Michael Irvin isn’t ready to let the Cowboys’ offense off the hook.
Dallas came out of its first three games with a 1-2 record, and while the offense hasn’t been the main reason for that slow start, it has still left plenty to be desired. The unit was flat in Week 1, showed life in Week 2, then turned in a roller-coaster performance in Week 3. Dak Prescott and the offense got rolling early, went cold for most of the next two quarters, and then found something again in the fourth quarter.
Even with that late push, the missed chances stood out. The Cowboys went 3-for-5 in the red zone, and one of those failures came on the ugly goal-line sequence late in the fourth quarter. They also had to settle for three field goals after getting into Ravens territory overall.
That’s the part that bothered Irvin most. The Cowboys legend said he is “way more disappointed in the offense” through three games, and he took aim at the unit’s self-appointed standard.
“I am more disappointed in GOTI: The Greatest Offense There Is, not being the greatest offense there is," Irvin said on First Take.
“I am more disappointed in GOTI: The Greatest Offense There Is, not being the greatest offense there is!” @michaelirvin88 weighs in on the Dallas Cowboys’ Week 3 loss 👀 pic.twitter.com/HTCuXRP9bk
Irvin also zeroed in on the final offensive sequence, the one that ended with Dallas failing to punch in a touchdown. He didn’t hide his frustration with the way the Cowboys handled that moment.
"It's been since Jimmy Johnson has left that the Cowboys have been very poor in late-game situations," Irvin added.
Irvin called the third-down throw from Prescott to George Pickens a miscommunication, but Brian Schottenheimer later said the call was simple: get it to Pickens or get rid of it. Prescott chose to throw it away.
Prescott confirmed that after the game.
“I was throwing it away,” Prescott said of the play, according to ESPN's Todd Archer.
“I probably should have sat on it a little bit longer,” Prescott added. “Sank on my back foot and just put it on the front pylon. Probably should have.”
Schottenheimer also owned part of it, saying the quarterback may have been pushed too hard on the play.
“I probably overcoached (Prescott) on that because it had to go,” Schotty said. “With the time, no time outs, it had to go to GP or throw away.”
Still, even with the offense leaving points on the table, Dallas’ bigger problem remains on the other side of the ball. In Week 3, 31 points still weren’t enough to cover for another rough outing from the defense.
So while Irvin’s criticism of the offense lands, the larger concern for Dallas is still the defense.
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