Tag: Dallas Cowboys vs Los Angeles Rams

LOOK: Every snap from Cowboys rookie LB Marist Liufau (Notre Dame) pro debut

An All-22 look at the Notre Dame linebacker’s pro debut in which he logged 16 snaps. | From @KDDrummondNFL

When the Dallas Cowboys traded back in the first round and acquired another third-round selection, draftniks everywhere rejoiced. Dallas didn’t do much in free agency, so grabbing a fourth top-100 prospect was paramount to many fans who still pay close attention in the offseason.

Both the later first and the new third-round pick were used on offensive linemen and the pick sandwiched in between went to defensive end. Those two position groups were where free agency defections happened. It was the final top 100 pick where there was a true conversation to which direction Dallas would take things. Dallas chose to go with Notre Dame linebacker Marist Liufau.

Liufau was selected over running back, seen as a need if the Cowboys wanted a premiere player to replace Tony Pollard who also left in free agency. Replacing Leighton Vander Esch, who retired due to injury, won out for the Dallas front office.

Reports throughout the offseason have indicated Dallas is pleased with their selection. Thanks to their biggest free agent signing (Eric Kendricks) allowing third-year man Damone Clark to no longer be in charge of the group, and return from injury of last year’s third-round pick DeMarvion Overshown, Liufau rounds out what now could be a strength of the defense.

That’s an amazing turnaround considering the state of the unit in January. But Liufau, like all the rest, will have to play well in games that matter. And while the preseason scores and stats don’t count, performing well there is the necessary first step.

In the exhibition opener, Liufau saw 16 defensive snaps and recorded a single assist with no solo tackles. Pro Football Focus credited one pass into his coverage, a completion for 11 yards, in giving him a 58.5 (out of 100) defensive grade.

It’s difficult for fans to hone in on any one player while watching the action live, so this complete All-22 collection from Dustin Mosher will allow those interested to see his entire performance.

Cowboys LB DeMarvion Overshown’s odd rehab routine had him dropping ball carriers like flies in return

From @ToddBrock24f7: DeMarvion Overshown grew up in Texas horse country. One pasture pastime may have played a role in helping him get back to making tackles.

Splat.

That was how the Rams’ third offensive play ended Sunday, with running back Boston Scott being quickly dropped to the turf just as he was about to turn the corner on the Dallas defense.

The man doing the dropping? Cowboys linebacker DeMarvion Overshown, who had shed a block and blown through to meet Scott at the line of scrimmage and complete the solo tackle.

It went in the books as a two-yard gain by the time Scott fell forward, but the second-year linebacker was already up and celebrating. That tackle had been a long time coming for the 23-year-old.

“It definitely felt good to make a play in an actual game again,” Overshown told reporters Sunday after the game. “It’s kind of like been built up for a year, just waiting for that moment again, and feeling those type of emotions again.”

Overshown, a 2023 third-round draft pick out of Texas, was having a brilliant rookie preseason last summer when he blew out an ACL in a preseason contest versus Seattle. His year was over, and as his team was forced to move on without him, Overshown had no choice but to start on the long and often lonely road to recovery all by himself.

“When you take that away from a competitor like myself, you’ve got to find little wins throughout the day,” he explained. “There were times where I’d go in my garage with a flyswatter and just hit flies all day just to feel good, just to feel something, reaction time.”

Splat.

It may sound unorthodox, especially when there’s a world-class physical therapy facility and a team of professional trainers just waiting at The Star. But for the kid who grew up in the tiny East Texas town of Arp, smack in the middle of horse country, his approach was perhaps the most natural thing in the world.

“You get a lot of bugs out there, and you grow up with a flyswatter,” Overshown grinned. “Grandma with a flyswatter in her hand. That’s just something you can work on your reaction time with, swatting at flies all day.”

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So Overshown picking off an opposing running back, Mr. Miyagi-style, just minutes into his return to the field was cause for celebration indeed. Not only for Cowboys fans who had seen his promising rookie campaign cut short, and not only for coaches who’ve always had an inkling of what they really have in the 6-foot-3 220-pounder, but also for Overshown himself to finally get the opportunity to resume a dream delayed.

