Good, Bad, Ugly: Lance’s arm, legs, OL depth among top Cowboys storylines
The preseason is all about evaluation, and the Cowboys coaching staff certainly has plenty to grade after the team’s last-minute 13-12 loss to the Rams at SoFi Stadium. And while there were bright spots, to be sure, no one in Cowboys Nation can feel too good about failing to get into the end zone, never really finding a rhythm on offense, or allowing a quarterback they’d picked off four times to march downfield on a game-winning drive.
Did they learn a lot about certain individual players? You bet. Quarterback Trey Lance got the vast microscope treatment for three-plus quarters, to very mixed results. Tyler Guyton showed some huge promise, even while not 100%. Fellow rookies Marshawn Kneeland and Caelen Carson earned points. DeMarvion Overshown got off to a strong start in his return to action. And there will apparently be no sophomore slump for Brandon Aubrey. Overall, though, the much-debated run game was never a factor, and while the defense made some big plays, they picked the worst possible time to to play their worst series.
The Cowboys have a lot to address before Saturday’s game against the Raiders. As they get back to work in Oxnard, here’s a look at the good, the bad, and the ugly from Sunday’s 2024 preseason opener with the Rams.
The Cowboys defense notched 93 takeaways during Dan Quinn’s three-year tenure as defensive coordinator. The Mike Zimmer era looks as though it may continue that trend. The Dallas defense intercepted Stetson Bennett four times Sunday (and would have had a fifth if it hadn’t been for a holding penalty). Yes, the picks were probably more a product of poor decisions and lack of vision from Bennett than anything the Cowboys schemed up, but the preseason opener showed that Trevon Diggs and DaRon Bland won’t be the only ballhawks in silver and blue this season.
