In a game that proved to be both humbling and eye-opening, the Dallas Cowboys' defense struggled significantly during their Week 2 matchup against the New Orleans Saints, resulting in a 44-19 defeat. This loss brought the Cowboys back to reality after their triumphant 33-17 victory over the Cleveland Browns in Week 1.
Strong Start by the Saints
The Saints, commanded by quarterback Derek Carr, demonstrated an explosive offensive performance, scoring a touchdown on each of their first six drives. This early onslaught was epitomized by an 80-yard drive, culminated by a five-yard touchdown run by Alvin Kamara. Kamara was virtually unstoppable, racking up 180 yards from scrimmage and scoring three touchdowns.
Defensive Woes for Dallas
The Cowboys' defense, commendable in Week 1 with six sacks and two interceptions, was a shadow of itself against the Saints. They managed only one sack and one interception, struggling to put any significant pressure on Carr. The Cowboys allowed 35 points in the first half, tying a franchise record for the most points conceded in the first half of a game. This game also marked the second-largest home opener defeat under owner Jerry Jones.
Linebacker Eric Kendricks expressed the team's frustration and the hard lessons learned from the defeat. "For sure humbling, can't give up big plays and start the game off like that. Got us on our heels."
Cornerback Trevon Diggs provided a candid assessment of the team's performance: "Unacceptable. Yeah, it's not necessarily confusing, it's just you have to be on your toes. You have to be on your Ps and Qs because they can run it, play-action and then when they are passing the ball, they’re max-protecting everybody. So we're not getting any pass rush. You're just out there just, you know, this is unacceptable. We ain't come to play today."
Tackling Troubles
The Cowboys' tackling was another area of concern. Linebacker Micah Parsons highlighted the shortcomings: "We have to use our hands and feet. We got a guy like Kamara. We're not tackling well. We're arm-tackling. We're trying to pull a guy down. We got to be aggressive, we have to create penetration and do a much better job tackling."
Parsons also took note of the Saints' tactical execution, which effectively neutralized the Cowboys' defensive efforts: "They did a great job schematically. Everything was short. Everything was quick, and if it wasn't, it was max protect, two-man routes. Instead of having a lineman block me in max protection with a chip, they sent a chip with a lineman and sent a running back to cut. I was going through a maze almost. I thought that was creative, a new way."
A Call to Respond
While the game exposed several weaknesses, the mood in the Cowboys' locker room was not one of defeat, but of determination. Eric Kendricks summed up the team's mindset: "I feel like you look around the locker you can sense it. Obviously everyone is disappointed. We didn’t want that, especially at the home opener. The NFL will humble you like that. This isn’t the first time I’ve been a part of that. We got to make a stand. We got to come back to work tomorrow. Obviously, let it hurt for a little bit. I think that’s a good thing. Put it in our rearview and work toward the next."
Looking Ahead
Micah Parsons also reflected on the need for self-assessment and a collective effort to improve: "Everyone is going to say they did their job and everything was perfect right now, but the film tells all. I can't wait to see the film. I don't know who was out of what gap in the run game. I know for the guys when I turn the film on, I want to say 'No. 11 was giving his all.' That's all that matters. Then, we're going to continue that standard. I got a job. I owe these guys. I owe my family a certain level of ball. I don't think I helped to the best of my abilities today."
The Cowboys' next challenge will be to address these issues and ensure a better performance as the season progresses. Lessons learned from the humbling defeat at the hands of the Saints will be crucial in shaping their approach to upcoming games.