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.
Takeaways from the Tigers sweep of the Astros
Total butt kicking. The offense was dreadful, scoring just two runs over three games. However, what’s killing the offense the most is the outfield. Outside of when Altuve plays left field, Houston doesn’t have another major league-quality outfielder right now. Jesus Sanchez not only swung at a Charlie Morton curveball that hit him in the knee, he’s also ice-cold, going 0-for-28 at the plate. At least he’s someone you expect to turn things around, but he’s in a huge slump currently. Beyond him, Jacob Melton, Taylor Trammell, and Chas McCormick have all been dragging down the offense. Cam Smith is struggling too, with just one hit in his last seven games.
Is Framber Valdez going to be okay?
Starting pitching was another big issue against the Tigers, and Valdez was a key part of the problem, basically losing the finale in the first inning after allowing six runs. This isn’t an outlier—he’s got a 7+ ERA through four starts in August. Spencer Arrighetti isn’t faring much better, posting a 7+ ERA through three starts. One silver lining with Valdez: the Tigers know him well. They had success against him in the playoffs last season, and it looks like they’re continuing that formula—force him to throw strikes, hit the other way on the sinker, and if the curveball isn’t up, let it go. AJ Hinch knows the deal.
Is the return of Yordan Alvarez enough to boost the offense?
It has to be. The only real way to give this lineup a spark is getting Yordan and Jake Meyers back. Yordan had a successful first rehab outing, collecting a couple of hits, a walk, and even a stolen base. Adding him back to the top of the lineup gives the Astros a formidable top four: Peña, Altuve, Yordan, and Correa. As for Meyers, the outfield has been the biggest drag on the offense. The key is whether he can continue to hit near .300 when he returns from injury. If he does, Altuve and Meyers in the outfield makes a huge difference, and Joe Espada can figure out right field with Sanchez and Smith.
Is the schedule not as soft as anticipated?
We’ve seen some strange results across the league this week, and some of that has to be chalked up to the Dog Days of Summer. Players are tired, and results have been wild. Thankfully, the Mariners are struggling too, giving the Astros some breathing room. Player adjustments after the trade deadline could also be a factor—Sanchez, anyone? Many big free agents have struggled immediately after changing teams, Walker and Juan Soto included.
Can they recover and take advantage of bad teams?
One thing we know about this year’s Astros: they can flip the switch and win multiple series on a moment’s notice. They’re just as capable of sweeping a series as they are of getting swept. Let’s hope that starts with four wins in Baltimore.
There's so much more to get to! 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 on Thursday!
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