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The Cowboys were in it to win it last night against the Dolphins. Individually, some players may have won themselves roster spots. As a team, the backups worked together to show that they can hang in the game against another team’s firsts.

The second-team defense held tight against the likes of Chad Henne, Jake Long, and Brandon Marshall. Even after a 42-yard run by Ricky Williams to end the first quarter, the unit refused to back down. In two of the next three plays, Victor Butler sacked Henne, forcing him to fumble–the last one being scooped up by Sean Lee.

On offense, the Stephen McGee-led squad netted 374 yards and 22 first downs. Whatever flavor the playbook was last night sure looked pretty good to me. Of course, it always helps when players execute plays.

A lot of key backups addressed many of the team’s “what-ifs” last night. They at least gave the staff some more film to analyze to help determine who stays and who goes by 5PM on Saturday.

This was a fun game to watch. We didn’t have to worry about any more starters getting injured because they looked on from the sidelines. And we got to see some of the what-ifs answered that we’ve been wondering about in regards to many of the young backups on this team.

Let’s look at five what-ifs, starting out with one starter who affirmed his role on the team: David Buehler.

What if David Buehler is just a touchback specialist?

Thanks to the nature of the game and the offense’s ability to get within scoring position, we saw much of Buehler’s placekicking potential. He showed he can tie up a game before the half by knocking through a 51-yarder. He showed he can hit the midrange shots with a 45 and a 40-yarder in the third quarter. Lastly, he showed no signs of choking to hit that little 31-yarder to win the game. Consistency and production. Throw all that in with his booming kickoffs and the Cowboys should have quite the awesome kicking weapon.

What if Patrick Crayton gets his wish to be traded?

Well, he did–to the Chargers for a 7th-rounder in next year’s draft, which could become a 6th. The Cowboys can now simply move one or two of their younger guys up. Sam Hurd showed some of his game with a beautiful 43-yard strike from McGee. Jesse Holley caught 4 for 40 and is very active on special teams units. Manny Johnson showed his speed burst on what I thought was very, very close to a touchdown catch and run. Kevin Ogletree caught 6 for 51 and can contribute on various special teams units.

When Dez Bryant hits the field, he can man the punt return department. Akwasi Owusu-Ansah doesn’t look half bad as a backup return guy either.

I liked Crayton’s chemistry with Tony Romo and all, but this team does have options without him. They could still go six deep here, but now they don’t have to.

What if DeMarcus Ware, Bradie James, Keith Brooking, or Anthony Spencer had to miss playing time at some point during the season?

The second team defense seemed to have a ballhawking energy last night, led by the linebacking corps. I can’t say enough about Victor Butler, as he was a menace to the Miami offensive line. Lee looks like he’s always in a race to get to the ball carrier. Brandon Williams didn’t have much on the stat sheet, but you know he has potential. And I thought it was peculiar that Leon Williams started over Jason Williams. Leon seems pretty consistent in run support, but I’d assume they want to continue developing Jason.

Whatever the case may be at any of the linebacking positions, the starters may be afforded an extra breather or two depending on the game situation. It’s a long season, so that could come in handy.

What if Stephen McGee fails to develop?

Well, that didn’t happen. I’ve been hearing all about this guy’s strong arm, but have seen limited evidence of it…until last night. He throws with zip on those outs and comebacks. That touchdown to Hurd was simply spot on against very tight coverage. Very excited to see such deep passes. McGee also continued to show he is mobile enough to evade the rush and most importantly, careful with the ball. Perhaps he’s been holding back because he is just cautious. Overall, good offensive management skills.

27 of 42 for 304 yards. No turnovers. Sacked just once. This was a good outing for McGee, which suggests that Dallas may have its backup QB spot settled for the future.

What if Kyle Kosier can’t make it back in time for the regular season?

Okay, not every backup produced rays of sunshine to ease our worries. Montrae Holland looked too slow to get to his guy in the running game. And two false starts in one drive out of the shotgun? Are you kidding me? Ugh. Perhaps there could be a bright side to the backup guard spot–a Travis Bright-side that is. Holland’s play last night has got to get this staff looking at options on the interior.

Good-bye preseason! After Saturday, it won’t be these young backups that consume our concern. With the regular season opener in Washington staring us in the face, we begin the transition from who bottoms out the final 53 to how well those top 45 active guys work together.

