A Tale of Two Halves

In the first half of their Week 8 game against the Cardinals, the Cowboys defense looked like it was beginning to string together their most complete performance of the season. Dallas held the Cardinals to three points, 42 yards rushing on 17 attempts, got a sack from Quinnen Williams and got two turnovers.

The second half was a completely different story. The Cardinals made a change at quarterback towards the end of the third quarter by handing the reigns to Gardner Minshew in place of Jacoby Brissett, who would go on to throw for 173 yards and three touchdowns in the second half. Arizona added 124 rushing yards on just four carries from Tyler Allgeier to account for 286 total second half yards.

Arizona scored four straight touchdowns on their final four drives of the second half, capping it off with an eight play, 80-yard drive that took 1:03 off the clock and gave the Cardinals a chance to win the game in the final seconds before Chad Ryland's extra point was no good, sending the game into overtime.

Four different Cowboys had a sack defensively, with Quinnen Williams leading the way with two and Von Miller, Donovan Ezeiruaku and James Houston adding one as well.

Wrong Side of History

When talking about why the Cardinals have been a difficult matchup for the Cowboys in recent history, Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer pointed to the fact that Dallas was negative in the turnover margin in those games was a big component to their struggles.

On Sunday afternoon, that was not the case, as Dallas was +2 in the turnover battle with an interception from Shemar James and a forced fumble by DeMarvion Overshown. Dallas also won the time of possession battle by :17 seconds, another area Schottenheimer and the Cowboys wanted to improve.

The biggest difference was the disparity in offensive yardage. The Cowboys were outgained by 206 yards of offense, as the Cardinals posted 200+ rushing and passing yards against Dallas' defense in what Schottenheimer called a "tale of two halves."

Before Sunday, the Cowboys were 69-0 since 200 when leading by 14+ points in the fourth quarter. They are now 69-1 in those situations, and are searching for answers on how to finish games better.

The Turning Point

With 1:35 left in the third quarter, the Cardinals turned to Gardner Minshew to finish the game at quarterback in place of Jacoby Brissett. Arizona, who was trailing by 14 at the time, found their sparked on his second play in the game.

Cardinals RB Tyler Allgeier, who was the top rushing option late in the game with both Jeremiyah Love and Bam Knight nursing injuries, popped a 63-yard touchdown run after rushing for just four yards in the first half. On the next drive, Allgeier opened the drive with a 52-yard run to get the Cardinals offense to the Dallas 28-yard line.

Allgeier would go on to catch a 17-yard pass to bring the ball to the Dallas 3 and caught a receiving touchdown five plays later. On their next three offensive drives, the Cowboys would settle for two field goals and took the game to overtime with six seconds left. Then in overtime, Allgeier had a big 11-yard run on 3rd and one to get the Cardinals into more comfortable field goal range to win the game.

Missed Opportunity?

At the end of the first half, Cowboys LB DeMarvion Overshown forced a fumble on Bam Knight, giving Dallas the ball back at the Arizona 47-yard line with 11 seconds left. The Cowboys elected to run the ball with Javonte Williams, picked up four yards, and called their final timeout of the half to set up a 61-yard field goal from Brandon Aubrey.

Aubrey's 61-yarder ended up being no good as it missed wide right. For the season, Aubrey is 3-6 on kicks from beyond 50 yards, with his longest make of the season coming from 60 yards against the Commanders.

"We had a mechanism where we're trying to get as close as we can and get down and call the time out and thought there was a little bit more there," Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer said of the sequence postgame. "Thought we could have got a few more yards. We had a little two play package, but we trust Brandon to make those."

Injury Roundup

The Cowboys dealt with multiple injuries throughout the course of the afternoon against the Cardinals, beginning early in the game with TE Jake Ferguson suffering an ankle injury that sidelined him the rest of the game.

Also dealing with an ankle injury was CB Joey Porter Jr., who missed a majority of the second half because of it. Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer said both Porter and Ferguson would get additionally testing done to see where they're at. Schottenheimer added that rookie DB Caleb Downs is in concussion protocol.

Additionally in the safety room, in his first game back from being activated off IR, S P.J. Locke suffered an injury late in the game. Schottenheimer said "we'll see what comes with that" when referring to Locke's injury and did not specify as to what kind of injury he suffered.

Tough Sledding

After rushing for over 200 yards as a team a week ago against the Eagles, the Cowboys offense averaged just 2.4 yards per carry, picking up 93 yards on 39 carries. Javonte Williams was held to 56 yards on 24 carries.

"It's surprising, especially knowing the guys that we got up front, how nasty and how prideful they are in the run game and being who they are and asking to just run the ball," Cowboys QB Dak Prescott said postgame. "It is, but I've got to go back and see with the look, see what entailed in that." Cowboys coach Brian Schotteneheimer also said he needed to look back at the film before discussing what went wrong in the run game, but that "each week in the league is different."

