Instant analysis as Cowboys’ offense stinks up AT&T in 19-3 loss to Bucs

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Mike McCarthy didn’t have Dak Prescott at his disposal during the preseason in 2021 due to injury. A shoulder tweak forced the QB to remain sidelined until the regular season. It didn’t throw off the timing, as the passing offense was crisp in their two-point loss to Tampa Bay. If that gave the coaching staff the idea that Prescott didn’t need game experience with this particular group of wide receivers, they were sadly mistaken.

The Dallas Cowboys offense was ridiculously disjointed, off-timed and altogether woeful in the season opener. The defense did their best to keep the club in the game, but there was no help at all from the other side. In addition, there’s now a potential hand injury to Prescott that occurred in the fourth quarter of an embarrassing 19-3 home defeat to the Buccaneers.

. . .  Tom Brady completed a 48-yard bomb to Julio Jones down the right sideline late in the second quarter. The Bucs didn’t score a touchdown on the play, but it was an emphatic moment for a couple reasons. Dallas felt they were fine with their wide receivers after trading Amari Cooper and losing Cedrick Wilson in free agency. They didn’t go out and acquire help at the position.

Meanwhile Tampa Bay, who had Mike Evans and Chris Godwin already, went out and signed Jones. The former Falcons star had 69 receiving yards and another 17 on the ground, indicating he had something left to contribute to a team.

That’s Prescott’s passer rating. It was the third worst rating of his career, and the worst he’s had since 2017.

It echoes just how off Prescott was in trying to connect with his receivers. There were a myriad of off-target throws, eerily reminiscent to how he looked in 2018 when he had no confidence in his receiving corps of Allen Hurns, Cole Beasley and Tavon Austin.