When the Dallas Cowboys take the field against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi's Stadium tomorrow, it will be the perfect opportunity for the players fighting for a roster spot to showcase their talent. The Cowboys are also expecting a handful of injured players to return to the playing field. Here are 6 things to watch for in tomorrow's game.
Will Darrion Weems Improve?
Darrion Weems didn't impress too many people with his performance on week one against the Chargers. Dallas will enter the 49ers game with Travis Frederick, the only starting offensive lineman to likely see any playing time. This should increase the snap count for Weems and allow him the opportunity to show the coaching staff that he is capable of being the swing tackle.
Can The Rookies Continue To Impress?
Rookies Randy Gregory, La'el Collins, and Damien Wilson looked the part in week one. Keep an eye on Collins to see if he receives snaps at tackle since it's likely that Tyron Smith and Doug Free will both be held out. Wilson has been receiving snaps with the 1st team defense in practice as the strong side linebacker. Watch to see if he lines up in the middle with the injury to Anthony Hitchens. As for Gregory, we know he can rush the quarterback. I want to see if he plays on first down and be the every down player coach Marinelli thinks he can be.
Does Dustin Vaughan or Brandon Weeden Step Up?
Can Dustin Vaughan or Brandon Weeden emerge as the true number two quarterback behind Tony Romo? Neither Vaughan or Weeden have looked very impressive so far in camp. This is a big opportunity for both of them to show they can handle the role as the primary backup.
What Will We See From The Running Backs?
All the talk during the offseason has been about the Cowboys running backs. Jerry Jones recently stated on Dallascowboys.com, that he expects Darren McFadden and Lance Dunbar
to play against the 49ers. And depending on his rehab, we could see the possible return of Joe Randle. The amount of carries that each one of these guys could receive in the game is unknown, but I would expect the likes of Ben Malena and Michael Hill to receive the bulk of the carries.
How Will The Secondary Look?
Byron Jones will likely be held out due to his shoulder injury, but the secondary welcomed the return of Brandon Carr and Orlando Scandrick to practice this week. While their playing time, if any, will be limited, it'll be interesting to see who lines up in the slot and if the Cowboys play more nickel and dime defense.
Does Sean Lee See The Field?
Sean Lee hasn't seen game action in over a year, the Cowboys have been very careful and taken every precaution in his return. Everyone knows that Lee is chomping at the bit to return to game action, let's hope it's tomorrow even if it's only one series.
