dallasnews
Todd Bowles, arguably coaching for his job, made a questionable decision to forgo a field goal that could have sealed the game on Thursday night. But against the Dallas Cowboys, such mistakes often go unpunished.
This was undeniably Dallas's poorest showing of the season. While earlier losses to the Giants and Ravens had their low points, those came against playoff-caliber opponents. An 0-4 Tampa Bay squad found new life against the league's worst defense.
Offense: Dak Prescott's Struggles
Quarterback Dak Prescott delivered his worst performance of the year, tossing two interceptions and missing several throws, particularly to star receiver CeeDee Lamb. Lamb, who exited late in the fourth quarter with a quad injury, managed only two catches after hauling in 17 the previous week. The Cowboys' running game was virtually nonexistent against Tampa Bay's stout front, and the team's fewest points of the season came at the worst possible time. Grade: D
Defense: A Historically Bad Unit
Despite the Buccaneers committing nine offensive penalties for 60 yards, Dallas's defense spent over 39 minutes on the field. The unit has now gone eight games (spanning two seasons) and 225 pass attempts without an interception. Even when rookie Jalon Daniels delivered a perfect pass into the hands of top cornerback DaRon Bland for what should have been a pick-six, Bland dropped it. This defense simply doesn't give the team a chance to win. Grade: F
Special Teams: Missed Opportunities
Bryan Anger's excellent second-quarter punt, which pinned Tampa Bay at their own 3-yard line, flipped field position, but Dallas failed to capitalize. Meanwhile, KaVontae Turpin's fumble on a third-quarter kickoff contributed to the Cowboys losing the turnover battle 3-0. Grade: C
Coaching: Questionable Decisions
The Cowboys abandoned the run early, understandably so against Tampa Bay's formidable defensive line. However, head coach Brian Schottenheimer deserves little credit for his game management. The decision to go for two in a late-game situation was questionable, especially with an offense that should outmatch the Buccaneers in overtime. If the defense is being coached, it isn't showing. Grade: D
Overall: A New Low
As a 9.5-point home favorite on a Thursday night against a winless team starting an undrafted rookie free agent quarterback, Dallas was fortunate not to be trailing by 17 with eight minutes left. This was the worst loss of the Schottenheimer era. Grade: F
Originally reported by dallasnews.