Williams had -12 rushing yards over expected according to NextGenStats and was stuffed six times.

Ho Hum

Cowboys WR George Pickens was someone that Dallas wanted to get more involved in the offense on Monday night against Philadelphia. Four catches for 57 yards may not be as involved as Dallas would've like, but his one-handed, toe-tap grab for a touchdown in the second quarter was more than enough for Pickens to provide the offense with his jolt of energy.

"I'm sure he wants more out there, but made a great touchdown play," Cowboys QB Dak Prescott said of Pickens. The guy did a good job trying to reroute him, but I saw George is still headed to the back of the end zone, being physical on his route. And I just tried to give him a chance, and he went and made one of the best catches and toe-taps I've seen in a long time."

Those kinds of highlight plays have seemingly become ho hum for Pickens. What hasn't gotten old either is winning, but Monday night's victory was not won that Dallas needed for morale, in Pickens' eyes.

"It's always good to win," Pickens said. "From a morale standpoint, I'd probably say not too much. I feel like the people in the facility know who they are, and we know who we are. Just definitely like I said, getting a dub can boost the morale."

Bouncing Back

Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer has faced heavy criticism this season for game management decisions, playcalling and Dallas' offense struggling through the last two weeks with 29 combined points going into Monday night. Schottenheimer and the Cowboys offense responded with 38 points, 416 yards of offense and a win.

"We'll think about this one tonight; really important," Schottenheimer said. "Want to play well again next week and beat a good Arizona team."

Schottenheimer's postgame press conference lasted just over four minutes, which was uncharacteristic compared to his usual energetic, in-depth responses, potentially because of the criticism that was lobbed his way over the last two games. Cowboys QB Dak Prescott said he saw a "hungry, pissed off version" of Schottenheimer going into the game.

"It's not like he's naïve," Prescott said. "It's not like he hadn't heard some noise about him and whether it's the call in the games or whatever doubt that's been out there, but we've got his back. He knows that. He's a guy that takes a lot of pride in his job, a lot of pride in his team. Everybody handles everything different, so I don't blame him to an extent. We've got his back. More importantly, it's just about us going out there and executing on Sundays."

Back in the Game

The Cowboys defense got healthier on Monday with the return of LB DeMarvion Overshown and CB Cobie Durant from hamstring injuries, a welcome sign for the unit to get two of their better players back. Overshown stole the show with an interception and six tackles, but Durant was efficient in his 23 snaps of work, 12 of which came from the slot and nine of which came on the outside at cornerback. Durant was targeted one time, allowing one reception for five yards.

"We can be very dominant," Durant said of the defense. "Everybody just got to stay healthy man. Dial in on doing their 1 of 11 and just playing ball all together."

Man in the Middle

With LB DeMarvion Overshown coming back into the lineup, there was a keen eye on whether or not Overshown would return to the MIKE linebacker spot alongside Jaishawn Barham.

The answer was neither. Overshown was playing both on the inside and outside at linebacker, and it was Shemar James who took over as the green dot linebacker in Barham's place, paying 54 defensive snaps compared to Barham's 21.

"He's earned it," Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer said of James taking over the role.

"Great control of what we're doing. Awesome job with the green dot and just proud of his command."

James was tied with Overshown in tackles with six, which led the team.

Change of Pace

Javonte Williams' career-best 155 rushing yards undeniably stole the show for Dallas' rushing offense in the win over Philadelphia. But the Cowboys have seemingly found the change of pace back they've been looking for in Tyler Goodson, who has stacked strong performances over the last few weeks.

"[Tyler] Goodson came in and had a great day with his reps with Javonte," Cowboys QB Dak Prescott said. "I would say the numbers would say so, but this is one game. We've got to build on this. We've got to show that we can continue to do this."

Alongside his 10 carries for 38 yards, Goodson returned two kickoffs for 42 yards in place of the injured KaVontae Turpin. Goodson had a kickoff that was returned for a touchdown, but it was called back due to a holding penalty on LB Justin Barron.

Linemen Lead the Way

When Cowboys QB Dak Prescott took the postgame podium on Monday night, he was wearing a shirt that read "linemen lead the way." That wasn't a coincidence, as Dallas' front five paved the way for 204 rushing yards on 38 carries, and also kept Prescott clean on the night with no sacks allowed.

"We knew we had to create some balance," Prescott said. "We had to stick to the run, even if some are negative or not as efficient as we want and we're able to do that and you saw they got better as the game went on. Those two-yard runs turned to six-yard runs from six to 12 and from there we're able to stay balanced and then pass off of that and so that's kind of the attack we have to continue."

