Seven things we learned from the Cowboys 34-0 demolition of the Texans

[NoDak]

That was certainly enjoyable. The Dallas Cowboys rolled over the Houston Texans by a score of 34-0 in a thoroughly dominant performance. While winning in such a fashion is always sweet, what you really want out of preseason (besides no injuries) is to learn some things about your team, especially things that might help this season or in the future.

The Cowboys certainly learned some things on Saturday night.

Devin Smith is legit
The Cowboys have been looking for a fifth receiver beyond the top four locks. They have seemingly found it. Devin Smith has been the Cowboys most productive receiver this preseason. The game against Houston was another feather in Smith’s helmet. Six catches for 79 yards led the Cowboys again. Smith is healthy and showing why he was a star all those years ago at Ohio State. It’s hard to envision him not making the roster.

Taco Charlton is providing hope
Taco Charlton was on the verge of being labeled a bust through his first two seasons. That could still happen, but his play has been on the rise this preseason and in the Texans game, he exploded. Charlton had two sacks, another sack nullified by penalty, caused two fumbles, recovered one and had a pass defensed. In one half of play! None of it will matter if he can’t produce in regular-season games, but he’s at least providing hope that it could happen.

Mike White can actually impersonate an NFL QB
Okay, it wasn’t a ground-breaking performance. It’s not going to change anything, but for a brief time Mike White actually looked... we’ll say competent. He went six for nine and one touchdown. He finished with an 128 QB rating. He didn’t take a sack or turn the ball over. For a brief moment in time, he looked like he sort of belonged.

Marcus Lucas is taking advantage
Who is Marcus Lucas? You might know him as Not Rico. The tight end who wears Gathers old number (80) has had two good games in a row. Last week he had four catches for 20 yards, this week he had four catches for 50 yards. He’s not likely to make the roster, but he surely has peaked the Cowboys interest.

Donovan Wilson is getting the ball
The rookie safety secured his second interception of the preseason against the Texans. He looked like he was going to get another one until C.J. Goodwin stole it way from him. He also chipped in a couple of tackles on the night. But it’s his ball-hawking skills that are catching the eye.

The Cowboys defensive line is Marianas Trench deep
We already discussed the phenomenal night from Taco Charlton. Kerry Hyder also had two sacks and was very disruptive. In all the Cowboys had eight sacks, with eight different players getting in on parts of a sack. Shakir Soto had a sack for goodness sake! This all happened without DeMarcus Lawrence, Tyrone Crawford and Robert Quinn. The Cowboys will have some hard decisions to make when they cut down this group.

Preseason is fool’s gold
Okay, the Cowboys didn’t actually learn this last night. It’s something they, with every other team, has known for a long time. Players put up incredible numbers or perform heroically in the preseason, only to flame out in the real games. So we have to tap the brakes just a bit on this 34-0 demolition. Still, would you rather be talking about a 34-0 loss in preseason? Nope. So while the preseason can be fool’s gold, it’s better than coming up totally empty.

 

[Cotton]

Donovan Wilson is getting the ball
The rookie safety secured his second interception of the preseason against the Texans. He looked like he was going to get another one until C.J. Goodwin stole it way from him. He also chipped in a couple of tackles on the night. But it’s his ball-hawking skills that are catching the eye.

 

[Smitty]

Someone is gonna have to explain to me why Devin Smith and Cedrick Wilson both aren’t being fast tracked for the roster over Noah Brown. Seems like an easy decision to me.

 

[Cowboysrock55]

Someone is gonna have to explain to me why Devin Smith and Cedrick Wilson both aren’t being fast tracked for the roster over Noah Brown. Seems like an easy decision to me.

You got to have the blocking specialist WR or something. Which I still don't get because Brown sucks as a WR so when he is on the field it's sort of a give away run. And if you're doing that just line a TE up out there. The Noah stuff is retarded and exhausting. Hopefully that was a Linehan thing.

 

[boozeman]

Someone is gonna have to explain to me why Devin Smith and Cedrick Wilson both aren't being fast tracked for the roster over Noah Brown. Seems like an easy decision to me.

Because they have a thing for WRs that come in just to block.

But it looks like Brown will end up starting the season on the PUP and be out for six weeks before we release his generational talent to terrorize the rest of the league.