It’s back to the Romos, Wares, Austins, and Ratliffs. It’s back to worrying about the offensive line and seeing how the Barber/Jones/Choice backfield is rotated. It’s back to watching the defense become one of the league’s best.

Bring on the Redskins!

View full size photo »

The Cowboys were in it to win it last night against the Dolphins. Individually, some players may have won themselves roster spots. As a team, the backups worked together to show that they can hang in the game against another team’s firsts.

The second-team defense held tight against the likes of Chad Henne, Jake Long, and Brandon Marshall. Even after a 42-yard run by Ricky Williams to end the first quarter, the unit refused to back down. In two of the next three plays, Victor Butler sacked Henne, forcing him to fumble–the last one being scooped up by Sean Lee.

On offense, the Stephen McGee-led squad netted 374 yards and 22 first downs. Whatever flavor the playbook was last night sure looked pretty good to me. Of course, it always helps when players execute plays.

A lot of key backups addressed many of the team’s “what-ifs” last night. They at least gave the staff some more film to analyze to help determine who stays and who goes by 5PM on Saturday.

This was a fun game to watch. We didn’t have to worry about any more starters getting injured because they looked on from the sidelines. And we got to see some of the what-ifs answered that we’ve been wondering about in regards to many of the young backups on this team.

Let’s look at five what-ifs, starting out with one starter who affirmed his role on the team: David Buehler.

What if David Buehler is just a touchback specialist?

Thanks to the nature of the game and the offense’s ability to get within scoring position, we saw much of Buehler’s placekicking potential. He showed he can tie up a game before the half by knocking through a 51-yarder. He showed he can hit the midrange shots with a 45 and a 40-yarder in the third quarter. Lastly, he showed no signs of choking to hit that little 31-yarder to win the game. Consistency and production. Throw all that in with his booming kickoffs and the Cowboys should have quite the awesome kicking weapon.

What if Patrick Crayton gets his wish to be traded?

Well, he did–to the Chargers for a 7th-rounder in next year’s draft, which could become a 6th. The Cowboys can now simply move one or two of their younger guys up. Sam Hurd showed some of his game with a beautiful 43-yard strike from McGee. Jesse Holley caught 4 for 40 and is very active on special teams units. Manny Johnson showed his speed burst on what I thought was very, very close to a touchdown catch and run. Kevin Ogletree caught 6 for 51 and can contribute on various special teams units.

When Dez Bryant hits the field, he can man the punt return department. Akwasi Owusu-Ansah doesn’t look half bad as a backup return guy either.

I liked Crayton’s chemistry with Tony Romo and all, but this team does have options without him. They could still go six deep here, but now they don’t have to.

What if DeMarcus Ware, Bradie James, Keith Brooking, or Anthony Spencer had to miss playing time at some point during the season?

The second team defense seemed to have a ballhawking energy last night, led by the linebacking corps. I can’t say enough about Victor Butler, as he was a menace to the Miami offensive line. Lee looks like he’s always in a race to get to the ball carrier. Brandon Williams didn’t have much on the stat sheet, but you know he has potential. And I thought it was peculiar that Leon Williams started over Jason Williams. Leon seems pretty consistent in run support, but I’d assume they want to continue developing Jason.

Whatever the case may be at any of the linebacking positions, the starters may be afforded an extra breather or two depending on the game situation. It’s a long season, so that could come in handy.

What if Stephen McGee fails to develop?

Well, that didn’t happen. I’ve been hearing all about this guy’s strong arm, but have seen limited evidence of it…until last night. He throws with zip on those outs and comebacks. That touchdown to Hurd was simply spot on against very tight coverage. Very excited to see such deep passes. McGee also continued to show he is mobile enough to evade the rush and most importantly, careful with the ball. Perhaps he’s been holding back because he is just cautious. Overall, good offensive management skills.

27 of 42 for 304 yards. No turnovers. Sacked just once. This was a good outing for McGee, which suggests that Dallas may have its backup QB spot settled for the future.

What if Kyle Kosier can’t make it back in time for the regular season?

Okay, not every backup produced rays of sunshine to ease our worries. Montrae Holland looked too slow to get to his guy in the running game. And two false starts in one drive out of the shotgun? Are you kidding me? Ugh. Perhaps there could be a bright side to the backup guard spot–a Travis Bright-side that is. Holland’s play last night has got to get this staff looking at options on the interior.

Good-bye preseason! After Saturday, it won’t be these young backups that consume our concern. With the regular season opener in Washington staring us in the face, we begin the transition from who bottoms out the final 53 to how well those top 45 active guys work together.