When asked about Javonte Williams' career-best 155 yard day, Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer made sure to compliment the offensive line as well.

"They were outstanding," Schottenheimer said. "Great run plan. But [Cowboys RB] Javonte [Williams], man, the power, the acceleration was there tonight, but great. Then I'm going to talk about [Cowboys RB Tyler Goodson] as well. It was a great change of pace overall. I thought the run game was really good. [The] receivers blocked well. It was a good night."

What Changed?

The word "change" was uttered a lot this past week at the Star in Frisco. After a 24-16 loss to the once winless Buccaneers last Thursday night, things needed to change. With a few extra days on a mini-bye the Cowboys went deep in self-scout to figure out what changes could be made to lead to success.

What were they? Well, one change occurred before the game when Dallas hired senior defensive assistant Mike Pettine to help DC Christian Parker. But Schottenheimer said there would be personnel changes too, where did they show up?

First was an uptick in snaps for TE Brevyn Spann-Ford, who took 33 offensive snaps (47.1) while Jake Ferguson took 37 (52.9). For context, Ferguson had 47 (85.5%) compared to Spann-Ford's 16 (29.1%) in Week 5 against the Buccaneers.

Another was moving Caleb Downs closer to the line of scrimmage again. Downs aligned at slot corner on 40 snaps Sunday night (57%) compared to 20 at safety (29.7%). Last week, Downs played 42 snaps at safety (65%) compared to just 7 at slot corner (11%).

And lastly, rookie OLB Malachi Lawrence played 37 snaps (52.9% of defensive snaps), notably higher than his 24 snaps (36.9%) against the Buccaneers. The increased workload for Lawrence was something that Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer hinted at earlier in the week, and it came to fruition. As a result, second-year OLB Donovan Ezeiruaku played 38 snaps (54.3) compared to 49 (75.4) the week before.

Still Searching for Run Success

With 9:19 to play in the third quarter, Javonte Williams scored from a yard out to get the Cowboys on the board, with the Packers now leading by just 10 in a 17-7 ball game.

From that point on, Williams only had one carry for the remainder of the game.

As a whole, the offense rushed for a total of 48 yards on 15 carries. Williams had 41 yards on 11 carries, tying his season-low. Even the Packers, who came into the game with the worst rushing offense in the NFL, outgained Dallas on the ground with 57 yards. The plan wasn't to throw the ball as much as Dallas did, according to Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer, but being behind once again on the scoreboard changed things.

"Got to find a running game. That starts with myself and the offensive staff…" Schottenheimer said after the game. "I didn't plan on coming to this game and having to throw it 54 times, that wasn't the plan, it's not a good recipe against this defense that's been down against the run and pretty good against the pass. That wasn't a good recipe for us. But that's the way the game turned out."

Return To Lambeau

One of the bigger storylines of the week leading into Sunday night was DT Kenny Clark and OLB Rashan Gary making their return trips to Lambeau Field for the first time as visitors.

Clark was traded to Dallas before the 2025 season as part of the Micah Parsons trade. The Cowboys traded a fourth-round pick for Gary during the offseason. Both were Pro Bowlers at one point in their careers in Green Bay, and had some of their better performances of the season on Sunday night.

Clark recorded his first sack of the season in the third quarter to force a punt out of the Packers' own end zone. Gary recorded nine pressures, tying his career high in pressure in a single game. He's the only Cowboys pass rusher to have more than five pressures in a game this season so far. It was a night they'll remember.

"Definitely special," Clark said of the night. "On the wrong side of it of course, but appreciate the organization and just the environment. It was dope."

Injury Roundup

On the opening kickoff, Cowboys WR KaVontae Turpin took a bit hit and would not return to the game. Afterwards, Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer said that Turpin is dealing with rib cartilage, but that all x-rays came back positive.

On defense, LB Dee Winters left the game with what Schottenheimer said postgame was an Achilles strain. Earlier in the evening, Winters recorded the first interception for the Cowboys this season.

Despite taking multiple tough hits, and needing a second to catch his breath after getting the wind knocked out of him on one occasion, Cowboys QB Dak Prescott did not undergo x-rays and said after the game he was fine, with a bruise likely popping up near the affected area.

Secondary Shuffling

After missing last week with an illness that came up just hours before kickoff, Joey Porter Jr. rejoined the Cowboys secondary on Sunday night, giving Dallas a huge boost in pass defense.

Porter only played 24 coverage snaps, where he was targeted four times but did not allow a reception. Opposite him was DaRon Bland, who had a nice game allowing 2 catches for 25 yards and breaking up two passes.

All in all, the secondary played a solid game. That said, some of their younger players still had some problems, as rookie Caleb Downs allowed 6 receptions for 73 yards and third-year CB Shavon Revel allowed three receptions for 51.

