It was a game most Dallas Cowboys chalked up as a likely loss when it first appeared on the NFL calendar. The Cowboys were 0-2 against Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens. Dallas had historically been terrible against the run, terrible against dual-threat quarterbacks, and terrible on the road. A date with the Ravens in Brazil just looked like loss waiting to happen.
But for a moment on Sunday, it looked like Cowboys had the game won. With mere seconds remaining in the fourth quarter and Dallas in a goal-to-go situation inside the 5-yard-line, hope simmered forth. A touchdown for the Cowboys would result in a 35-31 lead and not enough time for a run-reliant offense like Baltimore’s to move down the field for a touchdown.
Alas, it wasn’t meant
to be. Not only did Dallas fail to find the endzone but after settling for a field goal and tying the game, they gave up a 27-yard pass and a 56-yard field goal in the final seven seconds to lose in regulation. The outcome was more abrupt and nauseating than J.J. Watt’s insistent and forced soccer refences.
Here are the four downs that tell the tale…
Down No. 1: The stuff heard round the world
With 13:07 in the fourth quarter on the clock and Baltimore on the Dallas goal line looking to go up by two possessions, they call Derrick Henry’s number on fourth down. What happened next was a defining moment for rookie inside linebacker Jaishawn Barham. Rocketing through the A gap, Barham met the Henry in the backfield, blowing up the play and giving the ball to the Cowboys offense.
JJ Watt was fired up after this play by Jaishawn Barham 🗣️@BALvsDAL on CBS/Paramount+
— NFL (@NFL) September 27, 2026
Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/tdUNwUbSg7
Barham’s play was a -4.5 EPA dagger to Ravens, making it the third most valuable play from an EPA perspective. The Cowboys would go on to march 96-yards downfield for the go-ahead touchdown, significantly flipping the momentum.
Down No. 2: Ferg’s fumble
Shovel passes are relatively safe passes that get completed at a high rate and rarely result in turnovers. Looking like a pitch, but actually being a pass, it requires the receiver to catch it to stay a live ball. Unfortunately for the Cowboys, they did just enough to complete this pass to Jake Ferguson only to see him immediately fumble it and end what was otherwise a very promising drive.
"I'm surprised by it, Jim. I just don't think Jake Ferguson has possession of that football firmly enough ... I think it's incomplete, personally." - @GeneSteratore pic.twitter.com/z4YbtueDxE
— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) September 27, 2026
The turnover resulted in a -5.6 EPA outcome, making it the most valuable play of the day. Like a lot of plays in this contest, there was debate as to whether the call on the field was indeed correct. Correct or not, the play stood.
Down No. 3: A break in the clouds
Cloud coverage was stifling the Dallas passing game most of the evening. Baltimore wanted to keep things in front of them and for the most part, they did. But late in the fourth quarter on what felt like the game-winning drive for the Cowboys, Dak Prescott found CeeDee Lamb running deep without safety support sitting over him. It was an absolute dime, resulting in 49 yards gained and +3.7 in EPA.
CEEDEE LAMB 💿🐑 #DallasCowboys | @_CeeDeeThree
— Dallas Cowboys (@dallascowboys) September 27, 2026
📺: #BALvsDAL on CBS
📲: Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/XM2vIx7C1d pic.twitter.com/HEf3q0Yffx
Down No. 4: The play that will live in infamy
After tying things up with less than 10 seconds on the clock, the Cowboys were resigned to taking the game into OT and seeing how the chips fall. The Ravens thought otherwise, taking a shot downfield and setting up their kicker for what would be the game winning field goal.
After struggling most of the day to pass the ball, Jackson hit Zay Flowers for 27-yards downfield. The play itself wasn’t overly valuable in EPA since it only registered +1.7 but it set up the game winner and did so in what felt like an unbelievably short amount of time.
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This article originally appeared on Cowboys Wire: 4 Downs that explain the Cowboys' 34-31 loss to the Ravens in Week 3
