Cowboys news: Takeaways from Cowboys win over Rams; Dak Prescott, Tony Pollard shine

Cowboys vs. Rams - Game Recap - Associated Press, ESPN

The Cowboys finally snapped their preseason losing streak.

Dak Prescott appears ready for the regular season, with or without Ezekiel Elliott. The Dallas quarterback completed all five of his pass attempts in his only series of work as the Cowboys came away with a 14-10 win over the Los Angeles Rams on Saturday night.

Prescott dropped back to pass seven times, completed passes to five different receivers, had one short completion negated by an ineligible lineman downfield penalty and was sacked once. Prescott’s only drive covered 97 yards in 12 plays, took more than six minutes and culminated with Tony Pollard’s 14-yard touchdown run.

It marked the first Dallas touchdown in a preseason game since Aug. 18, 2018. Dallas was held to three field goals in last week’s 17-9 loss at San Francisco to open the preseason.

7 Takeaways: Prescott perfect for preseason, Cowboys beat Rams 14-10 - K.D. Drummond, Cowboys Wire

K.D. offers up his takeaways from the game, including a quarterback who has yet to throw an incomplete pass.

Dak Prescott perfect for the preseason

Prescott played the first series of the preseason opener, and though his final pass was batted in the air, he caught it, making him a perfect four-for-four. He continued that momentum in this game, going five-for-five. It was more than just the stats, though. Prescott took a sack on first down that loss 12 yards after rookie Tony Pollard missed on pass protection, setting up a 2nd-and-22 from their own three. After Pollard got 15 back, Prescott found second-year receiver Michael Gallup down the right sideline for a big gain of 31 yards.

Prescott would later find tight end Jason Witten on a third-and-six to keep the chains moving and the drive eventually ended with a rushing touchdown. While the Cowboys certainly aren’t scheming, there were completions to Gallup, Witten, Pollard, Tavon Austin and Randall Cobb, a complete mixture minus Amari Cooper. Prescott finished with 64 yards passing and a 118.8 passer rating.

Recap: Quick Work From Dak In Win Over Rams - Rob Phillips, Dallas Cowboys

There’s nothing like going the distance on their own and only drive of the game, and capping it off with a touchdown.

Starting at his own 3-yard line, Prescott overcame an early sack for a 12-yard loss and crossed midfield with a 31-yard completion to second-year receiver Michael Gallup. Prescott completed all five of his pass attempts for 64 yards, and Pollard, starting once again with Ezekiel Elliott currently not with the team, accounted for 51 total yards from scrimmage: 42 rushing and 9 receiving.

“I thought Dak (Prescott) was in total command,” tight end Jason Witten said. “We were backed up on our 3-yard line, and he said, ‘Let’s go 97,’ and we did.”

One Drive, But A Handful Of Answers - Nick Eatman, Dallas Cowboys

Eatman takes a closer look at that opening drive.

Let’s just evaluate what we saw on that Cowboys’ opening drive, which totaled over 100 yards – something that certainly isn’t easy to do with just one drive. And it’s just one game, but teams have to notice this:

· Gallup can get down the field and make plays.

· Witten can still get open and move the chains.

· The fullback needs to be recognized in this offense.

· Dak has the ability to spread the ball around the lead this offense nearly 100 yards.

· And most importantly, Tony Pollard is a threat in both the running and passing game.

All that from just one drive. Then again, in the preseason, that’s about all you can ask for.

Witten Returns; Still “Antsy” After 16 Seasons - Nick Eatman, Dallas Cowboys

What a glorious sight it is to see no. 82 back on the field catching passes.

He made the announcement in the spring, had his first practice in May and first training camp practice last month. And now he can check off his first game as he started against the Rams at Aloha Stadium and played the first series.

“It felt really good. I was very anxious to get out there and play,” Witten said. “It is just the next step in the comeback. I worked really hard to get back in shape. I hold myself to a high standard, so I can say it was not perfect.” Witten picked up a first down with a 10-yard catch, showing he can still get open despite entering his 16th pro season. Witten’s catch extended a drive that went 13 plays for 97 yards and a touchdown run by Tony Pollard.

RB Tony Pollard shines once again as the Cowboys end their preseason touchdown drought vs. LA Rams - Calvin Watkins, SportsDay

While it was great to see Dak so poised and Witten back on the field, the real star of the game was the team’s new rookie running back.