Knocked off Course

Being under heavy pressure against Jonathan Gannon and the Packers defense was something that Dak Prescott expected going into Sunday night. Earlier in the week, Prescott said he'd "be naïve to think" Gannon wouldn't bring pressure and welcomed it, saying "let's do it."

Green Bay did, and got the better of Prescott and the Cowboys offense. Prescott was pressured 21 times, completing 11 of his 19 pass attempts for 74 yards and a touchdown on pressure. When Prescott threw the ball quickly (under 2.5 seconds), he was 12/22 for 82 yards and two interceptions, finishing with a -20.1 completion percentage over expected.

"I just got to simplify the plan, and that starts with me," Prescott said. "It really ends with me. You give yourself a few options on blitz, you get in the game and you want to do this and you want to do that one. To me, I've got to be more simple and more direct in exactly what I want to do."

Despite the struggles against Green Bay, Prescott said his play against pressure and blitzes is "definitely fixable." The Cowboys face another defense that can bring pressure next week in the Eagles.

Decisions, Decisions

After Dak Prescott connected with George Pickens for a touchdown in the fourth quarter to make it a one score game, Brian Schottenheimer and the Cowboys offense elected to go for a two-point conversion in order to make it a six-point game instead of an eight-point game.

Things did not work as planned, as Prescott was forced to his left and tried to get a pass to CeeDee Lamb, but was incomplete. After the game, Prescott said he wished he threw it towards the back pylon in the end zone where Ryan Flournoy could've gone to get it.

"It's kind of our philosophy," Schottenheimer said. "When you're down 14, you like to go for two, especially with our offense, because when you get it, you have a chance to go and win the game, to make it a six-point game. And that was our philosophy. We liked to play and we just didn't get executed."

Injury Roundup

The Cowboys entered the game with injury troubles, and dealt with more before kickoff with CB Joey Porter Jr. coming down with an illness and flu symptoms, according to Cowboys owner/GM Jerry Jones.

As the game went on, Cowboys WR CeeDee Lamb was sidelined with a quad injury, something Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer said he was dealing with last week and got hit in the same spot again. Lamb was in and out of the game down the stretch, which could point to potentially good news that it isn't a serious injury.

On the last drive of the game for the offense, Cowboys LT Tyler Guyton sustained a back injury. Schottenheimer said after the game that initial x-rays "looked good," but the team will conduct some more tests.

Troubling Trend

Earlier in the week, Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer pointed out he wasn't a fan of the high passer rating that Dallas' defense has been allowing to each of the quarterbacks they've faced thus far this season.

All five quarterbacks the Cowboys have faced this season have posted passer ratings of over 100 on them, beginning with Jaxson Dart (134.2), Marcus Mariota in Week 2 (109.1), Lamar Jackson in Rio de Janeiro (136.7), C.J. Stroud last week (126.7), and now rookie UDFA Jalon Daniels (110.2).

The Cowboys had their opportunities to limit Daniels, who was making just his second career NFL start on Thursday night, but couldn't convert.

"Missed tackles," Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer said of what happened defensively against Tampa Bay. "We were around [Daniels] quite a bit. And like I said, it comes down to when you're around him, you got to get him on the ground and did not do a good enough job of that. He hurt us. Again, I thought we made him hold the ball, which is usually a good thing, and he was getting locked on to certain things. But at the end of the day, like I said, it comes down to we got to get him on the ground. We got to tackle him, got to wrap him up, and we didn't do that."

Film to Watch

Speaking at his locker postgame, Cowboys DT and team captain Quinnen Williams said "I've got to watch the film," or something similar, nine times when asked about some of Dallas' struggles defensively on Thursday night.

It's safe to say that there will be a lot of film to be watched for Williams and the Cowboys defense in order to find ways to improve coming out of what will be a 10-day break before the team travels to Green Bay for their Week 6 game. Williams is still confident in Christian Parker's defense.

"100% faith," Williams said of his belief in Parker. "At the end of the day, we step in between those lines, and we've got to execute to the best of our ability every single down. No matter what CP calls, we've got to execute."

Not Getting Home

The Cowboys' struggles to get after the quarterback continued in Week 5, as Dallas recorded just seven total pressures against the Tampa Bay offensive line, good for a 22.6% pressure rate.

When under pressure, Buccaneers QB Jalon Daniels was 3/5 for just eight yards. Rashan Gary led the Cowboys defense with four pressures, and Quinnen Williams, Donovan Ezeiruaku and Malachi Lawrence all had two. Lawrence and Ezeiruaku combined for the lone sack of the night for Dallas' defense.

