Cowboys scoring by quarter so far in 2026

[Bobhaze]

One of the areas that most needed improvement going into this season was the need to avoid bad starts. The last two seasons saw the Cowboys fall behind early in 20 of 34 games, meaning they either had a bad first quarter or gave up a lot of points early to fall behind.

NFL stats over the last decade show teams who score first and lead after won quarter win almost 65% of the time. Teams behind at the half lose about 75% of the time.

So how have we done through five games getting off to a good start?

• Our first qtr scoring through 5 games has been 30 points, so averaging about 5 pts per quarter. Not great.
• It is slightly better than last year when we only scored 80 points in the first qtr all season, which was 4.7 avg in first quarters.
• Our best qtr through 5 games has been the 4th qtr where we have scored 46 points, averaging over 9 points in the 4th. But that is partially because we have either been behind or in close games.
• Our scoring in the first half so far is 53 points (averaging about 10 points per first half.
• Second half is much higher. We have scored 85 points in the second half, averaging a whopping 17 points per half.

Here’s my point: Once again, we need better starts. From both sides of the ball! But especially with our offense which is clearly the stronger part of the team.

 

[JayFord]

Im not complaining about the offense

They put up enough points in most games to win

 

[Pompey-Cowboy]

Im not complaining about the offense

They put up enough points in most games to win

Our offense is over rated.
Our defense was over hyped.
Our special teams are overstretched.
Our coaches are in over their heads.
Our owner is overdue retirement.
Our season is over.

 

[Chasing6]

One of the areas that most needed improvement going into this season was the need to avoid bad starts. The last two seasons saw the Cowboys fall behind early in 20 of 34 games, meaning they either had a bad first quarter or gave up a lot of points early to fall behind.

NFL stats over the last decade show teams who score first and lead after won quarter win almost 65% of the time. Teams behind at the half lose about 75% of the time.

So how have we done through five games getting off to a good start?

• Our first qtr scoring through 5 games has been 30 points, so averaging about 5 pts per quarter. Not great.
• It is slightly better than last year when we only scored 80 points in the first qtr all season, which was 4.7 avg in first quarters.
• Our best qtr through 5 games has been the 4th qtr where we have scored 46 points, averaging over 9 points in the 4th. But that is partially because we have either been behind or in close games.
• Our scoring in the first half so far is 53 points (averaging about 10 points per half.
• Second half is much higher. We have scored 85 points in the second half, averaging a whopping 17 points per half.

Here’s my point: Once again, we need better starts. From both sides of the ball! But especially with our offense which is clearly the stronger part of the team.

Start the game like we are already down 10 points.

 

[McKDaddy]

Here’s my point: Once again, we need better starts. From both sides of the ball! But especially with our offense which is clearly the stronger part of the team.

Maybe you can get thru to them Bob.

 

[Bobhaze]

Maybe you can get thru to them Bob.

i can’t. But hopefully someone that knows a ton more about football than me or anyone else on our forum can, lol.

 

[blueblood70]

i can’t. But hopefully someone that knows a ton more about football than me or anyone else on our forum can, lol.

Look Bob you can criticize the offense all you want at the end of the day even in the Tampa Bay game 16 points should win you a game in the NFL and you're nitpicking and criticizing 'cause that's what you need to do after 4 quarters It's scoring up points to win games but in the Cowboys defense their offense can't score enough It doesn't matter if they do it in the first quarter or the second half just like the Denver Broncos took overtime just to get to their 17th point would you like to know their 2.9 yards per attempt on offense Do you like to know that most of their throws were at or behind the line of scrimmage this game but go check them out all year show me how Sean Payton is some genius or his defense is carrying him because that's what happened They took them all away from Sam Darnold who also we could talk about him But you're ridiculous Bob I know you're just stating facts but it doesn't matter at the end of the day the Cowboys office put plenty of points on the board even with their worst game they put up 16 points how did Sam Darnold do how that work they put up 14 points in 5 qtrs bro five quarters.

So if you did this for every team it doesn't matter if you start hot in the first quarter but then you get cold and can't score in the 2nd half or the vice versa it doesn't matter as long as you find a way to put up enough points to win a average NFL game which shouldn't be more than 20 points But yeah if you're forced to score 24 or 27 that's great But for the Cowboys when their defense is giving up 31 points a game they're never going to have a fair shot to win a game so it doesn't matter about the first quarter We've got a bad defense special teams and that's all that matters to me we don't need to talk about the offense again until we lose a game like last night you want to talk about the Seahawks not having a run game making mistakes having one of the best pass catchers in the league it can only put up 14 points would you like to talk about that Bob Yes my sarcasm is written all in here so if you can't hear it there's a lot of patronizing and sarcasm in my tone..lol

Like I've telling everybody the last couple weeks I do not want to hear about the Tampa Bay game as bad as the Cowboys offense played 16 points can win you a lot of games in this league if you have a better defense special teams and coaching staff that's all I need to tell you when I say coaching staff that's defensive coordinator and special teams coordinator because they have been absolutely, butt.the last 2 season+

Yes Bob I take offense to this do everybody else I know you just play the cowboy statistics because it is the team we talk about but it doesn't matter how they stack up against the rest of the league and the offense is in the top five still after the Tampa Bay game and with less possessions than everyone else why yes because of that butt defense and that butt special teams...


