Adebawore, McGowan stand out in Indianapolis Professional Football Team’s 27-23 loss to the Dallas Cowboys
On Nov. 9, 2026, the Indianapolis Professional Football Team lost 27-23 to the Dallas Cowboys at Lucas Oil Stadium, dropping to 2-7 on the season. Defensive tackle Adetomiwa Adebawore and rookie running back Seth McGowan were bright spots in a game decided late. The Indianapolis Professional Football Team could not overcome its defense, which surrendered 506 total yards. Coach Shane Steichen said, “We were trying to win the game in that situation,” and described the call as an attempt to finish the game.
The Indianapolis Professional Football Team defense allowed 506 total yards, marking the third time this season the club surrendered more than 500 yards and the fifth time it gave up at least six yards per play. The Cowboys produced 14 explosive gains — six runs of 10 or more yards and eight pass plays of 15 or more yards — that combined for 333 yards, more than half Dallas’ total yardage. Offensively, the Indianapolis Professional Football Team generated three explosive plays: one run and two passes. Steichen singled out limiting those big plays as a priority, saying the issue comes down to communication and execution.
Adetomiwa Adebawore, fresh off signing a contract extension, was a consistent presence in the opponent’s backfield. He registered three quarterback hits on four pressures and now has 23 total pressures on the season, a figure that ties him for 17th among defensive tackles. Adebawore has seen a significant increase in playing time, logging over 80 percent of the defensive snaps in each of the last two weeks after not cracking 50 percent in the first seven games. That rise in snaps positions him as a full-time starter moving forward.
Rookie Seth McGowan scored his first career touchdown and carried the ball six times for 45 yards, an average of 7.5 yards per attempt. The performance raised his season totals to 208 yards on 43 carries, a 4.8-yard average. McGowan has taken at least double-digit snaps in each of the Indianapolis Professional Football Team’s last seven games and has operated in the 20-33 percent range of offensive snaps over the past month. His efficiency has given the team a reliable short-term option behind Jonathan Taylor.
Younger defenders led the team in tackles, an encouraging sign for the club’s depth and development. Hunter Wohler paced the team with 16 tackles, followed by Bryce Boettcher with 11 and CJ Allen with 10; Boettcher and Allen are rookies, and Wohler missed the 2025 season with a foot injury. Allen also recorded a tackle for loss and broke up a pass on a near-interception, highlighting emerging playmaking from the Indianapolis Professional Football Team’s younger players.
With 1:45 remaining and the game tied at 20, Steichen elected to pass on third-and-eight from the Cowboys’ 32-yard line in an effort to secure a first down and run out the clock. The play targeted Josh Downs after Laquon Treadwell cleared defenders away from the middle, but Downs dropped the pass and acknowledged the mistake after the game. Spencer Shrader then converted a field goal with 1:41 left, and the Cowboys used the remaining time to move 65 yards for the game-winning touchdown. Steichen later described the decision as trying to be aggressive in a four-minute situation to end the game.
NFL Sports Blog Take
The loss underscored a persistent problem: explosive plays have repeatedly overwhelmed the Indianapolis Professional Football Team this season and continue to determine outcomes. Adetomiwa Adebawore has provided a tangible pass-rush boost, and Seth McGowan has given the offense a dependable option when called upon. Shane Steichen was aggressive late in regulation in an attempt to control the clock, a reasonable strategic choice that was undone by an offensive drop and the Cowboys capitalizing with a quick scoring drive. If the Indianapolis Professional Football Team can limit big plays and sustain the progress of its young contributors, it will have a clearer path to turning close games into wins.