After the struggles Dallas had defensively last season, Cowboys owner/GM Jerry Jones said the defense was "in my mind, right where we started looking to our defense." Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer was more confident in his unit.

"Certainly Jerry's going to have his opinions and I respect his opinions certainly, but I do think that today was a disappointing day, but there has been things," Schottenheimer said. "You got to get off the field on third down. We have to not turn the football over. I mean you can't be -3 and win a game in the National Football League. That's not going to work.

Surprising Struggles

In the last year, the Cowboys have invested a lot into their defense, especially against the run. Dallas has added Quinnen Williams, Rashan Gary, Jaishawn Barham, Caleb Downs and others to help the defense stop the run, something they've struggled to do in recent years.

And yet, five games in, the Cowboys have the worst run defense in the NFL, allowing 168.4 rushing yards per game. On Thursday night, Tampa Bay ran for 241 compared to Dallas' 50.

"I thought both their fronts, was really surprised at how well they ran the ball, how they ran it between the tackles," Cowboys owner/GM Jerry Jones said. "That was surprising. We thought if they were going to run it, they'd do it outside, and thought we'd put it on the quarterback shoulders. Their staff, their quarterback, all their players got a great victory here tonight, and it was a tough loss for us."

Help Is On the Way?

The Cowboys have been bit by the injury bug early this season, but got some help back on Sunday when starting safety Malik Hooker returned from a forearm injury. Hooker went on to lead the team in tackles with seven and recorded two pass breakups as well. Even going into a short week, the Cowboys may get even more help back.

Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer said after the game that All-Pro guard Tyler Smith (thumb) and LB DeMarvion Overshown (hamstring) are "trending positively" towards returning Thursday against the Buccaneers.

Schottenheimer added that the team will have a better idea of their status on Tuesday. Smith will have to have his 21-day return to practice window opened as he returns from injured reserve.

A Unique Plane Ride Home

After each Cowboys road game, the team boards buses together and takes a chartered flight back to Dallas.

Following Sunday's win, there was one less player on the flight, and for good reason.

Cowboys LB Shemar James flew back to Dallas with the Jones family in order to make it back faster as his wife went into labor.

Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer had James break down the team in the locker room before he quickly departed in order to make it back to his wife.

JPJ's Debut

In his Cowboys debut, CB Joey Porter Jr. played 24 total defensive snaps for Dallas, 19 of which he was dropping back into coverage.

Porter was targeted just one time in coverage, and did not allow a reception. In five matchups against Texans WR Nico Collins, Collins was not targeted when Porter was covering him. After missing training camp and the first three games of the season before getting traded, Porter was glad to be back on the field.

"I'm a dog at the end of the day, and I want to be out there with the guys," Porter said. So I have to prove why they got me here, and I feel like I did that today."

Another Blocked Kick

For the second straight week, the Cowboys saw a kick blocked. Last week, it was the Ravens getting interior pressure to Keondre Jackson, who blocked a 59-yard attempt from Brandon Aubrey. This time, it was star EDGE Will Anderson Jr. getting his hands on a 65-yard attempt from Aubrey.

"Inside gap integrity is the key," Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer said. "You'll see that. Again, Will Anderson's an incredible player. We were a little bit, in the one against Baltimore, we blocked out and didn't stay strong in our inside gap. You want to make the guys beat you around the edges, not up inside. But the elite power and stuff of Will Anderson, he made a great play. It's a long kick, so it's going to be a little bit flatter. But we'll get it shored up."

As a result of the blocked kick, the Texans took over at the Cowboys 45-yard line with 26 seconds remaining in the first half. They needed just nine yards to set up a 54-yard Ka'imi Fairbairn field goal, which gave Houston a ten-point lead going into the halftime break.

The Defensive Front

The Cowboys' secondary had their fair share of struggles over the course of the afternoon, as C.J. Stroud threw for 347 yards and two touchdowns.

On the ground, however, Dallas' defensive front held the Texans to just 62 yards rushing on 19 carries, good for 3.3 yards per carry. According to NextGenStats, Quinnen Williams and Kenny Clark combined for seven run tackles and three run stuffs, with Williams also adding two tackles for loss.

In the pass rush department, Dallas pressured C.J. Stroud on 10 of their 52 defensive plays (28.6%) and sacked him twice, one from Quinnen Williams and the other by Rashan Gary. When pressured, Texans QB C.J. Stroud was 4/8 for 88 yards and a touchdown. The defense still has a lot of work to do, as they can't continue to allow 30 points per game, but have shown some signs of improvement.

THE Dynamic Duo?

Cowboys WRs CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens believe they are the best wide receiver duo in the NFL. With a strong combined performance through the air against the Texans' touted secondary, Pickens feels like they've proved that.