It’s back to the Romos, Wares, Austins, and Ratliffs. It’s back to worrying about the offensive line and seeing how the Barber/Jones/Choice backfield is rotated. It’s back to watching the defense become one of the league’s best.

Bring on the Redskins!

View full size photo »

The Cowboys were in it to win it last night against the Dolphins. Individually, some players may have won themselves roster spots. As a team, the backups worked together to show that they can hang in the game against another team’s firsts.

The second-team defense held tight against the likes of Chad Henne, Jake Long, and Brandon Marshall. Even after a 42-yard run by Ricky Williams to end the first quarter, the unit refused to back down. In two of the next three plays, Victor Butler sacked Henne, forcing him to fumble–the last one being scooped up by Sean Lee.

On offense, the Stephen McGee-led squad netted 374 yards and 22 first downs. Whatever flavor the playbook was last night sure looked pretty good to me. Of course, it always helps when players execute plays.

A lot of key backups addressed many of the team’s “what-ifs” last night. They at least gave the staff some more film to analyze to help determine who stays and who goes by 5PM on Saturday.

This was a fun game to watch. We didn’t have to worry about any more starters getting injured because they looked on from the sidelines. And we got to see some of the what-ifs answered that we’ve been wondering about in regards to many of the young backups on this team.

Let’s look at five what-ifs, starting out with one starter who affirmed his role on the team: David Buehler.

What if David Buehler is just a touchback specialist?

Thanks to the nature of the game and the offense’s ability to get within scoring position, we saw much of Buehler’s placekicking potential. He showed he can tie up a game before the half by knocking through a 51-yarder. He showed he can hit the midrange shots with a 45 and a 40-yarder in the third quarter. Lastly, he showed no signs of choking to hit that little 31-yarder to win the game. Consistency and production. Throw all that in with his booming kickoffs and the Cowboys should have quite the awesome kicking weapon.

What if Patrick Crayton gets his wish to be traded?

Well, he did–to the Chargers for a 7th-rounder in next year’s draft, which could become a 6th. The Cowboys can now simply move one or two of their younger guys up. Sam Hurd showed some of his game with a beautiful 43-yard strike from McGee. Jesse Holley caught 4 for 40 and is very active on special teams units. Manny Johnson showed his speed burst on what I thought was very, very close to a touchdown catch and run. Kevin Ogletree caught 6 for 51 and can contribute on various special teams units.

When Dez Bryant hits the field, he can man the punt return department. Akwasi Owusu-Ansah doesn’t look half bad as a backup return guy either.

I liked Crayton’s chemistry with Tony Romo and all, but this team does have options without him. They could still go six deep here, but now they don’t have to.

What if DeMarcus Ware, Bradie James, Keith Brooking, or Anthony Spencer had to miss playing time at some point during the season?

The second team defense seemed to have a ballhawking energy last night, led by the linebacking corps. I can’t say enough about Victor Butler, as he was a menace to the Miami offensive line. Lee looks like he’s always in a race to get to the ball carrier. Brandon Williams didn’t have much on the stat sheet, but you know he has potential. And I thought it was peculiar that Leon Williams started over Jason Williams. Leon seems pretty consistent in run support, but I’d assume they want to continue developing Jason.

Whatever the case may be at any of the linebacking positions, the starters may be afforded an extra breather or two depending on the game situation. It’s a long season, so that could come in handy.

What if Stephen McGee fails to develop?

Well, that didn’t happen. I’ve been hearing all about this guy’s strong arm, but have seen limited evidence of it…until last night. He throws with zip on those outs and comebacks. That touchdown to Hurd was simply spot on against very tight coverage. Very excited to see such deep passes. McGee also continued to show he is mobile enough to evade the rush and most importantly, careful with the ball. Perhaps he’s been holding back because he is just cautious. Overall, good offensive management skills.

27 of 42 for 304 yards. No turnovers. Sacked just once. This was a good outing for McGee, which suggests that Dallas may have its backup QB spot settled for the future.

What if Kyle Kosier can’t make it back in time for the regular season?

Okay, not every backup produced rays of sunshine to ease our worries. Montrae Holland looked too slow to get to his guy in the running game. And two false starts in one drive out of the shotgun? Are you kidding me? Ugh. Perhaps there could be a bright side to the backup guard spot–a Travis Bright-side that is. Holland’s play last night has got to get this staff looking at options on the interior.