One of these two, maybe even both get a shot in the meantime. I bet Wilson if it is just one of them as he looks like he can return punts.

 

[boozeman]

Taking a look at the Special Teams snap counts as you can usually tell who is making the team from it.

Yurachek 22 (!)
March-Lillard 17
Chunn 16
Showers 15
Darius Jackson 12
Frazier 12
Goodwin 11
Hall 11
Powell 10
Phillips 10
Joe Thomas 9

Does make you wonder what the deal was playing Yurachek that much. Maybe because we had only two healthy TEs?

 

[Smitty]

Showers isn’t making the team and Joe Thomas is, so I’m not sure how much that tells us in this scenario.

 

[Cotton]

Showers isn’t making the team and Joe Thomas is, so I’m not sure how much that tells us in this scenario.

I was thinking the same thing.

 

[deadrise]

Someone is gonna have to explain to me why Devin Smith and Cedrick Wilson both aren’t being fast tracked for the roster over Noah Brown. Seems like an easy decision to me.

Smith and Wilson move the chains and Smith is a threat to score any time. Brown .... blocks.

Take an unimaginative, conservative coach who's always coaching scared, playing not to lose, and it's easy to imagine how Brown might fit into that mind set. Smith and Wilson involve, gosh, taking chances.

 

[dbair1967]

Someone is gonna have to explain to me why Devin Smith and Cedrick Wilson both aren’t being fast tracked for the roster over Noah Brown. Seems like an easy decision to me.

How do you know they arnt?

Brown is gonna start the yr on PUP probably. May end up on IR.

 

[p1_]

Jason Witten still knows how to fuck up a perfectly good touchdown with an illegal block. Back to back TDs wiped out by penalty.

 

[p1_]

Because they have a thing for WRs that come in just to block.

But it looks like Brown will end up starting the season on the PUP and be out for six weeks before we release his generational talent to terrorize the rest of the league.

One of these two, maybe even both get a shot in the meantime. I bet Wilson if it is just one of them as he looks like he can return punts.

I think both Wilson and Smith deserve to make the 53.

 

[Cowboysrock55]

Jason Witten still knows how to fuck up a perfectly good touchdown with an illegal block. Back to back TDs wiped out by penalty.

We need to stop knocking guys to the ground because they called a penalty every time. I remember last season noce pancake blocks by us got called as holding. It's a joke but when the refs see a guy thrown to the ground they assume something.

 

[Cowboysrock55]

I think both Wilson and Smith deserve to make the 53.

I agree and if we only keep 3 TEs that should be an easy decision to go with 6 wides.

 

[1bigfan13]

The only negative I took away from the game is Dak's chemistry with Gallup appears to still be inconsistent. Honestly at this point the problem appears to be more on Dak's end. Gallup's creating separation but the ball is delivered off the mark a little too often.

I thought there was a stat floating around showing that Dak only complete's 48% of his passes to Gallup. That number needs to be in the mid 50s.

 

[ravidubey]

I think both Wilson and Smith deserve to make the 53.

Yes. Brown goes to pup.

 

[lostxn]

The only negative I took away from the game is Dak's chemistry with Gallup appears to still be inconsistent. Honestly at this point the problem appears to be more on Dak's end. Gallup's creating separation but the ball is delivered off the mark a little too often.

I thought there was a stat floating around showing that Dak only complete's 48% of his passes to Gallup. That number needs to be in the mid 50s.

Well he doesn't have the same problem with Cooper or Beasley or Cobb (who's new to the team). Granted Gallup runs lower percentage routes than the slot guys but I'm not sure you can necessarily say the same thing about Amari.

If you look at the passes directed at Gallup, there was only 3. The first one either 1) Dak missed wildly, 2) threw to the wrong route, 3) it was a read that they didn't see it the same way, or 4) Gallup ran the wrong route. We don't know which it is. The second one was a close miss by Dak but the corner's jam caused the miss by slowing Gallup a bit. So Dak's timing was off or the defense just won that one. Obviously the TD pass was good chemistry, a great throw, and Gallup nicely using his body to keep the corner away from the ball and create the smidge of separation needed. So I have a hard time making any grand conclusions. Right now Gallup is also running out there as our #1 and holding his own so that's a good sign.