The preseason is completed. Let the actual video games start.
Within the remaining alternative for these additional down the depth chart to make an impression, the Dallas Cowboys fell to the Los Angeles Chargers, 26-19. The Cowboys made it attention-grabbing, however ultimately, too many turnovers doomed their effort.
Trey Lance performed from begin to end at quarterback and confirmed each flashes of brilliance and continued inconsistency. He threw for 323 yards and one landing and led all rushers with 90 yards on the bottom as effectively. However he additionally tossed 5 interceptions on the day, which proved to be the distinction.
Total, Dallas rushed for 246 yards to rack up a hefty 558 yards of whole offense. Additionally they dominated the time of possession, 40:57 to 19:03, however completed only one for 4 within the pink zone.
Whereas the Dallas protection was already shocked by the pregame information that DaRon Bland would miss six to eight weeks with a stress fracture in his foot, the sport itself did present some reduction for the unit. There have been some large performs surrendered early on, however Mike Zimmer’s troops settled down and stored Los Angeles off the scoreboard within the second half.
The Cowboys bought off to a promising begin when Lance marched the group 85 yards in 14 performs to achieve the Chargers’ 5-yard line, choosing up 5 first downs alongside the way in which. Unable to punch it ultimately zone, that left Brandon Aubrey to select up the chip-shot 23-yard discipline purpose and provides the house facet an early 3-0 lead.
A lot for that. On Los Angeles’ very first snap, vast receiver Derius Davis, a TCU product, took the handoff on a reverse, beat defensive finish Viliami Fehoko across the left edge and raced via the secondary 70 yards for the landing.
In a case of déjà vu, the Chargers’ first snap of the second quarter offered the identical consequence as their opening snap of the primary body. This time former Cowboys draft choose Simi Fehoko took off down the precise sideline, bought behind cornerback Andrew Sales space, hauled within the go and raced 78 yards for the landing.
When Los Angeles security Tony Jefferson then dove in entrance of a Lance goal to Jalen Cropper to seize the interception, the guests have been again in enterprise on the Dallas 38-yard line. They usually have been capable of attain the Cowboys’ 3, however linebacker Buddy Johnson, after a pair of tackles earlier within the drive, knocked down a third-and-goal passing try. With that, the Chargers needed to accept a 21-yard discipline purpose.
After struggling on their earlier three possessions, the Cowboys lastly bought again on the board. Lance rebounded from his turnover by marching the group 74 yards in 13 performs, a drive that noticed him twice scramble for first downs. The quarterback then capped issues off with a superbly positioned 11-yard go to wideout Ryan Flournoy within the back-left nook of the tip zone for Dallas’ first landing of the sport.
For a second, it appeared the Cowboys have been establishing Aubrey for one more discipline purpose attempt earlier than the half. Lance threw a dart to John Stephens down the center, however the large tight finish fumbled the ball, and Los Angeles recovered the prize at its personal 41-yard line.
And with 50 seconds left on the clock, that was sufficient time for the Chargers to get in place for a 48-yard discipline purpose. The kick sailed via the uprights with three seconds remaining, the Cowboys going into the half down, 20-10.
The Chargers got here out of the break and instantly threatened once more, having labored their option to the Dallas 33-yard line. However quarterback Easton Stick’s go was tipped on the line of scrimmage by defensive sort out Justin Rogers, tipped once more by linebacker Nick Vigil after which corralled by security Julius Wooden, his second interception of the preseason.
And the Cowboys almost took benefit of the reward. Lance had completions of 13, 14 and 20 yards to get right down to the customer’s 11-yard line, however his subsequent go try, a shot to Deontay Burnett ultimately zone, was as a substitute picked off by the Chargers’ Jefferson once more, a chance missed.
Following a three-and-out by the Chargers, although, Dallas at the least held the field-position benefit, getting the ball again after the punt at their very own 43-yard line. 5 performs later, Lance was ultimately zone. He darted across the left finish after which raced untouched 46 yards for the rating. Head coach Mike McCarthy elected to go for the 2 factors, however Lance overshot Cam Johnson on his throw, the conversion failing.
The lead was down to at least one by the tip of Dallas’ subsequent sequence. Lance once more did the heavy lifting on the 14-play, 65-yard drive, finishing 6 of seven passes for 52 yards. That finally led to a 33-yard discipline purpose for Aubrey, the kicker persevering with his spectacular preseason.
Sadly, the nice instances did not final. On the Cowboys’ subsequent possession, Lance did not see linebacker Tre’mon Morris-Brash, who leaped to tip after which seize the go earlier than rumbling 25 yards for the pick-6. Nevertheless, much like Dallas’ two-point conversion effort, the Chargers tried to show the trick as effectively and have been additionally unsuccessful. Linebacker Damien Wilson darted in from the left facet to convey down working again Jaret Patterson.
Quickly thereafter, Chargers cornerback Matt Hankins outmuscled the Cowboys’ Johnson on a 50/50 ball to present Los Angeles its fourth interception on the day, however Dallas nonetheless had one final shot to tug out a victory.
Getting the ball again at their very own 10-yard line with 1:51 remaining on the clock, Lance and firm shortly labored throughout midfield and located themselves on the Chargers’ 20-yard line with 8 seconds left. However Lance’s go to Johnson sailed excessive and into the ready arms of cornerback Robert Kennedy. Sport over.
With the defeat, Dallas completed the three-game exhibition slate with a 1-2 file.