<\/p>\n
Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott throws a pass during the first half of an NFL football game against the Baltimore Ravens at Maracan\u00e3 Stadium on Sunday, Sept. 27, 2026, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.<\/p>\n
Smiley N. Pool\/The Dallas Morning News<\/p>\n
RIO DE JANEIRO \u2014 The final one minute and 30 seconds against the Ravens on Sunday started off with promise for the\u00a0Cowboys<\/a> but ended in disaster.<\/p>\n Let’s explore the final offensive drive of the Cowboys’ 34-31 loss at Maracan\u00e3 Stadium<\/a>.<\/p>\n The start<\/p>\n Dak Prescott opened the drive with a 13-yard pass to Ryan Flournoy. He was pushed out of bounds, setting up a first down at the Cowboys’ 48. Prescott next threw a low pass that was incomplete.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n But on second down, receiver\u00a0CeeDee Lamb snagged a 14-yard pass and after getting pushed out of bounds, the clock stopped with 1:20 to go. Flournoy made a clutch catch on the first down near the sidelines for a 9-yard gain and the Cowboys were in field goal range at the Ravens’ 38.<\/p>\n After\u00a0Prescott scrambled for seven yards, the Ravens called a timeout with 28 seconds left. It seemed as if too much time was allowed to erase from Flournoy\u2019s catch with 69 seconds to play to when\u00a0Prescott picked up a first down.<\/p>\n \u201cWe thought we were going to score the touchdown and move the ball really well down there,\u201d coach Brian\u00a0Schottenheimer<\/a> said.<\/p>\n The penalties<\/p>\n After the timeout,\u00a0Prescott threw a deep pass to the front part of the end zone to Lamb, who was tangled up with cornerback Nate Wiggins. Lamb pulled Wiggins down to the ground, which drew a defensive pass interference penalty. The penalty cost the Ravens 20 yards and put the ball at the 2. As the officials were spotting the ball, Wiggins and Lamb yelled at each other.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n On first and goal from the 2,\u00a0Prescott threw an incomplete pass to Pickens on a fade route. On second and goal from the 2,\u00a0Schottenheimer said the Cowboys got a look they wanted from the Ravens’ defense. He called for a bootleg with Prescott, but\u00a0tight end Luke\u00a0Schoonmaker was called for a false start, costing the Cowboys five yards.<\/p>\n \u201cI wish I would\u2019ve had run on there because it would\u2019ve walked in,\u201d\u00a0Schottenheimer said. \u201cBut that was the plan. We wanted to get down there. They played a real heavy front. They put in six big guys along the edge and we liked some of the\u00a0matchups that we had on the outside with our guys.\u201d<\/p>\n The ending<\/p>\n So now with second and goal from the 7,\u00a0Prescott faced pressure and avoided a sack but was taken down at the Ravens’ 5. Schottenheimer called the Cowboys\u2019 last timeout with 14 seconds left. The timeout appeared to confuse Prescott on the field as he gave a puzzled look.<\/p>\n \u201cAfter the scramble, try to make something, we call a timeout and we\u2019re out of\u00a0timeouts,\u201d Prescott said. \u201cWe\u2019re forced to, excuse me, put ourselves in a position that we just got to execute that last play.\u201d<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Faced with a third-and-5, Prescott sent a pass toward Pickens. But instead of sending the ball toward the front of the pylon where Pickens created some space, he threw the ball away.<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cOpen, yeah, it probably was,\u201d Prescott said of Pickens. \u201cI probably should have just sat on it a little bit longer, sat on my back foot and just put it on the front pylon.\u201d<\/p>\n Schottenheimer said in those situations, he’d rather have Prescott throw a ball away.<\/p>\n The\u00a0incompletion forced Schottenheimer to attempt a game-tying 23-yard field goal, which was made by Brandon Aubrey.<\/p>\n Prescott sat on the bench with a disgusted look on his face as he looked at a tablet.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n The Cowboys averaged 4.9 yards per carry on Sunday, and when faced with a chance to run the ball to take a late lead, they didn\u2019t.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n