DENVER – No deep dive into the “studs and duds” in the Dallas Cowboys’ 17-7 preseason-opening reduction at Denver can begin with no the mention of this team’s ongoing penalty crisis.
So let’s start there …
DUDS
FLAG Soccer Dallas completed with 17 penalties for 129 yards through Saturday night’s reduction. (See “Flag Soccer.”) What happened to coach Mike McCarthy’s pledge to remedy the No. 1 ailment that plagued the usually-competitive 2021 Cowboys? What transpired to owner Jerry Jones’ testimony that the deficiency of professionalism (“availability”) would be upgraded by his three most controversial roster moves?
“The penalties are plainly way much too considerably,” McCarthy claimed. “That’s plainly the most important negative …
“I assume we all recognize that this isn’t the normal period. This is preseason, I never consider this has anything at all to do with previous yr.”
Genuinely? Since I do. And the constants from past year – together with a coaching personnel which is established not able to fix it – deserves scrutiny.
NO Rush Is Will Grier (dinged up and inactive listed here) catching up to No. 2 QB Cooper Rush?
Or is Rush “catching down” to Grier.He struggled from the start out, striving to pressure the ball to Tolbert. Rush could have been intercepted multiple periods. He ended up throwing one particular decide on 12 of 20 passing for 84 yards. He’s however the beloved to be Prescott’s backup, but his direct about Will Grier didn’t enhance Saturday night. Grier did not perform simply because of a groin injury, but he has been playing very well in camp.
O-LINE WOES I’ve reported often Dallas will regret not hurrying Tyler Smith into his starting off remaining guard and it confirmed Saturday evening. He pushes people about. But footwork, hand placement, willpower, penalties …
Hurry up, Tyler.
Meanwhile, hurry up Cowboys and get a vet swing deal with, as catastrophe is getting flirted with.
And but, McCarthy is preaching endurance.
“How the offensive line performs is the very last issue that will come (together) in preseason,” he mentioned. “All those are the details.”
WHO’S THE Manager? In Thursday’s joint practice at Denver, the Broncos seemed to make a level to throw at Cowboys 2nd-calendar year corner Kelvin Joseph.
It worked in practice.
It labored in the activity, way too.
Joseph can possibly be excused for coming offsides on a 57-lawn discipline-aim attempt that skipped, gifting Denver a 52-yard make he’s new to specific teams, he’s hoping to be aggressive, blah-blah.
But he’s obtained to start off masking any person.
JALEN TOLBERT DROPS All the unexpected, we’re not conversing of him as a starter anymore.
He was targeted seven times by Hurry and ended up with only two catches for 10 yards, with a drop, leaving the only great information getting that he’s intelligent plenty of to confess the goofs. (See “Rocky (Mountain) Commence.”)
But, reported McCarthy, “He had the drop early but I like the way he bounced back.
Scroll to Keep on
STUDS
NOT BLAND While Joseph (and fellow starter-for-the-night time Nahshon Wright) struggled, corner DaRon Bland ongoing his schooling camp practice of seeming at the very least solid. Is thd fifth-spherical rookie select all of a sudden the Cowboys’ fourth-most effective corner?
Go away the politics out of it, and … yup.
OH, OSA! Hold out a sec: How’s Osa Odighizuwa a “stud” when he didn’t even engage in?
For the reason that he was elevated to the high quality group that didn’t enjoy, that’s why.
SIMI & NOAH Likewise, Noah Brown sat, developing the impression that he’s a penciled-in starter. He’s emerged from a pack that features Simi Fehoko, who big-bodied his way to scoring Dallas’ only touchdown on a 12-yard move from Ben DiNucci in the closing minutes of the video game.
And two rookies worthy of mention, Dennis Houston’s peaceful trustworthiness and return guy KaVontae Turpin’s elusive guarantee place them in participate in.
WHY NEVILLE? Dallas’ defensive tackles shut down the run listed here, restricting Denver to only 1.8 yards for each carry. Starter Neville Gallimore into the 3rd quarter and was normally a male among the children.
“That first recreation,” Gallimore said, “everyone has the jitters.”
But in this first video game? He gave Denver three-furthermore quarters of jitters.
THE TEs Dalton Schultz watched as rookie Jake Ferguson seemed multi-purpose and Peyton Hendershot worked his way open properly.
KICKED OUT McCarthy experienced a program: Lirim Hajrullahu and Brett Maher were going to rotate on kicks.
Challenging approach when your team can barely rating.
THE Personal injury GODS Between the quality guys, only Tyron Smith arrived out of Denver dinged up, and that is a minor situation coming out of the Thursday work out.
Otherwise? No Cowboys sustained a noteworthy injury.
In summary …
Would the game have resulted in a different look experienced Dak Prescott, Ezekiel Elliott, CeeDee Lamb, Tyron Smith, Zack Martin, Micah Parsons, Trevon Diggs, DeMarcus Lawrence, Jayron Kearse and other very first-teamers performed?
Naturally.
But “duds” are nevertheless duds, no make any difference in which they are on the depth chart.
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