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The Dallas Cowboys fell to 0-2 in the preseason after a 31-13 loss to the Baltimore Ravens on Saturday night. Whether it was a lack of talent comparatively or a vanilla game plan, Baltimore dominated Dallas on both sides of the ball.
The Cowboys hit a few flash plays, such as an interception return for a touchdown by Andrew Booth Jr., and a 49-yard bomb from Joe Milton III to Jonathan Mingo. Still, overall, it was hard to find many positives to take away from their performance, which was eerily similar to the one they turned in last week. Here are three major takeaways from the action.
Joe Milton isn’t ready for NFL football
Milton III possesses high-level tools in terms of mobility and arm strength, but his first two performances for Dallas have lacked the other necessary skills to play the quarterback position.
He missed a blitz on the first drive, didn’t get the ball out, and took a sack for a safety. Later, he didn’t see a defender over the top of the receiver he was targeting and threw an interception right to him. Then he stood in the pocket and saw the right receiver coming open and missed him by a yard with the pass. If a backup quarterback for Dallas has to play early in 2025, it is very unlikely to be Milton III.
James Houston is making a case to be on the roster
The cuts at defensive end are going to be tough for the Cowboys. They have Micah Parsons, Dante Fowler Jr., Donovan Ezeruaku, Marshawn Kneeland, and Sam Williams as virtual locks to be on the 53-man roster. Those five could be the defensive end unit, but James Houston continues to make a case that he deserves a spot.
Houston had eight sacks in his rookie season in 2022, but hasn’t been the same since injuries in 2023 ended his year. Now, two years removed, he is seeking an opportunity to demonstrate that he can play at the level of his rookie year or better. He had two pressures on third-down pass plays and 2 QB hits in the first half alone against the Ravens.
The Cowboys’ run game is abysmal
Playing a vanilla scheme shouldn’t keep anyone from being able to move the ball a little bit on the ground. The offensive line can get some push on the defensive line, or a running back could make someone miss to open up some opportunities, but neither occurred for Dallas. Miles Sanders ran for 2.1 yards per rush, Deuce Vaughn was 2.2, and Phil Mafah was 2.3. They combined for 15 attempts for only 33 total yards. The Ravens doubled them in rush attempts, and their top two rushers had more yards than all of the Cowboys rushing combined.
You can find Mike Crum on Twitter @cdpiglet or on YouTube at Across the Cowboys podcastQ
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