The Dallas Cowboys lost a tough one in Rio de Janeiro. Here are this week's winners and losers as our immediate reaction to the game.
When it's all said and done, this will likely be the toughest loss of the year for the 2026 Dallas Cowboys. They dropped a 34-31 shootout against the Baltimore Ravens
in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. After seemignly securing overtime, the Cowboys cost themselves at even getting there.
Let's dive into this week's winners and losers.
It just feels like I have to start here because coaching was the biggest reason the Cowboys lost in Rio. Near the end of the game, the Cowboys mismanaged the clock in several ways, including calling their final timeout with 14 seconds on the clock despite the fact that they would get only one more throw.
Then, the Cowboys go for the touchback to give the Ravens the ball at the 35-yard line, which even Ravens HC Jesse Minter described as a decision that favored Baltimore.
And that's without even getting into the playcalling, which included "overcoaching" Dak Prescott to throw it away
on third and goal instead of going for the touchdown.
I don't know if there was a bigger play on this one than Barham's fourth and goal stop late in the game. He followed that up with another tackle for loss to force a three and out the following drive. He looks like the starting middle linebacker of the Dallas Cowboys right now. Even when DeMarvion Overshown returns.
Markquese Bell got burned and then flagged for a defensive pass interference on Ravens WR Devontez Walker
for a 49-yard gain that set up the Ravens' go-ahead score in the second quarter to make it 14-10. His struggles continued throughout the game, including another defensive pass interference in the Ravens' final go-ahead drive in the two-minute warning.
Bell's chance to play is the result of Malik Hooker
and P.J. Locke
getting banged up. With Jalen Thompson
also injured, the Cowboys don't have a lot of options. But it sure looks like it's time to push Bell down on the depth chart. He's got a long ways to go on defense.
It won't make anyone feel better about the loss, but the two Cowboys receivers had standout performances, combining for 14 catches and 194 yards and a two-point conversion. Lamb had a monster catch goof for 49 yards and Pickens had a few clutch grabs.
It's not on him that he didn't get the shot at a touchdown toward the end of the game.
In the third quarter, Steele was the main reason why a Cowboys drive got completely shut down. On third down, a hold from Steele wiped again what would've been a huge George Pickens first down. After a failed conversion one play later, the Cowboys' field goal attempt was blocked as Steele got beaten at the line of scrimmage.
The Cowboys traded for offensive tackle Broderick Jones
before the season and soon he could be
I don't think Aubrey will make this list ever again but it was not a good game for him in the kickoff department. He was called for two fouls for kicking out of bounds. One proved to be a costly one as the Ravens responded with a six-play touchdown drive.
At the end of the game, the Cowboys went for a touchback, which gave the ball back to the Ravens at the 35-yard line. That's not on him, but his fouls probably had something to do with the decision.
Talk about a baller. Spann-Ford started the game on a high note with a big time special teams tackle in the opening kickoff. He added a big block that shook up Ravens DB Kyle Hamilton and later added a clutch 19-yard catch in the second half.
This article was originally published on A to Z Sports. Read the full story here: 4 Winners and 4 Losers from Dallas Cowboys Loss in Rio: Defeat abroad was mostly on coaching
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