Dallas Cowboys' 3 Biggest Concerns Entering Week 4 After Rio Disaster

The Dallas Cowboys are now 1-2 and have to address these three major concerns as they prepare for the Houston Texans in Week 4.

Dallas Cowboys OLB Rashan Gary looks dejected after the Week 3 loss to the Baltimore Ravens. | REUTERS

Some losses hurt more than others and for the Dallas Cowboys, their most recent loss is one of the more painful they’ve endured in recent years.

Dallas was the underdog against the Baltimore Ravens, but they still had a chance to escape Rio with a victory. Trailing by three points late in the game, they moved the ball to the two-yard line, just feeet away from victory. As we all know, they ended up playing for overtime and suffered a shocking defeat.

Now, they head back to Texas to take on the 0-3 Houston Texans. The Cowboys will be facing a team desperate for a turnaround. To keep from suffering a defeat while helping springboard their in-state rivals revival, Dallas must focus on these three major concerns.

Injuries in the secondary

Dallas Cowboys safety Jalen Thompson reacts to a penalty call on Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Devontez Walker. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Injuries in the secondary were a problem going into Week 3 and they only became more concerning for Dallas during the game. Starting safety Jalen Thompson suffered a hamstring injury and it sounds as though he will be sent to the IR. That means the Cowboys have lost their top three safeties with Thompson joining Malik Hooker and P.J. Locke. Hooker is out with a fractured forearm while Locke tore his plantar fascia.

Cornerback has been a problem as well, with Cobie Durant out due to a hamstring strain. On Sunay, his replacement was lost as well when Shavon Revel appeared to have injured his knee. The Cowboys are thin all throughout the secondary and will need to figure out who they can lean on before taking on Houston in Week 4.

Lack of pass rush

Dallas Cowboys defenders Jaishawn Barham, Quinnen Williams, Otito Ogbonnia, Kenny Clark, and Rashan Gary look on. | REUTERS

Christian Parker was tasked with turning this defense around and the plan was to dominate in the middle with Quinnen Williams and Kenny Clark, which would allow their outside linebackers to get after the quarterback. Through three games, that plan hasn't worked. Dallas has just two sacks, with one coming from defensive back Caleb Downs, who was blitzing from the slot.

The only other sack is shared by Donovan Ezeiruaku and Jonathan Bullard. That means they have gotten no noticable production from Rashan Gary, Von Miller, or Malachi Lawrence. Even Williams and Clark have yet to make a huge impact when rushing the passer.

It's bad enough that this defense is getting gouged by the rushing attack, which is a bad sign with David Montgomery facing them next, but the complete lack of effectiveness in the pass-rushing department is a major problem.

Decision making among the coaching staff

Dallas Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer looks on during the game against the Baltimore Ravens at Maracana Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Sunday was an eye-opener for many. Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer is an incredibly likable guy who just exudes confidence. The problem is that his in-game decision making is highly questionable.

We have dug into his questionable play-calls down the stretch, and I wrote about his inexcusable defense of those plays. There are legitimate concerns about Schottenheimer following this game, but he's not the only coach who is to blame for the faulures.

Nick Harris of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram broke down how all three play-callers, Schottenheimer, Parker, and special teams coordinator Nick Sorensen all had a hand in the loss. Following the offensive disaster which resulted in a field goal, Sorensen had Brandon Aubrey kick the ball out of the back of the end zone, setting the Ravens up for the final play and had two defenders playing off the line of scrimmage on the final field goal. Defensively, Parker was in cover one despite having three backup defensive backs on the field.

The Cowboys’ coaching mistake counter in the final 30 seconds alone:

- Goal line fade call on 1st down
- Timeout with 14 seconds after 2nd down
- One read play on 3rd down
- Kickoff out of endzone instead of having returner bring it out OR fair catch and start from the 20
-…

— Nick Harris (@NickHarrisFWST) September 28, 2026

Houston has proven they're beatable this season, but they're still a good team that's backed into a corner. The Cowboys are a team with some good players but they lack a true identity and have questionable coaching. There's a lot to get right before they can turn it around, but these are three areas they need to focus on this week as they look to get win No. 2.

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