The Dallas Cowboys almost mounted the comeback of the year but ultimately fell short on Sunday to the Baltimore Ravens 28-25.
Even so, after 3.5 quarters of frustrating football, capped off by another defense failure, there is a lot to work on going forward.
We outline five things Dallas needs to do if it is going to be successful.
5 Things Cowboys Have To Change To Be Succesful
Have To Stop the Run
The Cowboys’ run defense is simply atrocious. On Sunday, Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry took anything they wanted. Sadly, that appears to be a common theme as they prove inept at stopping the bleeding on the ground.
Henry finished the afternoon with 151 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 6.0 yards per carry, while Jackson added 87 yards and one touchdown of his own.
It’s been a common theme for the Cowboys over the last three weeks: They have given up 185.7 rushing yards per game so far, and have looked downright inept at times while attempting to stop it.
If they are going to win games again, never mind contend to make the playoffs, they’ll have to tighten up their run defense and do so fast.
Need Consistency on Offense
The Cowboys fought back late in the game with three consecutive touchdowns to cut the deficit to three, but ultimately it was their lack of production for the other 3.5 quarters that was their demise.
Prescott and Co. struggled for much of the game to sustain drives, have become comfortable settling for field goals, and have outright lacked the explosiveness needed to be considered a top-tier offensive attack like they once were.
Additionally, Dallas only managed to rush for 51 yards, further showing that their attempt to go cheap at the position is costing them productivity on the field.
From costly penalties to untimely turnovers, Dallas has struggled to get out of its own way on Sunday. If this team is going to be taken seriously at any point in 2024, it will have to find a sustained rhythm with this unit.
Defense Needs To Find Comfort in Mike Zimmer’s Scheme
It was obvious that there would be growing pains when the Cowboys went from Dan Quinn to Mike Zimmer as their defensive coordinator. However, no one could have predicted that they would be downright woeful in that adjustment period.
A week ago, the Cowboys allowed six consecutive touchdown drives to start the game against the Saints, and against the Ravens, the first two drives followed the same pattern.
It’s obvious there is a disconnect between the end game and how to achieve it in their new scheme, but if it doesn’t get fixed soon, Dallas will continue to struggle mightily.
Whether it’s too complex or they don’t have the players to make it work, something is going to have to settle in for the Cowboys’ defense or they will continue to be run out of the building every week.
Someone Needs To Step Up and Help Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb
For years, other fanbases and some in the national media would lead you to believe the Cowboys are loaded with talent across the board on offense. However, those paying attention have seen for quite some time that it is Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb and then everybody else.
Brandin Cooks has struggled to make an impact, only mustering eight receptions for 75 yards through three games.
Their running game is averaging a measly 73.7 yards per game on the ground through the first three weeks, and they have had to get going offensively, as illustrated by their late-game push against the Ravens, where they scored 19 unanswered points to make it a game.
Outside of Jake Ferguson, who has battled a knee injury he suffered in Week 1 against the Cleveland Browns, Dallas simply does not have the horses on offense to be a true contender right now.
Hero ball, depending on Prescott and Lamb making something happen, can only get you so far, and as the Cowboy’s struggles continue, one could wonder where it will come from going forward.
Reset and Refocus
Despite all the negativity that has centered the Cowboys, and the more that is inevitably about to come, Dallas still has its entire season ahead of it to get things right. What the Boys’ ceiling is remains a mystery, but the nucleus of this team has won 36 games in the last three years, and they have a chance to be a good football team again with a fresh reset.
Dallas has a quick turnaround to play the New York Giants on Thursday night, but after that will be a mini-bye week to look forward to. Find a way to beat the Giants on Thursday, then use the few days off they have to reset and get ready to make a real run for the last three-quarters of the season.