Every week, we gather to discuss the latest news about the Dallas Cowboys and seek our writer’s perspective on each headline. Welcome back to the roundtable. This week we have Tom Ryle, David Howman, Jess Haynie, RJ Ochoa, and Brian Martin.

What are the three big positives and the three negatives from the Dallas Cowboys first preseason game against the L.A. Rams?

We saw several Cowboys players, particularly undrafted free agents and lesser-known names who made strong impressions. Notably, Nate Thomas, Marist Liufau, Phil Mafah, Zion Childress, and Traeshon Holden (wide receiver) all flashed potential and are pushing for roster spots. We also witnessed a great one-handed grab by Israel Mukuamu that was a real defensive highlight.
On the negative side, discipline still seems to be an issue. The Cowboys were flagged 11 times, including pre-snap and sideline infractions, issues that head coach Brian Schottenheimer openly criticized post-game. The other major issue was in the run defense where the L.A. Rams gashed Dallas on the ground, racking up 181 rushing yards on 38 carries. Both of these major weaknesses were a problem last year and so far look to have not been resolved through the offseason.

Tom: I don’t know how big any of these are, because preseason games are not always reliable indicators of where a team is, but here are some things that I thought might be notable:

  1. The offensive line held up surprisingly well, only allowing one sack and opening up some nice holes.
  2. The running game was nicely productive with a 5.5 ypc average, although that was largely due to someone we’ll mention later.
  3. While the defense got pushed around a lot, there were still some strong performances, led by Israel Mukuamu. Rookies Zion Childress, Mike Smith, Alijah Clark, and James Shemar all put up some nice stats.
  1. Run defense. Again and again the Rams gashed Dallas. One stat that was particularly disappointing was that rookie NT Jay Toia had no stats, despite being on the field for over half the defensive snaps. That may not be a true indicator of his contributions, but it seems a bit concerning.
  2. Third down woes. The offense just struggled here. Defensively they didn’t give up a lot of conversions to Los Angeles, but the long ones were painful.
  3. Injuries. The reason we all kinda hate preseason.

Howman: Not to be a downer but there was really only one big positive I took from this game: the players bounced back in the second half after a slow start. They got punched in the mouth to start the game, but they didn’t hang their heads.

As far as negatives, start with them getting punched in the mouth to start the game. Tom stole my thunder on this, as the run defense was especially bad. And, of course, Joe Milton was hardly what we were expecting/hoping for.

RJ: I’m with Howman in that, objectively speaking, there weren’t a ton of positives to take away from this whole thing. I think the low-hanging fruit is that Phil Mafah looked great and to be honest that counts for more than one in my book given our concerns about the run game. Negatively speaking there are a lot of things to choose from, but in the spirit of looking at something from an overarching perspective I would say that the team looked so sloppy was a bit concerning.

Brian: My positives are: 1) LB Marist Liufau looks to have taken a significant second-year jump, 2) rookie RB Phil Mafah running with authority, and 3) Nate Thomas looked pretty good at LT in the short amount of time he played. My negatives are: 1) penalties, 2) run defense, and 3) Dallas’ CB depth minus Zion Childress and Israel Mukuamu, who both played pretty well.

Jess: The positives were avoiding critical injuries, the strong play from alternative RB options like Mafah and Davis, and Joe Milton getting reps. Just the fact that they got Milton out there and committed to giving him the whole game, which only changed after the elbow injury, shows smarter handling of his development than what they did with Trey Lance. Milton needs every snap he can get. That said Milton’s shaky performance was also one of the major negatives, especially given how Trey Lance is looking for the Chargers and what we saw from Shedeur Sanders last week. If he doesn’t have better outings in the next two games, Milton will face increased criticism given some of these other high-profile prospects.

Who was the standout player for you from the Cowboys roster against the Rams?

Rookie running back Phil Mafah impressed with his physical running style and vision, consistently finding extra yards after contact and showing he can be a dependable depth option. On the defensive side, Israel Mukuamu delivered the game’s highlight with a spectacular one-handed interception, displaying elite ball skills and awareness. Offensive tackle Nate Thomas also made a strong case for himself, holding his own in pass protection and opening lanes in the run game against Rams’ second-team defenders. Wide receiver Traeshon Holden showcased reliable hands and route-running, turning short passes into chain-moving plays, while linebacker Marist Liufau flashed sideline-to-sideline speed, making key tackles and disrupting running lanes.

