The Dallas Cowboys and Baltimore Ravens just played the game of the season in the NFL, with Baltimore escaping with a 34-31 win.
Thanks to some questionable play-calling and poor late-game awareness from Brian Schottenheimer, the Ravens somehow kicked a walk-off field goal despite getting the ball back with just six seconds remaining after Dallas had tied the game.
It's a game that proves that Dallas can hang with the big boys of the league. They can play with anyone, but until they actually defeat one of football's marquee teams, that will only mean so much. This can be a really fun team come November, but you're equally justified in calling them the same 'ol Cowboys until they actually get over the hump against a Super Bowl contender.
Let's get into some instant reactions from a deflating loss in Rio de Janeiro.
7 instant reactions from the Cowboys' Week 3 loss to the Ravens
Brian Schottenheimer awful red zone play-calling
Baltimore had zero answer for Javonte Williams on Dallas' opening drive. Schottenheimer called Williams' number on four straight plays, and he bulldozed the Cowboys right to the doorstep of a touchdown. Then, Schottenheimer inexplicably went away from what was working.
On 2nd-and-goal, he dialed up a play-action pass that was doomed from the start. Ryan Flournoy couldn't fight through traffic, and Prescott's pass fell incomplete. On third-and-goal, Schotty called another pass out of the shotgun. No dice.
Just like that, Williams went from carrying the Cowboys down the field to being an afterthought with six points there for the taking. Given how effortlessly Dallas moved the ball, settling for a field goal felt like a turnover.
Speaking of kicking ...
Too many errant kickoffs from Brandon Aubrey
Brandon Aubrey has earned more than the benefit of the doubt, but four errant kickoffs in as many games, including two on Sunday, is officially a trend worth monitoring. Each mistake gives the opponent an automatic start at the 40-yard line, which is far too much free field position to concede.
It's especially frustrating because the Cowboys' special teams coverage has improved. Nobody can block Brevyn Spann-Ford as a gunner right now, and he delivered another seismic hit on the opening kickoff Sunday. Dallas has consistently made opponents earn their field position when Aubrey gives the coverage unit a chance to do its job.
Nobody should be sounding alarms about Aubrey, but these mistakes can swing field position in a close game. For a kicker who's set the kicking bar incredibly high, cleaning up something this fundamental shouldn't be too much to ask.
Aubrey's wonky kickoffs may have played a factor in Schottenheimer's inexcusable decision to kick the ball through the end zone at the end of the fourth quarter.
Killer Javonte Williams fumble
Williams had been the Cowboys' best player in the first half before a costly mistake on fourth-and-1 near midfield. Dak Prescott audibled at the line of scrimmage, and it was the right call. Williams had plenty of room to bounce the run outside and pick up an easy first down.
Instead, he cut inside and lost control of the ball before he was even hit. Williams recovered his own fumble, but the damage was done. Dallas turned it over on downs in a 14-10 game. Baltimore took over and eventually settled for a field goal, but the Ravens never should have been gifted that possession in the first place and this was a game the Cowboys lost by three points.
Safety room is officially in an injury crisis
Already down Malik Hooker (forearm) and P.J. Locke (foot), the Cowboys lost Jalen Thompson to a hamstring injury in the second quarter. He was ruled out coming out of halftime, with CBS sideline reporter Tracy Wolfson reporting that it was a "struggle" for him to get to the locker room.
This is officially a crisis.
Alijah Clark and Markquese Bell started at safety in the third quarter. Both are on the roster primarily for their contributions on special teams, not their defensive prowess.
Sure enough, Bell's massive pass interference penalty in the second quarter helped swing the momentum of the game. He committed another costly DPI on the Ravens' go-ahead touchdown drive late in the fourth quarter.
Caleb Downs is more than capable of playing safety, but he's worked exclusively in the nickel as Christian Parker understandably wants him closer to the line of scrimmage. That might have to change. Clark played decently after tagging in, but Bell has been an issue.
Terence Steele ... count your days
I normally push back on the "Terence Steele shouldn't be on the team" crowd. Wherever you stand on the veteran right tackle, though, he did himself zero favors on Sunday.
With Dallas driving to cut into a 17-13 deficit in the third quarter, Steele was flagged for holding, wiping out a first-down completion to George Pickens. Dallas ultimately failed to convert on third-and-19, forcing Brandon Aubrey to attempt a 59-yard field goal.
That's when Steele compounded his mistake. He and Drew Shelton failed to account for Keondre Jackson, who came through virtually untouched to block Aubrey's kick. In the span of one possession, Steele helped erase Dallas' biggest pass play of the game and then played a role in taking three points off the board.
The Cowboys traded for Broderick Jones to compete with Steele on the right side. Jones is working himself back into football shape after missing several months with a neck injury, but calls for him to take Steele's job are surely coming.
Clutch fourth-down stops
On fourth-and-goal from the one-yard line, 90 percent of Cowboys fans probably expected Derrick Henry to walk into the end zone without much resistance.
Instead, Jaishawn Barham shot through the gap to stonewall Henry behind the line of scrimmage. Credit to Donovan Ezeiruaku for winning his matchup as well and helping Barham finish off Henry. Trailing by three at the time, this was a massive moment for the defense, and they stepped up.
Earlier in the game, Caleb Downs and Quinnen Williams teamed up to stymie Henry on fourth-and-1. It wasn't nearly as consequential, as it came on Baltimore's fourth possession of the game, but stuffing Henry in short yardage once is difficult enough.
Doing it twice is a good sign for this defense.
Dallas may have a Brian Schottenheimer problem
Say what you will about Schottenheimer's offense putting up 31 points. That should be the expectation with an offense headlined by Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb, and George Pickens.
Despite this, the Cowboys played it safe on 3rd-and-goal with a chance to win the game late. He played for overtime as Dak Prescott threw a pass two feet over George Pickens' head. Brandon Aubrey converted the short field goal and Schottenheimer seemingly assumed the Ravens were going to sit on the ball.
That's the only explanation for having Aubrey kick the ball through the end zone. The call should have been to kick the ball in play to take time off the clock. A squib kick. A short blooper. Anything.
Those seconds proved crucial as Baltimore completed a long pass on first down, setting up Tyler Loop's game-winning 56-yard FG as time expired.
The Cowboys may have a Brian Schottenheimer problem, folks. At the bare minimum, that game should have gone to overtime. Instead, Dallas lost it in regulation because of questionable play-calling and awful clock management with the game in the balance.
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