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Two Mornings After – Preseason Game 2 in Arizona
The Cowboys continue to play really well and seem to have a choice to make at backup QB.
Bob SturmAug 24, 2026
The Cowboys win again! They have guaranteed a winning preseason record in 2026! Good times are here again!
Dallas pounded the Arizona Cardinals on Saturday and we are here to discuss. But, first, let’s look at the record of 2-0.
I bet this puts them on a track for a winning season, right?
Well, that remains to be seen.
I am not sure what we should do with preseason records – actually, I am. We should ignore them altogether. Of course, people like us are going to feel 10% better or 10% worse if they win or lose these games where the goal is to get them over with while avoiding catastrophic injury. The best way, admittedly, to prepare to play football is to play football. On the other hand, the best way to avoid catastrophic injury is to stand on the sideline and do nothing.
But, they keep score and you might as well begin feeling good about winning. I suppose that is why preseason games are not scrimmages. There is no scoreboard in a scrimmage. There are no tickets or television for a scrimmage.
Again, we have established (many, many times over) there is literally no correlation between preseason winning and actual winning. The Ravens won 24 straight preseason games and have also been a winning franchise, but we think there is no relationship between those two things. You can be great in the preseason and lousy when the outcomes matter. Let’s prove it.
We all know about the 1989 Cowboys 3-1 preseason and then the 1-15 regular season. But, perhaps you are not as familiar with the 2017 Cleveland Browns. Let me show you:
You may remember that the 2017 Cleveland Browns went 0-16. So, tough to correlate the two, right?
The exact same thing happened for the 2008 Detroit Lions who also went 0-16 for Rod Marinelli.
But, their preseason? 4-0!
Here is another one. Do you remember the 2021 Los Angeles Rams?
If you do remember them, chances are you remember that they won the Super Bowl that year, right?
The 2021 Rams were pretty good, despite 0-3 in the preseason. They even managed to go 4-0 in that post-season.
And, who can forget the 1982 Washington Redskins? Here is their 0-4 preseason.
And then here how their season ended with John Riggins winning Super Bowl 17 by breaking at tackle and running to the end zone on the famous 4th-and-1:
So, again, there is zero correlation between August and the rest of the season. My apologies to anyone who thought there was a connection.
What does the Cowboys Preseason Record Tell us?
Well, it is actually also very confusing. Here are the last 12 years of Cowboys preseason games:- 2015: 1-3
- 2016: 1-3 - (Playoffs)
- 2017: 3-1-1
- 2018: 0-4 - (Playoffs)
- 2019: 2-2
- 2020: NONE
- 2021: 0-4 - (Playoffs)
- 2022: 2-1 - (Playoffs)
- 2023: 1-2 - (Playoffs)
- 2024: 1-2
- 2025: 1-2
- 2026: 2-0
Non-Playoff Years: 8-10-1 (42% win)
But, make no mistake – I was locked in and studying what I could about this roster makeup and the tough decisions that are coming. They will have to figure some things out because they can only keep 53 of these guys. And today, I want to study four different spot on the field and four different situations.
1. The QB2 Battle is officially on
You may remember our biggest takeaway last week in Seattle was about this and how it appeared Sam Howell had pulled ahead of Joe Milton. In fact, it appeared they were planning on Howell back in March when they signed him. Milton is just to erratic to be a proper backup QB who can win a game without expecting to play. Howell seems like he might.But, now, after two performances, I am not sure there is a real compelling reason to call this one yet. Howell looked great in Seattle and not so great in Arizona with an interception that was a very poor read.
Meanwhile, Milton played very well in Seattle and maybe the best he has ever looked in Arizona. They both have shown that they are prepared and ready to be the guy and this is now gone from a competition where we weren’t sure if either were very good to a competition where you might be able to get a Day 3 pick from someone for the guy you don’t want to keep.
Could you actually have two solid choices here?
Here are the stats from Saturday and Milton put on a full laser show.
