3 standouts (and 2 duds) from Cowboys loss to Seahawks in Week 2 of preseason
• The Cowboys backup OL could be an issue
• Jalen Tolbert looks like a different person
By Randy Gurzi
The Dallas Cowboys headed to the pacific northwest to play the Seattle Seahawks in the second week of the 2023 NFL Preseason. After taking an early 7-3 lead, their defense started to struggle and the offense sputtered out despite a couple of promising drives.
The result was their second loss in the preseason, but that's not what's important. What really matters is how the younger players are developing and the Cowboys had their share of standouts on Saturday night. They also had a couple of duds, which we will dive into as we look back at Preseason Week 2.
Cowboys Standout: Isaiah Land, EDGE
During the offseason, defensive coordinator Dan Quinn let everyone know he was a huge fan of Isaiah Land. Quinn had been watching the undrafted free agent from Florida A&M since early 2022 and was thrilled to get to work with him this season.
Land's debut was modest as he had just two tackles in the loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars. In Week 2 of the preseason, he made some noise when he sacked Holton Ahlers for a seven-yard loss and forced a fumble as well.
I literally just said out loud that Isaiah Land has been quiet tonight. Two plays later, he causes a fumble.
— Patrik [No C] Walker (@VoiceOfTheStar) August 20, 2023
I should've said it earlier.
Seattle was able to recover the fumble but it was still a great play out of the rookie. It also set the Seahawks up with a third-and-15, which should have ended their drive. Unfortunately, that didn't happen when SaRodorick Thompson was able to break free for a 29-yard run — but that's not on Land.
Dallas has more than their share of pass rushers with Micah Parsons, DeMarcus Lawrence, Dorance Armstrong, Dante Fowler, and Sam Williams but there always seems to be room for more players who can get after the quarterback. If Land continues to play as he did on Saturday, there should be room for him.