This will always be a team game and right now two thirds of our team are now showing up to support our offense so why should we care about quarter statistics We don't we care about overall statistics and as bad as the Cowboys played against Tampa Bay they could have still won that game had we had a better defense Those defenses I saw last night were pretty damn good I saw that in the playoffs as well I saw it in the Super Bowl the offensive struggle but it didn't matter The defense has kept him in the game long enough to score enough points..

 

[McKDaddy]

i can’t. But hopefully someone that knows a ton more about football than me or anyone else on our forum can, lol.

No one can.

 

[McKDaddy]

even in the Tampa Bay game 16 points should win you a game in the NFL

@Bobhaze - see exhibit A, Bob.

You really can't make some of this up.

 

[Bobhaze]

Im not complaining about the offense

They put up enough points in most games to win

Yes we have a good offense. But my point here is the offense needs to have better starts. Scoring most of your points in the 4th qtr usually means you’re either behind or in close games all the time.

How often are we going into the 4th qtr protecting a lead?

Last year, we were 6-1-1 in games leading after 3 qtrs. And 1-8 in games trailing after 3. So far this year through 5 games, we’ve trailed after 3 qtrs in 4 games. We won one of those - against Hou, lost three against the giants and Bucs, and ravens.

Getting ahead early - or at the very least - staying close, is so important.

 

[Bobhaze]

Look Bob you can criticize the offense all you want at the end of the day even in the Tampa Bay game 16 points should win you a game in the NFL and you're nitpicking and criticizing 'cause that's what you need to do after 4 quarters It's scoring up points to win games but in the Cowboys defense their offense can't score enough It doesn't matter if they do it in the first quarter or the second half just like the Denver Broncos took overtime just to get to their 17th point would you like to know their 2.9 yards per attempt on offense Do you like to know that most of their throws were at or behind the line of scrimmage this game but go check them out all year show me how Sean Payton is some genius or his defense is carrying him because that's what happened They took them all away from Sam Darnold who also we could talk about him But you're ridiculous Bob I know you're just stating facts but it doesn't matter at the end of the day the Cowboys office put plenty of points on the board even with their worst game they put up 16 points how did Sam Darnold do how that work they put up 14 points in 5 qtrs bro five quarters.

So if you did this for every team it doesn't matter if you start hot in the first quarter but then you get cold and can't score in the 2nd half or the vice versa it doesn't matter as long as you find a way to put up enough points to win a average NFL game which shouldn't be more than 20 points But yeah if you're forced to score 24 or 27 that's great But for the Cowboys when their defense is giving up 31 points a game they're never going to have a fair shot to win a game so it doesn't matter about the first quarter We've got a bad defense special teams and that's all that matters to me we don't need to talk about the offense again until we lose a game like last night you want to talk about the Seahawks not having a run game making mistakes having one of the best pass catchers in the league it can only put up 14 points would you like to talk about that Bob Yes my sarcasm is written all in here so if you can't hear it there's a lot of patronizing and sarcasm in my tone..lol

Like I've telling everybody the last couple weeks I do not want to hear about the Tampa Bay game as bad as the Cowboys offense played 16 points can win you a lot of games in this league if you have a better defense special teams and coaching staff that's all I need to tell you when I say coaching staff that's defensive coordinator and special teams coordinator because they have been absolutely, butt.the last 2 season+

Yes Bob I take offense to this do everybody else I know you just play the cowboy statistics because it is the team we talk about but it doesn't matter how they stack up against the rest of the league and the offense is in the top five still after the Tampa Bay game and with less possessions than everyone else why yes because of that butt defense and that butt special teams...


This will always be a team game and right now two thirds of our team are now showing up to support our offense so why should we care about quarter statistics We don't we care about overall statistics and as bad as the Cowboys played against Tampa Bay they could have still won that game had we had a better defense Those defenses I saw last night were pretty damn good I saw that in the playoffs as well I saw it in the Super Bowl the offensive struggle but it didn't matter The defense has kept him in the game long enough to score enough points..

Blue you’re always welcome to disagree on any thread. My purpose here is not to “criticize the offense” but rather to show using facts what our performance has been and how we can improve.

Again, you’re always welcome to disagree. I was just clarifying my purpose because I don’t see this thread as anything more than showing where we are and where we need to get better.

 

[StarLord]

Our offense is over rated.
Our defense was over hyped.
Our special teams are overstretched.
Our coaches are in over their heads.
Our owner is overdue retirement.
Our season is over.

The Dallas Cowboys: A Poem

 

[TequilaCowboy]

Our offense is over rated.
Our defense was over hyped.
Our special teams are overstretched.
Our coaches are in over their heads.
Our owner is overdue retirement.
Our season is over.

Need to make this into our fight song... .played during the game over the loud speakers.

 

[DeaconMoss]

30 for 30 next Friday: GOTI-Dead before it started

 

[DripTooHard]

I got my GOTI tattoo and necklace boys!

 

[Captain-Crash]

 

[BobSacamano]

Im not complaining about the offense

They put up enough points in most games to win

That’s why a terrible defense every game is so crucial.

Any NFL offense, no matter how elite, will play a stinker or two.

It’s like at work. Somedays you can’t get anything right and you just have to cut your losses.

 

[Rockport]

Im not complaining about the offense

They put up enough points in most games to win

Yeah, agree. They’re averaging almost 28 pts per game.

 

[Whirlwin]

Im not complaining about the offense

They put up enough points in most games to win

But don’t you know, Prescotts, the reason for everything, we suck,