Mickey Spagnola: Cowboys’ disastrous ending in Rio & what’s at stake in the battle of Texas | Week 4
· Yahoo Sports
SAN ANGELO, Texas (Concho Valley Homepage) — Dallas Cowboys inside reporter Mickey Spagnola discusses the team's week three loss in Rio, defensive problems and next week's battle of Texas.
Every Tuesday during the 2026 NFL season, Dallas Cowboys inside reporter Mickey Spagnola joins the KSAN Sports team to discuss the latest updates on the team. In week four, the discussion is centered on the team's 34-31 loss to the Baltimore Ravens, why Dallas' defensive struggles continue and what adjustments must be made going into their next matchup.
Visit freshyourfeel.com for more information.
KSAN sports reporter Griff McClellan asked Spagnola the following questions:
In their week three loss to Baltimore, Dallas had a chance to win the game in the final minute. The Cowboys offense had first and goal at the two-yard line, but failed to reach the end zone. After settling for a game-tying field goal with seven seconds remaining, the Cowboys allowed the Ravens to quickly get into field goal range and set up the game-winning 56-yard kick. Which of these two costly sequences will the Cowboys dwell on more, failing to score a touchdown or allowing the opponent to score so quickly? And which is more concerning in your opinion?
"Both needed to be improved," Spagnola said. "I thought that what took place with [Dallas'] first and last possession is really how this game came out. They had first and goal at the two-yard line twice, and had to kick field goals both times. From a defensive standpoint, [Dallas is] starting to get a little thin in the secondary with injuries."
Looking at the bigger picture, how did Baltimore's final drive sum up Dallas' defensive struggles this season? Is it safe to say that moment is a microcosm of the Cowboys' defensive issues?
"Defensively, the problem was stopping the run," Spagnola said. "Baltimore ran for 192 yards, but [Ravens running back] Derrick Henry only rushed for 89. From a defensive standpoint, [Dallas] gave up too many points and didn't play that last pass play well at all. But [there were] a lot of young guys out there because of injuries, that aren't normally playing in those situations."
What defensive adjustments must be made going forward, particularly in stopping the run? How pivotal is this going into the battle of Texas, against the winless Houston Texans in week four?
"[Dallas] can't let [Texans quarterback] CJ Stroud beat them," Spagnola said. "They've got to get pressure on him. After three games, [Stroud] has been sacked ten times. I think [Dallas] made somewhat of an improvement against the run, but the bad part was that they allowed [Ravens quarterback] Lamar Jackson to run for 50 yards. I can deal with holding Derrick Henry to 89, but I can't let the quarterback beat me like that. That's happened now in three games with allowing quarterbacks to run for so many yards."
Join KSAN Sports next Tuesday, Oct 6 ahead of the Dallas Cowboys’ week five matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ConchoValleyHomepage.com.