The Cowboys left Rio de Janeiro with a gut punch of a loss, falling to the Baltimore Ravens in Week 3 and dropping to 1-2 on the season.
Dallas had clawed all the way back after trailing by two scores late in the third quarter, then tied the game in the closing seconds in what looked like a setup for overtime. Instead, Lamar Jackson found Zay Flowers for a big gain with one second left, and Tyler Loop finished the job with the game-winning field goal.
The ending stung, but the damage had already piled up for Dallas in other ways. The secondary took another beating. Starting safety Jalen Thompson left in the first half with a hamstring injury and never returned, and cornerback Shavon Revel exited in the fourth quarter with a knee injury.
That came on top of the Cowboys already being without Malik Hooker (forearm), Cobie Durant (hamstring) and P.J. Locke (foot) in the secondary.
Locke is expected to miss four games after landing on injured reserve. Dallas was already having trouble in coverage before the injuries, and the situation only got worse from there.
It has also put more attention on the possibility of adding help, including Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Joey Porter Jr., who the Cowboys are reportedly interested in and needed even before the latest setbacks.
On offense, Dallas did at least show more life on the ground. Javonte Williams produced 98 yards and a touchdown on 19 carries, a strong response after managing just three yards per tote over the first two games. Better blocking helped him get rolling.
Even so, the Cowboys let chances slip away when they got into scoring range. They reached Ravens territory eight times, but only five of those drives ended in points or a result that counted on the scoreboard. Dallas came away with three field goals, one blocked field goal and a fumble, finishing 3-for-5 in the red zone overall.
That kind of waste mattered against a Ravens team that punished Dallas on the ground. Jerry Jones had already called this a bad matchup, and Sunday played out exactly that way. Baltimore ran for 192 yards and two touchdowns on 38 carries, with Derrick Henry and Lamar Jackson combining for 139 of those yards.
The Cowboys’ defense has had problems against both the run and the pass, and Christian Parker’s unit still hasn’t found a fix. The run defense was overwhelmed, the coverage issues remained, and the late comeback could not erase the rest of the night.
Special teams added another layer of frustration. Brandon Aubrey, usually one of the Cowboys’ safest weapons, kicked two kickoffs out of bounds, giving Baltimore the ball near midfield twice. Dallas also had one of Aubrey’s field goals blocked, and that play loomed large in a three-point loss.
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Lamar Jackson Capitalized On A Cowboys Mistake Ravens Fans Wont Forget
The Cowboys decision-making on the final kickoff in Brazil became one of the biggest talking points from their loss to the Ravens, and not because of a missed tackle or a blown coverage. With the game hanging in the balance, Dallas chose to take the touchback instead of squibbing the kickoff, a move that left Baltimore with every second still available and gave Lamar Jackson the opening he needed to go right back to work.
For a team that prides itself on situational football, it was a costly choice from Brian Schottenheimers staff, including special teams coordinator Nick Sorensen, and it quickly drew criticism after the game. The sequence turned into a reminder that the smallest decisions can carry the biggest consequences, especially against a quarterback and offense built to take advantage when the door is left open. [Read more 🡒]
Cowboys Humiliated On Global Stage As Ravens Celebration Sparks Backlash
The Cowboys opened their season in a spotlight they could not escape, losing 34-31 to the Ravens in the NFLs first game at Rio de Janeiros Maracan stadium. Baltimore finished the job with Tyler Loops 56-yard field goal as time expired, while Derrick Henry powered the offense with two touchdowns and climbed into ninth place on the NFLs all-time rushing yards list.
Afterward, the Ravens added a little theater to the moment, celebrating with Cristiano Ronaldos signature Siuuu in front of a crowd that clearly enjoyed the gesture. It was the kind of global-stage scene the league had hoped for in Brazil, but for Dallas it only deepened an already bitter night and left the Cowboys looking for answers after a finish that played out in front of the whole world. [Read more 🡒]
Cowboys Let A Winnable Game Slip As New Concerns Keep Growing
A winnable game slipped away for the Cowboys on a last-second play against Baltimore, and the bigger frustration was how many chances they had to make it matter before that finish. The offense never quite found a steady rhythm, and the play-calling decisions from Brian Schottenheimer will be a talking point after missed scoring opportunities kept Dallas from putting real pressure on the Ravens.
On the other side of the ball, the defense had its own issues to sort through, with injuries continuing to complicate the picture. Baltimore also got important contributions from rookie defenders Jaishawn Barham and Caleb Downs, a reminder that while the Cowboys were trying to hold on in a tight game, the problems around them kept piling up. [Read more 🡒]