Dallas Cowboys Rio Loss to Baltimore Ravens Exposes Defense and Coaching Issues The Dallas Cowboys lost a walk-off game to the Baltimore Ravens in Rio de Janeiro. Rookie standouts and Javonte Williams impressed, but defense and coaching flaws remain. The Dallas Cowboys suffered a brutal walk-off loss to the Baltimore Ravens in Week 3 at Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The defeat dropped Dallas to a disappointing start and raised serious questions about the team's defense and coaching. Despite the heartbreaking finish, there were positives from the rookie class and the running game that offer hope. Rookies Shine in Dallas Cowboys Rio LossThe Dallas Cowboys rookie class has lived up to the hype. Caleb Downs, a versatile All-American safety out of Ohio State, has been every bit the player everyone expected. Third-round pick Jaishawn Barham has also provided a major boost.Barham was thrown into the fire as the green dot linebacker in DeMarvion Overshown's absence. He has not only met expectations but exceeded them. He is a no-nonsense linebacker always flying to the ball and has been one of the highest-rated rookies in the entire 2026 draft class.During Sunday's game, Barham and Downs came together twice to stuff Derrick Henry behind the line of scrimmage. That is not easy to do against a back like Henry.Coaching and Defense Under FireHead coach Brian Schottenheimer can give all the rah-rah speeches and bring good vibes to practices, but the coaching needs to improve. Schottenheimer is in his second year and has appeared to regress. There is no confidence in his play-calling and puzzling decisions, like telling Dak Prescott to throw it away on third down and kicking a touchback with the game tied in the closing seconds, backfired on the team.His clock management has been brutal, and the play-calling is less than inspiring. The defense, sold as new and improved throughout the offseason and training camp, has many of the same issues as last year.Dallas has a non-existent pass rush and has recorded just two sacks through three weeks. They have just two takeaways entering Week 4. The rush defense continues to be a major problem, allowing 179 rushing yards per game. Something needs to change, and it starts with bringing in better talent because the current rotation is not getting the job done.Javonte Williams Sparks Running GameThe Dallas Cowboys running game struggled throughout the first two weeks of the season, but things got back on track for Javonte Williams in Rio. He finally had the type of production Dallas expects from him after his breakout season in 2025.Williams rushed 19 times for 98 yards and one touchdown. Averaging 5.2 yards per clip, he reminded everyone why he was deserving of his three-year, $24 million contract extension over the summer.Other Positives and ConcernsTight end Brevyn Spann-Ford continues to impress. When he is not lighting up opponents on special teams, he is laying incredible lead blocks that open up lanes for ball-carriers. He may not produce as much in the passing game, though he did have a big 19-yard catch late in the game, but he brings value all across the field. It is easy to understand why the Cowboys immediately fell in love with the undrafted free agent following the 2024 draft and have kept him in Dallas ever since.Offensive tackle Terence Steele has been a liability throughout the past few seasons and was a major question mark entering 2026. There have always been questions about Steele's consistency, and he just does not seem able to put it together. Perhaps it is time to finally pull the plug on the Terence Steele experiment and see what the recently acquired Broderick Jones can bring to the trenches.The loss to the Ravens was absolutely brutal and one that will be difficult to bounce back from. But there were also some positives that everyone needs to appreciate to get through the heartbreak. Now that we have had some time to digest the disappointment, the good and not so good from Week 3 in Rio paint a clear picture of where the Dallas Cowboys stand.