"Lackadaisical" - Cowboys owner Jerry Jones critical of his side's performance against Broncos
The Dallas Cowboys did not look their best in Week 9 as they were defeated by the Denver Broncos 30-16. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones did not beat around the bush with his words when expressing how his team played at home.
Jones said on 105.3 The Fan that the Cowboys were "internally overconfident" and "not ready to play" against the charged-up Broncos.
Jerry Jones: Dallas Cowboys overconfident, questions Dak Prescott being in game late star-telegram.com/sports/nfl/dal…
Jerry Jones: We played "Lackadaisical"
Jones went on to say that the Cowboys performance was “as flat as any team I've seen", per the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Their 14-point defeat was the worst of the season.
The loss could have been by greater than two touchdowns. The Cowboys failed to score until there was a little over four minutes left in the game.
They scored zero points in the first 55 minutes, 51 seconds of the contest.
"We basically played what seemed to be lackadaisical."
The loss snapped a six-game winning streak and was the longest current one entering Week 9. The offense could not move the ball, failing on all four of their fourth-down attempts.
Dallas’ 18:48 time of possession was the lowest by any team in Week 9 and of any game this season. The Cowboys averaged 40.3 points per game in the first three games of the season but put up just 16 total points in this outing.
Their first eight drives resulted in three turnovers on downs, four punts and an interception.
Jerry Jones concedes he had "internal overconfidence" entering Broncos game. Their scheme was anticipated; their success, less so. Jerry thought Cowboys would rebound.
"I don’t think any of us thought we’d come out of there without a victory Sunday," Jerry tells @1053thefan.
Cowboys' Defense Puts Offense in a Hole
The Cowboys' defense could not stop the Broncos' rushing run game, which put up 190 yards on the ground. It was the fourth-most rushing yards allowed by a defense in Week 9.
Jones mentioned his team's body language after they were down big, noting there was no comeback in the cards:
"I don't think any of us thought we'd come out of there without a victory Sunday”
The 30-point deficit was the most significant of quarterback Dak Prescott's career and the biggest for the Cowboys at home since 2001 against the Philadelphia Eagles. Prescott had difficulty all game coming off a calf injury as he was off-target with his throws.
He looked bewildered by the Broncos’ defensive pressure without All-Pro OT Tyron Smith in the lineup.
Broncos held Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott to 232 yards passing Sunday -- his second lowest total of the season. But 153 of those yards came in fourth quarter when Broncos had 30-0 lead. Through three quarters Prescott had 79 yards passing.
His passer rating of 73.9 was his career lowest in a game since Week 5 of last year, versus the New York Giants (70.7). Prescott's 5.9 passing yards per attempt was his lowest since Week 15 of 2018 at the Colts.
The Cowboys host the Atlanta Falcons at home in Week 10. They are coming off a big divisional road win in New Orleans. Dallas has not lost at home in back-to-back weeks since Weeks 11-12 of 2017.
They finished 9-7 that year and missed the playoffs.