If the Cowboys' backup quarterback battle is truly based on preseason performance, Joe Milton III took the lead against the Arizona Cardinals.
Milton's big night, easily one of the top performances for Dallas in the game, put him ahead of Sam Howell before the preseason finale this Friday against the New Orleans Saints.
A couple of weeks ago, Brian Schottenheimer told us that the QB battle would be primarily evaluated using the three preseason game. In Seattle, Howell got the start and Milton played the second half. On that night, both looked solid and came out of that contest with what felt like a draw.
Joe Milton separated himself in Dallas Cowboys' QB2 battle
After virtually identical statistical nights in Week 1, the Cardinals game couldn't have been more different for Milton and Howell.
Milton set the bar high in the first half: 9-of-13 passing for 179 yards and two touchdowns, with a 151.4 passer rating. His 53-yard bomb to Jonathan Mingo was the best TD of the night, but the 70-yard connection with Camden Brown was arguably the best offensive play. Milton capped that drive with a two-yard rushing TD, too.
Howell took over at halftime, as was always the plan, but was part of a much more stagnant second-half offense with just 65 yards on 7-of-10 passing. He also threw a pick in the endzone, laying it up for the Arizona defender with a badly underthrown ball.
To Howell's credit, running the third-string offense presents challenges that Milton didn't have to face this week. He was also tasked with preserving a lead and running out the clock, which took some of the explosiveness out of the play-calling.
Part of why we're feeling so much better about the RB group right now is that they were allowed to grind the Cardinals into the dirt in the second half.
But it wasn't that different last week. Dallas was up 17-7 after Milton led a scoring drive out of the break, then they were mostly in cruise control the rest of the way.
In Seattle, when Howell got to work with the second-team offense, it seemed to even the playing field. In Arizona, with the roles flipped, Milton set the field on fire.
Joe Milton vs. Sam Howell isn't over yet
Still, it was only one game. If Round 1 was a draw and Milton took the second, there's still Friday night against the Saints. And even if preseason games are the focus for the coaches, all of those practices, meetings, and other chances to evaluate these two QBs aren't going to be ignored.
Ultimately, whoever loses this battle probably isn't losing their roster spot.
The Cowboys gave Howell a $2 million guarantee in his $2.5 million contract, so they must have been pretty confident in his making the roster. And even if they did eat that money and try to get him to the practice squad, it's hard to imagine that he wouldn't be a solid QB2 for one of the other 31 teams.
What will be very interesting this week, and on Friday, is to see how the Cowboys communicate their feelings about Joe Milton. Does he get QB2 treatment going forward, or will the opportunities stay balanced between him and Sam Howell? Who gets the start against New Orleans?
These may tell us more than anything the coaches say ahead of final cuts.
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