Kyle Hamilton was happy to leave Rio de Janeiro with a victory over the Cowboys, but he was not pleased with how the defense played overall.
"Guys had their moments on defense, but it is unacceptable for us to keep putting ourselves in this position in the fourth quarter," Hamilton said. "They should not have to go out there and score 30 points for us to win.
"It is unacceptable to be saying we are a 'Ravens defense' or whatever that means at this point and be going out there and doing that. Obviously, we have a new staff in, so it is on the players. We have to get it fixed as players and do right by these guys to put us in better positions."
Baltimore played some of its best defense in the red zone. On Dallas' opening drive, Roquan Smith blitzed and sacked Dak Prescott on third-and-goal from the one, forcing the Cowboys to settle for a field goal.
On Dallas' final possession, the Ravens forced Dallas to settle for a field goal after the Cowboys had a first-and-goal from the two following a controversial pass interference call on Nate Wiggins. Instead of taking the lead, Dallas tied the game at 31-31, setting the stage Tyler Loop's game-winning 56-yard field goal.
"We could have done better, so we are going to check the tape and get better from it," said defensive tackle Nnamdi Madubuike, who returned to the lineup for the first time since Week 2 of last season after his serious neck injury.
The Ravens limited Dallas' explosive plays in the first half, but CeeDee Lamb (seven catches, 112 yards) had a 49-yard reception in the second half, while George Pickens (seven catches, 82 yards) also hurt Baltimore. The Ravens missed tackles on Dallas' final two drives that almost cost them a victory.
"Myself, giving up some explosive passes there in the fourth, we did not play, I would say, to the standard we wanted," cornerback Marlon Humphrey said. "The defense kind of let up some points, the offense was able to move the ball and then special teams just capped it off."
Head Coach Jesse Minter would like see the Ravens make more defensive stops, but he was pleased they did enough to win.
"We didn't finish the game the way I would have liked to on defense over the last quarter, but they got the ball first-and-goal at the 1-yard line with a chance to win the game, and we hold them to a field goal," Minter said.
"Major credit to those guys straining all the way to the end. It's a baby step for us, but we're never going to apologize for winning a game."
