The Dallas Cowboys entered the 2026 season with sky-high expectations, riding the momentum of a strong finish to 2025 and a revamped defense. But three weeks in, the dream is already fading. After a gut-wrenching loss to Baltimore in Brazil, Dallas sits at 1-2, and the numbers are brutal: ESPN's Football Power Index now gives the Cowboys just a 3.6% chance to hoist the Lombardi Trophy.
That number, surprisingly, still ranks them ninth in the league. The computer models remain somewhat optimistic about Jerry Jones' squad. But the fans? They're not buying it. Social media is ablaze with frustration, and the blame is being spread thick—from the front office to the defensive unit.
The latest heartbreak came on a record-setting drive that saw Baltimore march down the field in just seven seconds, setting up a game-winning field goal as time expired. It was a collapse that left quarterback Dak Prescott searching for words.
“Frustrated,” Prescott said postgame, via the team’s website. “Frustrated as (expletive). Excuse me. Embarrassed. We don’t call ourselves the best offense, GOTI [Greatest Offense There Is], and get down to the one-yard line and don’t put it in. Yeah, it just sucks. Not a lot of words or full explanation of it. Defense shouldn’t even have been in that position. Those guys were over there saying ‘it’s on us,’ absolutely not. We’ve got to put the game away, period.”
Prescott's words echo the sentiment of many, but for a vocal contingent of Cowboys Nation, the real culprit is the defense. Giving up 34 points and failing to force a turnover is a recipe for disaster in the NFL. As one fan put it, “Cowboys fans are embarrassing. The offense had some issues against a solid Baltimore defense, but glorifying the defense after giving up 34 and a 50 yard play with 7 seconds left is ridiculous.”
Local media personality Mike Doocy echoed that frustration: “Dak took the blame for today’s loss, bemoaning his offense’s red zone difficulties. And those problems contributed to the defeat. But a defense allowing its opponent to score 34 points and failing to force a turnover? That unit is still the biggest problem.”
But others are aiming higher—at the man in charge, Jerry Jones. “Jerry keeps hiring coaches that he feels have great football minds, but shrink in key moments. That’s what his teams have done on the field since 2006. THAT’S the biggest problem. On both sides of the ball, they screw up in key moments,” one fan wrote.
Some are even defending Prescott, insisting the blame shouldn't fall on his shoulders. “People that are still blaming Dak for the Cowboys problems should no longer be allowed to watch anymore football games. They just don’t comprehend the game,” another fan added.
So who's really to blame? It's a question that has haunted this franchise for nearly two decades. The defense has been a glaring weakness, but the offense's red-zone failures can't be ignored. And the front office's decisions—both in coaching hires and roster construction—remain under the microscope. As the Cowboys prepare for a pivotal Week 4, the pressure is mounting. Can they turn it around, or is this season already slipping away? For more on the team's struggles, check out Prescott's postgame comments and the coaching staff's admission of poor play-calling. The road ahead won't get easier, and the clock is ticking.