Good-bye preseason! After Saturday, it won’t be these young backups that consume our concern. With the regular season opener in Washington staring us in the face, we begin the transition from who bottoms out the final 53 to how well those top 45 active guys work together.

It’s back to the Romos, Wares, Austins, and Ratliffs. It’s back to worrying about the offensive line and seeing how the Barber/Jones/Choice backfield is rotated. It’s back to watching the defense become one of the league’s best.

Bring on the Redskins!

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Not many teams in the league are as deep as the Cowboys are at wide receiver. Miles Austin, Roy Williams and Dez Bryant will have the top three slots locked up. Kevin Ogletree has unique skills and could take up another spot.

Now, if the team keeps both Patrick Crayton and Sam Hurd, they would be paying nearly $4 million for the 4th and 5th WR. With the aforementioned four other guys, that would make six at the position–meaning a guy like Jesse Holley would have no chance at making the 53.

But Crayton may be making it easier for the coaches to decide, as his agent, Fred Lyles, wants the team to release him by 5PM today.

“It seems he doesn’t figure in their plans, so it’s not logical to be on the roster until Saturday,” Lyles said. “We don’t see the use in prolonging it.”

Hat tip to TheAnsah for the FanShot.

Also, CowboysMom22 has a nice FanPost on the subject.

As for Hurd, we know the Cowboys have been reported as having shopped him around the league. Well, he sure caught Tony Sparano’s attention after last night’s game, so says Mike Berardino of the South Florida Sun-Sentinal. And a team like the Rams could use a young veteran WR after having just placed Donnie Avery on IR.

Something has got to give. The Cowboys have an either/or choice between Crayton and Hurd. They both have chemistry with Tony Romo. Is Crayton’s experience worth more than Hurd’s upside?

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Jason LaConfora and Adam Schefter report that the Cowboys and Chargers have just completed a trade involving Patrick Crayton.

LaConfora tweets:

The Chargers have acquired Patrick Crayton, according to league source. Interesting move. More fortification if they deal Vincent Jackson

Schefter says:

Filed to ESPN: Dallas traded WR Patrick Crayton to San Diego. Chargers get another receiver that they could use.

Chargers surrendered a 7th-round pick for WR Patrick Crayton.

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Not a bad way to end the preseason, I think. I know that it was just a meaningless game and I know that a large percentage of the players on the field won’t make the team, but I feel that some important steps were made last night for some very important players this season.

After a couple of weeks of hand wringing and worry, it’s good to head into the season on a positive note. While none of the starters even put the pads on you could really sense the “team” aspect the Cowboys have this year. That’s going to be an important part of this team as the season starts.

For this film review, I focused on a number of key players and wrote down a couple of other random observations. Since it was the final preseason game I didn’t hit the “jump back” button as much as I normally would for a film review, but I did make sure to take note of some specifics from what was a surprisingly entertaining game.

After the jump, my brief impressions from a feel-good win.

- Obviously, the story of the game was David Buehler. The Cowboys kicker had not had the chance for a field goal in two games and there were still questions surrounding his ability to hit the big kick in the moments of a football game. After tonight the Cowboys should feel good about their situation at the position after Buehler went 4-for-4 on field goals on the night, including the game winner.

We’ll have more on Buehler this weekend, but I wanted to focus primarily on the 51-yarder he nailed to end the first half. On top of being the longest field goal of his career and one that was kicked in the waning seconds of the half, it’s important to note that the Cowboys didn’t call a timeout before the kick. Buehler was forced to set up and make the kick within the confines of the play-clock, and he absolutely nailed it. His teammates have done nothing but rave about his poise and that was on full display tonight.

- Before the game I wondered if Stephen McGee would be able to do enough to justify the Cowboys keeping him on the roster. I never doubted they would keep him, as the Cowboys don’t give up on their higher draft picks that easily, but I wanted to at least see something. I know that many here keep saying that “it wasn’t until his third season that Romo really came alive” but I want to make sure we hold off on those comparisons. Romo and McGee had very different paths as backups for the Cowboys (it’s also important to remember that it wasn’t until his fourth season that Romo took over as starter).

I don’t anticipate McGee taking the backup position at any point this season (at least I hope not), but I am encouraged that he could be that backup option in the near future. Against Miami, McGee showcased great decision making and an accurate and powerful arm. His stats would have been even better if there weren’t a number of drops spread throughout the game, but I don’t know how you don’t walk away impressed with his performance.

