1st preseason game: Cowboys-10 Raiders-31

Defensive player of the game: Keith Brooking

Honorable mention: Gerald Sensabaugh

Offensive player of the game: Sam Hurd

Honorable mention: Jon Kitna

Disappointment of the game: The 2nd and 3rd string defense

Stats found here:

http://scores.espn.go.com/nfl/boxscore?gameId=290813013

Final thoughts on the game

· There were too many penalties, but it is the first preseason game

· The offense looked solid, and it had excellent play calling balance

· The offense is as advertised, TEs and RBs are performing well

· Romo looked good, Roy Williams played well, he looked more like part of the offense than he did last year

· The Offensive line looked good enough

· If the defense stays healthy, this is going to be a great defense

· Their coverage looks solid, and when there’s solid coverage and pressure heading towards the quarterback, good things will happen

· The safeties looked really good, finally we have safeties!

· If the defense doesn’t stay healthy we’re in trouble

· The drop off in quality of play between the 1^st and 2^nd string is staggering

· That’s where this team could struggle

· Seriously…the lower defensive strings are BAD! Wow…

Notes I took during the game are below, peruse at your leisure

1^st Quarter

Cowboys 1^st drive

· 1^st play of the season, holding penalty on T. Choice, bad omen?

· Three and out for the first series, they look rusty

Raiders 1^st drive

· Ken Hamlin made a play at safety…the cowboys made a play at safety!

· Almost got a pick coming over the top

· Next play gave up a 47 yd pass interference play

· I thought it was a bad call

· Allen Ball is getting picked on while playing corner

· Goal line stand lead to a Raiders field goal

· Defense looked alright

Cowboys 2^nd drive

· Marty B makes a catch, breaks a tackle

· Marion Barber up the middle with a good run

· PA pass to Roy Williams, great play

· Felix Jones quick as ever, I can’t wait to see him run more

· End around to Crayton

· Screen to Felix, sweetness

· Barber over the top for a touchdown…but a penalty…STOP the penalties!

· TOUCHDOWN JASON WITTEN, what a play! Great protection

Raiders 2^nd drive

· New kick off specialist, will he get a touchback? No…

· Brooking gets a sack! Looks much quicker than Zach Thomas, will fit much better into this fast, pressure defense the Cowboys run

· We blitz up the middle and somehow Jamarcus Russell squirts out

· Ratliff deflects a pass at the line, well done J.

· Forced a punt, good series

Starters are now out, I’ll note big plays now, but the play by play is over

Defense

· Bobby Carpenter went for an arm tackle on a run up the middle, shying away from contact, its looking like the same old Carpenter

· Ball makin some plays with the second team defense, 2 big hits

· Sensabaugh laying the big stick on some fool raider, lovin the safeties!

· Carpenter is looking poor in the run game, looks ok in the passing game

· Carpenter looks good in coverage, maybe he won’t be so bad in the nickel defense where that’s all he’ll be doing after all

· COWBOYS GOT A TOUCHBACK, way to go Buehler!

· The rookie linebackers are struggling to shrug blockers, welcome to the NFL guys

· Poor fits by the 2^nd and 3^rd string defensive players leading to a touchdown run

· Courtney Brown (who?) got beat deep at corner, not playing well

Offense

· Choice had a great run up the middle, but there’s a penalty on the play

· Choice is a great runner if he hits the hole with pace, struggles if he gets caught dancing behind the line of scrimmage

· Kitna is looking like solid insurance for Tony, very solid vet, great performance

· Sam Hurd is getting open a lot, a lock for the third receiver?

· Choice missed a block, leading to a Kitna sack, if you want to play running back you need to block in the passing game and that was poor

· Stanback much less disappointing than I thought, good returner

· Jon Kitna looking good, we’ve got a backup ladies and gentleman

· Apparently I’m a jinx, I wrote that and Kitna threw a pick, sorry guys

· McGee looks ok, looks just as he should as a rookie quarterback

· Nothing special but nothing poor

· Even the 4^th string back looks good, Lattimore has a few good runs under his belt