Cowboys drop preseason game to Seahawks, 22-14, and the injury bug bites

The Dallas Cowboys dropped their second preseason game of the year to the Seattle Seahawks, The final score was 22-14. Dallas had some good moments, but there were a lot of mistakes and penalties that hurt the effort. And there were also injuries.

The Seahawks started the game with many of their starters playing including QB Geno Smith. Seattle managed a first down but a strong run defense and a third-down breakup from Eric Scott Jr. forced a punt. The Cowboys offense opened with backups across the board. Rico Dowdle got the call again as the running back to start. After one first down on some strong Dowdle runs, the Cowboys hit a big play downfield to Jalen Tolbert. The drive stalled after a sack given up by Brock Hoffman that forced a punt.

The injury bug bit DeMarvion Overshown after he made an excellent read and tackle on a pass in the flats. He was ruled out of the game with a knee injury that might be an ACL tear. The Cowboys then gave up a big pass and a big run on back-to-back plays. Sam Williams managed a sack that killed the drive, but the Seahawks hit a 57-yard field goal. Seattle 3-0.

Jalen Tolbert came through with a third-down conversion to start the next drive. After another first down, Dallas went for a fourth down and converted it on a catch from Jalen Brooks. KaVontae Tuprin then got a third-down conversion to keep the drive alive, and then Tolbert did the same. The Cowboys cashed in with a Dowdle touchdown on a 6-yard pass in the flats. Dallas 7-3.

On the next drive the Seahakws brought Drew Lock in at quarterback. The Cowboys had a three-and-out, but Juanyeh Thomas extended the drive with a taunting penalty on the third-down stop. Eric Scott then got beat deep by Jaxon Smith-Njigba to the one-yard line, which Seattle punched in for a touchdown. 10-7, Seattle lead.

Malik Davis got the next drive going with a nice run, and then Will Grier, in for Cooper Rush, hit Tolbert who is keeping his strong preseason going. But the drive stalled with some very poor offensive line play. After the punt, Seattle was able to hit a couple of big passes to move deep in Dallas territory. A low hit by Sam Williams on Drew Lock moved the ball closer to goal. The Seahawks would not be denied a touchdown, Cowboys down 17-7.

The Cowboys were a three-and-out on the next possession, and after the punt not much happened for the rest of the first half. The teams went into halftime with a 17-7 score. The Cowboys were playing strong to start the half, but the Juanyeh Thomas penalty totally changed momentum and Seattle capitalized. Jalen Tolbert and Rico Dowdle both had strong efforts in the first half. The DeMarvion Overshown injury is worrisome as it may be an ACL tear.

Dallas started the second half with a nice throw to Dontario Drummond. Luke Schoonmaker got a couple of catches in the drive, then Grier hit Sean McKeon. Then what all Cowboys fans wanted to see happened, Deuce Vaughn got loose and scored a 14-yard touchdown run. Cowboys down 17-14.

Seattle started moving the ball on their drive, but a holding penalty set them back. A Juanyeh Thomas TFL effectively ended the drive and Kelvin Joseph got a PBU. After the punt, Dallas tried to utilize Vaughn but Seattle bottled him up. The Seahawks returned the ensuing punt to the Dallas 37-yard line, but the Cowboys held the line on a fourth-and-one and got the ball back. Big Quinton Bohanna and Neville Gallimore clogged things up.

The Cowboys moved the ball on their next drive with a couple of first downs from Dennis Houtson and Vaughn, then Drummond got another big play for 15 yards. It looked like Dallas would score, but Grier threw an interception at the goal line and Seattle was back in business. Isaiah Land was able to temporarily stall a drive by getting a sack, but awful Cowboys defense on a 3rd-and-15 draw led to a Seahawks first down. The defense stiffened and forced a field goal. Seattle 20-14.

The next Cowboys drive was a dud with a sack allowed and a three-and-out. Then Seattle blocked the punt and it went out of the endzone for a safety. Rico Dowdle whiffed on his block. 22-14 Seattle lead. The Seahawks next drive was kept alive by a long QB scramble after the line lost contain, then the Seahawks QB converted a third down with a scramble then pass. Eventually the Seahawks missed a 43-yard FG.

Jalen Moreno-Cropper got a catch to move the ball for Dallas on their drive, then they went for it on fourth down, but Will Grier inexplicably held the ball and ran himself into a 20-yard sack. That was effectively the end of the game.

The Cowboys could have played better in the game, and the mistakes in execution and with penalties were problems. Will Grier also threw an interception that killed a potential scoring drive. The mistakes can be fixed, but the injury to DeMarvion Overshown might end his rookie season.