ARLINGTON, Texas — The Dallas Cowboys' home opener ended in a disappointing 44-19 defeat against the New Orleans Saints, leaving fans to wonder what went wrong. The defensive unit faltered early, allowing the Saints to score on their first six drives, setting a discouraging tone for the evening.
CeeDee Lamb provided a glimmer of hope with a spectacular 65-yard touchdown catch that narrowed the deficit to 21-13. However, the excitement was short-lived as Jalen Brooks slipped on a slant route, leading to Dak Prescott's first of two interceptions. By halftime, the Saints had already pulled ahead, extending their lead to 35-16 with two additional touchdowns.
Struggles on Both Sides of the Ball
Offensively, the Cowboys managed to convert six of their 13 third-down attempts. Unfortunately, they failed to capitalize on three critical red-zone opportunities. Dallas averaged just 85 rushing yards per game through the first two weeks, a glaring issue that compounded their problems. Despite Ezekiel Elliott, Rico Dowdle, and Deuce Vaughn's efforts, they couldn't fill the void left by the injured Tony Pollard.
The quarterback-receiver dynamic between Prescott and Lamb remains inconsistent. While they connected on nine of Lamb's 17 targets for a total of 151 yards and a touchdown, the chemistry is clearly still a work in progress. Prescott himself had a passer rating of 81.4 through the two games, a concerning metric for a franchise quarterback.
Seeking Solutions
"It was hard to say that we were pressing," Prescott remarked. "You're trying to play complementary football, and if your defense is struggling to stop a group, you want to do your part and score. We weren't able to score touchdowns, but were able to move the ball. I can't say that we were pressing necessarily."
Prescott acknowledged his shortcomings in the red zone: "I just didn't convert in the red zone. They didn't throw anything we weren't ready for. It’s on me."
Communication appears to be another area where the team needs improvement. "Simply just trying to communicate. Maybe those misses, maybe what he saw, what he thought versus what I did and then, honestly, just finding a solution. We have to have those communications to substitute for the time missed," Prescott added.
High Expectations, Yet Unmet
Prescott's expectations for himself remain lofty. "My expectations are crazy high. I’m seeing it well, putting the ball where I want to. That one interception is going to get at me. Outside of that, there may be a few throws that I want to get back," he reflected.
He also emphasized the importance of executing their roles impeccably: "I don't want to say you have to be perfect, but everybody's got to do their job and trust their job. Part of it for me is going back to using my feet more, whether it's scrambling, extending the plays to look to throw the ball down the field or maybe just going and getting a couple yards and getting down."
Season's Outlook
Dallas' inability to generate explosive plays has hampered their performance. Last season, the Cowboys had 76 plays of 20 or more yards, but this year, they have managed only four. This stark contrast marks a significant area for the team to address as they prepare for their next game against the Baltimore Ravens.
The Cowboys have a golden opportunity to recalibrate and develop a more cohesive game plan moving forward. As they look to make necessary adjustments, both defensively and offensively, the lessons from this humbling defeat will be critical to their success in the weeks ahead. The fans and the team alike hope that these early struggles will give way to a more synchronized and effective brand of football.