NFL Winners and Losers: Cowboys Face Crushing Home Defeat to Saints, Sparking Panic

 

It seemed like someone must have informed the Dallas Cowboys that Sunday’s game was a playoff matchup.

Traditionally, the Cowboys excel in the regular season only to underperform in the playoffs. That’s why their lackluster performance against the New Orleans Saints in Week 2 was so unexpected. Entering the game as favorites, Dallas allowed 35 points by halftime, tying a franchise record for the most points given up in the first half.

While the Saints have shown promise on offense in the first two weeks, their initial game was against the struggling Carolina Panthers. After the Cowboys' impressive win against the Cleveland Browns last week, few anticipated that the Saints would dominate offensively. New Orleans managed to rack up 310 yards in the first half alone. The Cowboys came out flat in the second half, succumbing to a convincing 44-19 defeat.

A notable issue for the Cowboys that emerged on Sunday was the absence of former defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, who was hired by the Washington Commanders in the offseason. Quinn had done an excellent job with the Dallas defense, but it was clear on Sunday that they struggled without him. The Cowboys surrendered big plays throughout the game, including a 70-yard deep pass from Derek Carr to Rashid Shaheed and a 57-yard touchdown to Alvin Kamara, who scored three times in the first half and added a fourth in the second. He likely could have scored more if the Cowboys had provided any resistance to keep the Saints aggressive deep into the second half. Overall, the Dallas defense appeared disorganized—something that was rare under Quinn, particularly in the regular season.

Despite the offseason concerns surrounding the Cowboys, they managed to retain their key star players, although they did lose some depth, which became apparent on Sunday. Unfortunately, everything seemed to go awry, particularly on the defensive side.

It's tough to gauge the Cowboys' performance so far. They were impressive in a dominant Week 1 victory, but perhaps Week 2 revealed more about the Saints than the Cowboys themselves. Only time will tell as the season progresses. However, the anxiety that typically surrounds the Cowboys after a disappointing playoff exit has now been accelerated due to this week's defeat. It's hard to shake the panic after a blowout loss at home to New Orleans, especially with a formidable opponent like the Baltimore Ravens looming next week.

Here are the rest of the winners and losers from Week 2 of the NFL season:

**WINNERS**

**Brian Flores**: It’s still unclear if Flores will receive another chance as an NFL head coach after his rocky tenure with the Miami Dolphins, which included criticism over his management of Tua Tagovailoa and the ongoing lawsuit against the NFL that may deter owners from hiring him. However, there’s no denying his ability to coach a defense.

The Minnesota Vikings sit at 2-0 after defeating the San Francisco 49ers 23-17 on Sunday. Although Sam Darnold connected with Justin Jefferson for a 97-yard play, the standout aspect of the victory was undoubtedly Flores’ defense. The 49ers have been formidable lately, having shown strength against the New York Jets in their opener, but they were stifled for most of this game. Despite Brock Purdy’s 319 passing yards and Jordan Mason’s 100 rushing yards, much of their success came in catch-up mode. For the first three quarters, the 49ers managed only seven points against a Viking defense that dominated the field.

With Green Bay losing in Week 1 and Detroit dropping their Week 2 game, the Vikings found themselves in an unexpected first-place position in the NFC North, thanks largely to their defensive performance.

**Matt LaFleur**: The Green Bay Packers coach deserves recognition for his work, especially now that he’s no longer overshadowed by Aaron Rodgers. LaFleur took a chance on Malik Willis, who previously struggled in the NFL with the Tennessee Titans, and guided him to a 16-10 victory over the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday. Willis, who was acquired for a seventh-round pick just weeks ago, was well-prepared to step in for the injured Jordan Love.

LaFleur also demonstrated flexibility by adapting the team's offensive strategy. Utilizing a dynamic mix of motions and formations, he created a better running game. Though the Packers only managed 25 passing yards in the first half, they dominated the ground game with 237 rushing yards. Notably, Josh Jacobs contributed 128 yards on 20 carries in that half alone. While the Packers didn't shine in the second half, they secured an "ugly" win that was crucial while Love recovers from a sprained MCL.

To summarize: LaFleur adapts his game plan to fit Willis’s capabilities, transforming a seventh-round pick into a winning quarterback against a Colts team that narrowly missed the playoffs last year. Life without Love is challenging, but LaFleur is maximizing his team's potential.