Tom: Full disclosure time. I hopped in here fast to grab the low hanging fruit of Malik Davis. The man signs with the Cowboys on Friday and then is easily their best rusher of the night, with 63 yards on just seven carries. Admittedly, he was playing when LA had mostly third and fourth stringers, but if Brian Schottenheimer is doing his job well, we should see Davis come in a lot earlier against the Baltimore Ravens. He is now a serious contender to make the roster this year and deserves the chance to compete.

Howman: Traeshon Holden is making this roster, y’all. I was shocked, and pretty giddy, when the Cowboys got him as an undrafted free agent; I had him as the 193rd best player on my draft board. Since getting to Dallas, he’s only proven me right, and his big night against the Rams is sure to move him up the depth chart

RJ: As I mentioned I think that Phil Mafah really made a name for himself. He plays a position with a lot of uncertainty and therefore has an opportunity to really make an impact as a rookie (another thing that his position lends itself to). I’m excited to see what comes next.

Brian: Mine is a tie between WRs Ryan Flournoy and Traeshon Holden. Flournoy easily got open by creating separation and likely would’ve had a big game if not for Joe Milton’s inaccuracy. And Holden was able to haul in both of the passes directed his direction for 42 yards, an average of 21 yards per reception. I’m open Dallas can find a way to keep both of these receivers around somehow.

Jess: Since everyone else went offense, I’ll go with the obvious defensive pick in LB Marist Liufau. If he can be as impactful in the regular season as he was early Saturday night, Liufau can really help make up for Overshown’s absence. Sanborn should be adequate in the clean-up role, but we need more catalysts on defense to help the entire group.

What improvements will you be looking and hoping for this weekend against the Baltimore Ravens?

This weekend sees the Dallas Cowboys take on the Baltimore Ravens at AT&T Stadium. The game kicks off at 7 p.m. (ET) this Saturday with the Ravens sitting at 1.5 favorites to win. Defensive front teammates Jay Toia and Perrion Winfrey want to stand out this weekend as they look to put on a display against the run. With key corners either out or recovering, the secondary will be judged heavily in this game. Expect plenty more Joe Milton, who had a shaky first outing last week. Fans will be watching for improved accuracy, better decision-making, and how he handles pressure in this matchup. Finally, watch for the continued rise of Traeshon Holden who has been making a splash at every turn during this training camp and preseason cycle.

Tom: We need a disclaimer. Something like preseason results may not be indicative of regular season outcomes. I don’t put a lot of stock in things. Clearly the Rams game was seen as an opportunity to get Joe Milton a lot of work, and while it started poorly for him, he seemed to get better as the game progressed. We saw how Will Greer stepped in and almost immediately trotted into the end zone, so there is ano reason to not give Milton more work. I really don’t want to see Dak Prescott out there at all, although the league seems to be trending back to “dress rehearsal” games.

What I don’t want to see is any real indications of what Schottenheimer has planned for the regular season, and the same can be said for Matt Eberflus’ defense. I noticed that only Ryan Flournoy had more than three targets for the game, and I am in favor of spreading the opportunities to show what you can do around, and the same for the players contending for RB spots.

Mostly, I hope there are no injuries of note. It would be nice to get one win back at AT&T Stadium, because otherwise Schotty will be deemed a failure before the regular season even begins. Outside that, let the player evals continue.

Howman: I’ll pretty much echo Tom’s thoughts. I don’t want to see any real changes in scheme, nothing that might tip their hand. Less injuries is always good, but what I most want to see is Joe Milton dialing it back a bit and getting more comfortable throwing the ball, specifically to his receivers.

RJ: Ultimately I just want to see the Cowboys look more put together this week against Baltimore. Things have been so chaotic as of late what with the Micah Parsons situation hanging over everyone’s heads. It would be nice to see a functional game of football with zero issues or questions around it.

Brian: I just want to see them play more competent football in all three phases of the game, both from an individual perspective and the team as a whole. Cut down the mental mistakes/penalties, be more efficient in both the running and passing game, and most importantly find out some way to shut down the run.

Jess: Really hoping for better QB play that allows more of the offense to be evaluated. Ideally, it will come from improved performance by Joe Milton. But if he has another rough start, they may need to get Grier in there to give the rest of the group a chance to function. I know I said earlier that Milton needs all the snaps he can get, and that’s true. But it has to be balanced with the needs of the many.