"If they consider themselves the best, and we do what we do, then I definitely feel like we're the best in the NFL." Pickens said.

Lamb's historic 17 catch, 189-yard performance was complimented by a quiet, but effective two receptions for 75 yards from Pickens. Some of Pickens' production didn't show up on the stat sheet, as he continued to draw multiple defenders which opened up more opportunities for Lamb.

"If you're going to play to George like that, and leave CeeDee one on one and give him those opportunities, we're going to go to the open guy," Prescott said. "CeeDee just does a great job of feeling the zone, beating his man, whatever it is, and getting open."

Swing the Hammer

Cowboys rookie linebacker Jaishawn Barham had the best game of his young NFL career on Sunday night, posting seven tackles and two tackles for loss against the Ravens, including two stuffs on All-Pro RB Derrick Henry in crucial situations.

"I thought he flashed a lot, but more than anything, I thought he was in great command and control of what we were doing and calling the game," Schottenheimer said. "The green dot, that's a young player stepping up, I do think that helps him settle into the game a little bit, being in communication with Christian."

When Barham was on the field Sunday, the Cowboys defense allowed 2.4 fewer yards per play and a 8.3% lower success rate, according to NextGenStats. Barham's five run stops against Baltimore bring his season total up to 13, third-most among rookies this season.

Injury Bug Bites

The Cowboys already came into Sunday night with some key injuries to starters like Tyler Smith (thumb), DeMarvion Overshown (hamstring) and Malik Hooker (forearm). Unfortunately, the injury bug continued to bite, especially on the defensive side of the ball. Some players suffered injuries and were able to return to the game, but S Jalen Thompson (hamstring), CB Shavon Revel (knee) and DT Jonathan Bullard (calf) did not return to the game after their injuries.

"We got beat to hell. I don't have all the injury reports… we got beat up pretty good. Next man up was real tonight." Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer said.

The Cowboys have a short week coming up before facing the Houston Texans on the road next Sunday. Schottenheimer is giving his players Monday and Tuesday off to recover.

Next Men Up

With so many injuries in the secondary, a number of Dallas' depth players at cornerback and safety had to play increased roles. Players like Reddy Steward, Caelen Carson, Markquese Bell, Alijah Clark and Ameer Speed all saw more snaps defensively than they had in the past.

While Dallas' defense was able to get some crucial stops to get back in the game, the big chunk play to Zay Flowers with seven seconds left in the game will ultimately be what is remembered about this game.

"I liked the call," Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer said about his defense's plan on the last play. "I wanted them to stay sticky. But at the end of the day, [the Ravens] ran two ins. It's a play we run quite a bit of. And the bottom line is you've got to make the ball go to the first one, not the layer that they hit to Zay Flowers. So that's where we have to better. But I was good with the call, we've just got to execute in those situations."

Wrong Side of History

When Brandon Aubrey put through a 23-yard field goal with 10 seconds to go in the fourth quarter and a tied ball game, most in Rio de Janeiro thought Cowboys-Ravens was headed for overtime.

Instead, Lamar Jackson, Zay Flowers and Tyler Loop had other plans.

After Flowers' big play to set up Loop's 56-yard field goal as time expired, Sunday's Week 3 matchup between Dallas and Baltimore became the first game in the Super Bowl era where both teams kicked a field goal in the final 10 seconds of the fourth quarter. Unfortunately for the Cowboys, they were the ones who kicked it first.

A Dynamic Duo

Despite having some self-inflicted wounds over the course of the night, the Cowboys saw more of what they were used to from their two star receivers in CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens against the Ravens.

Lamb caught seven passes for 112 yards, his second straight 100+ yard game, and Pickens hauled in seven catches as well for 82 yards.

Is this the most in rhythm the Cowboys passing game has been this season in terms of getting the ball to both of their alpha receivers? "Both made some big catches at times throughout the game, especially that last drive. Yeah, if we're just talking those two games," Cowboys QB Dak Prescott said. "But I mean, we've got a full season of work in our belt with those two guys and knowing what we want to do, so it really depends on what defenses are giving us, how they're playing us, and we're able to attack with both guys."

Special Teams Struggles

On two occasion Sunday night, Cowboys kicker Brandon Aubrey had kickoffs go out of bounds. The first came on Baltimore's third drive of the game offensively, which help prompt their first touchdown drive of the night.

"It happens occasionally. It can't happen twice in a game," Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer said. "We don't expect that from Brandon. You know how talented he is. Like I said, no one coached or played a perfect game. And because of that, we ended up coming up short to a good football team."

Because Aubrey had the two kicks out of bounds, Schottenheimer said that influenced the decision to have Aubrey kick out of the end zone with seven seconds left in the fourth quarter. Ultimately, that would give Baltimore the ball at their own 35-yard line, and after a 27-yard completion to Zay Flowers, set up their game winning field goal.

