Yes, the Dallas Cowboys allowed 34 points on Sunday in Rio, in a heart-breaking loss to the Ravens, 34-31. Yes, the defense allowed a mind-numbing 27-yard completion with seven seconds to play that set up the game-winning field goal as time elapsed. And, yes, the Dallas defense got pummeled on the ground again, giving up 192 rushing yards to Baltimore, a number that is tough for anyone to overcome. But this stunning loss probably should be less about the defense–and more about head coach Brian Schottenheimer, who is also the offensive play-caller.
Because, though the offense racked up 415 yards on the afternoon, there were far too many mistakes, too many critical penalties, plus a blocked field-goal try and a badly timed fumble on a shovel pass to Jake Ferguson to put this loss on the defense, not after the beaten-up secondary lost two more critical players in the game. No, there were wasted drives–starting with the opening drive, which went to the 1-yard line before it fizzled and yielded a field goal–to put this on the D. This one goes to the head coach.
Schottenheimer said himself after the game asked to grade his play-calling, “I give it a F.”
Brian Schottenheimer ‘Let Them Down’
That’s the view of former Cowboys scout and team analyst for Crown Global Media Bryan Broaddus, who put the onus on Schottenheimer’s poor play-calling and lack of discipline from his team in this loss, which drops Dallas to 1-2.
Said Broaddus, speaking on 105.3 The Fan in Dallas: “The offense needed to go out there and win this game today just because of the condition of your defense. Going into the game, the condition of the defense wasn’t great. And it got worse as the game progressed. As a head coach, you’ve got to know, ‘Hey, I have to find a way to get this done now.’ I just, the sequencing was just not very good.
“They had a chance to win. I will say this—the players played their asses off tonight, I think their head coach and the play-caller let them down tonight.”
Cowboys Defense Battered by Injuries
That might seem harsh, but there’s little other way to explain how and offense that at times moved with ease against the Ravens, could not control the game and get them win, especially after forging a 10-0 lead. But the Cowboys repeatedly shot themselves in their own two feet.
The defense made mistakes, probably more of them. But they came up with a huge fourth-and-1 stop at the goal line to give the team a chance to win in the fourth quarter, on a brilliant play by rookie linebacker Jaishawn Barham.
Said Broaddus: ‘You can’t complain about this defense in the condition that it was in.”
Indeed, the defense came in without two safeties–Malik Hooker and PJ Locke–as well as cornerback Cobie Durant. They lost their top safety, Jalen Thompson, to an injury in the game, and saw another corner, Shavon Revel, go out, too.
The Cowboys were left with just Markquese Bell, who was overmatched all game, and Alijah Clark at safety. Again, not the defense’s fault. For this one, Brian Schottenheimer will need to look in the mirror.
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