“I think about that moment all the time, because when I got up off that injury, I was expecting to come back and play again. That’s what I was expecting out of myself. Getting the news that I was going to have to wait a year, it definitely hurt,” he said. “But I worked a whole year just to feel what I felt again today, in an actual game, living my dream all over again. So the journey was definitely worth it.”

Now wearing No. 13 for the Cowboys, Overshown believes the bad luck is behind him. He says he didn’t really even think about his repaired knee during Sunday’s game and was able to instead focus on football.

“Definitely, the nerves were there for a little bit, but after the first play, I got to hit somebody. Now we’re just doing what I love to do.”

Let that be a warning to all opposing running backs buzzing around the backfield this fall: DeMarvion Overshown is back. And he and his Texas-sized flyswatter are waiting.

Splat.

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Tyler Guyton calls Cowboys debut ‘dream come true’; Rams LB might disagree

From @ToddBrock24f7: The 1st-round draft pick played more than expected due to an injury on the Dallas OL. At least one Rams defender probably wishes he hadn’t.

Tyler Guyton grew up a Texas kid, a Cowboys fan in a family full of Cowboys fans. So getting to take the field in the silver and blue as the team’s most recent first-round draft pick was a very big deal for the left tackle.

A “dream come true,” he called it.

“I just thought about all the times that I’ve watched the Cowboys play,” Guyton told reporters Sunday after the team’s preseason opener, the first time the 22-year-old had been in full uniform, complete with the star logo on his helmet. “It’s really been years and years of me watching, and finally getting to play was super cool to me. I know that my family is super excited. I’m also super excited about it. I just wish we would have won.”

The one-point loss in the exhibition game won’t count toward the team’s final record, but the occasion will live forever for Guyton as the moment he truly became a Cowboy. And as the club’s apparent left tackle of the future, it was an auspicious debut.

“I thought I did pretty good, handled my business,” he said. “Things to work on, of course, but I got the butterflies out.”

In fact, Guyton says it took him exactly one play to shake off the jitters. The 6-foot-8, 322-pounder came in after starter Chuma Edoga left with a foot injury in the opening quarter, and he made his massive presence felt immediately.

It was reassuring to see, especially after the rookie missed several days of practice in the week leading up to the game with an illness. But Guyton promises it’s nothing to be concerned about moving forward.

“I’m feeling good,” he said. “Working my way back.”

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Guyton had actually reached his planned snap count by halftime, according to Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy, but he was able to get some solid extra work in the second half with Edoga out.

“Felt good about where he was conditionwise with the illness,” McCarthy explained from the podium. “He was able to get back and play some.”

Much to the chagrin, likely, of Rams linebacker Zach VanValkenburg. The third-year defender found himself lined up across from No. 60 often and was on the receiving end of several major collisions, including one where Guyton absolutely blew up both VanValkenburg and Cowboys wide receiver Jalen Cropper, who was already blocking him.

Cowboys fans may have mentally checked the box that Guyton is the real deal. But for the first-year Oklahoma product, it was just a first step, and there’s still a ton to absorb this preseason.

“We can learn from every single play,” he told media members. “Different looks that we’re going to get from different teams. And we’ll play the Rams again, so I think we’ll learn a lot.”

Guyton will see the Rams again soon: this week at a second joint practice between the clubs and then maybe again in the postseason. But there will certainly be rematches down the road of what promises to be- at least based on Sunday’s dream come true- a long and successful Cowboys career.

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60+ best pics from Cowboys-Rams preseason opener

A collection of great photo captures from the Cowboys-Rams preseason tilt. | From @KDDrummondNFL

The Dallas Cowboys finally have a 2024 game under their belt. While they may have fallen in the final seconds, the 13-12 defeat at the hands of the Los Angeles Rams still served more important purposes. Dallas’ coaching staff got to see their youngsters in action, while the veterans got to pose for pictures in warm ups and uniforms.

