Cowboys hope brief week forward of TNF helps them transfer on from Ravens loss

ARLINGTON, Texas — Dak Prescott had a message for a few of his teammates within the locker room after Sunday’s 28-25 loss to the Baltimore Ravens.

“Get pleasure from your Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, tonight,” the Cowboys quarterback stated. “Tomorrow, you get up and it is Thursday, so let’s get to it.”

At 1-2, the Cowboys are on to the New York Giants.

They must be. They’ve simply two practices earlier than getting on a airplane to New Jersey for Thursday’s recreation in opposition to their NFC East rivals (8:15 p.m. ET, Prime Video).

“I imply, that is simply the schedule,” coach Mike McCarthy stated. “It is a part of the NFL. It is the great thing about competitors. There’s nothing like Sundays, like recreation day. So, we all know what the schedule is. We’ve got a plan. We’ll be in [Monday], do what we have to do. Get them lined up and prepare to go Thursday night time.”

The Cowboys are 1-2 for the primary time since 2020, McCarthy’s first 12 months. They might end that season with a 6-10 file partly as a result of Prescott was misplaced through the season with a dislocated and fractured proper ankle. But in addition due to a protection that allowed a franchise-record 473 factors and couldn’t cease the run.

Previously two video games, the Cowboys have allowed 464 speeding yards, probably the most for Dallas in a two-game span since 2020, after they allowed 476 yards in Weeks 12 and 13 and 469 in Weeks 6 and seven.

“It is identical to, at what level are we simply going to knuckle up and simply play?” stated edge rusher Micah Parsons, who was a rookie in 2021. “I imply, I’ve by no means skilled one thing like this.”

If there was one thing constructive for the Cowboys, it was the combat they confirmed within the fourth. They trailed 28-6 getting into the ultimate quarter. After Baltimore’s Justin Tucker missed a 46-yard subject objective try, the Cowboys scored touchdowns on three straight possessions.

They entered the sport with three touchdowns in two weeks. Prescott threw for 187 yards within the ultimate 10:41 of the sport with landing throws to Jalen Tolbert (15 yards) and KaVontae Turpin (16 yards) after he had a 1-yard landing run.

The Cowboys had been helped by a restoration of an onside kick and a three-and-out by the Ravens that made a possible franchise-best 22-point comeback potential.

“It is one thing that does not present up within the playbook or the scheme: It is the guts and soul of your soccer staff and the power to develop emotionally and have that have,” McCarthy stated.

However when the protection wanted another cease, they could not get it with Lamar Jackson finishing a 9-yard cross to receiver Zay Flowers on third-and-6. Two performs later, Jackson killed the sport with a 10-yard achieve.

“You possibly can’t in any manner sugarcoat the truth that we received beat, and there are elements of the way in which we received beat that had been actually areas we have got to get so much higher on,” proprietor and normal supervisor Jerry Jones stated. “Nevertheless it takes one thing to return again and provides that sort of effort on the finish. I’ll grasp my hat on that.”

The Cowboys cannot proceed to have sluggish begins. Previously two video games, they’ve given up eight touchdowns in 10 first-half possessions. The offense has been unable to match that manufacturing with one landing and 5 subject targets in 11 first-half possessions.

“We have simply received to be cleaner on every thing,” tight finish Jake Ferguson stated.

The Giants have been a very good foe for the Cowboys. Prescott has not misplaced to them since his rookie season (2016), successful 12 straight. He has 27 landing passes and eight interceptions in opposition to the Giants.

Just like the Cowboys, New York is 1-2 with its solely win coming in opposition to the Cleveland Browns.

Jones wasn’t massive on the Prescott successful streak.

“I simply know that, not in a way of this Big staff, how we’re taking part in proper now. We’ll be on the street, they’re going to be robust,” Jones stated. “So I am not into in any respect our particular person gamers’ file in opposition to groups that we will be taking part in sooner or later.”

Prescott’s fear is extra on the mindset. The Cowboys have had two two-game shedding streaks up to now three seasons. Final season’s didn’t come till December. In 2021, it was November.

“If guys are dwelling and guys are sitting on a loss or back-to-back losses, I’ve received to clearly communicate up and allow them to know that it is over with,” Prescott stated. “We have a chance subsequent week to go right here Thursday, 4 days from now, and go 2-2. And once we get that win, you are going to really feel a bit bit higher.

“And as soon as once more I must remind them that that does not matter. It is about what we are able to do in [10] days or what we are able to do tomorrow to construct to that subsequent recreation. We simply have to know the method, belief the method and be accountable.”