Late-game blunders and a goal-line collapse in Brazil haunt Dallas as Lamar Jackson remains perfect against the NFC, leaving the Cowboys reeling from a missed global opportunity.
The Dallas Cowboys came thiiiiissss close to also being South America’s Team. But in a Brazil barn-burner, they whiffed on a gift-wrapped opportunity to win late and instead were stunned by the Baltimore Ravens’ walk-off field goal in Rio de Janeiro.
Final Sunday score, Ravens 34, Cowboys 31.
My Top 10 "Whitt's End'' Takes ...
10. QUOTH THE RAVEN – Nevermore. Or, at least, almost never. The Cowboys are now 1-7 all-time against Baltimore, winning only in 2016 in Dak Prescott’s rookie season. The Ravens shut down Texas Stadium with a win, and now beat the ’Boys in Brazil.
9. SCINTILLATING OVER SUCCESSFUL – The playing surface at Rio de Janeiro’s Maracanã Stadium wasn’t an issue and the entertaining game featured four lead changes, 13 points in the final 90 seconds and – fittingly in a soccer stadium – a long kick for the winning score.
Cowboys fans are nauseated by the result, but the NFL is surely happy about putting on a good show in South America.
8. GOOD, BUT NOT GOOD ENOUGH – Hard to believe the Cowboys’ defense – thank you, Jaishawn Barham - twice stuffed Ravens’ bulldozer Derrick Henry on short-yardage carries and still walked off the field allowing 415 yards and 34 points in a loss.
7. SPORTSMANLIKE CONDUCT – In Week 1 running back Javonte Williams got one of the dumbest taunting penalties in the history of football when he slowed down and held the ball out at defender while crossing the goal line in a game the Cowboys trailed in the fourth quarter. He vowed to be better, and sure enough Sunday he walked the walk.
After scoring on a short run to put Dallas up 10-0, Williams casually flipped the ball to the official and exchanged formal handshakes with his offensive linemen. Bravo!
6. ACTION JACKSON – The Cowboys held Lamar Jackson to only 50 yards rushing and under 200 yards passing and … still couldn’t beat the Ravens’ two-time MVP.
Lamar improves to 3-0 against Dallas, and 26-4 all-time against the NFC.
5. MISSED OPPORTUNITIES – Feels like the Cowboys lost a game they should have won like five times. Here’s three of ‘em: They had a 10-0 lead. They led 28-24 and had the ball with 7:30 remaining. And, of course, they had 1st-and-goal at Baltimore’s 2-yard line trailing by only three with 28 seconds remaining.
Dallas just isn’t good enough to turn wins into losses. This one’s going to haunt them.
4. DFW DOWNER – On a day in which the Texas Rangers were eliminated from the playoffs, the Cowboys were exasperated in Rio.
3. TRAGIC SEQUENCE – Cowboys were seemingly driving to take the lead late in the third quarter – twice – only to fall into a 24-13 hole after a series of unfortunate events. First Jake Ferguson was ruled to have fumbled at Baltimore’s 23 after taking a forward lateral from Prescott, though replays clearly showed him never securing full possession. On the next drive George Pickens caught a pass at Baltimore’s 21 that was negated by a Terence Steele holding penalty. When Brandon Aubrey’s 59-yard field goal was blocked, all those positive plays went for naught.
2. CRAPPY COACHING – No way around it, the Cowboys’ Brian Schottenheimer just isn’t a savvy, polished situational head coach.
If you’re going to settle for a field goal to tie the game, you kick with no time remaining for the opposition. Not seven seconds - zero seconds.
If there are seven seconds left, your ensuing kickoff shouldn't go into the end zone. It should land in the field of play, where seconds can tick away.
And then, considering the leg strength of kickers in today’s NFL, you don’t drop your secondary so deep it looked like they were protecting a touchdown.
Allowing Jackson the time to throw a 27-yard rope to Zay Flowers to set up Tyler Loop’s game-winning 56-yard field goal is just bad, inexcusable situational football.
So yes, in a very real way, Brian Schottenheimer cost his team this game.
1. RETURN TO SENDER – The Cowboys got a rare gift from the officials when CeeDee Lamb obviously hooked Ravens’ cornerback Nate Wiggins but somehow earned a defensive pass interference penalty.
But because they didn’t take advantage of it, they’re headed home depressed and 1-2 on the long, 10-hour flight. Presented with 1st- and-goal at the 2-yard line with a chance to score a touchdown and win the game, good teams punch it in.
Mediocre teams like the Cowboys throw two incompletions, mix in a false-start penalty, and settle for only a game-tying field goal.
