The rollercoaster ride that is the Dallas Cowboys' 2025 season hit a low point on Sunday, as America's Team suffered its biggest defeat of the year with a 44-24 loss to the Denver Broncos.
There were undoubtedly plenty of things for Dallas fans to be frustrated with during this defeat, which is the Cowboys' fourth of the season but only the second of the double-digit variety. One particular thing many pointed out during the game was the offense seemingly failing to take advantage of the second-half absence of Denver cornerback and reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year Patrick Surtain II, who suffered a shoulder injury late in the first half and failed to join his teammates on the field following halftime.
Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer said afterward that he did indeed attempt to exploit Surtain's absence by targeting the side of the field where he would typically be, but it certainly didn't feel that way as things were playing out live. And in his own postgame presser, CeeDee Lamb didn't seem to feel Dallas did a good enough job of attacking a weakened Denver defense.
"We didn't take advantage," Lamb said. "Just got to be aggressive in those situations. Surtain's a great player… I feel like we [should've] taken advantage of those opportunities."
Cowboys failed to take advantage of Patrick Surtain's injury vs. Broncos
When asked if the Cowboys' offense should've attacked a bit more than it did with the two-time All-Pro sidelined, George Pickens shared the same sentiment. "Yea, definitely," Pickens said. "And then counterparts too, we can only work off the defense and the defense can only work off us. So I feel like, like I said, execution on both sides would help us prevail through this game."
Truth be told, though, even if the Cowboys' offense had been a bit more aggressive in Surtain's absence, it really wouldn't have mattered, as the Dallas defense once again looked downright dreadful.
The 44 points given up by Matt Eberflus' unit were the most allowed to any opponent thus far this season. And the 426 total yards of offense allowed were the third-most of the year but the most allowed since the Cowboys surrendered 489 to the Green Bay Packers in that wild 40-40 tie back in Week 4.
So, again, even if Dak Prescott, who had his worst game of the season to date in earning a season-low 51.5 passer rating after completing a season-worst 61.5 percent of his throws for just 188 yards with zero touchdowns and a pair of interceptions, had made different decisions with his passes, it really wouldn't have mattered on a day where his defense made only one meaningful stop, which came on the opening possession of the game.
It does, however, provide a valuable lesson for Schottenheimer in the event that an opposing team loses a crucial piece of its secondary.