Another night under the lights at AT&T Stadium. Another game the Dallas Cowboys had every reason to win. Another frustrating loss that brought back the same questions Cowboys fans have been asking for years.
Dallas fell 24-16 to the previously winless Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Thursday night, dropping the Cowboys to 2-3. This was more than an ordinary loss. It was a missed opportunity against an injured opponent starting an undrafted rookie quarterback in only his second NFL start.
It was also another warning that the Cowboys’ struggling defense may not be ready to support a team with playoff expectations.
After an offseason spent adding talent and rebuilding the defense under new coordinator Christian Parker, this was supposed to be the kind of game Dallas controlled. Instead, Tampa Bay gained 419 total yards and rushed for 241.
Bucky Irving ran through the Cowboys for a career-high 165 yards on 21 carries. His 72-yard run on the first play of the second half changed the game and exposed the most troubling problem with the Dallas defense.
The Cowboys had defenders in position. They simply could not finish the play.
Dallas surrounded Irving but failed to bring him down. What should have been a short gain became the biggest play of the night. On the next snap, Emeka Egbuka scored on a 14-yard run to give Tampa Bay the lead.
That sequence told the story of the Cowboys’ defense. Players were close enough to make plays, but being close does not win football games.
The defensive line struggled to control the line of scrimmage. Tacklers failed to wrap up. The secondary surrendered a 64-yard completion that helped Tampa Bay extend its lead. Dallas produced only one sack against a rookie quarterback who should have been under pressure throughout the game.
Jalon Daniels did not have to play like a superstar. Tampa Bay protected him with a strong running game and allowed him to play with confidence. Daniels completed 19 of 25 passes for 189 yards and a touchdown without committing a turnover.
The Buccaneers also controlled the pace of the game. Their first touchdown drive lasted nearly 11 minutes, keeping Dak Prescott and the Dallas offense on the sideline while wearing down the Cowboys’ defense.
The offense deserves part of the blame. Dallas scored only 16 points, committed three second-half turnovers and failed to consistently handle Tampa Bay’s pressure. Prescott threw two interceptions, although both came after passes were deflected. CeeDee Lamb also left the game with a quadriceps injury.
Still, the defense remains the Cowboys’ biggest concern.
Dallas invested in defensive talent because last season proved that a productive offense cannot carry a team by itself. The Cowboys brought in experienced players and trusted Parker to create a tougher, more consistent unit.
Five games into the season, that transformation has not happened.
The Cowboys’ championship drought already hangs over the organization like heavy summer humidity in North Texas. Losses like this make the air feel even heavier.
Can Parker fix the missed tackles and communication problems? Can the defensive front begin controlling the line of scrimmage? Can the Cowboys stop giving up explosive plays when they appear to have the opponent contained?
Most importantly, can this defense make a critical stop when the game is on the line?
The season is not over at 2-3, but the Cowboys have already lost three games and have yet to show they can play consistently on both sides of the ball. A team with Super Bowl expectations cannot continue allowing opponents to control the clock, dominate the running game and dictate the physical style of play.
Dallas assembled a roster that appeared capable of becoming a legitimate contender. However, talent on paper means little when defenders cannot complete the basic responsibilities of tackling, communicating and getting off the field.
The Cowboys have time to correct their problems, but that time is already beginning to disappear.
If the defense improves, Dallas may still recover and make a playoff run. If it does not, this latest frustrating loss will not be remembered as an early-season accident.
It will be remembered as a warning.
