The Dallas Cowboys left Brazil with a loss that stung at the end, as Baltimore pulled it out with a last-second field goal. Even so, the rookie class gave Dallas a few real flashes to build on.
Caleb Downs helped set up an early scoring chance, and Jaishawn Barham came through with two second-half stops that kept the Cowboys alive. The bigger issue, of course, is turning those isolated plays into a full defensive showing.
Caleb Downs was involved in one of the game’s most important early moments. On fourth-and-one, he stopped Derrick Henry for no gain and flipped possession to Dallas at the Baltimore 30-yard line.
That short field turned into a Cowboys touchdown, and Downs’ play carried real weight even if the box score only showed three tackles. It was the kind of snap that changes the feel of a game, though there were still a few rough edges to sort through.
Jaishawn Barham had the most impactful night of any rookie. He finished with seven tackles and two tackles for loss, and his biggest work came when Dallas needed it most.
Barham stuffed Henry on fourth-and-goal to deny Baltimore a touchdown, then followed with another tackle behind the line on the Ravens’ next possession. Those were hard-earned stops against one of the toughest backs in the league to bring down.
Brian Schottenheimer also praised Barham for his command of the defense while handling the green-dot communication duties.
Barham’s night wasn’t spotless. He missed two tackles against the run and gave up four completions for 50 yards in coverage.
Still, he kept answering back with decisive plays instead of letting the mistakes linger. That response stood out just as much as the stops themselves.
Malachi Lawrence had a quieter outing. He assisted on two defensive tackles and added a kickoff tackle, but his chances to get after Lamar Jackson were limited.
Lawrence logged only three pass-rush snaps and didn’t record a pressure. For Dallas, the small sample leaves room for more, especially with the edge group needing more disruption, but he did contribute against the run and on special teams.
LT Overton also flashed in a limited role. He played 15 defensive snaps, made two tackles, and earned an encouraging early PFF grade of 77.4.
His work came mostly against the run, while six pass-rush snaps produced no pressure. It was a promising start, even if the pass-rush side still has to come along.
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