ARLINGTON, Texas – Dak Prescott had a message for some of his teammates in the locker room after Sunday’s 28-25 loss to the Baltimore Ravens.

“Enjoy your Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, tonight,” the Cowboys quarterback said. “Tomorrow you wake up and it’s Thursday, so let’s get going.”

With a score of 1:2, the Cowboys are hot on the heels of the New York Giants.

They have to. They have just two practices before boarding a plane to New Jersey on Thursday to face their NFC East rivals (8:15 p.m. ET, Prime Video).

“I mean, that’s just the schedule,” coach Mike McCarthy said. “That’s part of the NFL. That’s the beauty of competition. There’s nothing like Sundays, like game days. So we know the schedule. We have a plan. We’re going to be there (Monday) and do what we need to do. We’re going to line everything up and get ready to go Thursday night.”

The Cowboys are 1-2 for the first time since 2020, McCarthy’s first year. They finished that season with a record of 6-10, in part because Prescott was out for the season with a sprained and fractured right ankle, but also because of a defense that allowed a franchise-record 473 points and failed to stop the run.

In the last two games, the Cowboys have allowed 464 rushing yards, the most for Dallas in a two-game span since 2020, when they allowed 476 yards in Weeks 12 and 13 and 469 yards in Weeks 6 and 7.

“It’s just like, when are we finally going to get our act together and just play?” said edge rusher Micah Parsons, who was a rookie in 2021. “I mean, I’ve never seen anything like this.”

If there was one positive for the Cowboys, it was the fighting spirit they showed in the fourth quarter. They trailed 28-6 entering the final quarter. After Baltimore’s Justin Tucker missed a 46-yard field goal attempt, the Cowboys scored touchdowns on three consecutive possessions.

They entered the game with three touchdowns in two weeks. Prescott threw for 187 yards in the final 10:41 minutes of the game with touchdown throws to Jalen Tolbert (15 yards) and KaVontae Turpin (16 yards) after a 1-yard touchdown run.

The Cowboys benefited from the Ravens’ recovery of an onside kick and a three-and-out, which enabled what could be a franchise-best 22-point comeback.

“It’s something that’s not in the playbook or the formula: It’s the heart and soul of your football team and the ability to grow emotionally and have that experience,” McCarthy said.

But when the defense needed another stop, it failed to come through as Lamar Jackson completed a 9-yard pass to receiver Zay Flowers on third-and-6. Two plays later, Jackson tied the game with a 10-yard gain.

“You can’t sugarcoat the fact that we got beat, and there are parts of the way we got beat that we really need to get a lot better at,” said owner and general manager Jerry Jones. “But it takes something to come back and show that much effort at the end. That’s what I hang my hat on.”

The Cowboys can’t keep starting so slowly. In the last two games, they’ve allowed eight touchdowns in ten first-half possessions. The offense hasn’t been able to keep up, allowing one touchdown and five field goals in eleven first-half possessions.

“We just have to be cleaner in everything,” said tight end Jake Ferguson.

The Giants have been a tough opponent for the Cowboys. Prescott hasn’t lost to them since his rookie season (2016) and has won 12 straight games. He has 27 touchdown passes and eight interceptions against the Giants.

Like the Cowboys, New York is 1-2 and its only win came against the Cleveland Browns.

Jones wasn’t a big fan of Prescott’s winning streak.

“All I know is that it’s not about the Giants, how we’re playing right now. We’re going to play on the road, they’re going to be tough,” Jones said. “So I’m not at all interested in the record of our individual players against the teams we’re going to play in the future.”

Prescott’s concern is more about attitude. The Cowboys have had two two-game losing streaks in the last three seasons. Last season, that didn’t happen until December. In 2021, it was November.

“Obviously, when the guys are struggling and they’re losing a game or two in a row, I have to open my mouth and tell them it’s over,” Prescott said. “We have a chance next week to come here on Thursday, four days from now, and play 2-2. And if we win, they’ll feel a little better.”

“And I have to remind them again that it doesn’t matter. It’s about what we can do in (10) days or what we can do tomorrow to get ready for the next game. We just have to understand the process, trust the process and take responsibility.”