Cowboys vs. Steelers: 5 takeaways from the Hall of Fame game

Players who stood out for the right reasons

From the dark side of the Cowboys’ first preseason outing of the year to the light, here are some of the players who stood out for their outstanding play against the Steelers on Thursday night.

Tight end Sean McKeon flashed during the exhibition confirming what we’ve been seeing in training camp and likely cementing himself as third on the depth chart behind Blake Jarwin and Dalton Schultz. McKeon made his best catch in the first quarter, where he ran a good route in front of the sticks and was still able to power through a tackle to get a first down on third and 12.

Former cornerback turned safety and back to corner again, Reggie Robinson, had a solid outing in his preseason debut. Not only did Robinson rack up four combined tackles, but he also forced a fumble and posted a big stop on third down.

Linebacker Luke Gifford continues to shine in his preseason outings, now entering his third season in Dallas. He recorded four solo tackles and was a stalwart for this makeshift defense.

Veteran cornerback Maurice Canady has been a revelation in training camp and shined against the Steelers coming away with two tackles and one impressive tackle for loss (TFLs). Speaking of tackles for loss, recently signed cornerback Kyron Brown impressed with two TFLs of his own.

Rookie safety Israel Mukuamu made a great pass deflection on third down to force a punt near the end of the first half. The sixth-round selection out of South Carolina has been making the transition from cornerback to safety this summer.

Running back Rico Dowdle had a big 25-yard run to help the Cowboys get out of the shadow of their own goal post near the end of the first half. Dowdle led the team with eight carries for 43 rushing yards, averaging a solid 5.4 yards per carry.

Highly-touted fourth-round rookie linebacker Jabril Cox made some impressive plays towards the end of the game, recording four total tackles.