It was against the backups for the Dolphins — for the most part — but McGee took great strides last night. Despite facing heavy pressure nearly all game he stood tall, moved up in the pocket and made decisive and accurate throws. He needs to learn how to put a bit more touch on his longer passes, but it was great to see him finally start attacking the defense down the field.

I counted just two passes all game that were bad decisions. Not bad for a third string quarterback in his second year in the NFL.

- Sean Lee. Sean Lee. Sean Lee. I watched this kid very closely tonight and once again came away with mixed impressions. There were times he was getting blown out of the play by blockers or was unable to shed his blocker to make a play on the runner. His blitzes, at times, were a bit poorly timed. There were times where you could see he was having trouble reading and reacting as quickly as you would like.

Then, he would do something great. Lee finished with two sacks on the game, both in the 2nd half. The first came when he exploded upfield as soon as he saw Tyler Thigpen begin to scramble and was able to bring the quarterback down for a loss. The second was more impressive, as Lee came on a delayed blitz and absolutely leveled the running back before sacking Thigpen again. He made good decisions in pass coverage and showed great instincts and speed in getting to the runner in the open field.

He’s a rookie. He’s still learning. But you can see that he’s going to be a special player sooner than later.

- On the flip side, Jason Williams was incredibly disappointing. I know the Cowboys will keep him but I expected much more than just one tackle and penalty from the second-year player. Leon Williams had a pretty impressive game and it seems the Cowboys will have a tough decision to make when it comes to how many linebackers to keep on the roster.

- I didn’t have time to really breakdown the offensive line play, but here are my quick hitting thoughts: Phil Costa was impressive. Pat McQuistan was horrible. Robert Brewster is much better at RT than LT. Montrae Holland is fine, as long as he doesn’t start the play too early.

- There’s no doubt in my mind now that the Cowboys will roll with two tight ends and two full backs. Chris Gronkowski has improved game and after game and was very impressive against the Dolphins. He had two key lead blocks at the goal line when the Cowboys scored and then went for two.

- Kevin Ogletree has to be the most frustrating player I’ve watched this year. He runs great routes, has great hands, but then makes some lazy plays, doesn’t fight for extra yards and has a bad drop on third and one. Maddening.

I promise these film reviews will be much more entertaining once the season starts. I have a few tricks up my sleeve….

Browse more photos »

Not a bad way to end the preseason, I think. I know that it was just a meaningless game and I know that a large percentage of the players on the field won’t make the team, but I feel that some important steps were made last night for some very important players this season.

After a couple of weeks of hand wringing and worry, it’s good to head into the season on a positive note. While none of the starters even put the pads on you could really sense the “team” aspect the Cowboys have this year. That’s going to be an important part of this team as the season starts.

For this film review, I focused on a number of key players and wrote down a couple of other random observations. Since it was the final preseason game I didn’t hit the “jump back” button as much as I normally would for a film review, but I did make sure to take note of some specifics from what was a surprisingly entertaining game.

After the jump, my brief impressions from a feel-good win.

- Obviously, the story of the game was David Buehler. The Cowboys kicker had not had the chance for a field goal in two games and there were still questions surrounding his ability to hit the big kick in the moments of a football game. After tonight the Cowboys should feel good about their situation at the position after Buehler went 4-for-4 on field goals on the night, including the game winner.

We’ll have more on Buehler this weekend, but I wanted to focus primarily on the 51-yarder he nailed to end the first half. On top of being the longest field goal of his career and one that was kicked in the waning seconds of the half, it’s important to note that the Cowboys didn’t call a timeout before the kick. Buehler was forced to set up and make the kick within the confines of the play-clock, and he absolutely nailed it. His teammates have done nothing but rave about his poise and that was on full display tonight.

- Before the game I wondered if Stephen McGee would be able to do enough to justify the Cowboys keeping him on the roster. I never doubted they would keep him, as the Cowboys don’t give up on their higher draft picks that easily, but I wanted to at least see something. I know that many here keep saying that “it wasn’t until his third season that Romo really came alive” but I want to make sure we hold off on those comparisons. Romo and McGee had very different paths as backups for the Cowboys (it’s also important to remember that it wasn’t until his fourth season that Romo took over as starter).

I don’t anticipate McGee taking the backup position at any point this season (at least I hope not), but I am encouraged that he could be that backup option in the near future. Against Miami, McGee showcased great decision making and an accurate and powerful arm. His stats would have been even better if there weren’t a number of drops spread throughout the game, but I don’t know how you don’t walk away impressed with his performance.

