The Dallas Cowboys were in a prime position to win their Week 3 game against the Baltimore Ravens. At worst, they had a chance to send the back-and-forth game to overtime and win in the extra period.
Then, thanks to some poor coaching decisions, they weren't.
Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer mismanaged the game clock during his team's final possession of the evening, calling his final timeout with too much time left in the fourth quarter. Then, Schottenheimer instructed quarterback Dak Prescott to throw a third-down pass away regardless of how the play worked out. When wide receiver George Pickens got open in the end zone, Prescott's pass still sailed over his head.
After Prescott's throwaway, Dallas kicker Brandon Aubrey kicked a field
goal to tie the game. The Ravens would only have had seven seconds to get into field goal range – assuming the Cowboys didn't force a kick return to eat more time off the clock. But Aubrey's kickoff resulted in a touchback, keeping seven seconds on the clock. Then Dallas played prevent defense, which allowed Ravens receiver Zay Flowers to get open over the middle.
In the end, Dallas allowed a 56-yard, game-winning field goal to Ravens kicker Tyler Loop. The Cowboys lost 34-31, falling to 1-2 on the season.
Here's how social media reacted to the Cowboys' mistakes resulting in their Week 3 loss:
Cowboys lose Week 3 game in final seven seconds: Reacts
"A TRIO IN RIO!"
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) September 28, 2026
Jim Nantz and J.J. Watt went crazy on the CBS broadcast during the incredible Ravens-Cowboys finish in Brazil. 🏈🎙 pic.twitter.com/giNj9yjfcW
Pure joy from Lamar 👏 @NFLBrasil pic.twitter.com/pkdCVCycpz
— NFL (@NFL) September 27, 2026
#Ravens HC Jesse Minter says the Cowboys kicking the touchback (ball at 35, no time coming off) gave them one chance to get into FG range.
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) September 28, 2026
“The touchback rule is huge.” https://t.co/7wE0beN7oJ pic.twitter.com/ZBOKCiiNb2
Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer: “I’m disappointed as hell right now because of the pain in that locker room. … This has been a very cool trip, I just wish would’ve come out with a win.”
— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) September 28, 2026
“This team is gonna stick together because of the men in that room.” pic.twitter.com/9vR2wg4t3w
“We need to keep that ball in front of us. … we gotta find a way to punch it in (in the RZ). I gotta call better plays.”
— Patrik [No C] Walker (@VoiceOfTheStar) September 28, 2026
- Brian Schottenheimer
“[Dak] was throwing it away [on the final drive]— I over coached him there.”#Cowboys #Ravens pic.twitter.com/Yn9n9NplVL
"We've got to put the game away. Period."
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) September 28, 2026
Dak Prescott on the Cowboys settling for a field goal late in the 4th quarter. pic.twitter.com/ej8wRidlfk
I Couldn’t. I Just Couldn’t.
— Stephen A Smith (@stephenasmith) September 27, 2026
Even Though I’m in BRAZIL! pic.twitter.com/zRJdwIK1wV
I'd be sick if I were the Cowboys. They played well.
— Torrey Smith (@TorreySmithWR) September 27, 2026
The Cowboys don’t have Brian Schottenheimer to grow into a good head coach.
— Marcus Mosher (@Marcus_Mosher) September 28, 2026
They need him to be a good one now. And he’s not.
From the moment the pass interference flag was thrown, there’s no way the Cowboys should’ve lost that game
— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) September 27, 2026
Cowboys deserve to lose it this way with how they defended that with 7 seconds left.
— Todd Archer (@toddarcher) September 27, 2026
the number of things the Cowboys did to lose the game at the end from a game management situation was embarrassing
— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) September 27, 2026
Cowboys gotta be sick
— Big Cat (@BarstoolBigCat) September 27, 2026
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Cowboys Week 3 loss reaction: 'No way Cowboys should've lost that game'
