The Dallas Cowboys and the Baltimore Ravens both came into this game needing a win. The first half may show what the Cowboys are as a football team.
The Cowboys were embarrassed by New Orleans a week earlier, and the Ravens are 0-2. Both teams need to prove doubters wrong, and this game will prove whether these teams belong among the elite.
The NFC East is proving to be a little tougher than expected, and the Cowboys need to keep pace with the other teams in the conference.
The First Quarter
The first quarter started with the Cowboys receiving the football on the opening kickoff. Juanyeh Thomas made an excellent return, which was negated by what are becoming unsurprising penalties.
The following seven plays were an assortment of dink and dunk plays that amounted to nothing for the Cowboys. The longest play of the first drive was a seven-yard pass completion to Brandin Cooks.
Lamar Jackson and the Ravens took over after a 56-yard punt by Bryan Anger.
The Ravens would march downfield from their 29-yard line, doing whatever they wanted to the Cowboy’s defense.
The Cowboys defense gave up 41 rushing yards and a 30-yard pass, which culminated in a Lamar Jackson rushing touchdown.
The Cowboys’ offense took back over after the kickoff, and the mediocrity continued on the second drive.
A five-yard Rico Dowdle rush, a four-yard Dowdle rush, a 17-yard pass to Hunter Leupke, a one-yard run by Deuce Vaughn, and Dak Prescott getting sacked for a three-yard loss.
The only bright spot of the drive was a 65-yard field goal by Brandon Aubrey.
The Ravens offense took back over and made the Cowboys defense look like a high-school team.
The Ravens marched down the field, getting nearly five yards per rush and a blown play by the defense. The defense gave up a 56-yard passing play to Nelson Agholor.
The drive ended with a one-yard rushing touchdown by Derrick Henry.
The next offensive possession by Dak Prescott and the Cowboys looked like the offense would finally move the ball downfield.
Dak Prescott passed the ball well, and the highlight was a 24-yard completion by Jake Ferguson. An 18-yard completion to CeeDee Lamb followed this play.
That would end the first quarter.
The Second Quarter
At the beginning of the second quarter, the Cowboys offense still had possession of the football. They started the second quarter in Baltimore territory.
The next play was a pass to CeeDee Lamb at the nine-yard line. CeeDee Lamb fumbled the football as he was being tackled. The Ravens would recover the ball.
This Ravens offensive series ended with the Cowboys defense actually making a stop. Rookie linebacker Marist Liufau made a great tackle on Zay Flowers in this series.
The offense would take over after the Baltimore Ravens punt.
The Cowboys took over at their seven-yard line. The series ended horribly, with Dak Prescott nearly giving up the safety if it was not for the illegal forward pass caught by left guard Tyler Smith.
Baltimore took over at their 47-yard line, but the Dallas Defense held its ground on this series and forced a three-and-out.
The Cowboys offense took over after the punt at their 13-yard line.
The longest play of this offensive series for the Dallas Cowboys would be a Dak Prescott pass to KaVontae Turpin for a 13-yard gain. This would be the only play that mattered, as the Cowboys would end the series with a 56-yard punt.
The Ravens offense took back over at their 12-yard line. Derrick Henry rushed up the middle for 12 yards. Then he had a 13-yard run to the left side.
This would be followed up with a Justice Hill reception for 13 yards. The next play would see Derrick Henry continue dicing the defense, this time for 23 yards.
The defense line of the Dallas Cowboys looked exhausted at this point, and Lamar Jackson would make short completions, moving the ball closer to the end zone.
The half ended with a pass from Lamar Jackson to Rashad Bateman for a 13-yard reception and touchdown.
The Cowboys would end the first half on a Brandon Aubrey 37-yard field goal.
The Cowboys will have to come out in the second half playing better football. This game will come down to if the Dallas Cowboys want to win.
The offense and defense are struggling, and there are no answers. The Cleveland Browns game may have been a fluke, and we are seeing what the Cowboys are: a team with talent but no fight.