As Steven Tyler famously said, it’s the same old story, same old song and dance.

That’s the feeling for the Cowboys after their humiliating home opener against the Saints, who were 6.5-point underdogs.

The Saints managed to score a touchdown on every drive through the first three quarters, while Mike Zimmer’s defense—once impressive in Week 1—didn’t force a punt until midway through the fourth quarter. Overall, the Cowboys went from a big road win to a significant home defeat, finishing 44-19.

Following the game, coaches and players consistently echoed the same sentiment: this loss was a humbling experience that will drive them to improve. If it sounded rehearsed, it was because it was.

Under Mike McCarthy, the Cowboys have developed a pattern: they suffer a heavy defeat to a team they should have beaten, discuss how it will fuel their motivation, and then come back with a significant win the following week.

On the bright side, the Cowboys typically bounce back well after a loss. Since 2021, they have only lost consecutive games twice.

In 2021, they followed a loss to the Chiefs with an overtime defeat to Derek Carr and the Raiders amid numerous penalties.

Last year, after dropping consecutive games on their December road trip to Buffalo and Miami, they rebounded with two wins to finish the season and capture the NFC East title.

When the Cowboys rebound from a loss, they often secure decisive victories. In such games, they’ve outscored their opponents 423-193.

This trend might be promising for their upcoming match against the Ravens, who are currently 0-2.

However, this doesn’t make the recent loss any easier to digest, nor does it diminish the impact of how it unfolded.

It was noted throughout the week that the Saints had overhauled their offense by hiring Klint Kubiak from the 49ers coaching staff—a network that has many successful offensive coordinators in the league.

Many of these coaches have had notable success against the Cowboys’ defense.

This year felt different, however. Zimmer had a track record of successfully countering the Shanahan-style offense, and his defense had appeared unbeatable just a week earlier against a Browns team using the same system.

Additionally, Zimmer was well-acquainted with Kubiak from his four seasons on Zimmer’s staff in Minnesota.

The Cowboys had also bolstered their defensive line by adding veterans Jordan Phillips and Linval Joseph and having Mazi Smith bulk up.Despite these improvements, it made no difference.

The Saints dominated the Dallas defense, with the revamped defensive line being overpowered repeatedly.

This game was the first true test of the new-look defense’s ability to handle the type of offense they will face in six weeks against San Francisco—a challenge that is crucial for an NFC team aspiring to reach the Super Bowl.

Ironically, McCarthy’s offense performed well against the strong Saints defense.

They put up 16 points in the first half, joining the ranks of eight teams to do so this week, with the others leading at halftime by an average of 13 points.

However, the offense faltered in the second half as McCarthy had to rely on a one-dimensional approach, putting Dak Prescott in high-pressure situations that typically don’t favor quarterbacks.

While the offense wasn’t flawless, it wasn’t the cause of the loss in this game.

This is perhaps the most unsettling aspect.

The NFL today is heavily quarterback-driven, and typically, the team with the superior quarterback prevails. Usually, the Cowboys have the edge at quarterback, despite what analysts might suggest.

Yet, even when Prescott approached 300 yards against a defense that has allowed over 300 yards only twice in the past two seasons, the Cowboys couldn’t secure a win or keep the game close.

The loss to a Kyle Shanahan disciple—there are many of whom across the league—and the scheme’s effectiveness against the Cowboys’ defense raises concerns about whether anything has truly changed for the team.

More crucially, will it ever change? If the Cowboys can’t stop this type of offense, they will likely lose to Shanahan in Week 8, as well as in the playoffs against Shanahan, Matt LaFleur, or Kubiak and the Saints.This sobering reality may be dawning on the Cowboys.

While a win over the Ravens would be encouraging, it won’t address the ongoing issue of defending against this style of offense.

Until that issue is resolved, the Cowboys’ potential remains limited.