The Dallas Cowboys got smashed 24 to 44 by the Denver Broncos on Sunday, dropping to 3 wins, 4 losses, and 1 tie on the season. There were plenty of lowlights to choose from, but one moment captured how lost the team looked. Late in the third quarter, trailing 30 to 17, head coach Brian Schottenheimer faced a fourth and five from his own 44-yard line. He chose to punt.

The decision left fans, analysts, and even former Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo shaking their heads. During the CBS broadcast, a reporter noted that Dallas was punting in that situation.

Romo responded simply, “Oof.” When asked if he would have thought about going for it, Romo said, “I would have thought about it. But you only got so much time because there’s a play clock.”

The reporter then raised the obvious question about whether the Cowboys’ defense could stop Denver no matter where they started.

Romo’s answer summed up why the punt felt so wrong. “That’s why I might have gone for it,” he said.

Brian Schottenheimer had shown aggressive instincts earlier in the game. On the previous Dallas possession, he went for it on fourth and three from the Denver 27-yard line, turning down an easy field goal attempt in search of a touchdown. He understood the urgency then, knowing his defense was getting carved up, and every point mattered. So what changed one series later?

The Broncos did exactly what everyone expected after the punt, marching down the field for a touchdown to push the lead to 37 to 17. They added another score soon after, effectively ending any hope Dallas had of coming back.

The Cowboys managed just 108 rushing yards on 31 carries. Receivers CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens each had seven catches, with Lamb finishing with 74 yards and Pickens recording 78. Meanwhile, quarterback Dak Prescott finished 19 of 31 for 188 yards with zero touchdowns and two interceptions, posting a passer rating of just 51.5.

According to ESPN, it was his worst performance since Week 3 against Chicago. Tight end Jake Ferguson, who entered the game ranked fourth in the NFL with 51 receptions, was held without a catch for the first time this season.

After the game, Schottenheimer took full responsibility for the performance. “When you look at it, I don’t think any of us coached or played well enough,” he said. “We did not play well, we did not coach well. We didn’t coach very well. I wasn’t very good today. I don’t think [Matt Eberflus] thinks he was very good today.”

But all this did very little to ease the sting of such a lopsided defeat.

Dak Prescott challenges the Cowboys locker room after the blowout

Prescott’s frustration was clear when he spoke to reporters. “Yeah, I’m surprised,” he said. “I’m sure that’s a good word to use. Frustrated as well, frustrating. What we’ve been doing, what we’re capable of doing, didn’t really ever get going.”

When asked about the possibility of a trade before the November 4 deadline to help the struggling defense, Prescott pushed back. “We’ve got to be better in everything that we do,” he said. “Doing it, getting a trade, takes opportunities and plays away from somebody else. Forget a trade. Do more, right? Shut that talk up, whether it be the offense or whether it be the defense. Whatever position group that you guys are alluding to, step up and shut the talk up.”

Prescott went further, calling out the entire locker room for inconsistency. “I see us everyday, and I see what we’re capable of. Here’s the word that keeps coming back: consistency. We’re not very consistent, and we have to be. Last week, we did a great job stopping the run, but tonight we didn’t. Therein lies a problem. We’ve been doing well protecting the football, which has given us a chance. Tonight, we didn’t.”

The loss to Denver marked their eighth straight defeat to the Broncos, a streak dating back to 1995 when Troy Aikman, Emmitt Smith, and Michael Irvin led Dallas. With a Monday Night Football matchup against Arizona coming up in Week 9, the Cowboys have an extra day to regroup before facing their bye week and a brutal schedule ahead.