The Cowboys report
Dallas Dominates in Big “D” as preseason winds down
Aug 28, 2019, 6:21 am
Jason Garret and the Cowboys are close to clinching. Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images
The Dallas Cowboys won their second preseason game Saturday night by defeating the Houston Texans in a 34-0 rout.
For the first time this preseason the Cowboys didn't score on their opening possession, but that didn't matter because the defense controlled the game the whole way through. After the Cowboy offense went three and out to start the game, the starting defense sacked Deshaun Watson, which caused a fumble that was recovered by the Cowboys. On the Texans' next possession, the Cowboys blocked a punt that got returned for a touchdown.The Dallas defense ended up with eight sacks, four turnovers and only allowed 135 yards.They were led by defensive end Taco Charlton who finished the day with three tackles and two sacks.
On the offensive side of the ball, quarterback Dak Prescott didn't start off great. He missed three of his first four pass attempts but quickly overcame it when he found 2nd year receiver Michael Gallup for a 12 yard touchdown to put the Cowboys up 7-0. There is clearly a good bond between Prescott and Gallup, and when you add Amari Cooper into the mix the Dallas passing offense could be one of the best in the league.
With superstar Ezekiel Elliott still holding out for a new contract, rookie Tony Pollard took the starting running back spot and looked great doing it. He had six carries for 26 yards and two catches for 10 yards.H is best play was a 24 yard screen pass that he took down to the Houston 2 yard line but it was called back for holding. The Cowboys look to be in good shape with Pollard in the lineup if Zeke continues to hold out.
With the dress rehearsal in the books, it seems the Cowboys are ready for the regular season to commence.
3 things to watch for
1.Running backs (J. Chunn or A. Morris): With Tony Pollard being the clear #1 RB until Zeke returns, Jordan Chunn and Alfred Morris will be playing the majority of the game this upcoming week and it will good to see who might grab the #2 RB spot.
2.Quarterbacks (C. Rush or M. White): Mike White finally had a good showing this past week and is still batting with Cooper Rush for the back QB role. As of now, I think Rush is leading the way.
3.Kicker Brett Maher: Was perfect for the game, he was 2/2 on his field goal attempts and made all four of his extra points. He seems to finally be settling in. Let's see if he can keep it up.
Coming Up
The Dallas Cowboys (2-1) will be playing their preseason finale at home in AT&T stadium against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-1) on Thursday Aug. 29 at 7:00pm Central time. None of the starters are expected to play for either team as both teams will be preparing for the regular season to begin.
It’s May 1, and the Astros are turning heads—but not for the reasons anyone expected. Their resurgence, driven not by stars like Yordan Alvarez or Christian Walker, but by a cast of less-heralded names, is writing a strange and telling early-season story.
Christian Walker, brought in to add middle-of-the-order thump, has yet to resemble the feared hitter he was in Arizona. Forget the narrative of a slow starter—he’s never looked like this in April. Through March and April of 2025, he’s slashing a worrying .196/.277/.355 with a .632 OPS. Compare that to the same stretch in 2024, when he posted a .283 average, .496 slug, and a robust .890 OPS, and it becomes clear: this is something more than rust. Even in 2023, his April numbers (.248/.714 OPS) looked steadier.
What’s more troubling than the overall dip is when it’s happening. Walker is faltering in the biggest moments. With runners in scoring position, he’s hitting just .143 over 33 plate appearances, including 15 strikeouts. The struggles get even more glaring with two outs—.125 average, .188 slugging, and a .451 OPS in 19 such plate appearances. In “late and close” situations, when the pressure’s highest, he’s practically disappeared: 1-for-18 with a .056 average and a .167 OPS.
His patience has waned (only 9 walks so far, compared to 20 by this time last year), and for now, his presence in the lineup feels more like a placeholder than a pillar.
The contrast couldn’t be clearer when you look at José Altuve—long the engine of this franchise—who, in 2024, delivered in the moments Walker is now missing. With two outs and runners in scoring position, Altuve hit .275 with an .888 OPS. In late and close situations, he thrived with a .314 average and .854 OPS. That kind of situational excellence is missing from this 2025 squad—but someone else may yet step into that role.
And yet—the Astros are winning. Not because of Walker, but in spite of him.
Houston’s offense, in general, hasn’t lit up the leaderboard. Their team OPS ranks 23rd (.667), their slugging 25th (.357), and they sit just 22nd in runs scored (117). They’re 26th in doubles, a rare place for a team built on gap-to-gap damage.
But where there’s been light, it hasn’t come from the usual spots. Jeremy Peña, often overshadowed in a lineup full of stars, now boasts the team’s highest OPS at .791 (Isaac Paredes is second in OPS) and is flourishing in his new role as the leadoff hitter. Peña’s balance of speed, contact, aggression, and timely power has given Houston a surprising tone-setter at the top.
Even more surprising: four Astros currently have more home runs than Yordan Alvarez.
And then there’s the pitching—Houston’s anchor. The rotation and bullpen have been elite, ranking 5th in ERA (3.23), 1st in WHIP (1.08), and 4th in batting average against (.212). In a season where offense is lagging and clutch hits are rare, the arms have made all the difference.
For now, it’s the unexpected contributors keeping Houston afloat. Peña’s emergence. A rock-solid pitching staff. Role players stepping up in quiet but crucial ways. They’re not dominating, but they’re grinding—and in a sluggish AL West, that may be enough.
Walker still has time to find his swing. He showed some signs of life against Toronto and Detroit. If he does, the Astros could become dangerous. If he doesn’t, the turnaround we’re witnessing will be credited to a new cast of unlikely faces. And maybe, that’s the story that needed to be written.
We have so much more to discuss. Don't miss the video below as we examine the topics above and much, much more!
The MLB season is finally upon us! Join Brandon Strange, Josh Jordan, and Charlie Pallilo for the Stone Cold ‘Stros podcast which drops each Monday afternoon, with an additional episode now on Thursday!
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