots that mattered most. In the red zone, Baltimore went 4-for-6, and early in the fourth quarter Jaishawn Barham helped deliver a goal line stand by tackling Derrick Henry for a three-yard loss. That kind of moment mattered all afternoon, especially with the defense dealing with injuries and trying to hold up against a physical offense.
Barham was one of the biggest standouts on the day. The rookie finished with two tackles for loss and was central to several short-yardage stops.
He was part of the reason Dallas stayed in the game until the clock ran out. Markquese Bell led the defense with eight total tackles, while Alijah Clark recorded the unit’s lone pass breakup.
The pass rush still hasn’t found the finish line. Dallas finished without a sack for the second straight week, though the defense did generate 12 total pressures. Von Miller led that group with three pressures on the quarterback.
There were encouraging signs in the deeper metrics, too. Dallas allowed a +0.13 EPA/play and a 50% success rate.
The biggest leap came on third down, where the Ravens managed only three conversions on nine tries. That 33% rate put the Cowboys in the top ten for the week.
They also held Baltimore without a fourth-down conversion, going 0-for-2 there.
Caleb Downs added another solid outing and was involved in short-yardage stops behind the line of scrimmage with Barham and second-year edge Donovan Ezeiruaku. His versatility continues to stand out, and it may become even more important if Dallas is missing more players on the backend.
Malachi Lawrence, though, was mostly quiet. He logged three tackles, one solo, but otherwise faded into the background.
His pass-rush win rate remains elite on the season, but the Cowboys need that pressure to turn into sacks. LT Overton rotated in behind the starting front and didn’t do much to stand out, though he did show up late on one goal line stop.
The bigger picture is where this game gets interesting. The defense was hit with extra possessions after turnovers and a blocked field goal, and when Baltimore started drives off normal kick returns or punts, Dallas held the Ravens to 24 points. The additional field position swings led to the other 10 points.
That context matters because the defense was put in tough spots. Dallas took the field at its own 44, the Baltimore 23 and the Baltimore 41 on those extra possessions.
The two drives that started near midfield turned into 10 points, while the Jake Ferguson fumble at the Baltimore 23 ended with a punt. Considering the field position and the injuries, that was a respectable answer.
The frustrating part is that the defense did its job often enough to win. Dallas got back-to-back stops in the fourth quarter - a turnover on downs and a punt - and kept the Ravens from taking control for long stretches. But the offense and special teams left too many points behind, from two goal-line possessions that produced only six points to the blocked field goal and the Ferguson turnover in scoring range.
That’s why the final grade lands at C+. The defense was the best unit on the field, even if the scoreboard doesn’t make it obvious at first glance.
The improvement on third and fourth down was real, and it came against a dangerous opponent. The Cowboys still have issues, and the injuries are piling up, especially in the secondary, but this group showed real growth in Rio.
The next test comes against the Houston Texans, and Dallas will be looking to keep that trend moving in the right direction.
In Other News...
Cowboys Still Have A Real NFC East Opening After Philly Slip
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Dallas still has work to do to climb out of its own hole, but the opening is there if it can stabilize quickly. With the Eagles not playing like a runaway favorite, the Cowboys can still put themselves back in the conversation, and that alone keeps the coming weeks from feeling like a must-keep-up exercise rather than a lost cause. [Read more 🡒]
Jake Ferguson Puts Cowboys Frustration Back In Focus After Costly Mistake
The Cowboys overtime loss to Baltimore in Week 3 left plenty to sort through, but Jake Fergusons third-quarter fumble quickly became one of the defining plays. On a shovel pass near the Ravens 23-yard line, the tight end put the ball on the ground and a promising drive vanished, a swing that analytics put at a negative EPA of -5.62 according to Dyllan Rivers. For a team trying to clean up details in a tight season, it was the sort of mistake that can linger long after the final whistle.
Ferguson has had more than one ball-security lapse in recent seasons, and the issue has already drawn attention from Brian Schottenheimer, who has framed it as a fundamentals problem. That makes this latest turnover more than just a bad break in one game. It puts the spotlight back on whether the Cowboys can trust one of their most important pass catchers to be sharper in the moments that matter most. [Read more 🡒]
Steelers Suddenly Face A Joey Porter Jr. Trade Decision
The Cowboys have reportedly kicked the tires on a potential move for Steelers cornerback Joey Porter Jr., adding another layer to a secondary conversation that already feels worth monitoring in Dallas. ESPNs Jeremy Fowler reported the inquiry, and while there has been no movement so far, it is another sign the Cowboys are at least exploring help at a position that can shape the whole defense.
For now, the price appears to be the sticking point. Dallas is not yet ready to part with significant draft capital for Porter, who has spent three seasons in Pittsburgh and has shown the kind of ball production teams look for with three interceptions and 31 passes defended. Whether the talks gain traction will likely come down to how far the Cowboys are willing to push, and how motivated the Steelers are to listen. [Read more 🡒]