Here’s a look at the best captures from the field trip to SoFi Stadium.

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Markquese Bell puts on defensive clinic in preseason opener, Cowboys player of the game

The third-year player is on the move again, shining in the Cowboys preseason opener under new DC Mike Zimmer. From @timlettiero

Football is finally back as the Dallas Cowboys kicked off their exhibition schedule against the Los Angeles Rams. Playing in L.A., the Cowboys put on a defensive masterclass for 56 minutes under the direction of their new defensive coordinator, Mike Zimmer. Although the score did not end in their favor, Dallas was able to come away with four interceptions off the arm of QB Stetson Bennett.

It was an overall fantastic showing for the defense but third-year safety —yes safety— Markquese Bell, shined in his return to his natural position.

After the defense allowed a lengthy, 12-play drive to open the game, Bell nearly came away with a tird-down interception in the end zone which allowed Dallas to hold LA to just three.

He’d get his get back as on the very next drive, coming down with the ball after an air-mailed pass from Bennett.

To finish up his tremendous first quarter he’d make a stop inside the Rams own five-yard line before RB Boston Scott could break away for a big gain.

Bell finished his day with a game high nine total tackles, six solo and three assisted, as well as the interception. He was only given two quarters of game time but looked poised and fired up for the regular season.

How he will be fully utilized remains to be seen however today might have been a glimpse into what could potentially be a fantastic relationship between Bell and Zimmer. He had some very encouraging words about his new DC after the game.

“It’s the type of defense that he brings and the type of culture that he brings to the team,” said Bell of his new coordinator. “He has a great scheme and we love it. We love it. It’s gonna work, it’s gonna work.

“We’re putting it in and it’s fresh, and we have our edits about it but when you see it in real life, it works.” – via DallasCowboys.com

Dominant Dallas defense can’t finish, Cowboys lose 13-12 to Rams

The Cowboys weren’t able to hold onto a late lead, falling in their exhibition opener. | From @KDDrummondNFL

The Dallas Cowboys started to answer some of the questions posed to them over the course of the offseason. The opening preseason contest against the Los Angeles Rams was a bit disjointed, as expected, with each team keeping their best to the sideline in an effort to maintain health.

Both Matthew Stafford and Dak Prescott stayed on the sidelines, allowing Stetson Bennett and Trey Lance, save for one series for Cooper Rush, handle the QB duties.Both offenses struggled, but the prowess of the Cowboys’ defensive depth showed up often, forcing four turnovers off of Bennett’s arm.

Lance’s offense could only convert those extra opportunities once, for three points, which allowed a game-winning drive with only four seconds remaining. The Cowboys defense couldn’t seal the deal and two penalties forced Dallas returns to Oxnard on the heels of a 13-12 defeat.

Dallas appeared to have their fifth interception of the game, but a defensive holding call gave the Rams renewed life. Later, a questionable personal foul on a tackle gave the Rams excellent field position and on fourth down, Bennett scrambled and found Miller Forinstall in the end zone for the win.

Finally getting back on the field after they way their 2023 ended in embarrassing fashion, the team was excited to get real action. Their opponent, the Rams were in a similar boat, keeping their primary playmakers in street clothes.

The backups couldn’t do much to move the ball, but the game still was able to elicit some intrigue and nervous moments.

The biggest takeaway from the game is going to be Lance’s performance, his first game snaps in a Cowboys uniform after last summer’s acquisition.

Lance finished the game 25 for 41 for 188 yards with no touchdowns and no interceptions. He showed plenty of arm but very little touch and accuracy, with his completed passes rarely giving the receiver a chance for yards after the catch.

The club will return to Oxnard to get a couple of practices in before their second preseason action, Saturday night, against the Las Vegas Raiders.

Watch: Cowboys’ young DBs secure 2nd, 3rd INTs vs Rams

Dallas has three interceptions on the game, keeping things close despite offensive difficulties.

