The Dallas Cowboys preseason has come to an end and the story of the preseason has taken many twists and turns.
The inability of management to negotiate contract extensions for star players was the main topic of discussion during postseason and preseason games.
Fans were able to watch the team sign unknown players and former stars and trade with league rivals.
These paths have led the team through the offseason and now they are full steam ahead toward their highly anticipated first game of the regular season against the Cleveland Browns.
Let’s take a step back and examine the entire offseason to see what was written.
Trey Lance lacked starting qualities in the preseason.
Many fans felt that Trey Lance should be the starter instead of Dak Prescott. This storyline should be eliminated from all accounts because he cannot be a starter.
As everyone watched the three preseason games, they witnessed Trey Lance’s impressive running skills, which are simply fantastic.
However, they also noted some issues with accuracy and timing, which is something he needs to work on to improve his overall play as a quarterback.
Trey Lance’s preseason game statistics.
In the three preseason games, Trey Lance had statistics that reflected those of a backup quarterback.
In his first preseason game against the Los Angeles Rams, Trey Lance completed 25 of 41 passes with no touchdowns or interceptions. He managed 188 yards passing and 4.6 yards per catch.
A 60 percent completion rate won’t work in the NFL. Neither will a quarterback rating of 72.
The only bright spot is that he ran the ball six times for 44 yards, averaging 7.3 yards, but was sacked three times.
The second preseason game against the Las Vegas Raiders was a much better game.
Trey Lance completed 15 of 23 passes for 151 yards and a touchdown. He finished the game with a quarterback rating of 98.3.
The running back was down in this game. Trey Lance had seven runs for 34 yards and a touchdown, for a 4.9 yard average.
In the last preseason game, fans saw Trey Lance take more risks with the ball. He threw the ball 49 times and completed 33 passes for 323 yards and one touchdown.
In this game, Trey Lance not only threw the ball more often, but also showed off his running ability to the fullest, running 11 times for 90 yards and scoring one score.
The downside of Trey Lance’s passing was made more apparent by his five interceptions that ended several promising drives.
Trey Lance’s story could have had a great ending, but it showed a quarterback who is not yet ready for the spotlight.
This story is still not over and may never end, at least not with a happy ending.
Besides the stars, the defense has some other weapons.
While the Dallas Cowboys’ defensive stars were not used, the reserve players were given plenty of time to prove their worth.
Several players stepped up and showed they belonged, including Caelen Carson, Marshawn Kneeland and a few veterans who joined late in the offseason.
One player that stood out in almost every preseason game was safety Julius Wood. This young man made multiple plays in every preseason game and showed that he belonged.
Defensive tackle has always been a weak spot, but with the new big guys – one signed as a free agent, the other via a trade from the New York Giants – it should now be much easier to stop that run.
Jordan Phillips will give the defense a massive pass rusher from the 3-tech position. He can also help stop the run and is fine if he doesn’t fill up the stat sheet. He said in an interview:
“I don’t care about stats. People look at stats and think you’re having a great game. For me, as long as my linebackers make All-Pro and Pro Bowlers, I’ve done my job for the year. They didn’t do it on their own. I kept people away from them and I get a few sacks and tackles along the way.”
Linval Joseph is a space-eater who eats up blocks and clogs up running lanes. He’s not a lineman who plays every down, but he should do his job when he’s in the game.
Defense will be a major strength of the team and as seen in the preseason, fans won’t have to worry about turnovers in the new system. Defense caused a lot of turnovers.
The defense could write a masterpiece.
The running game is still a work in progress.
The running game could be the offense’s Achilles heel this year. There are several running backs on the roster, but which one will take the lead?
At the end of the preseason, Deuce Vaughn was the running back with the most potential if given the chance.
Fans witnessed the speed and ability to hit the gaps created by the offensive line. This young man has potential and should make the 53-man roster instead of some of the other running backs in the stable.
Many fans, myself included, were excited about Malik Davis. The problem is, he hasn’t shown even half of Deuce Vaughn’s potential.
The other running backs, Snoop Conner and Nathaniel Peat, looked like guys from the practice squad.
Royce Freeman is a big running back, but the team already has Ezekiel Elliott for that job. The team doesn’t need a second bat or short-yardage running back.
The preseason games have written a story about the running backs. The problem is that the story is a mystery.
The history of the previous season has been written.
A preseason story was written, and it wasn’t pretty, but it was written.
The preseason showed that the quarterback of the future may not be the quarterback of the future. The running back room will be a mystery and the defense will be the main character.
Fortunately, the Dallas Cowboys remained fairly healthy and the young players were able to show what they could do on the field.
Now let’s get to the regular season, where the only story that matters ends when the Super Bowl trophy returns to Dallas.