**NFC South**: The Atlanta Falcons had a bumpy start in Week 1, and we’ll see how they perform on Monday night. Meanwhile, the Carolina Panthers... more on them later. Despite the uncertainty, the NFC South is shaping up to be more competitive than expected.

The Saints are off to a strong 2-0 start, while the Tampa Bay Buccaneers also refuse to cede their division title easily. The Buccaneers improved to 2-0 with a hard-fought 20-16 win over the Detroit Lions, showcasing a balanced offense and a tenacious defense. They started strong and held off a late rally, forcing two turnovers on downs in the final minute despite missing All-Pro safety Antoine Winfield Jr.

The Buccaneers look promising so far this season and share the top spot with other contenders.

**New York Jets**: Early in their game against the Tennessee Titans, it seemed like the Jets were on track for an 0-2 start, with negative headlines ready to surface. However, they rallied from a sluggish first half and a 10-7 halftime deficit to secure a 24-17 victory. Key defensive stops sealed the game late, while rookie running back Braelon Allen made a significant impact with two touchdowns, including a crucial 20-yard go-ahead run in the fourth quarter.

The Jets face immense pressure this season, especially playing in such a high-profile market. But for now, they can breathe easier ahead of their Thursday night match-up without the weight of criticism hanging over them.

**Antonio Pierce and the Raiders**: The Las Vegas Raiders deserve recognition after overcoming a 23-13 fourth-quarter deficit to claim a pivotal 26-23 upset against the Baltimore Ravens, who fell to 0-2 after failing to close out yet another game. The Raiders bounced back from a Week 1 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers, where a questionable decision by Pierce to punt in Chargers territory raised eyebrows. This week, however, he effectively led his team to an impressive victory over a Ravens squad expected to be among the best as the season unfolds.

**LOSERS**

**Carolina Panthers, yet again**: While the Los Angeles Chargers had many standout moments, including last year’s first-round pick Quentin Johnston scoring two touchdowns, the same cannot be said for the 2024 Panthers. The team appears dismal and has yet to resemble a legitimate NFL squad. They've been outscored 50-3 in the first halves of their two games so far this season, including a 20-0 deficit at home against the Chargers. Ultimately, they lost 26-3 and failed to make any significant adjustments in the second half.

After two games, the Panthers look just as uninspiring as in last season, and Bryce Young’s performance hasn’t improved either. It's a discouraging time to be a Panthers fan with 15 more games left in the season.

**Trevor Lawrence and the 0-2 Jaguars**: Trevor Lawrence faced a disheartening stat line during Sunday’s game, completing just 12 attempts for 16 yards at one point. For a player with a $55 million salary, that's a harsh indicator of his struggles this season. 

The Jaguars fell to 0-2 with an 18-13 home loss to the Cleveland Browns, whose defense performed admirably, but the Jaguars should have been able to muster more offensive production. Although they briefly took a lead in the fourth quarter, a touchdown to Christian Kirk was negated by an illegal shift penalty, forcing them to settle for a field goal. In a critical moment, Lawrence surrendered a safety in the final minutes while trailing by a field goal. 

There’s still time for Lawrence to turn things around, but he will need to elevate his game significantly if the Jaguars hope to recover from this early deficit.

**Malik Nabers**: The rookie receiver for the New York Giants showed potential with a strong performance on Sunday, but a costly drop proved detrimental in a narrow 21-18 loss to the Washington Commanders. 

The Giants faced an uphill battle after losing kicker Graham Gano to a groin injury on the opening kickoff and opting not to sign a replacement for the game. This decision haunted them, particularly when they were forced to go for it on fourth-and-4 from the Washington 22-yard line in the fourth quarter instead of attempting a field goal. 

While Nabers recorded 10 catches for 127 yards, his dropped pass on what should have been a first down was a critical mistake. Following this, Washington drove down the field and kicked the game-winning field goal as time expired. Despite Nabers' promising talent, this drop was a tough moment early in his rookie campaign, and the blame may lie more with the Giants' management for mismanaging Gano's availability.

**New England Patriots, sort of**: The Patriots haven’t been as poor as many predicted this season. After defeating the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 1, they put up a competitive effort against the Seattle Seahawks, eventually losing 23-20 after an overtime field goal.

While it’s disappointing to lose, the Patriots have exceeded expectations. Jerod Mayo has shown promise in his early games as head coach, and quarterback Jacoby Brissett has alleviated concerns about starting rookie Drake Maye. While the playoffs may be out of reach, New England is proving to be anything but an easy opponent this season.