It was against the backups for the Dolphins — for the most part — but McGee took great strides last night. Despite facing heavy pressure nearly all game he stood tall, moved up in the pocket and made decisive and accurate throws. He needs to learn how to put a bit more touch on his longer passes, but it was great to see him finally start attacking the defense down the field.

I counted just two passes all game that were bad decisions. Not bad for a third string quarterback in his second year in the NFL.

- Sean Lee. Sean Lee. Sean Lee. I watched this kid very closely tonight and once again came away with mixed impressions. There were times he was getting blown out of the play by blockers or was unable to shed his blocker to make a play on the runner. His blitzes, at times, were a bit poorly timed. There were times where you could see he was having trouble reading and reacting as quickly as you would like.

Then, he would do something great. Lee finished with two sacks on the game, both in the 2nd half. The first came when he exploded upfield as soon as he saw Tyler Thigpen begin to scramble and was able to bring the quarterback down for a loss. The second was more impressive, as Lee came on a delayed blitz and absolutely leveled the running back before sacking Thigpen again. He made good decisions in pass coverage and showed great instincts and speed in getting to the runner in the open field.

He’s a rookie. He’s still learning. But you can see that he’s going to be a special player sooner than later.

- On the flip side, Jason Williams was incredibly disappointing. I know the Cowboys will keep him but I expected much more than just one tackle and penalty from the second-year player. Leon Williams had a pretty impressive game and it seems the Cowboys will have a tough decision to make when it comes to how many linebackers to keep on the roster.

- I didn’t have time to really breakdown the offensive line play, but here are my quick hitting thoughts: Phil Costa was impressive. Pat McQuistan was horrible. Robert Brewster is much better at RT than LT. Montrae Holland is fine, as long as he doesn’t start the play too early.

- There’s no doubt in my mind now that the Cowboys will roll with two tight ends and two full backs. Chris Gronkowski has improved game and after game and was very impressive against the Dolphins. He had two key lead blocks at the goal line when the Cowboys scored and then went for two.

- Kevin Ogletree has to be the most frustrating player I’ve watched this year. He runs great routes, has great hands, but then makes some lazy plays, doesn’t fight for extra yards and has a bad drop on third and one. Maddening.

I promise these film reviews will be much more entertaining once the season starts. I have a few tricks up my sleeve….

Browse more photos »

Coach Wade Phillips and Jerry Jones both talked to the press after yesterday’s Dolphins game. Both touched on many players and themes that we have been discussing here over the last few weeks.

Coach Phillips was his usual self in dispensing praise for his players and holding back on any public criticism, but also addressed the difficulty the Cowboys face in making the roster cuts by Saturday afternoon.

Jerry Jones also talked about some of the players that stood out to him last night, believes the Cowboys have got themselves a kicker and looks forward to the start of the season against the Redskins with a pretty good bill of health.

Both Coach Phillips’ press conference and the interview with Jerry Jones can be found at DallasCowboys.com, but I thought it would be worth transcribing parts of what each of them said and open it up for discussion on this board.

(Disclaimer: This recap is a very close verbatim transcript of what Coach Phillips and Jerry Jones said, but isn’t vetted for total accuracy. Importantly, I have rearranged parts of what each of them said to better fit the format of this post. Occasionally, what I’ve typed may lose the context of something Coach Phillips or Jerry Jones said and may appear counter-intuitive. If you have questions about something from the press conference, feel free to ask in the comments or watch the presser yourself.)

Part I: Coach Phillips

General impression of the Miami game:

“I felt we played with a lot of heart and we had some guys who made some plays.”

“I think our line held up pretty well overall.”

“I thought we had quite a few young players that looked really good.” “And really, early in the game I thought our young guys played pretty well. Looked like a lot of their [Dolphins] starters were playing.” “I thought in the first [part] of the game our defensive group, our second group, played against some of their first group and they played well. There were quite a few guys that made plays. We sacked their first team quarterback twice in the first quarter and had a turnover.”

“I just thought we played more like a football team should look in this ballgame, and I think the first team would have played well too, but it was good to see these guys and it was important for them to get playing time. A lot of guys that you didn’t see [before] played quite a bit and I think a lot of them stepped up.”

“Our second 3rd down group was a little shaky at times. We had them in long yardage quite a few times and didn’t stop them, but other than that they did good.”

