NFL teams
Todd Archer, ESPN Staff Writer 6y

Dak Prescott, Cowboys offense inept again in Seattle

SEATTLE -- Remember that giddiness that came from the 64-yard touchdown pass to Tavon Austin on the third play from scrimmage in the Week 2 win against the New York Giants?

Forget about it.

Through three games, that play is the exception to the Cowboys’ rule.

On Sunday, the Cowboys’ offense suffered through another miserable day in their 24-13 loss to the Seattle Seahawks.

For the ninth time in the last 11 games, dating to last season, Dak Prescott did not throw for more than 200 yards, completing 19 of 34 passes for 168 yards. He was intercepted in the first quarter and the fourth quarter, both by I-want-to-be-a-Cowboy Earl Thomas, and sacked five times.

Ezekiel Elliott ran for more than 100 yards for the first time this season (127 yards on 16 carries) but it was not the best of showings for the Cowboys’ best offensive player. He dropped a pass, inexplicably stepped out of bounds in the second quarter to negate a touchdown catch and fumbled in the fourth quarter.

They converted just 3 of 13 third-down chances, dropping them to 8-of-34 for the season.

“I've got to be more accurate. I have to be more consistent making throws,” Prescott said. “We've got to get open. Go all the way across the board, we just have to do better as a whole as an offense, but it starts with me.”

Oh, the defense had its issues Sunday, allowing a 52-yard touchdown pass, not getting off the field on third down and an awful penalty by Randy Gregory that gave Seattle a better chance at an end-of-half field goal.

But the offense was inept. Again.

“We didn't throw the ball as efficiently as we needed to,” coach Jason Garrett said. “We weren't able to make enough big plays in the passing game throughout the game."

The Cowboys are not built to come back from deficits of almost any amount.

In the 16-8, season-opening loss to the Carolina Panthers, the Cowboys did not gain more than 20 yards on six of their 11 possessions and scored one touchdown.

After the touchdown pass to Austin and a field goal on their second series against the Giants, the Cowboys had six straight possessions that did not gain more than 25 yards.

Against the Seahawks, the Cowboys had six possessions that did not gain more than 25 yards, continuing a trend against the Seahawks.

Before Austin’s 3-yard touchdown with 7:11 left in the fourth quarter, the Cowboys went 29 possessions in three games against Seattle without a touchdown. In losses to the Seahawks in 2015 and ’17, the Cowboys had eight field goals by Dan Bailey. They added two more by Brett Maher on Sunday.

This is the way it’s going to be for the Cowboys. They opted to construct the offense this way without Dez Bryant and Jason Witten.

In the past, they could overcome themselves because of their talent.

Now?

They have no margin for error.

^ Back to Top ^