BALTIMORE (AP) — The three missed self-discipline targets, the seven penalties and futility on third down were no longer easy to grab.
These shortcomings, nonetheless, were no longer what jumped off the stat sheet when Dallas Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy assessed his team’s performance in a 34-17 loss to the Baltimore Ravens on Tuesday night.
One amount — 294 — became as soon as very unlikely to miss. That’s what number of yards the Ravens obtained on the ground, so many that McCarthy merely rounded it as a lot as 300 when discussing the problem the Cowboys had in collaring elusive quarterback Lamar Jackson and the comfort of the Baltimore backfield.
“Nearly 300 yards in rushing is obviously a mountainous factor within the outcomes of the recreation, but their mountainous-play production, in particular with Lamar, I belief became as soon as a enormous, immense factor,” McCarthy acknowledged.
Jackson ran for a 37-yard touchdown, Gus Edwards had a 36-yarder and rookie J.K. Dobbins got 30 of his 71 yards on one spectacular jaunt. The Ravens create a living running the ball, and the Cowboys — who got right here in ranked final in rushing protection — were powerless to shield it.
Baltimore averaged 7.9 yards per elevate, with Edwards averaging a whopping 14.4 per elevate in totaling 101 yards on a mere seven carries.
“Here’s a varied offense. A truly bodily offensive line and the dynamic of the mix of the running backs and Lamar,” McCarthy acknowledged. “The yards is obviously immense. Honest if you feel cherish you’re taking steps as a team, the keys to the recreation became as soon as stopping the urge and we positively didn’t.”
That’s been per chance the Cowboys’ most evident trouble throughout a season that has been disappointing on many ranges. Dallas (3-9) has misplaced six of seven and is gleaming powerful out of competition, even within the forgiving NFL East.
On this one, the Cowboys compelled an early turnover and grabbed a 10-7 lead within the second quarter. Then, Greg Zuerlein missed self-discipline aim tries of 40, 53 and 52 yards. The offense sputtered and the protection got urge over. And it became as soon as 24-10 by the pause of the third quarter, and that became as soon as that.
“That’s the build we’re as a soccer team. Basically the most involving person who could replace that is us,” McCarthy acknowledged. “Till we grab these steps of taking half in effectively in all three phases, in particular for all four quarters, you’re no longer going to make a selection these roughly games.”
Andy Dalton threw a second-quarter interception on a ball that became as soon as tipped, but for the most section he did effectively adequate to dangle Dallas within the recreation. He went 31 for 48 for 285 yards and two rankings.
However the Cowboys did not convert nine of 15 makes an strive on third down, leaving Zuerlein to catch his kicks from farther than he would prefer.
“There were some ethical things that came about tonight, but we’ve got to earn one plot to dangle pushing, dangle getting these first downs, give us an opportunity to secure,” Dalton acknowledged.
Irrespective of the defeat, the final-plan Cowboys have not abandoned hope of in one plot clawing their plot to the pause of a division that has two groups with 5-7 info sharing first plan.
“All of us know the teach that we’re in, and all we own to pain about is us,” Dalton acknowledged. “Would we own liked to discontinuance the outlet a piece of of bit? Yes. But it’s what it’s, and we’ve got to dangle though-provoking forward.”
___
Extra AP NFL: https://apnews.com/NFL and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL