The Dallas Cowboys dropped to 1-2 on the season after another home loss, this time to the Baltimore Ravens 28-25.
This game felt over before it even started, but Dallas showed some fight late, but it was just a little to late.
Slow Start
We all should know by now that this team is built to play with the lead, it has been that way for a few years now. Yet, the offense failed to do anything with the football after taking the open kickoff.
Once again, the defense got shredded. They got gashed on the first two possessions, putting them behind early 14-3.
The only points of the first half came from Brandon Aubrey. The only decent drive they had ended inside the 10-yard line when CeeDee Lamb fumbled the football.
CEEDEE LAMB FUMBLES. RAVENS BALL.pic.twitter.com/oJYOf2jOv8 https://t.co/IVfBr2XvIm
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) September 22, 2024
No surprise, right? The best player on the team finds a way to do such a Cowboys thing and end any quick hope of Dallas having a chance to keep the same close.
Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry did whatever they wanted to. They closed the first half with another touchdown to extend their lead to 21-6 at half.
4th Quarter Fight
When the second half started, the Cowboys trailed by 15, the Ravens marched right down the field and made it 28-6. That was all she wrote, until it got fascinating.
The second half felt like it took 10 years to finish. The Cowboys’ offense finally found the end zone in the middle of the 4th quater.
They started to attack the middle of the field. Not sure why it took them that long to do so.
They now have two offensive touchdowns in the first two home games this season.
With the new kick-off rule, the Cowboys decided to take a chance and kick an onside, and they recovered it, but that was where the hope would end. Dallas did score another touchdown after Dak Prescott found Jalen Tolbert to cut it to a 10 point game, 28-18.
The @dallascowboys recover the onside kick!
📺: #BALvsDAL on FOX
📱: https://t.co/waVpO8ZBqG pic.twitter.com/zagr3wxakA— NFL (@NFL) September 22, 2024
After the defense got a stop, Prescott connected with Turpin for a touchdown to make it a three-point game with little over 2 minutes left in the game.
Dak. Turpin. TOUCHDOWN.
Cowboys ain't done!
📺: #BALvsDAL on FOX
📱: https://t.co/waVpO8ZBqG pic.twitter.com/bNVGVcaFHX— NFL (@NFL) September 22, 2024
When the defense needed the stop the most, they just couldn’t get it.
People can say what they want, but things like this go hand in hand. It starts with the defense not even giving the offense a chance to stay in the football game from the get go.
It turned into a really fun game, but this team still has so many problems.
That side of the ball is supposed to be the strength coming into the season, and maybe we all jumped the gun after week one.
This is giving me Mike Nolan from 2020 vibes.
The offense lost Tony Pollard from a year ago, and ran it back with pretty much the same guys. Mike McCarthy’s offensive game plan is so bad to start the year, it is crazy.
What Is Next?
My thoughts about the game are still about the same. I did like the fight that this team showed in the 4th quarter. I just wish this would have come sooner.
They had a chance to get a stop and the ball back.
When a game like this happens, how do you feel? Happy about the fight, they showed being down 28-3 and making it a three-point game with a decent amount of time left, or still upset it was such a bad game for three quaters.
Now they take on the Giants on Thursday with a chance to get back to .500. They should win that game, but you feel like if CeeDee Lamb did not fumble that ball in the first quater, this game could have been different.