Derrick Henry dominating the Cowboys is poetic justice Jerry Jones deserves

In March, the Dallas Cowboys hurt Derrick Henry’s feelings. On Sunday, he ripped their heart out.

Dallas suffered a 28-25 loss against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 3, marking their second consecutive loss at home.

A late rally by the Cowboys fueled some excitement, but the game wasn’t as close as the final score suggests. Dallas trailed 28-6 with less than nine minutes remaining in the fourth quarter. A touchdown and successful onside kick helped the Cowboys begin a comeback attempt but it ultimately proved to be too little, too late.

Dallas was outscored 72-25 through their first seven quarters of football at AT&T Stadium this season. Their struggles have highlighted two potentially fatal flaws of the current roster: a defense that cannot stop the run and an offense that cannot run the ball.

Those struggles set the stage for Derrick Henry to exact revenge on Dallas. The four-time Pro Bowler punished the Cowboys on 25 carries with 151 rushing yards and two touchdowns, and he added on a 23-yard reception for good measure.

Jerry Jones could have signed Derrick Henry 

The Cowboys have no one to blame except team owner Jerry Jones, who had an opportunity to save his defense from the vicious stiff arms they endured. 

When Derrick Henry left the Tennessee Titans as a free agent this offseason, he had dreams of playing for the Cowboys.

The signing would have made plenty of sense for both sides. Henry, who lives in Dallas, thought the Cowboys were an ideal landing spot. Dallas lost running back Tony Pollard in free agency, and they had no viable replacement on their roster. But the call never came.

But the call never came. Dallas didn’t even seem to inquire about his asking price. 

“The Cowboys never called at all,” Henry said in Match.

Jones had plenty of opportunities to replenish the team’s running back depth this offseason. The 2024 free agency class featured plenty of stars and versatile options at the running back position. Saquon Barkley left the New York Giants, Aaron Jones was released by the Green Bay Packers, and Josh Jacobs moved on from the Las Vegas Raiders.

The Cowboys sat idly by as all of those running backs were scooped up by other teams. While all of those running backs are enjoying success, America’s Team trotted out Rico Dowdle as their leading rusher on Sunday. 

Dowdle finished the game with eight carries for 32 yards. The third-year running back now leads the team with 23 carries for 88 rushing yards through three games. Aging veteran Ezekiel Elliott is the only Cowboys running back with a rushing touchdown this season. 

After the game, Jones was asked about why the team decided not to sign Henry.

“We couldn’t afford Henry,” Jones told reporters, per FOX Sports reporter Ralph Vacchiano.

Henry signed a two-year, $16 million contract with the Ravens, who seemed to express interest in acquiring him.

Considering Henry’s desire to play in Dallas, he possibly would have accepted a slightly lower salary to sign with the Cowboys. After watching Henry tear through his defense, Jones will likely wish he would’ve opened up his wallet.