Seven months removed from being embarrassed on their home turf in the playoffs, the Dallas Cowboys will return to live game action this afternoon.
Their preseason opener in Los Angeles – against the Rams at SoFi Stadium – kicks off at 3:30. The first of three exhibition games, it will have little bearing on Dallas’ playoff hopes this season.
However, there are several players who may or may not remain on the Cowboys roster depending on what they do today.
While it is likely that many of the expected opening game starters will sit out the contest, a few position battles will play out.
Meanwhile, the coaches will be watching how they perform. They’ll also be hoping for an injury-free game.
In the second preseason game last year – at Seattle – the Cowboys saw two rookies go down with torn ACLs.
Linebacker DeMarvion Overshown and tight end John Stephens Jr. were looking at significant playing time in 2023. Instead, they spent the season on IR.
That’s something Dallas wants to avoid happening again – especially with defensive end Sam Williams already lost for the year with his own ACL tear.
Missing In Action
Dak Prescott was already expected to sit out this game. That was before he was absent from Friday’s practice in Oxnard.
The Cowboys say it was a precautionary measure due to ankle soreness.
The concern is this was the same foot that was in a walking boot a few weeks back.
Prescott’s absence will allow backup quarterbacks, Cooper Rush, and Trey Lance, to make their cases for the backup job.
Rush should have the inside track. He brings in a 5-1 record as a starter for the Cowboys and has looked good so far in Oxnard.
Lance is 2-2 as a starter in two injury-plagued seasons in San Francisco after being a high first-round pick.
He didn’t see any action in 2023 after Dallas traded a fourth-round pick to the 49ers to acquire him. He’s had some struggles in camp this year.
CeeDee Lamb will also be nowhere to be seen today.
His contract holdout continues. It also seems like there may be some bad blood brewing between Lamb and the Cowboys.
Jones went on record to say he was feeling no urgency to get Lamb signed.
Lamb posted an LOL on his Twitter/X account and removed the moniker “America’s Team” from his profile.
Meanwhile, Lamb’s agent was in Paris for the Olympics. Apparently, the cost to call to and from Europe is too high.
And e-mail can’t cross the Atlantic, so contract talks were on hold.
The beneficiaries of Lamb’s absence are Jalen Tolbert and Jalen Brooks. They’ll be vying for the third wide receiver slot – assuming Lamb eventually returns.
It’s Been A While
Today’s contest marks the first time since the second week in 2019 that the Cowboys have faced the Rams in a preseason game.
Dallas won that game 14-10 at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu. Rush threw an eight-yard pass to Devin Smith for the game-winning touchdown in the third quarter.
The two teams have met four times in the regular season since that game in Hawaii. Dallas has won three of those four contests – claiming victory in 2019, 2022, and 2023.
The Rams’ lone win came in 2020.
Unlike the 2019 season, the teams are not scheduled to meet again this year. They would have to collide in the playoffs if a rematch were to happen before the 2025 season.
The Road Ahead
Dallas will only have six days to get ready for their next game. Fortunately, their two road games are near to Oxnard.
After today’s game in Los Angeles – technically, SoFi Stadium is located in Inglewood – the Cowboys will likely fly on a brief hop to Las Vegas to play the Raiders on Saturday.
That game is set for Allegiant Stadium – site of last February’s Super Bowl — at 9 p.m.
Dallas’ final preseason game will be against the Chargers at home at AT&T Stadium. Game time is slated for a 3 p.m. kickoff on Saturday, August 24th.
The Cowboys open the season at Cleveland on September 8th with their home opener on September 15th against the Saints.
Hate to say it, but is a “rudderless ship” a good analogy for this team right now or is that too severe?