Cowboys Lose Preseason Opener, 17-7

Perhaps knowing that none of the Dallas Cowboys' important starters were playing made this game the most enjoyable. In their first preseason game of 2022, the Cowboys struggled to a 17-7 loss to the Denver Broncos as players including Dak Prescott, Zack Martin, Micah Parsons, and Trevon Diggs rested for the contest. The play was frequently sloppy, as is typical of these exhibition events, with primarily backups seeing all the action.

The Cowboys had trouble with penalties in general during this game. At the half, they were penalised nine times for 65 yards; by the end of the game, they had been penalised seventeen times for 129 yards, matching Denver's final score. The Cowboys' offensive running attack and their run defence on the other side of the ball were possibly the game's brightest points. Dallas gained 5.0 yards on average per carry, with Malik Davis leading the way with 51 yards on eight carries for an average of 6.4. In contrast, the Cowboys only allowed 1.8 yards per carry, and no Denver running back gained more than 20 yards throughout the game.

Cooper Rush, the backup quarterback from the previous season, received the nod behind centre and sought to convince the coaching staff that he deserved to keep his position. After this game, however, the competition to see who will support Dak Prescott against Will Grier will be fiercer than ever. Rush completed just 12 of his 20 ball attempts for 84 yards with no touchdowns and one interception, giving him a dismal passer rating of 48.8 as the game entered the third quarter. Ben DiNucci took over the passing responsibilities when Grier was forced to leave the game due to injury. He completed 9 of 16 passes for 112 yards with one score and a 99.0 rating. Only one grab was made by Brandon Smith, but it was for 40 yards, which has the most receiving yards for the Cowboys.

Tyler Smith, a first-round draught pick, experienced his first NFL game and occasionally looked impressive. He made a few mistakes, including a few penalties, as is typical for a rookie debut, but his strength was clearly on display as he repeatedly pummelling his defender.

Initial Quarter:

Both teams' offences struggled in the opening minutes, going three-and-out on their opening two opportunities. On their third attempt, the Cowboys offence finally made some headway, moving Dallas across midfield on an 18-yard connection to Dennis Houston.

They got to the home team's 38, but on fourth-and-2, head coach Mike McCarthy opted to go for it rather than giving one of the two kickers competing for a spot on the roster a shot. Rush attempted to pass to Jalen Tolbert but was intercepted due to intense pressure up the middle, finishing the drive. Soon after, Denver encountered a fourth-and-2 at the Cowboys' 29-yard line, placing it in a comparable predicament. Josh Johnson was under pressure when Dante Fowler, playing right defensive end, broke through the line and forced him to throw an incomplete pass.

Second Quarter:

With Tolbert unable to hang onto a pass across the middle to start the second frame, the Cowboys failed to convert a fourth-and-2 once more. Sadly, that gave Denver control of the ball at the Dallas 47-yard line, and three snaps later, Josh Johnson connected with Brandon Johnson for a 40-yard pass. The Broncos then completed the drive with a lofted pass to Seth Williams, who brought the ball down for the opening touchdown of the contest.

The Dallas defence seemed to have exited the field on Denver's following series after an incomplete pass attempt on third-and-13. However, a pass interference penalty against Tarell Basham gave the Broncos new life. After wideout Kendall Hinton leapt over Cowboys cornerback Nahshon Wright to catch the 24-yard touchdown throw, they capitalised, scoring an additional seven points. Just before the break, Dallas once again did themselves in. As the clock ran out, the Broncos missed a 57-yard field goal, but Kelvin Joseph was penalised for offsides, giving Denver another opportunity five yards closer. And this time, the try was successful, giving the Broncos a 17-0 lead as they took the field.

Third Quarter:

The problems with penalties have resumed where they left off. The Cowboys chose to go for it on fourth-and-1 at the Denver 41-yard line on their first drive of the second half. However, a false start sent them back five yards, and a holding call wiped out a 25-yard pass. Dallas then threw a punt. The Broncos moved from their own 1-yard line all the way down to the Dallas 4-yard line during their subsequent series as rain began to fall. Denver had four attempts to cross the goal line, but the Cowboys defence stood its ground, preventing them from doing so.

Fourth Quarter:

When DiNucci took over, the offence got a boost as the Cowboys' subsequent possession moved into the closing seconds. A field goal attempt was made this time by McCarthy, but Lirim Hajrullahu's 56-yard effort missed wide right after punter Bryan Anger struggled to control a wet ball on the hold. At least he managed to get the team back over midfield. The Cowboys then scored their first goal with just under five minutes left to play. The offence covered the entire field in 16 plays after moving to their own 5-yard line, with rookie Davis rushing three times for 16 yards and catching a pass for nine more. Dallas at least managed to avoid the shutout thanks to DiNucci's 12-yard touchdown pass to Simi Fehoko.