DALLAS COWBOYS WIN PRESEASON #4

Okay, I have a confession to make. I actually split watching this game with the Rangers/Orioles game, so I don't have the play-by-play breakdown of this final preseason game. I know, I know, I could have DVR'd one of the games, but the fact is that I really can't force myself to care about preseason football. It amps me up to see my team in uniform and let me know the season is fast approaching, but it is torture to put me thru a month of waiting with all this training camp and preseason games. Needless to say I am in the "for" camp in moving to a longer regular season if we can reduce the preseason drama.

That being said, the 4th Preseason game is the one that matters for all the non-starters hoping to make the final cut. You typically don't see any of the started get any playing time for the final preseason game, and tonight was no exception for Dallas and Minnesota. This game was all 2nd team and bubble players, so below were some moments or players that jumped out to me while watching the game:

THE GOOD

- Pat Watkins was hands down the best player on the field for the Cowboys during this game. The backup safety made a touchdown saving tackle on fourth-and-one in the final two minutes of the second quarter. He blocked a field goal to end the half then opened the third quarter with a 23-yard interception return for a touchdown.

- OLB Steve Octavien added a highlight-reel interception return to the list of reasons to keep him on the 53-man roster.

- The backup, backup QB Rudy Carpenter engineered a 14-play, 77-yard drive that ended with a touchdown throw to Scott Chandler.

- Olgetree continues to impress...he had two catches on third down, extending it with a 9-yard gain and ending it with a 5-yard TD, his second score of the preseason.

- Jesse Holley [Micheal Irvin TV reality star winner] secured the lead and the victory when he picked up a punt that was bouncing backward. A guy who isn't a punt returner should never pick up the ball. But it turned into a thing of beauty with the reality TV star turning upfield and racing 82 yards for a touchdown


THE BAD

- The offense line had some untimely penalties and missed protections, even though Jones and Phillips talked about how good they played.

- The offense turned the ball over four times, two of them by players who aren't expected to touch the ball or even be here during the regular season

- Kitna had 2 of those turnovers and continues to have issues taking the snap. He has taken 55 preseason snaps and had 4 turnovers. This is not going to be acceptable if he is called in during the regular season.

- What's up with the O-Line backup? McQuistan gave up a strip-sack earlier and got called for a hold to negate a run inside the 5. Free has a holding penalty and let Brian Robinson breeze by him for what was basically a strip-sack, although it goes down officially as an interception.

- And the gap between Ogletree and Isaiah Stanback just keeps getting bigger and bigger. Stanback has one catch all preseason, and he fumbled on the play.