The Dallas Cowboys lost 28-25 to the Baltimore Ravens in Week 3 of the 2024 NFL season and have dropped to 1-2 on the season for the first time since 2020.
Although the final score might indicate that this game was a close matchup throughout, the Cowboys trailed early in the game and were forced to fight back to make it competitive in the fourth quarter.
Baltimore opened the final quarter with a comfortable 28-6 lead following a dominant rushing attack through the first three-quarters of the game, but Dallas managed to score 19 points in the final 15 minutes of action to make the final outcome appear closer than it was.
Dallas struggled in many ways during this game, but two aspects stood out that could help explain why the Cowboys have now lost two straight games at home.
Struggling Running Back Room
The Dallas Cowboys might have the worst running back room in the entire NFL.
Dallas entered the season with a clear issue in the running back room after Tony Pollard left the team to sign with the Tennessee Titans in free agency; however, the organization’s only move was to re-sign Ezekiel Elliott after a disappointing year with the New England Patriots.
The Cowboys currently rank 29th in the entire league for rushing yards this season, only rushing for two touchdowns in three games.
This Cowboys rushing offense has also struggled individually. Elliott and Rico Dowdle both rank near the bottom of the league for the number of rushing yards over expected through the first few games of the season.
NFL Next Gen Stats developed an algorithm that determines the number of yards a ballcarrier is “expected to gain on a given carry based on the relative location, speed, and direction of blockers and defenders,” with both Cowboys running backs ranking within the bottom 10 for the lowest averages per carry.
Among players who have received at least 15 carries this season, Elliott has put up the fourth-lowest rushing yards over expected per carry at -1.49 yards, while Dowdle is slightly behind with the eighth-lowest at -1.29 yards per attempt.
While the total rushing yards are low due to the Cowboys’ two blowout losses, Elliott and Dowdle’s individual struggles indicate that changes might be required in the team’s personnel.
The Cowboys may already realize that changes must be made in the running back room. Elliott saw his total snap count drop to only 15 against the Ravens, with fullback Hunter Luepke stepping in to play 30 total snaps, according to ESPN’s Todd Archer.
Dallas could also elevate running back Dalvin Cook from the team’s practice squad, but the team will have to begin preparing for possible options to draft, sign, or trade for next offseason.
Cowboys Defensive Line Cannot Stop The Run
While the Cowboys’ offense has been unable to run the ball all season, the defense has also been unable to stop the opposing team from running the ball.
The Cowboys’ inability to stop the run is nothing new, as the team struggled with run defense last season despite bringing in new Defensive Coordinator Mike Zimmer during the offseason.
Although Zimmer has been praised throughout his career for stopping opposing teams’ rushing attacks, he has struggled to get the Cowboys’ defense in a rhythm through the first few weeks of the year.
Baltimore running back Derrick Henry seemed to get anything he wanted against the Cowboys on Sunday, as he rushed for 151 yards and scored two rushing touchdowns. The Ravens combined for 274 total rushing yards in the blowout loss.
Dallas has given up more than 100 rushing yards in every game and leads the league with 557 rushing yards and eight touchdowns allowed to opponents through the first three weeks of the season.
These struggles coincide with multiple injuries suffered by Cowboys’ defensive linemen. The team recently put Jordan Phillips on the injured reserve list due to a wrist injury and will be without the defensive tackle for at least four games, as previously reported by The Dallas Express.
While the Cowboys opted to sign Carlos Watkins off the Washington Commanders’ practice squad to replace Phillips for the coming weeks, the team’s lack of depth at this position has continuously impacted its ability to perform.
Dallas should look to bring in other players from practice squads or free agency, but the position will likely remain one of the team’s biggest concerns throughout the entire season.
Regardless of whether the team brings in a player who can help the rushing attack on either side of the ball, the Cowboys must now prepare for the upcoming Thursday Night Football game against the New York Giants.
The Giants have also struggled this season, holding a similar record of 1-2 after losses to the Minnesota Vikings and Washington Commanders in the first two weeks.
However, New York is coming off a solid 21-15 win against the Cleveland Browns in Week 3 and will be looking to build on that success.
