Preseason Game 2 reactions (and overreactions)

[erod]

I am so confused about this roster now. This will be interesting. How many can we stash on PUP? Because not many are going to get through waivers.

 

[Reality]

Kuntz caught everything.

He was targeted 5 times and caught 3. One he got lucky on that the defender hit his helmet so it negated his drop.

I haven't checked yet but my guess is when Howell's weaker arm got in there it made it easier for him to catch them.

 

[erod]

Camden Brown is slow but has great hands. He looks like he runs with a limp.

Jerry Rice had 4.6 speed. It was different on the field.

 

[rambo2]

I wasn't able to watch the game fully, but the players who impressed me were Milton and Barham.

I cannot get over how much better Milton is at putting both touch and air under the ball in his throws. He's not perfect and he threw a couple of fast balls when he shouldn't have but overall it's surprising and impressive to see a backup quarterback here actually get better each year.

I liked Barham when he was drafted but the way he broke through the line tonight when I got a chance to see him play was better than I expected.

The players that disappointed were Kuntz, Blue and Shelton.

I get that some people are fans of Blue but honestly, I just don't see anything special in him. I have a feeling that if he didn't play for Texas, most fans wouldn't be supporting him. That said, at this point RB3 is still open so maybe one of the non-Williams/Davis runningbacks will step up before the season starts.

As for Kuntz, I can deal with a slow tight-end but I cannot deal with one that cannot catch the ball because there are too many out there who can do that. Right now we have some C-level tight-ends on this team and one B+ (until he gets the fumble problem under control) and one B- tight-end.

I didn't get to see a lot of the game so the offensive plays I saw were limited, yet I remember seeing Shelton get blown by three different times in those limited plays. Hopefully he gets better or they get someone else in there to compete and hopefully replace Guyton.

Kuntz caught 3 passes.

 

[RustyBourneHorse]

I am so confused about this roster now. This will be interesting. How many can we stash on PUP? Because not many are going to get through waivers.

Good problem to have tbh. I think we may want to actually hit the trade block and shop some of the bubble players like Sam Williams. He might actually be expendable, and maybe someone will give us a late pick for him.

 

[Reality]

I think Blue played decently, but not as well as last week. Kuntz I think did himself no favours in his attempt to make the 53. Shelton looks like a chicken without a head.

I don't think he's bad by any means, but I don't think he's special.

Also, that fumbling problem he has drags down an average running back into below average.

 

[erod]

He was targeted 5 times and caught 3. One he got lucky on that the defender hit his helmet so it negated his drop.

I haven't checked yet but my guess is when Howell's weaker arm got in there it made it easier for him to catch them.

Kuntz looked good. I like him better than Schoon for sure.

And Howell doesn't have a weak arm at all. He can zing it or throw with touch.

 

[Reality]

Kuntz caught 3 passes.

Yes, I am aware that Kuntz caught 3 passes. It's the two he didn't catch I'm referring to.

 

[RustyBourneHorse]

I don't think he's bad by any means, but I don't think he's special.

Also, that fumbling problem he has drags down an average running back into below average.

That's a good point about his fumbling. We do NOT need a fumbler with the way this team is building.

 

[RustyBourneHorse]

Kuntz looked good. I like him better than Schoon for sure.

And Howell doesn't have a weak arm at all. He can zing it or throw with touch.

Except on that pick where he threw a duck.

 

[TheDuke]

Yes, I am aware that Kuntz caught 3 passes. It's the two he didn't catch I'm referring to.

He’s the 6th string TE camp body.

 

[Starforever]

Kuntz caught everything.

No he didn’t but he had a decent game.

 

[RustyBourneHorse]

He’s the 6th string TE camp body.

And will probably be coming to a UFL or CFL team near you lol.

 

[Reality]

Kuntz looked good. I like him better than Schoon for sure.

And Howell doesn't have a weak arm at all. He can zing it or throw with touch.

Kuntz dropped two catchable balls, so he didn't look good to me.

I've never been a fan of Schoonmaker from the moment they drafted him.

Howell doesn't have a weak arm, I said he had a weaker arm than Milton.

I'm very specific with my words usually.

 

[rambo2]

Yes, I am aware that Kuntz caught 3 passes. It's the two he didn't catch I'm referring to.

He caught 73 one year in college.

 

[RandyOh]

Davis secured RB2 and Joe Milton is the favorite for the backup QB spot. Not that Howell has looked bad by any means, but Milton looks calm, confident, and as if the game is slowing down for him. Jobs his to lose.

I think we could end up keeping 6 WRs. Mingo and Brown made cases to keep them. Maybe one gets traded for a better CB4 because i don't like the depth at corner right now.