In fact, if you look at Milton’s three seasons as an NFL QB where he gets his action in the preseason and then you don’t see him much during the year, I would say we are definitely seeing a guy demonstrate his progress.
Look at the three-year completion percentages. Then look at yards-per-attempt and see his YPA at 10.2! Then his passing grade is now excellent and the one over on the right is those “Big Time Throws” to “Turnover Worthy Plays” (you can read about that here) and you can see that last year he was making more turnover decisions than big throws. Now, he has that ratio in the positive numbers where it needs to be.
OK, enough looking at stats. Let’s look at ball.
Play 1 - 1Q/6:41 -
This is such wonderful and subtle QB play that it looks like nothing if you are just passively watching. But, on a third down in the red zone, this is what separates the QBs in this league. If your left tackle gets abused and the play looks like a sack (and then a field goal), can you help your protection, keep the play alive, make the throw and put your target in a spot where he can almost waltz into the end zone? The physical tools are great, but it requires some real precision and some composure. I thought the pocket movement, the speed to the flat, and then the ball delivery were all enough to make me sit up in the chair and jot notes. Loved this play.
By the way, 81-Mingo is wide open in the end zone and Milton thought about it but then saw Davis as an easier shot and took that one. But, multiple options tell us good things, too.
Play 2 - 1Q/3:56 -
Next drive, here is maybe his most impressive throw of the night. Second-and-13 and he rips a seam to big Penn State TE Zack Kuntz who gets lit up on the play.Admittedly, the NFL is not for everyone, so before you tell me that is a hospital ball, allow me to say it is actually a perfect seam ball and that is what it costs. A tight end has to ignore the fact that a safety is going to try to decapitate him and he still has to bring it down. But, what I see is Milton from his own 26 hitting Kuntz at about the 46 (let’s call it a 28-yard throw that looks like he is throwing a dart with no real strain and it is right on the money. Also, if I was commentating, I would say that you might as well catch it because they are going to hit you either way.
I say that is a big time throw, right there.
What about the very next snap?
Play 3 - 1Q/3:51 -
This thing is gorgeous.The Cardinals are in Cover 1 and the moment the TE motion reveals that, Milton is going to Jonathan Mingo on a stutter and go to the top. I think Camden Brown has one to the bottom, too, but obviously, Milton is reading the single high to the right hash (by Brown) so he takes the easier shot to Mingo. Mingo looks like Terrell Owens up there who was bigger and faster than any DB in the league and this must make us all question whether you might want to find a spot to keep Mingo around. That sort of thing – and a great deal of his 2026 preseason – does look like a NFL receiver.
But, this throw? Absolutely 10/10.
Play 4 - 2Q/12:01 -
Here is a 3rd and 3 that is early in the 2nd Quarter in a 2x2 set that looks like it turns into a fire-drill play and Milton finds Brown again.Brown breaks off his route and runs to space and Milton is rolling left and throwing on the move about 24 yards and puts it on his hands. I don’t want anyone thinking that is easy. Also, Malik Davis catches the corner blitz beautifully, but Milton is throwing darts and Brown is an absolute animal in space. Two weeks in a row we are seeing this guy look like Dez Bryant in space and he can go ahead and find a place to live in DFW because he cannot be cut.
For Milton, it is a 2nd time on 3rd down where he has had to bail the pocket but still makes a huge play to not only move the sticks, but to put up points and I am sort of blown away by this job he did on Saturday.
Play 5 - 2Q/11:19 -
This play is so simple that I just think it is worth mentioning that he is 6’5, 236. He is a unit and walking into the end zone is not a difficult thing to do. I also think it is the easiest way to convert red zone chances from the 1.
In many ways, he is a young size understudy for Dak Prescott who is 6’2, 230. I have always thought QB2 should be some version of QB1 if you can make it happen and not someone who is completely different in style. They have many differences and we are not sure new Joe Milton is here to stay, but we do have to say that this guy was not around in August of 2025 and it is a credit to him and the Cowboys that we are really wondering if this is your backup QB when it is all said and done.
