Well, that was about as bad of a football game as a team could have played. In their home opener, with much optimism following a dominating Week 1 win, the Dallas Cowboys were absolutely dismantled by the New Orleans Saints 44-19.
Anything that could go wrong did go wrong on Sunday, and as a result, the Cowboys will fall to 1-1 on the season with a good Baltimore Ravens coming into town in Week 3 with a real chance to fall below .500 on the season.
Cowboys’ Defense Gets Humiliated
Even if the Cowboys’ offense looked marginally competent at times, it never mattered, as that’s how bad their defense was on Sunday. The defense allowed the Saints to score five consecutive touchdowns in the first half. It took until the middle of the fourth quarter for the unit to make a stop.
Spearheaded by Alvin Kamara’s four touchdowns and 115 rushing yards, the Saints had their way all afternoon long.
TD Hat Trick in the first half for the one and only, Alvin Kamara
📺 FOX pic.twitter.com/I9HiBCrQnK
— New Orleans Saints (@Saints) September 15, 2024
Followed by Derek Carr’s dominant performance where he threw for 243 passing yards on only 11 completions—a feat that’s only happened six times in the last century.
It didn’t matter what New Orleans did. Dallas couldn’t stop them, making this game truly hard to analyze if you are on the Cowboys. There is nothing positive to take from it, and they may be best served by watching it once and then burning the tape for good.
While much thought went into whether the addition of defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer would be a difference maker, the Cowboys’ defense, which struggled at the end of 2023, looked like much of the same.
Dallas Lacks Offensive Weapons Beyond CeeDee Lamb
Tight end Jake Ferguson missed the game with a knee injury, and his presence was sorely missed as Dallas’ offense struggled to find consistent offensive production outside of CeeDee Lamb.
Much of the anger for the fanbase this offseason was centered around the lack of additions in free agency, and after Week 2 it’s hard not to feel like its a valid thought.
Prescott finished with two interceptions and one fumble on the day, with one interception due to Jalen Brooks slipping at the top of his route. Dallas just doesn’t have enough reliable options on offense right now, and forcing Prescott and Lamb to do it all may not be enough.
Can’t Beat ‘Front-Runner’ Charges
What was evident in 2023 regarding the Cowboys and their style of play has continued to ring true this season. If you are able to get out in front of the Cowboys and force their backs against the wall, they can’t seem to find a way to claw themselves out.
Such was the case on Sunday, as the Saints went up seven points following the opening drive, and Dallas was never able to tie or gain a lead from there on out.
When they are able to jump teams and play aggressively with a lead, they look like one of the best teams in the NFL. However, when the opposite happens, no team in the league appears to shrink smaller than Dallas.
Run Defense Still An Issue
With three touchdowns on the ground and another via a reception, Alvin Kamara had a career day on Sunday against this Cowboys defense. While Kamara was able to have his way all afternoon, it became abundantly clear that the Cowboys’ defense still struggles mightily to stop the run.
With a first-round pick used on Mazi Smith last season and the addition of Jordan Phillips and Lenval Joseph this offseason, Dallas identified the issue but still may not have done enough to rectify it.
Next up are Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry as the Ravens come to town. Good luck.
They’re On Fraud Alert Now
Many felt Week 1 was a glimpse of a Cowboys team that looked real. However, those feelings are no longer following this embarrassing showing, and instead Dallas is officially on fraud alert going forward.
Yes, they will beat bad teams, and yes, they will protect a lead as well as anyone, but who right now has confidence they are nothing more than an okay team at this point?
Much of this offseason for the fans has been about ‘show me, don’t tell me’, and after this one, that sentiment is as strong as ever.