Cowboys are on edge after consecutive home losses with slow starts, big deficits

Published Sep. 23, 2024 5:49 p.m. ET

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FRISCO, Texas (AP) — Star quarterback Dak Prescott said the Dallas Cowboys have to be more professional and focused.

Cornerback Jourdan Lewis sprinkled in a few expletives while trying to explain his belief that the team was falling woefully short with attention to detail.

A third consecutive home loss with a three-touchdown deficit has the defending NFC East champions on edge as they face a short week before their first division game at the New York Giants on Thursday night.

“We’re not detailed in our work,” Lewis said Monday, a day after a 28-25 loss to Baltimore that was close only because of the Cowboys' 19-0 edge in the fourth quarter. “You can take advantage of details. That’s how you win in this league. Everybody’s good in this league. It’s the details that make you different."

The Cowboys (1-2) gave up 274 yards rushing to Baltimore, the most since one of the worst defenses in franchise history allowed two games of at least 294 yards on the ground in 2020.

The Ravens marched easily to touchdowns on their first two drives a week after the Saints reached the end zone the first six times they had the ball in New Orleans' 44-19 victory.

The Dallas offense actually did a decent job trying to keep up with New Orleans early. The Cowboys just settled for too many field goals.

Before the late rally fueled by a rare onside kick recovery against the Ravens, Prescott and company weren't nearly as efficient.

All-Pro receiver CeeDee Lamb, who wasn't available to reporters after the game or when the locker room was open Monday, had a fumble and one of three false starts for an offense that also had three holding penalties.

For now, the Cowboys can make the argument that it's still early for a club that has run off three consecutive 12-win regular seasons under coach Mike McCarthy, who is in the final year of his contract.

Things will change dramatically if Prescott's personal 12-game winning streak against the Giants (1-2) ends.

If there is a hint of trouble on the horizon, it would be in both Prescott and Lewis alluding to players not spending enough time away from practice getting ready for games.

“It's a job, and being prepared for every part of the job, however it may come,” Prescott said. “Time away from the building to being in the building. Just being a pro and understanding that you can get so many practice reps. But, you can watch the film, you can do all these other things that'll help make up for it. We just have to be more focused.”

What's working

While Lamb is off to a less-than-stellar start after missing all of training camp in a contract holdout, Prescott is gaining familiarity with other options. Jalen Tolbert and KaVontae Turpin had a late touchdown catch apiece during the rally. Tolbert was just a week removed from career highs in catches and yards.

What needs help

The Cowboys haven't stopped the run and have allowed five passing plays of at least 30 yards in their consecutive home losses. As a result, the Saints and Ravens combined for just 31 pass attempts. That's the fewest in a two-game stretch against the Cowboys since 1990.

Derek Carr and Lamar Jackson combined to go 23 of 31 for 425 yards — or 18-plus yards per completion. Dallas, which has just one sack total the past two games, has allowed 484 yards rushing at nearly 6 yards per carry.

Stock up

Kicker Brandon Aubrey's stock can't go much higher. He made a 65-yarder against the Ravens, 1 yard shy of the NFL record. He is 15 of 15 for his career from at least 50 yards, the most without a miss from that distance in league history. Aubrey is 46 of 48 overall in his two seasons.

Stock down

The sample size is growing on an almost nonexistent running game. The Cowboys came out of the weekend 29th in yards per carry at 3.56 after watching Derrick Henry rush for 151 yards and two touchdowns against them. Henry was a free agent this past offseason, but owner/general manager Jerry Jones said after the game Dallas couldn't afford him.

The Cowboys could afford Ezekiel Elliott, but the return of their two-time rushing champion hasn't helped. He had career lows of three carries for 6 yards against the Ravens, and that includes a lone season in New England when Elliott was underutilized in 2023. Elliott didn't get his first touch until after Rico Dowdle and Deuce Vaughn in Dallas' approach of running back by committee.

Injuries

TE Jake Ferguson came out OK in his return after missing one game with a knee injury. ... S Markquese Bell injured an ankle against Baltimore and didn't return.

Key number

0:00 — Amount of time Dallas has led in the past three home games. That includes the 48-32 wild-card playoff loss to Green Bay that ended last season and stopped a 16-game winning streak at AT&T Stadium.

Next steps

Four of the next five games are on the road for the Cowboys over a six-week stretch that includes the bye. The Cowboys have won 13 of their past 14 against the Giants. The loss was at New York to finish the 2020 season, McCarthy's first in Dallas.

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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL

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CeeDee Lamb

Jourdan Lewis

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New York Giants

Dallas Cowboys