Field Condition Concerns?

Ahead of the Cowboys' Week 3 game against the Ravens in Rio de Janeiro, concerns have raised on social media in recent days about the playing surface at Maracanã Stadium, where Dallas and Baltimore will meet next Sunday.

Flamengo, Brazil's most valuable football club and a member of Brazilian Serie A, plays their home matches at Maracanã Stadium, including a 2-1 win over Red Bull Bragantino on Sunday. In an earlier match this week, some Flamengo players had voiced their displeasure with the quality of the playing surface.

When asked about it after the game, Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer said Dallas' operations team has been in contact with the league about the field but isn't concerned about it.

The league seems to feel like everything's going to be fine," Schottenheimer said. "And in reality, we were focused on this, but I have no concerns...I'm aware of some of the quotes and stuff, but again, I trust that the league's going to make the right decision and they'll get the field up to standard."

The Ground Game

In order to set up the passing game, you often times need to be able to run the ball. That was not the case for the Cowboys on Sunday, as the Dallas threw for 266 yards and ran for just 66. Running back Javonte Williams was held to 30 yards on 12 carries, good for 2.5 yards per carry.

Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer said the plan going into the game was to throw the ball around the field and spread Washington's defense out, which may be part of the explanation for Dallas' lack of success on the ground.

"I didn't think the numbers would be 66 yards, but like I said, I did want to come out and spread them out and use some of our play action passing game," Schottenheimer said. "Dak did a really nice job running. And then again, we had the long one called back in the fourth quarter. That was a nice run by Javonte [Williams]."

"It's a good front and they're explosive and powerful and they did a nice job. But again, the commitment there from me was Hey, we're going to come out throwing the ball around. And I think it worked pretty well for us."

Injury Roundup

With a "short" week coming up, the Cowboys had a few injuries pile up against the Commanders. S P.J. Locke, who was starting in place of Malik Hooker (forearm), suffered a foot injury early in the game and did not return. He was seen in a walking boot after the game.

Also in the secondary, CB Cobie Durant was stepped on by S Markquese Bell in the end zone after an incomplete pass and missed the remainder of the game with a hamstring injury. Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer said they've "got to get some more tests there" and did not provide a timetable for return on either one of them.

The Cowboys were already without Hooker and LB DeMarvion Overshown (hamstring) on Sunday and could be without them again against the Ravens. Additionally, LB Jaishawn Barham, who wore the green dot in Overshown's absence, suffered a stinger, according to Schottenheimer.

Close, not Close Enough

According to NextGenStats, the Cowboys defense recorded nine pressures when using four pass rushers against the Commanders, up from just two four-man pressures in their season opener against the Giants.

Dallas had 12 total pressures on Commanders QBs, but did not record a sack. Commanders QB Jayden Daniels was able to scramble on six occasions for 69 yards, averaging 11.5 yards per carry, before suffering a devastating elbow injury at the end of the first half. It's a sign of improvement for Dallas' defense, but also a sign of more improvement that needs to be done.

"I know we didn't get any sacks, but [Daniels] and Marcus [Mariota)]were both moved off the spot quite a bit," Schottenheimer said of the Cowboys pass rush. "And so I felt good about that, but there's always things to clean up. We certainly have not arrived. We got a lot of work to do."

A Week's Time

Cowboys defensive coordinator Christian Parker got his first win as a defensive play caller on Sunday, a week removed from Dallas' 28-20 loss where Parker's defense struggled in his debut.

There are still plenty of things to clean up ahead of facing Lamar Jackson, Derrick Henry and the Ravens offense in Week 3. That said, Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer saw his young coordinator and the defense he manages respond the right way after a tough start to the year.

"They didn't blink," Schottenheimer said. "I've been in a tough situation like that before as a young coordinator and not sure and you're taking a lot of bullets. He didn't blink and that's a sign of a competitor that has a very, very bright future."

A Connection Beyond the Field

Cowboys tight end Jake Ferguson caught two touchdown passes from Dak Prescott on his record-setting night, and the two have always had a knack for connecting in big moments especially up the seams in the middle of the field.

That connection extends far beyond the playing field. Ferguson and Prescott are very close off the field. After the game, Ferguson said that Prescott pulled him out of a meeting at training camp after Ferguson's stepfather passed away in order to make sure he was okay. Those kinds of relationships hold a special place in Prescott's heart.

"When he lost his [step]father in camp, I knew where he was," Prescott said. "I've been in that position and just wanting to be there for him and check on him and let him know that whatever you're feeling is okay. You're mad, pissed, whatever. And he handled as good as anybody can, losing a stepfather and being there for his mom and for his family and being a rock. And I just wanted to be a little help if I could."