Specific Players:

David Buehler: “I think the first thing everybody saw: Our kicker came through. I mean, what a game he had. And he had to kick a field goal under pressure – no matter what you say, the last kick of the game to win the game is pressure in any game. He came through with flying colors and I think that inspired everybody on our football team.”

“Yeah, I think he’s going to make the team. He was always going to be the kickoff guy – he does a pretty good job of that. It’s hard to evaluate special teams with him kicking off because he kicks it into the endzone so much. He’s kicked well in practice, he’s kicked well in the games. He didn’t have any kicks in the last ballgame, so it’s really great that it came out that he had to kick quite a few. He had some real long ones that he made – and a game winner. Those are the tests that you have to have going in, at least we’ve had those and he’s gone through them.”

“All of them are pressure kicks when you haven’t been the kicker and everybody’s watching. We know that. But the last play of the game is a pressure kick. It doesn’t matter what league you’re in, or even pre-season game. Everything was on the line. He misses it, everybody’s going to be upset – he makes it, everybody’s going to be happy. That was pressure and I’m glad he came through, because we’re counting on him to do that.”

Stephen McGee: “Our young quarterback played well. I don’t know where he finally ended up, but he had a couple of long drives. He had almost 300 yards passing I believe, and he looked pretty sharp.”

“I think Stephen just needed to play. He hadn’t played much at this level. He got hurt last year in the pre-season. Big opportunity for him and I think he took advantage of it.”

Lee/Butler/AOA: “Sean Lee certainly made some outstanding plays. Victor Butler, we saw him, he’s consistently played well. Akwasi had a good interception where he went a long way to get it. I think I could name quite a few guys that played well in the ballgame.”

“[Sean Lee] has been been solid all along, he’s just been hurt for a while and didn’t get enough playing time so it’s good to see him play quite a bit. Actually, Jason Williams played good too. He did some good things for us.”

Sam Hurd: “Sam did some really good things for us. You kind of expect it from him, but you’d like to see it.”

Holland and Barron: “We wanted Holland an Barron to play some because they hadn’t played a whole lot. Then we were going to let the other guys play. Same way with Hatcher and Bowen. We needed those guys to be able to play the game with everybody too. It was just the situation for them and we couldn’t hold them out. And those four guys really need to play some. Not the whole game, but some, especially against their [Dolphins] top unit.”

Manny Johnson: “Manny did some good things. I was glad for Manny. He’s such a hard worker. We gave him a game ball last year for getting us ready for Philadelphia, because he worked so hard at being DeSean Jackson. I was really proud for Manny that he played as well as he did.”

Mat McBriar: “I thought it was a good hold by Mat McBriar on the last one. Looked like the ball was a little bit high and I thought Mat put the ball down well. McBriar has actually done a better job holding this year – he’s gotten better and better at it.”

On what’s happening between now and Saturday

“We’re 0-0 and I told them that after the game and they know that, and we’ve got some hard cuts to make, it looks like to me. I thought it would be a little easier, but I think a lot of guys played well. I think a lot of them did some good things for us. I think it’s going to be very tough to cut down but it’s something we have to do.”

“We challenge our players. We challenged our players to ‘give it everything you’ve got’. Don’t look back and say, boy, I didn’t [give it everything I’ve got]. Don’t not make the team because you didn’t try as hard as you could try. We saw that from a lot of guys and I was really proud of them. It’s going to be tough to cut them because of the way they played and the heart they showed.”

“We evaluate from this ballgame. That’s what we evaluate overall: how did they play in the ballgame. This was the opportunity and those guys knew it. We’ll evaluate that and go from there.”

“It’s hard. You’ve got to have a feel for it. You’ve got to have a feel for the guy. You don’t want to live on potential and say, ‘Hey, guy’s got potential but the other guy produces’. There’s a fine line in there as to pick the football player that fits your football team. It’s the best player, but it’s also the best player for your football team. That’s a determining factor a lot of times. We don’t always know that or see that.”

“I thought I had them [the 53-man roster] picked out pretty good [before the Dolphins game]. Of course Jerry and I talked about it. And Stephen. And we always say the same thing: ‘We’ve got the right to change our mind’. Right now it looks like this, and before this game it looked a certain way, but I think it’s muddled now. Which is a good thing.”

On whether he feels Buehler’s performance in the pre-season vindicates his decision to go with only one kicker this year

“Every once in a while we make a right decision. It’s not usually noted, but …”

Part II: Jerry Jones

Is the team ready and what did he like about the game?

