The Dallas Cowboys were staring down the barrel of a blowout in their Week 3 clash against the Baltimore Ravens, trailing 28-6 by the start of the fourth quarter. The final score of 28-25 might suggest a close game, but don’t let it fool you – the Cowboys were outclassed for the majority of the night. A late-game surge, with 19 unanswered points, came too late to save them from the loss and raised more questions than answers.

For a team once again shouldering high expectations, the Cowboys‘ 1-2 start to the season has left many wondering if this year will be any different from their recent history of underperforming. Despite fielding a talented roster, Dallas has consistently failed to turn regular-season flashes into postseason success, last making it to the NFC Championship Game in 1995. The team’s inability to get over the hump has become a recurring theme, and early struggles in the 2024 season are starting to echo that same narrative.

Quarterback Dak Prescott, the focal point of the Cowboys’ offense, had a performance that mirrored his team’s ups and downs. He completed 28 of 51 passes for 379 yards and two touchdowns, but a 54.9% completion rate highlighted his inconsistency throughout the game. While Prescott managed to pad his stats during the Cowboys’ fourth-quarter push, much of the yardage came during “garbage time” when the game was already slipping away.

Just before the start of the season, Prescott signed a massive four-year, $240 million contract, making him one of the highest-paid players in NFL history. With that comes significant expectations, and so far, Prescott and the Cowboys have yet to meet them. After the Ravens’ defense dominated Dallas for three quarters, the pressure on Prescott is only mounting as Dallas’ season hangs in the balance.

In response to the criticism surrounding the team, Cowboys star linebacker Micah Parsons stepped up to defend his quarterback. After a video of Prescott chirping at the fans surfaced, Parsons responded by saying the Cowboys are looking to find their rhytm. He added that he fully supports his QB and that it’s better for these struggles to happen now than later in the season, suggesting that the team can turn things around before it’s too late.

Despite the slow start, the Cowboys may still have time to turn things around. The NFC East remains wide open, with no team pulling away from the pack in the division. However, Dallas’ upcoming schedule is anything but forgiving. After a short turnaround for their Week 4 matchup against the New York Giants, the Cowboys face a brutal stretch that includes games against the Pittsburgh Steelers, San Francisco 49ers, and Philadelphia Eagles – teams that won’t be easy to overcome, especially for a team struggling to find consistency.

Dak called out the fans

In the face of mounting criticism, Prescott had a message for those doubting the team. As he walked off the field after the loss to the Ravens, Prescott was caught on camera telling fans, “Jump off [the bandwagon] if you want.” His words come at a time when Cowboys supporters are understandably frustrated, having seen this movie before. While Prescott’s message was likely meant to rally the faithful, the reality is that Dallas’ margin for error is shrinking fast.

Prescott‘s bravado will need to be matched by performances on the field in the coming weeks. If not, the patience of Cowboys fans – and Prescott’s rallying cries – may wear thin as another season teeters on the brink of disappointment.