Great stuff.
2. Jaishawn Barham has entered the chat.
I would love to do this film study without any help, but if Brian Baldinger is going to look at the same plays that I do, then sometimes you have to give Baldy a little space and let him cook.Sound up.
I just couldn’t fully understand what Michigan was doing with him at edge, even though, he can play some edge. It just seemed to me that in 2024 when they had him at linebacker, he was a better player.
Then, Dallas used the third-round pick they got from San Francisco in the Osa Odighizuwa trade and did they just find a monster LB at the end of Round 3?
Why am I calling him a monster?
Look how much bigger he is than the other LBs on the roster:
Dallas has needed a guy who can cause some problems at the 2nd level and can really offer that old school size at linebacker. But, not only play big and mean, but also be big and mean. Barham has all those tools.
Look how huge he is for a NFL run and hit LB:
The 95th and 96th percentile on height and weight and then 99th on hands?
Let me just say there has been a real quiet confidence about him since they got him in the building. They think they have their starter in the middle of the defense but they needed the tape to confirm.
Just look at this stuff. Do you think this pairs well with Quinnen Williams and Kenny Clark?
Heat-seeker. I left the last one in there to show you there are still some things to clean up, but the hype train is steaming down the tracks. As one person told me, “if he turns out to be a dude, everything changes very quickly around here.”
That is how much getting your LB that you needed that deep in the draft.
Is he that guy and is he already a starter? Not sure, but I am going to watch this snap about 50 more times just to make sure.
3. Offensive Tackle is Not Great - 4th Rounder Drew Shelton
Guys, it is a passing league. I don’t know how much that needs to be said, but when they draft a guy who is obviously much better at run blocking than pass protection, those of us on the outside sort of roll our eyes because there isn’t a great track record of ever figuring out pass protection at the NFL level. The monsters you face zap all of your confidence and your training is often not enough to get you there in time.I looked at him in May and I still need to be convinced he can do it because I didn’t see it then and I still don’t see it now.
https://bobsturm.substack.com/p/draft-pick-profile-4th-round-pick-a48
Saturday was rough for No. 67 at left tackle (they moved him from right tackle in Seattle to see if this might work better. It did not).
First play of the game, he oversets. Then, he gets Milton in peril on the touchdown and Milton has to keep rolling left to avoid trouble. You can find some good work in the run game, but he is pretty terrible in pass rush snaps and we need to be patient. The trouble is, there are no decent tackles this team can play if either starter gets hurt. If there is a roster spot they might be panicking about, it is probably swing tackle.
But, these first two preseason games tell me Drew Shelton is exactly what we thought he was from his college tape. Not even close to what they need.
4. Is Jaydon Blue getting ready for the Year 2 Jump?
Yes. This is good stuff.Also, if you want to see 67-Shelton look a bit better, these run snaps will allow you to see the vision better, but he is still pretty sloppy. But, Blue looks like he is twitched, explosive, and has decent vision. I don’t think he will win RB2 because Malik Davis is better at the things they need from RB2, but Blue is going to make some big plays this year and I think might grow into the top gadget guy as his career goes along. I think this has been a pretty solid camp for him.
I also think Shavon Revel, LT Overton, and Jay Toia were all able to help themselves in this game, but we are nearly 3,000 words in so I better call it quits here.
But, I am very interested in what you think from this performance. The Cowboys look pretty strong as a roster and I do think there is reason to believe this is a nice football team.
Obviously, these are all players that are low-leverage guys to impact the record – aside from Barham if he ends up starting – but it is good to see some real talented guys fighting at the back of your roster. They have built a much deeper team than we have had for a few years and that can only be good when attrition starts hitting the league.
The team is now back in Dallas and we are less than a week from cutting this roster all the way down. One last preseason game Friday and then the good stuff will be next.