“I know our team will be ready to play out there. We’ve got these ten days, we’re going to be getting guys back, all of that’s real good. I liked the individual play that we had out there. These guys, the guys that got a chance to play tonight, they really did well.”

Specific Players

Stephen McGee: “You’ve got to give Stephen McGee his due. Right before your eyes you could see him getting comfortable. You could see his body language. You could see all of these things happening. So I’m proud for him”

On whether McGee took himself off the bubble last night: “You’re assuming that he was on the bubble. I wouldn’t.”

Crayton/Hurd and how much of a role economics play as you get down to the last few spots: “We think the world of them as individuals and we think the world of them as players – seriously. I’m not going to get into any decisions we’re going to make regarding our 53. We’re certainly in an uncapped year. We have some leeway. On the other hand we know we’re gonna have to pay the fiddler sometime. It’s always part of that in the NFL. That’s the system, and we’ve got to plan on having that system in the future.

David Buehler: “That was worth the ballgame for us to see him step up and make those kicks. We’ve got us a kicker”

Victor Butler: “Tonight I saw some guys play good. 57 was outstanding. I thought he really played well, I’m sure it’ll bear out on the tape.”

Holland/Barron: “The offsides are tough, but boy am I glad we’ve got them on this team. They are very valuable to what our goals are this year.”

Roster Cuts

“We’ve got some tough decisions to make there, because we can go long in some positions, whether it be linebacker or whether it be our d-linemen.”

On how important a player’s leadership skills are in the roster cuts: “All of those things are very, very important. We certainly know that as time has gone along, we’ve had some great leaders that moved on because they were at the end of their careers. And so what I’m excited about is a lot of the leadership that we’re seeing coming on, so that’s great.”

Expectations for 2010: “It’s all about how we go out and play against those Redskins. I believe – I know we just checked it and didn’t see anything serious – but I believe we’re going to be able to go into the Redskin game about as healthy as you could hope to expect coming out of a training camp. A five week training camp. We lost Phillips but I think we’re clear with everybody else.”

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The pre-season is over! The Dallas Cowboys closed out a five game pre-season with a 27-25 victory over the Miami Dolphins. The Dolphins played their starting unit at the beginning of the game, but the Cowboys second unit was able to hang tough and eventually the Cowboys got their offense going. In the end, they got a late drive from Stephen McGee and a last second FG from David Buehler to secure the ‘W’.

A few quick observations after the jump:

- Stephen McGee looked very good in running the show. The third-string QB played the entire game and had his best showing yet. His stats: 27 for 42 for 304 yards and 1 TD. The TD was a picture perfect bomb to Sam Hurd, with both the pass and the catch of highlight quality. McGee was also efficient in running a two-minute drill just before the half leading to a FG. Then he was able to lead a drive in the waning minutes of the fourth quarter and set up the game-winning FG. Whatever questions the Cowboys may have had about McGee before the game, he did his best to answer them. The only question for the ‘Boys is whether they carry two or three QBs going into the season.

- David Buehler was impressive. There were questions about his ability to hit FGs, but in this game, he answered them. Buehler connected on four FGs, but more impressively hit one from 51 yards and one from 45 yards. Then, he capped it off with a short FG in the final seconds to win the game. A great showing from the new FG kicker.

- The Cowboys defense was able to generate some pass rush after the first drive by the Dolphins. Miami had a nice drive early in the first quarter, but the defense stiffened in the redzone and managed to hold the Dolphins to a FG. After that, they were getting pressure on the Miami QBs. Both Victor Butler and Sean Lee were able to get sacks and Lee scooped up a fumble after a QB sack. Butler continues to show an ability to rush the passer, and Lee continues to show good instincts.

- Kevin Ogletree had a good game, catching 6 passes for 51 yards. Sam Hurd had the highlight TD catch. The Cowboys decision at WR is going to be a tough one. Thrown into the mix is the rumor of the Cowboys seeking a trade for Patrick Crayton. The next couple of days will be interesting. Jesse Holley also had a good showing, but probably not enough to make a difference in terms of the 53-man roster.

- Robert Brewster had some problems at left tackle on the evening.

- AOA picked up an interception after pressure came from a linebacker blitz.

Overall, the Cowboys second and third units played well. It turned out to be a very entertaining game even though it was mostly backups. Stephen McGee and David Buehler both deserve a lot of credit for the victory.