Trench Work

One of the many things Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer was frustrated with from his team was their play at the line of scrimmage. Offensively, the front five were able to keep Dak Prescott clean, but struggled to generate a push in the run game.

"I thought they pushed us around a little bit up front," Schottenheimer said. "Their defensive line, our running game, there was way too much penetration early in the game. Javonte was running into freaking, a wall in the beginning of the game. We made some good adjustments at halftime, but this is a team game."

At the halfway point of the game, the Cowboys had 50 yards rushing on 14 carries. In the second half, Dallas ran just 4 times for 19 yards.

"They played a great game," Cowboys RB Javonte Williams said of the Giants' front. "We just got to execute better next time we see them. I feel like we could've started a little faster, we could've played better on both sides. It isn't one side's fault or the other side's fault, we've just got to be better."

Cleaning Things Up

In the first half, the Cowboys had seven total penalties called against them. By the end of the night, Dallas had gotten nine flags thrown against them for a total of 90 yards that went to benefit the Giants.

"Penalties kill your ability to win, especially the self-inflicted wounds," Schottenheimer said. "We just offsides a couple times in short yardage situations, which we gave them free downs if you will. That led to sustained drives, it led to them again controlling the football, but it comes down to discipline. And we're more disciplined than the way we played tonight." As Javonte Williams was headed for the end zone to make it a one possession game at the end of the fourth quarter, he was flagged for a taunting penalty when he stuck the ball in the direction of a defender as scored, backing up the extra point 15 yards. Brandon Aubrey would go on to miss the kick, and Schottenheimer said after the game he was planning on going for two before Williams' uncharacteristic penalty.

"I'm a pro, I know better than that," Williams said. "I shouldn't have did it. I'ma correct it. It is what it is, we're just going to move past it."

Missing Darts

In 2025, the Cowboys defense allowed the fifth-highest success rate on quarterback runs (65.2%) and eight touchdowns on quarterback runs, the most in the NFL. In Week 1, Dallas struggled to defend Jaxson Dart's legs.

Dart finished the night as New York's second leading rusher with 54 yards on 11 carries, highlighted by a 22-yard designed run. Dallas' run defending struggles carried over across the board, as the team had a total of seven missed tackles.

Of Dart's 11 carries, NextGenStats credited seven of them as successful, seeing him finish with a 63.6% success rate with the ball in his hands. That was more successful than Cam Skattebo, who had 9 on 18 carries (50%) as he finished with 81 yards.

Injury Roundup

The Cowboys left East Rutherford with two injuries on the defensive side of the ball. Veteran safety Malik Hooker may have fractured his forearm, according to head coach Brian Schottenheimer, and the team will hold more testing on Monday to determine more.

Additionally, Cowboys LB DeMarvion Overshown suffered a hamstring injury. Schottenheimer said they don't yet know the severity of the injury yet. Overshown has missed significant time in his NFL career due to two major knee injuries.

During Friday's practice before the season opener, the Cowboys lost Malik Davis for the season to a serious non-contact hip injury.

"Devasted for him," Schottenheimer said. "Very serious injury. He's an incredible young man, I've talked a lot about it. Non-contact issue, we knew it was pretty significant and pretty serious, and our prayers are with him. I talked to him the other night and the night that it happened, and he was in pretty good spirits, but I know he'd appreciate everybody's thoughts and prayers."

Trying to Heat Up

One of the reasons Giants QB Jaxson Dart was able to throw for 230 yards on a 79.3% completion percentage was because Dallas struggled to get a consistent pass rush in order to make things difficult for the second-year signal caller.

"We did not get enough pressure on him," Schottenheimer said. "He looked pretty comfortable back there. I thought we had some good shots on the ball, but the pass rush does have to be better, for sure."

According to NextGenStats, Dart was pressured 11 times on Sunday night. When rushing with four pass rushers, the Cowboys defense was only able to generate two pressures on Dart, and he completed 17 of his 19 passing attempts for 200 yards and two touchdowns.

Parker's Debut

Evidently, Christian Parker's debut as a defensive coordinator did not go as many imagined. Dallas' defense was one of the worst in franchise history in 2025, and the first impression of the 2026 unit did not offer many improvements against the Giants.

After a difficult start for the 34-year-old first-time defensive play caller, what does Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer tell him?

"Don't flinch," Schottenheimer said. "You can't flinch in this league. You're going to get humbled at times. It happens. He'll learn from it, we'll learn from it, he's going to be hardest on himself anyways, he and the defensive staff. At the end of the day, when you look at the numbers, they were four-for-four in the red zone, they were nine of 11 with a kneel down on third down, it's just not good enough. And so you gotta figure out why, and you got to do it in a hurry."