The Dallas Cowboys have had a tumultuous start to their 2024 season, characterized by pivotal victories and challenging defeats. The team's journey began with back-to-back home losses, first against the New Orleans Saints with a disheartening score of 44-19, followed by a narrow defeat to the Baltimore Ravens, 28-25.
Early Season Struggles
Despite these setbacks, the Cowboys managed to find redemption with a critical win against the New York Giants on "Thursday Night Football." This victory lifted the team's record to 2-2. Quarterback Dak Prescott played a central role, securing his 13th consecutive win against the Giants, a feat that ties the second-longest winning streak by a quarterback versus a single opponent since at least 1950. Prescott's performance was notable, completing 22 of his 21 passes for a total of 221 yards.
Prescott's prowess was on full display as he connected with running back Rico Dowdle for a 15-yard touchdown and delivered a spectacular 55-yard catch-and-run touchdown to wide receiver CeeDee Lamb. Field goal kicker Brandon Aubrey also made significant contributions, successfully kicking field goals from 60 and 40 yards. However, Aubrey missed a 51-yard attempt, ending his perfect streak from 50-plus yards. He remains an impressive 16 of 17 from such distances and holds the longest consecutive streak of field goals of 50 or more yards in NFL history.
Defensive Resurgence
The Cowboys' defense, which struggled in Week 3 against the Baltimore Ravens by allowing 274 rushing yards, showed remarkable improvement against the Giants, limiting them to just 26 rushing yards on 24 carries. Defensive tackle Mazi Smith played a crucial role in shutting down the Giants' run game, signaling a potential turnaround for the unit. Despite the improved performance, the Cowboys faced injuries to key players Micah Parsons and DeMarcus Lawrence during the second half of the game. Lawrence's foot injury sidelined him after the third quarter, but Parsons reassured fans by stating, "I'll be good."
Adding to the defensive highlight reel, Amani Oruwariye intercepted a pass with just 15 seconds left, securing the Cowboys' hard-fought victory. However, the team is dealing with additional injury concerns as cornerback DaRon Bland is suffering from a stress fracture in his foot, and cornerback Caelen Carson has a shoulder injury.
Offensive Woes
While the defense showed signs of resurgence, the Cowboys' offense continues to struggle on the ground. Averaging 75.3 rushing yards per game, the team ranks third-worst in the NFL this season. Their average of 3.5 yards per carry is the fourth-worst in the league. In a surprising statistic, wide receiver CeeDee Lamb holds the team's longest rush of the season at 12 yards, highlighting the lack of consistency in the running game.
DeMarcus Lawrence offered a candid assessment of the team's struggles, emphasizing the need for accountability and unity. "Be credible, f---ing accountable every single play," he asserted. "Get out of playing little league football."
Echoing this sentiment, Micah Parsons stressed the importance of teamwork over individual heroics. "We don't need any Supermans at all. We just need 11 guys playing together. Right now, it's just not in unison," Parsons remarked, underlining the need for cohesive team play.
Upcoming Challenges
Looking ahead, the Cowboys will face the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Detroit Lions in their upcoming matchups. These games present a crucial opportunity for the team to build momentum and establish consistency. As the season progresses, the Cowboys will need to address their offensive inefficiencies and maintain the defensive improvements demonstrated against the Giants to stay competitive in the league.
Overall, the Dallas Cowboys' early season has been a mix of highs and lows, with significant victories marred by tough losses and injuries. The team's ability to overcome these challenges and find coherence on both sides of the ball will be instrumental in determining their success moving forward.