The Cowboys had the game where they wanted it, tied at 31 with only seven seconds left, and still walked out of Brazil with a loss.
Baltimore didn’t need much. Lamar Jackson hit Zay Flowers on one pass, Tyler Loop followed with a 56-yard field goal, and the Ravens escaped Rio with the win. What made it possible was a decision Dallas didn’t have to make.
Instead of squibbing the kickoff and forcing the Ravens to burn precious time bringing it back, the Cowboys chose to send Brandon Aubrey’s kick into the end zone. That touchback gave Baltimore every second back, and with only seven seconds on the clock, that was enough.
Zay Flowers caught the ball and Lamar Jackson called a timeout with one second remaining. It was so close it needed a review. If the Ravens even had to field a squib kick, they wouldn't have had that opportunity.
Brian Schottenheimer is the head coach. Nick Sorensen is the special teams coordinator. One of them made the decision not to squib the ball.
It’s the kind of choice that looks bad in real time and looks even worse after the result. The Cowboys had the chance to take time off the clock and didn’t do it. Baltimore got the cleanest possible setup, and Lamar made them pay.
The finish also echoed another late-game blunder fans know too well. It’s also the same decision Sean McDermott did when the Bills allowed Mahomes and the Chiefs to set up a field goal with 13 seconds to go.
Mahomes in 13 seconds. Lamar in 7 seconds. And two head coaches who made the wrong decision.
In Other News...
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 🡒]
Cowboys Suddenly Have One Alarming Problem They Cant Ignore
The Cowboys left Week 3 with more than a frustrating loss in Baltimore. The late comeback gave them a shot to steal it, and Javonte Williams helped give the offense a much-needed lift on the ground, but the bigger concern came on the other side of the ball, where the defense never quite settled in and the secondary took multiple hits along the way.
At 1-2, Dallas is now staring at an issue it cannot brush aside. The Ravens finished the job with a last-second completion and field goal, a reminder that the Cowboys were a few plays away from a very different conversation, but the injuries in the back end and the shaky defensive showing leave the team with a problem that could linger well beyond one close defeat. [Read more 🡒]