If you can look past the embarrassingly porous first-half defense and the painfully slow weather delay, there was plenty to be excited about in the Dallas Cowboys' opener against the Philadelphia Eagles.
When Dallas took guard Tyler Booker in the first round of April's draft, the pick was criticized by many experts. The Alabama product was praised for his physicality, but scouts voiced concerns about his ability to stay in front of NFL-caliber defensive linemen. One game into his NFL career, he's already proving his doubters wrong.
It's just one game, but Booker looks like he could be a mainstay in the Cowboys' offensive line for years to come.
Cowboys rookie Tyler Booker shined in the Week 1 loss
The Eagles are a tough opening matchup for any rookie. Against this star-studded defensive front, Booker could have had more than a few "welcome to the NFL" moments. But he held his own against one of the best defensive lines in football.
The Cowboys' rookie held up in pass protection, working alongside Cooper Beebe and Terence Steele to keep Dak Prescott upright. He thrived in double-teams when the Eagles brought three or four rushers and didn't look overwhelmed when they sent pressure. He played a major role in keeping Philadelphia from sacking Prescott all night.
But his real strength is his ability to move defenders off their spots in the running game. Even against NFL defensive linemen, Booker was able to create sizable holes for Javonte Williams and Miles Sanders to run through. When he locks onto defenders, they have a difficult time getting free.
Of course, it helped that Eagles superstar defender Jalen Carter was ejected before the game started. Carter spat on Prescott before kickoff (yes, that really happened) and was promptly sent off the field. He would have been a nightmarish matchup for any offensive lineman, let alone a rookie like Booker. Jordan Davis and Moro Ojomo are still capable players on Philadelphia's interior, but they don't pose the same threat that Carter would have.
All in all, it was an encouraging performance for the rookie. He played a major part in helping Dallas keep pace with the defending Super Bowl champs. The Cowboys will likely be in more than a few shootouts this season due to their weak defense, but their offense looked capable of keeping games close. If this offensive line can solidify itself as a top unit, Dallas could be more competitive than fans expect.