3 takeaways from the Dallas Cowboys third preseason game

After the third preseason game for the Dallas Cowboys, here are three talking points to reflect upon from the third game of the 2018 season.

Three exhibition games over and done with and the Dallas Cowboys somehow look worse each week. While wins and losses in the preseason do not matter, you would like to see improvements.

Improving when your starting quarterback, running back and 3/5’s of your offensive line are missing is tough. Still, everyone is out there getting paid to try and make this team. The embarrassing effort of a 27-3 loss this close to the regular season is not a good look.

The Dallas Cowboys have one final chance to head in the right direction Thursday. Before that, let’s have a discussion about the three things that really stood out most from last night’s loss to Arizona.

Into the deep blue

I said it last week and nothing is any different.

This team has a serious lack of depth. The backup quarterback competition looks like a slap fight between two nincompoops. The offensive lineman who don’t start look horrendous. Lastly, if another safety gets an injury, there will not be two available to start two weeks from now.

Look, either Mike White or Cooper Rush is going to be the backup to Dak Prescott. I have no idea how or why we are at this point, but it seems awfully short-sided. There is absolutely no question that if Prescott is lost for any amount of time, so is the entire season.

The offensive line will almost assuredly be one of the positions the Dallas Cowboys address when all 32 teams make their cuts. I’m 100% sure the eighth lineman this team needs is not currently on the roster. The Travis Frederick situation further exacerbates such an issue.

On Sunday night, backup turned starter Kavon Frazier separated his shoulder. X-rays were negative and he could have still played if necessary but… yeah. With Xavier Woods already questionable for Week One and now this…

E.T. Phone Home!

I’ve been on the side of the aisle saying any Earl Thomas talk should be null and void. He is going to want big money AND Dallas will have to give up draft capital. No thanks… until last night.

Jerry and Stephen Jones have one thing to do today. Dial up that 206 area code and see what Seattle wants for their All-Pro holdout.

At this point, it just makes too much sense. Even if Woods and Frazier are both ready to go, one injury to either or Jeff Heath and we are right back here. Seemingly, the front office likes what they have at safety and I don’t disagree. It’s what they do not have that is more concerning at this time, however.

This defense has a real shot to be special. Allowing that to get flushed down the toilet when a solution is readily available seems quite cavalier.

Speaking of that defense…

Sack lunches for all

Question: do you know what the highest sack total for the Dallas Cowboys has been in the last decade?

The answer is 59 in 2008.

That season Demarcus Ware put up 20 by himself. Three more guys had 7.5 or more and 14 different players registered a sack.

That number could be in jeopardy this season.

I believe DeMarcus Lawrence will have another double-digit sack year. It’s highly possible that Randy Gregory, Jaylon Smith, and Taco Charlton all eclipse 7.5. This does not take into account David Irving will be back after week four or that there are two or three other guys capable of at least 5-6 sacks.

Gregory looked amazing Sunday Night. He may earn himself a week one starting job opposite Charlton. Regardless, he’ll see the field on third down rush packages a lot this year.

It’s been a long, long time since the Dallas Cowboys have had this exciting of a pass rush. I think we’re all here for it.