Cowboys’ defensive rankings reveal team’s biggest problems after ‘embarrassing’ loss on Thursday Night Football

The NFL spotlight was unkind to the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday night, as they suffered an embarrassing 24-16 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Thursday Night Football. The defeat exposed one of the team’s biggest weaknesses this season.

Cowboys pass defense ranks EPA/pass play allowed 32nd Pass success rate allowed 32nd Yards/attempt allowed 30th Completion pct allowed 30th Pass Rating allowed 32nd Passing TD allowed 28th Interceptions 32nd https://t.co/jTle3on3z6

The numbers paint an ugly picture for Dallas. The Cowboys rank dead last in the league in EPA per pass play allowed, pass success rate allowed, passer rating allowed and interceptions. They also sit near the bottom of the NFL in yards per attempt allowed, completion percentage allowed and passing touchdowns allowed.

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Oct 8, 2026; Arlington, Texas, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Kenny Gainwell (1) is tackled by Dallas Cowboys linebacker Dee Winters (53) at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images Taken together, those rankings show that the problem is not isolated to one area. Opposing quarterbacks have been able to move the ball through the air with relative ease, and Dallas has struggled to disrupt them or come away with takeaways.

Thursday’s performance only reinforced those concerns. Facing undrafted rookie quarterback Jalon Daniels, the Cowboys defense allowed 419 yards of offense and failed to force a turnover. Dallas pressured Daniels just seven times all night, giving the young passer plenty of time to operate.

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Oct 8, 2026; Arlington, Texas, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Kenny Gainwell (1) rushes the ball against Dallas Cowboys cornerback Ameer Speed (23) at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images The defense also struggled to stop momentum once it started. Tampa Bay scored touchdowns on back-to-back drives that took a combined seven plays, a stretch that highlighted how quickly the unit can break down.

For a team hoping to climb out of an early-season hole, the performance was a major step backward. The Cowboys (2-3) will try to right the ship in Week 6 when they visit the Green Bay Packers (2-2) next Sunday, and they will need significant improvement against the pass to avoid another disappointing result.

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