6 Winners and 4 Losers From Cowboys Preseason Opener: Undrafted rookie absolutely steals the show, Sam Howell delivers
The first game of the Dallas Cowboys preseason is in the books. Here are the players whose stocks moved the most in the win over the Seattle Seahawks.
The Dallas Cowboys beat the Seattle Seahawks 17-7 in their preseason opener.
But in August, little do we care about the final score. Instead, it’s about evaluating individual performances across the roster. Let’s dive into this weekend’s biggest winners and losers, starting with an undrafted rookie wide receiver who is well on his way to make the roster.
Winner: WR Camden Brown
Oh, boy. We have a new favorite to be the Cowboys’ No. 5 wide receiver. Brown hauled in two impressive touchdowns, one from each quarterback playing Saturday.
He caught a contested 39-yard bomb into the end zone in a two-minute drill only to add an impressive one-hand grab to open up the second half. He also showed up on special teams. This kid is looking like a member of the 53-man roster in my book.
Loser: CB Caelen Carson
Carson entered the game as the favorite to be the top backup at cornerback. In the first three drives alone, Carson was called for three penalties: two defensive pass interferences and one facemask.
No bueno. He did have a tackle that stood out and a diving pass breakup, but drive-killing penalties far outweigh any of that. This is Carson’s third year in the league and he must clean it up as soon as possible.
Winner: QB Sam Howell
Not only did Howell get the start (which is telling enough), but he capitalized on it. Watching him play, I was reminded of head coach Brian Schottenheimer saying earlier in the week: “(Howell) moves the ball.”
He moved the chains through the air and ground and had a great two-minute drill at the end of the first half. He had a 10-yard scramble to move the chains before connecting with tight end Michael Trigg in back-to-back plays to set up a third-and-one. After the Cowboys rushed for the first down, Howell took a shot at Camden Brown for a 39-yard touchdown.
He’s clearly the frontrunner to back up Dak Prescott. But there’s one catch…
Winner: Joe Milton
Milton was also a winner out of the Cowboys’ preseason opener. He looked sharp and much more comfortable than last year. To start the second half, he led a 13-play, 84 yard touchdown drive looking calm and collected. His ball placement in that Cam Brown touchdown was perfect given the situation. He’s not going down without a fight.
Milton ended the day with 12 completions in 15 attempts for 107 passing yards.
Winner: TE Michael Trigg
I kind of spoiled the surprise with my words on Howell, but watch out for Trigg making the team. He made an impressive sideline catch to keep the Cowboys’ last first-half drive alive. He tacked on multiple more catches in the second half, ending his day with four catches for 30 yards.
Loser: Cowboys backup OL
By halftime, Cowboys running backs Jaydon Blue and Phil Mafah averaged 2.27 rushing yards per attempt. While they don’t deserve to be fully exonerated, the truth is the low production had a lot to do with a lack of running lanes up front.
“We gotta run the ball, we’re not getting any movement up front,” Schottenheimer said at halftime.
The film will reveal more when the time comes but for now, the Cowboys’ second-team offensive line sees its stock get hit.
Winner: OLB James Houston
The stat sheet says James Houston had one sack but it doesn’t account for one that got wiped out after the Cowboys accepted a penalty. He was pressuring the quarterback consistently. His roster chances significantly increased on Saturday night.
Loser: OLB Marist Liufau
It’s a tough ask for Liufau to play outside linebacker and it showed on Saturday night. He’s fast and strong but struggled to get anything going in the pass rush department. He did have a tackle for loss in the first quarter, but was outpowered in several other instances.
Loser: LB Curtis Robinson
When the game started with Robinson rocking the green dot, his stock appeared to be slightly up. But he struggled most of the game, particularly in coverage. He did lead the Cowboys in tackles by halftime, but the film will tell a different story than the stat sheet.
Winner: CB Shavon Revel Jr.
Can one drive land you on the winners list? I think so, based on the play the Cowboys cornerback had. Playing from a press alignment and dropping into a zone in the flat, Revel Jr. showed a tremendous reaction breaking on Drew Lock’s pass to make the tackle.
Had he gone for the interception, he had a chance at a pick six. However, Revel Jr. kept it safe and went for the quick tackle. The Cowboys want to see him thrive in zone like he does in man coverage, and in that instance, he did.
