The first joint practice of camp for the Dallas Cowboys was a night-and-day difference from last year’s practice. The Cowboys and the Rams met in Los Angeles Tuesday, August 11, for what was the first scheduled joint practice between the teams.
Yes, it was a glorified scrimmage with nothing but vanilla plays and schemes, but Cowboys fans remember how low the vibes sank after last year’s joint practice. That practice revealed some glaring defensive issues that were never rectified. Many fans clamored that it was still August and that these practices would have little impact on the season. In retrospect, that wasn’t the case.
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This year the aura shifted. Going into this offseason, the two organizations were trending in different directions. Dallas was trying to bounce back after a seven-win season; Los Angeles was fresh off an NFC championship run. The two teams converged for a joint practice, and Cowboys fans have a lot to be excited about, even if it was barely a scrimmage.
Matt Eberflus is gone, Christian Parker is here, and there are so many more new faces looking to turn the page on what the Cowboys players themselves considered a disaster of a practice last year. This year, Dallas looked to make a statement on that side of the ball and did.
Cowboys linebacker Justin Barron had three INTs, one from Rams QB Matthew Stafford and two from backup Stetson Bennett. Barron is making his play for a roster spot. As for the rest of the Cowboys, Dallas not only was able to hang with the Rams, who are once again Super Bowl favorites, but, as you just saw, was able to get the better of them in some cases.
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By all indications, Dallas was able to move the ball some on offense. WR George Pickens made some plays, and QB Dak Prescott had some impressive plays of his own. One was a nice completion to TE Brevyn Spann-Ford, the other was an escape out of the pocket for a touchdown. Brian Schottenheimer even said the team was better in the redzone on offense.
But there were reports that the Cowboys struggled to open up their run game in the practice. It was also noted that Terence Steele had a lot of problems with the Rams pass rush. So there are things to be worked on.
It’s way too early to say the Cowboys are on par with the Rams. Dallas has a ton to prove in the upcoming weeks. The Rams just have to play at the level they’re capable of, and they could very well be in the Super Bowl again. Either way, this practice looked a lot different last year, and the change in intensity, focus and success on the field is obviously a welcome one.
