Missed opportunities on offense are frequently part of the formula for big-game losses in the Dak Prescott era, but the Dallas Cowboys cannot blame their star quarterback much these days. For the last couple of seasons, there has been a jarring disparity between No. 4's play and the defense's productivity, or lack thereof. An offense cannot carry such a large share of the burden. Stephen A. Smith seems to think otherwise, however.
“I think if the Dallas Cowboys falter, we're going to be looking at what that high-powered offense didn't do when it counted, because I think if they do what they're supposed to do, they're going to win games,” the prominent media personality said on ESPN's “First Take.”
NFL analyst Mina Kimes could not believe what she was hearing. “I just want to make sure I'm following this correctly,” she said. “The Cowboys have a top-10 offense, bottom-3 defense. And if they don't succeed, we're blaming the offense? The math ain't mathing.”
The Cowboys scored 31 points versus the Baltimore Ravens, but because head coach Brian Schottenheimer mismanaged the clock and the defense surrendered 34 points, they left Rio de Janeiro, Brazil with a 1-2 record and the taste of bitter disappointment in their mouth. However, Prescott and company still had a chance to put the game away when they reached the 2-yard line with 23 seconds remaining. A false start penalty sent Dallas back to the 7-yard line, and the team ultimately had to settle for a field goal.
Article Continues Below"I just want to make sure I'm following this correctly. The Cowboys have a top-10 offense, bottom-3 defense. And if they don't succeed, we're blaming the offense? The math ain't mathing." – Mina Kimes baffled by Stephen A. Smith pic.twitter.com/ovW9ZjJ1ne
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) October 1, 2026
Two things can be true. The Cowboys left points on the board, as they have done in high-profile situations in the past, and awful defense cost them a victory. Even though Stephen A. Smith is justified in underscoring this trend of squandered chances, he was not placing nearly enough emphasis on the other side of the ball during this specific segment.
Mina Kimes does not think Prescott deserves scrutiny for last Sunday's loss or the team's recent struggles. “Merely because of a single possession you don't blame the quarterback who's been nails all game, who's been good all season while the defense is struggling in every way possible.”
Dallas is allowing 387.0 total yards per game and 179.7 rushing yards per game through three weeks, which ranks 30 and 31st in the NFL, respectively. Neither new defensive coordinator Christian Parker nor new additions like Rashan Gary have sufficiently upgraded this unit so far.
If the squad does not fix its leaky defense pronto, then the Cowboys will have to win shootouts every week. Even an offense as talented as this one cannot reasonably overcome such unfavorable circumstances.
Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens are not above criticism, as they have come up short in some prime-time games during their respective careers, but this squad must become more balanced. Until that happens, it seems silly to put the onus on the offense to propel Dallas back into respectable status.