Shelton man. Usually i like to show patience with rookies but idk about this one. Put him on IR and just let him lift weights with a strength and conditioning coach all year. Kids getting dominated by 3rd string linemen.

Barham is vicious. Kid looked like he was built in a lab to play MLB.

 

[Reality]

That's a good point about his fumbling. We do NOT need a fumbler with the way this team is building.

It's the same concern I have with Ferguson as well.

 

[Tabascocat]

I don't think he's bad by any means, but I don't think he's special.

Also, that fumbling problem he has drags down an average running back into below average.

It’s a small sample size to see if he continues to have a fumbling problem in the NFL. Now, I don’t know if it’s an issue or not this camp. His fumble last season wasn’t on him, all RB’s fumble on that hit. I need to see more game action to come to any conclusion.

 

[Reality]

He caught 73 one year in college.

That's great and hopefully he'll one day do or surpass that in the NFL.

Right now though, he needs to get a lot better at catching the ball.

 

[big dog cowboy]

Far more to like than not like tonight. For the most part the Cowboys played with confidence and looked like they wanted to make a play on every snap. These backups are impressing me.

What I liked:

• Joe Milton was the story. He looked confident, made plays with his arm and legs, and finished with 3 total TDs. At this point, it’s hard not to say he’s pulled ahead of Sam Howell for QB2. If you want to write QB2 behind his name in ink it's understandable.
• The offense had some real explosiveness. The Mingo touchdown was a huge play, and Dallas wasn't just dink-and-dunking its way down the field. With the camp he has had plus games like tonight it's hard to see him not on the 53.
• Camden Brown keeps making noise. He led the team with 77 receiving yards. For a young receiver fighting for a roster spot, that's exactly what you want to see. I wanted him to get that TD though!
• Jaydon Blue looked good running the ball. He finished with 75 rushing yards, including some impressive individual plays. Loved Mafah's TD run too.
• The defense is giving you reason to be optimistic. Dallas held Arizona to 13 points and came up with some big plays, including Shavon Revel's interception.
• The young guys are actually making plays. Jaishawn Barham, Revel and LT Overton all had moments that stood out. That's encouraging when you're looking at the depth of this roster. Compared to last years scrubs, the difference is very noticeable. CP has the guys going in the right direction.
• Dallas played well on long drives. The Cowboys had several sustained possessions rather than relying entirely on big plays. That included an 11-play, 57-yard drive in the third quarter.
• Brandon Aubrey looked dependable. He hit field goals from 50 and 29 yards, which is encouraging considering how important consistency from the kicker will be during the regular season. Not letting him try the 65 yarder at the end of the 1st half was a lost opportunity.
• 2–0 feels good. Obviously preseason wins don't mean much, but going 2–0 while seeing young players develop is certainly better than watching the team struggle.

What I didn't like

• Sam Howell did himself no favors. The interception was particularly bad because it came after Milton had played so well. If this was supposed to be a legitimate QB2 competition, Milton is starting to create some separation. In fact, it could be over.
• The offense didn't finish the first drive. Dallas moved the ball well but couldn't punch it in on fourth down. In the Red Zone no less! Against better competition, you can't keep leaving points on the field.
• The defense wasn't perfect. Arizona had some success moving the ball, and the Cardinals actually had two touchdowns wiped out by penalties on one drive. So the 13 points don't tell the entire story.
• It's still preseason. This is the biggest caveat. A lot of these guys were playing against backups, and you don't want to suddenly declare Dallas a Super Bowl contender because they beat Arizona 34–13.
• Arizona was able to sustain a 14-play drive. The Cardinals went 59 yards over 7:37 in the second quarter. Even though they settled for a field goal, that's a pretty long stretch for a defense to be on the field.
• The offensive line is still something I'd watch. The Cowboys need to make sure the backup line can protect whoever is playing QB. That's especially important if Milton ends up being the guy behind Dak. There were a few pretty sketchy plays that starting DL would have made big plays on him.

My overall grade

Offense: B+
Defense: B+
Young players: A-
QB2 battle: A for Milton, D for Howell

The biggest takeaway for me is not the 34–13 score. It's that (for the second week in a row) Dallas is starting to find some legitimate young players who could matter once the regular season starts. Also, the Cowboys weren't just winning because of one player. They scored in every quarter and had multiple contributors on offense.

The Cowboys looked deeper and more balanced than they did last year, but I still want to see how these young players perform against actual starters before getting too excited. And honestly, Joe Milton is becoming perhaps the most interesting storyline on this roster. If he keeps playing like this, I think the Cowboys should feel very good about having him behind Dak.