Tony Pollard’s score on a 14-yard run in the opening quarter of the second preseason game against the Los Angeles Rams ended a three-game touchdown drought. At one point, Pollard touched the ball on three consecutive plays as the Cowboys drove into Rams territory. The drive finally ended with Pollard diving into the end zone with 5:12 to play in the opening quarter.

The Cowboys have continued their commitment to Pollard, who sat down after the first drive, similar to last week in San Francisco. Pollard had five carries for 42 yards and one catch for nine yards.

Zeke Who? Tony Pollard is taking over, for now, for the Cowboys - Calvin Watkins, SportsDay

The Cowboys owner made it very clear he was just joking with the “Zeke who?” comment.

“What’s amazing for him is to come in here and he hadn’t done that much,” Jones said. “He knows exactly what to do and he knows how to do it. If he goes out there and he plays to that level he’s going to be (at) for the next several weeks, he’s going to be right in the middle of it early. That will really complement what we’re doing with Zeke, not replace that, I mean that, not replace it. Nobody is getting cute here, certainly be a great compliment to have a great running game where I can picture those guys (having) success at the same time out there really giving the defense some fits.”

Pollard’s Outing In Hawaii Justifies The Hype - Staff, Dallas Cowboys

The excitement of what Pollard brings to this offense has been lingering for a while, but it’s great to see it validated on the field.

There’s been hype surrounding Pollard since the moment he was drafted. The Cowboys sang his praises throughout the spring, and they wasted no time ushering him into the starting lineup when Elliott didn’t report to camp. Even if it’s just a small sample size, Saturday made it obvious why.

After watching Pollard cut his way to 8.4 yards per carry, it doesn’t sound as silly as it used to.

“The O-Line did great,” Pollard said. “It was really open, I was just running through what they did for me. Luckily, I was able to get in the end zone.” Pollard’s 14-yard score was the highlight of a 97-yard drive for the first-team offense. Taking the handoff from Dak Prescott, he tucked past a block on the edge and followed Travis Frederick and Xavier Su’a-Filo into the second level. From there, he squeezed between a pair of Rams safeties and bulled his way into the end zone for the opening points of the game.

As fun as the run was, the variety of Pollard’s touches were exciting. He carried the rock five times, but he also managed a nine-yard reception and would’ve had another if not for an untimely penalty.

5 takeaways from Cowboys preseason game vs. LA Rams: first team offense scores, Mike White continues to struggle - Calvin Watkins, SportsDay

There were plenty of individual performances to be pleased about, including a guy we don’t hear a lot of positives about.

Taco Charlton stock rises

The Cowboys put Taco Charlton on notice this summer. Whether it was an offseason chat with defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli, a talk about his future with his agent, or maybe a long talk with Jason Garrett during a practice, Charlton is making plays. Charlton had two quarterback hurries and a pass knockdown in the first half. With Robert Quinn out the first two weeks of the season due to his suspension, Charlton has a chance to possibly make the 53-man roster. After two preseason games, Charlton is making his case.

2 trade scenarios Cowboys may need to investigate to round out roster - Cody Milligan, Cowboys Wire

The Cowboys have an abundance of talent in the trenches, but can they use it to help boost their depth elsewhere? Cody Milligan offers up a couple scenarios the team should consider.

Trade Scenario #1: DE Taco Charlton for Oakland Raiders SS Karl Joseph

It’s no secret fans have been divided on Charlton since his selection in the first round of the 2017 draft. Through two seasons Charlton has started seven out of 27 possible games. He has accumulated 28 solo-tackles, eight tackles for a loss, and four sacks, certainly not the numbers the Cowboys envisioned. Joseph is another recent first-round pick who has yet to make the desired impact on the team. Highly touted out of West Virginia, Joesph has started 32 games in three seasons with 135 tackles, 12 pass deflections, and three interceptions. The Raiders put Joseph on notice with April’s selection of Jonathan Abram out of Mississippi State.

A simple player-for-player swap could do wonders for both. Charlton would add depth to the Raider’s defensive line rotation as he would compete with Arden Key for playing time opposite 2019 fourth-overall pick, Clelin Ferrell. Joesph would provide another body in the safety position and would compete for a starting spot along with current starter Xavier Woods.