ARLINGTON, Texas — The Dallas Cowboys' home opener ended in a disappointing 44-19 defeat against the New Orleans Saints, highlighting issues on both sides of the ball. The Cowboys' defense struggled immensely, allowing the Saints to score on their first six drives, putting significant pressure on the Cowboys' offense to keep pace.
"It was hard to say that we were pressing. 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," reflected Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott. "We weren't able to score touchdowns, but were able to move the ball. I can't say that we were pressing necessarily."
Highlight of the game for the Cowboys was CeeDee Lamb's spectacular 65-yard touchdown catch, which narrowed the deficit to 21-13. Lamb's chemistry with Prescott, however, remains a work in progress. Despite connecting on nine of Lamb's 17 targets for 151 yards and a touchdown, the pair missed on several crucial opportunities. Prescott himself acknowledged the need for better communication, saying, "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."
Costly Mistakes and Missed Opportunities
Adding to the Cowboys' woes were critical mistakes and missed opportunities. Jalen Brooks slipped on a slant route, leading to Prescott's first of two interceptions. The Saints capitalized, scoring two more touchdowns before halftime, heading to the locker room with a 35-16 lead.
Red-zone inefficiency also plagued the Cowboys. They failed to convert three red-zone opportunities into touchdowns, an area Prescott took personal responsibility for. "I just didn't convert in the red zone. They didn't throw anything we weren’t ready for. It’s on me," he admitted.
In the ground game, the Cowboys are still struggling to compensate for the injury absence of Tony Pollard. Ezekiel Elliott, Rico Dowdle, and Deuce Vaughn collectively failed to make a significant impact, with the team averaging just 85 rushing yards per game through two weeks. The lack of a consistent run game has hindered the Cowboys' offensive rhythm.
Defense Under Siege
The Cowboys' defense could not contain an explosive Saints offense, allowing them to convert five out of eight third-down attempts. This stands in stark contrast to the Cowboys' own third-down conversion rate, successful on six of their 13 attempts, illustrating their struggles to sustain drives.
Looking at the overall performance, the Cowboys' defense has quickly become a point of concern. Allowing the Saints to score on their first six drives created a deficit too deep for the offense to recover from. The defense’s inability to stop the Saints early set a tone that proved insurmountable.
A Need for Perfect Execution
Despite putting up 151 yards and a touchdown with a passer rating of 81.4 through two games, Prescott remains his own harshest critic. "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 remarked.
Prescott emphasized the importance of every player executing their role flawlessly and hinted at his own need to adapt, using his mobility as a resource. "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," he commented.
Looking Ahead
The Dallas Cowboys will next face the Baltimore Ravens, a formidable opponent that will certainly challenge both their offensive and defensive units. With the season still young, the Cowboys have plenty of opportunities to correct course, but the need for swift improvement is evident if they are to contend in the highly competitive NFC.
Reflecting on the game and the work still needed, the sentiment remains focused on improvement and better execution. The potential is apparent, but turning that potential into consistent performance will be the key challenge moving forward.