Go head and give assistant head coach Al Harris his flowers right now. Even when he’s forced to trot out a secondary under a brand new defensive coordinator and without his top three cornerbacks and top safeties, his troop is still all about that action.

The Dallas Cowboys were known as turnover machines under Dan Quinn, leading the league in forced turnover in both 2021 and 2022. While yes, it’s just the preseason and they were facing Stetson Bennett the entire game, but the secondary isn’t missing out on their opportunities. After Markquese Bell dropped a pick on the opening drive, he made up for it the next time out. Following that, the club had two more forced picks, letting the world know that mistakes will still be penalized under Mike Zimmer.

Eric Scott closed out the first half by picking off Bennett, keeping the Rams off the board and the score tied at six. UDFA rookie safety Julius Wood did similar, squashing a late third-quarter drive in similar fashion.

Scott had been having a rough game, but turned things around when he moved into the throwing lane undetected by Bennett.

Wood’s play was a bit more difficult, having to drive on the errant pass to force the turnover.

Dallas has been unable to capitalize on the three turnovers, however. Twice they turned it over on downs and the other time the half expiring on them.

 

Cowboys LT Chuma Edoga ruled out with foot injury

The sixth-year veteran went out in the first quarter and will not return.

The Cowboys have continued to list veteran journeyman Chuma Edoga as the starter at left tackle. This despite Dallas drafting Oklahoma’s Tyler Guyton in the first round this past April and Guyton having a generally strong training camp. Edoga was part of Sunday’s starting lineup as well, but his time on the field didn’t last very long.

Edoga was out of the lineup rather quickly, replaced by Guyton, and word has come down why the swap. Edoga suffered a toe injury, and has since been ruled out for the remainder of the game.

Guyton is on track to start, but he wasn’t expected to play much on Sunday as he’s been dealing with an illness. He lasted one series before being taken out.

Entering his sixth season, Edoga was re-signed to a one-year deal this offseason after being brought in 2023 to backup Tyler Smith. Things didn’t go especially well in his six starts, so it was surprising to many that Dallas decided he would be the veteran of choice after letting Smith walk in free agency. Even more surprising was the continuation of him being ahead of Guyton on the depth chart, but Guyton will now get his chance to refuse to let go of the role.

 

LOOK: Cowboys safety Markquese Bell picks off Rams QB Stetson Bennett

The Cowboys’ safety must miss being penciled in as a starter, because he’s already making preseason plays.

The Dallas defense bent but didn’t break on their opening drive, keeping the Los Angeles Rams to three points in the exhibition opener. There were no such things on drive No. 2.

That’s because on 3rd-and-8 they didn’t allow a completion nor conversion. Instead they gave the ball back to their offense courtesy of safety Markquese Bell. Commonly thought to be No. 4 on the depth chart after spending most of the 2023 as a linebacker due to attrition, Bell announced that he should not be overlooked.

Rams QB Stetson Bennett overthrew his target, UT rookie Jordan Whittington, and Bell was well aware, reaching up to snag the ball out of the air for the interception.

Bell almost kept the Rams off the scoreboard on the first drive with an end zone interception he wasn’t able to bring in, but he had no such difficulty on this one, the first turnover of the young exhibition season.

WATCH: Rush connects with Brooks on bomb to open Cowboys’ preseason

The veteran backup helps the cause of the second-year wideout with a big play to start the game off.

The preseason has finally arrived and with it, Dallas Cowboys fans can finally move on from a tumultuous offseason. The Cowboys started off on defense in LA, but they stymied the Rams once they got into scoring position and held them to three points.

Cooper Rush got the start at quarterback with many starters sitting out the exhibition game, par for the course for Mike McCarthy’s guys. It didn’t take long for Rush to declare his competency, either. After back-to-back Rico Dowdle rushes gave an immediate new set of downs, Rush went to work and found second-year receiver Jalen Brooks on a deep throw.

Brooks is competing to be WR3 behind CeeDee Lamb (when he reports) and Brandin Cooks and has been electric thus far in training camp. Getting big plays in actual action will go a long way towards those goals.