ARLINGTON, Texas — Trey Lance performed a bunch within the preseason for the Dallas Cowboys — and completed with a bevy of interceptions.
The third-string quarterback threw 5 interceptions — the final on the ultimate play on the Los Angeles aim line — because the Chargers beat the Cowboys 26-19 in a preseason finale Saturday.
Derius Davis ran 70 yards for a landing on LA’s first play and Simi Fehoko caught a 78-yard scoring cross to begin the second quarter.
Lance ran for a landing and threw for a rating however one other of the 5 interceptions was undrafted rookie Tre’mon Morris-Brash’s 25-yard pick-6 with Dallas trailing by a degree within the fourth quarter.
It could possibly be Lance’s final intensive motion for the Cowboys.
The 2021 No. 3 general choose by San Francisco performed many of the preseason — with none turnovers earlier than going through the Chargers — as Dallas tries to resolve if Lance might be a part of the membership’s future.
For now, the expiring 12 months on Lance’s rookie contract might be spent because the third QB behind Dak Prescott and Cooper Rush. The Cowboys traded for Lance final 12 months after he misplaced the battle to be Brock Purdy’s backup with the 49ers.
Proprietor and normal supervisor Jerry Jones was extra involved with the amount of snaps than the frequency of errors for a quarterback with a small pattern dimension going again 4 years, together with his faculty days.
Lance was on the sector for all 93 performs after getting 116 snaps complete within the first two preseason video games.
“I hate that these 5 interceptions are going to be a stat on a recreation that I could not have requested for extra reps and a greater scenario to look at him play,” Jones mentioned. “He wanted that, as a result of the one factor he is lacking greater than something is the dearth of reps, a lot much less NFL reps.”
Easton Stick was on the throwing finish of Fehoko’s lengthy TD, however was simply 11 of 28 for 109 yards with an interception in any other case because the Chargers attempt to kind out the backup plan behind Justin Herbert.
All of the starters sat for each groups in a recreation that was a Dallas-area reunion for the gamers who scored each of LA’s offensive touchdowns.
Davis performed on the TCU crew that completed because the nationwide runner-up to Georgia throughout the 2022 season. Fehoko, a fifth-round choose by the Cowboys in 2021, was waived by them after the preseason final 12 months.
Davis, a receiver/kick returner, took an end-around handoff from Stick and beat all people to the LA sideline, reducing again inside with out getting touched.
“The best way he labored the sideline was unimaginable,” coach Jim Harbaugh mentioned. “A lesser man wouldn’t have scored on that play. I used to be proper there. I did not suppose he was going to have the ability to get a flip.”
Stick, who began 4 video games final season after Herbert broke a finger on his throwing hand, hit Fehoko in stride alongside the sideline within the second quarter. Fehoko slipped via Andrew Sales space’s tried sort out, tip-toed to remain inbounds and ran free the ultimate 30 yards.
Lance confirmed extra indicators of inaccuracy, throwing behind a receiver on Tony Jefferson’s second-quarter interception and lacking wide-open working again Deuce Vaughn within the flat.
Lance recovered with good contact on a throw to rookie Ryan Flournoy as they linked for the second week in a row on a fade route for a rating.
His second interception was ultimately zone, ending an 11-play drive to the Chargers 6-yard line within the third quarter. Lance ran 46 yards for a TD on the following possession.
The final three Dallas possessions ended on interceptions by Lance, capped by Robert Kennedy kneeling simply contained in the aim line on a play from the LA 20 with 7 seconds remaining.
“I really feel like I do know who I’m,” mentioned Lance, who was 33 for 49 for 323 yards and had 90 yards dashing. “My confidence is not going anyplace. Simply flip the web page and play ball.”
Vaughn, a second-year working again whose roster standing is in query, ran 9 instances for 53 yards.
Damage setback
The Cowboys introduced earlier than the sport that cornerback DaRon Bland, who set an NFL file with 5 interception returns for touchdowns final season, will miss six to eight weeks due to a stress fracture in his foot. Bland can have surgical procedure. He led the NFL with 9 interceptions final season, his second.
Sitting rookies
Three rookie offensive linemen did not play, which suggests they need to be within the opening day lineup. Chargers proper sort out Joe Alt, the fifth general choose within the draft, had performed the primary two preseason video games. So had Dallas’ first-round choose, Tyler Guyton, and third-rounder Cooper Beebe. Guyton seems set to begin at left sort out, Beebe at heart.
Up subsequent
Each groups open the season Sept. 8. The Chargers are house towards the Las Vegas Raiders. The Cowboys go to Cleveland.