Cowboys trail Ravens at halftime, but should the game even have been played?
The Cowboys trailed the host Baltimore Ravens 17-10 at halftime in the first ever game on a Tuesday night in Cowboys’ franchise history.
The Cowboys got some early breaks to take a 10-7 lead in the second quarter before the Ravens came back to take the lead at halftime.
It was the Cowboys’ first game in 12 days, dating back to their 41-16 loss to Washington Football Team on Thanksgiving.
The game had been postponed from Dec. 3 to Dec. 7, and then Dec. 8 due to a coronavirus outbreak in the Ravens organization that raised even more questions at kickoff Tuesday night when former Cowboys receiver Dez Bryant tested positive and was ruled out of the game.
Considering that Bryant was on the field for pre-game warm ups, there is a question of whether the game even should be played.
The NFL said that all other Ravens players tested negative and no high-risk contacts were identified.
Still, he was in the locker room with his teammates and was seen hugging former Cowboys players and staffers before the game, according to media reports.
Once the game started, the Cowboys got on the scoreboard first when safety Darian Thompson intercepted a tipped pass from Lamar Jackson. Marquis Brown got one hand on the ball due to tight coverage from Jordan Lewis.
The Cowboys turned it into a 31-yard field goal by Greg Zuerlein.
Jackson then took advantage of the league’s worst run defense by darting 37-yards to the end zone on a zone read on fourth-and-2.
It would be short lived as Tony Pollard returned the ensuing kickoff 67 yards, and Dalton hit Michael Gallup for a 13-yard score to put the Cowboys up 10-7 early in the second quarter.
The Cowboys got another break when Ravens kicker Justin Tucker snapped a streak of 70 straight makes inside of 40 yards when he was wide left from 36-yards.
However, Dalton followed with a tipped pick to linebacker Patrick McQueen.
Jackson connected with a wide-open Miles Boykin for a 38-yard score on the next play to put the Ravens up 14-10.
The Cowboys had a chance to cut it 14-13 but Zuerlein was wide right on a 40-yard attempt that was moved back five yards due an unconscionable delay of game penalty.
Tucker’s 35-yard field goal made it 17-10.
The Cowboys (3-8) need a victory against the Ravens (6-5) to avoid falling two games behind Washington and New York, who are tied atop the NFC East at 5-7, with four games to go.
