Clarence Hill: 5 notable things from Dallas Cowboys’ preseason win over Seahawks
The preseason is finally over for the Dallas Cowboys.
They accomplished their goal of not putting quarterback Dak Prescott or any of their starters in harms way with no snaps in any of the three games.
They would like to say the same about the final practice of training camp when they lost left tackle Tyron Smith until December with a torn hamstring two days before Friday’s 27-26 victory against the Seattle Seahawks in the preseason finale.
With 13 days left before the Sept. 11 season opener against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Cowboys don’t know who will protect Prescott’s blindside.
That decision will be made in the coming days.
They did come closer to make some roster decisions with the win overt the Seahawks.
What is known is the Cowboys are trending toward being a turnover machine again behind coordinator Dan Quinn.
The Cowboy forced an NFL-high 34 turnovers in 2021, including a league-leading 26 interceptions.
They got five Friday night against Seattle, including a fumble recovery by linebacker Storey Jackson and an interception by safety Juanyeh Thomas in the final two minutes.
The Cowboys recorded three interceptions against Seattle quarterback Drew Lock, who is competing against Geno Smith for the starting job.
Interceptions by cornerback Nahshon Wright and safety Markquese Bell were turned into touchdowns as the Cowboys rallied from deficits of 13-3 and 20-10 to tie game at 20-20 heading into the fourth quarter.
And fourth quarterback Ben DiNucci put the Cowboys in the lead with a 14-yard touchdown pass to tight end Peyton Hendershot with 4:07 to go.
Coach Mike McCarthy won his second consecutive preseason game since taking over as Cowboys coach in 2020 after losing his first five.
The pandemic canceled the preseason in 2020. The team as 0-4 last year and opened 2022 0-1 before winning their final two.
Clarence Hill’s 5 things from the Dallas Cowboys 27-26 preseason victory against the Seattle Seahawks:
Did Will Grier didn’t do enough?
One of the biggest storylines Friday night was the backup quarterback job behind starter Dak Prescott.
Cooper Rush, who won a game in place of Prescott last season, is the incumbent and started all three preseason games.
Rush is more a game manager but he did little to impress in the preseason. He completed 12-of-20 passes for 84 yards and an interception against Denver. He was 3-of-6 for 32 yards against the Chargers. And he was 2-of-5 for 20 yards against the Seattle.
Grier missed the Broncos game with a hamstring injury. He was 6-of-10 passing for 98 yards against the Chargers, while displaying a lot of grit and moxie that has impressed the Cowboys since the start of camp.
But the Seattle game was his big night as he played the bulk of three quarters.
Grier was hampered by a struggling offensive line. But thanks to three interceptions on defense, he kept the Cowboys in the game. He didn’t turn the ball over.
And while his final stat line was not impressive — he completed 12 of 22 passes for 88 yards. Ben Dinucci tossed touchdown passes of 1 and 8 yards to Simi Fehoko and Brandon Smith, who had a highlight-real, toe tapper in the right side of the end zone.
Was it enough to unseat Rush, who has proven himself in a regular season game?
Sam Williams flashes potential
Cowboys rookie defensive end Sam Williams came close in the first two preseason games. But he got a sack against the Seahawks when he beat t first-round pick offensive tackle Charles Cross.
Williams knows Cross well from their days in the SEC. Williams, who played at Ole Miss, had success against Cross, who played at rival Mississippi State. It was just like old times on Friday night for Williams, who is being counted to help replace the departed Randy Gregory as a pass rusher.
Williams also has several pressures in the game as he showed off his 4.46-second speed in the 40-yard dash.
Like Gregory, Williams must will control his aggressiveness. He suffered his second roughing the passer penalty of the preseason with a late hit on Drew Lock in the third quarter. He also had unnecessary penalty in the fourth quarter.
DeRon Bland and the cornerback decisions
The Cowboys have some tough roster decisions in the secondary but one doesn’t involve rookie cornerback DeRon Bland, a fifth-round pick from Fresno State. Bland is always around the ball and has been the most impressive cornerback in training behind starters Trevon Diggs, Anthony Brown and Jourdan Lewis.
Bland had two pass deflections against the Seahawks, including one in the end zone to break up a touchdowns. Bland’s play could have second-year cornerbacks Nahshon Wright and Kelvin Joseph on the bubble.
Joseph left the Seattle game with a concussion the first quarter. Wright had a pass interference penalty but also had an interception that led to a touchdown in the second quarter.
Tough decisions at running back
That the Cowboys kept Rico Dowdle on the sideline for Friday’s preseason finale against the Seahawks tells you they know what they have in the third-year running back. He would have made to the team as the third running back behind Ezekiel Elliott and Tony Pollard last year if not for a terrible hip injury in the preseason.
Dowdle has been similarly impressive in his return in 2022.
However, so has undrafted free agents Malik Davis and Aaron Shampklin. Davis had led the Cowboys in rushing in the preseason and had 15 carries for 44 yards last night. There is no way he makes it to the practice squad. Do the Cowboys keep four running backs on roster or choose Davis or Dowdle?
Shampklin led the Cowboys with 13 carries for 54 yards but left the game in the fourth quarter with an injury.
Did Brett Maher win kicker job?
When the Cowboys cut Lirim Hajrullahu on Tuesday, leaving Brett Maher as only kicker on the team heading into Friday’s final game against the Seahawks, it was always understood that the decision at kicker was not final.
The team will still look at outside options and Maher would need a strong performance against the Seahawks to keep job.
He held up his end of the bargain with several strong kickoffs, no missed extra points and going blank for 2 for 3 on field goals. He made it from 35 and 28 yards out.
He was short and wide left on a 61-yarder in the fourth quarter.
This story was originally published August 26, 2022 at 10:51 PM.
