Cowboys get 1st preseason win, edge Rams 14-10 in Hawaii
Dak Prescott appears ready for the regular season, with or without Ezekiel Elliott.
The Dallas quarterback completed all five of his pass attempts in his only series of work as the Cowboys came away with a 14-10 win over the Los Angeles Rams on Saturday night.
Prescott dropped back to pass seven times, completed passes to five different receivers, had one short completion negated by an ineligible lineman downfield penalty and was sacked once.
Prescott’s only drive covered 97 yards in 12 plays, took more than six minutes and culminated with Tony Pollard’s 14-yard touchdown run.
Rookie earns the TD | #DALvsLAR pic.twitter.com/LNh4c5Fyfq
— Dallas Cowboys (@dallascowboys) August 18, 2019
It marked the first Dallas touchdown in a preseason game since Aug. 18, 2018. Dallas was held to three field goals in last week’s 17-9 loss at San Francisco to open the preseason.
With starting quarterback Jared Goff among the large number of Rams’ starters that did not make the trip to Hawaii, Blake Bortles got the start and finished 7 of 11 for 62 yards. His 7-yard scoring pass to JoJo Natson capped Los Angeles’ second drive — which was extended by a fumbled punt return by Dallas return man Reggie Davis and recovered by rookie Jake Gervase.
Los Angeles (0-2) took its only lead on Greg Zuerlein’s 29-yard field goal in the second quarter. Zuerlein attempted a 56-yard field goal just before halftime, but missed wide left.
Dallas (1-1) pulled back ahead late in the third quarter, when third-string quarterback Cooper Rush found Devin Smith for an 8-yard touchdown.
.@dsmithosu: Aloha Endzone #DALvsLAR pic.twitter.com/RdJ9iqIteQ
— Dallas Cowboys (@dallascowboys) August 18, 2019
Pollard, who started in place of Elliott, finished with five rushes for 42 yards. Elliott, a two-time league rushing champion, missed his second preseason game while he continues his holdout. Alfred Morris, who signed with the team during training camp, saw his first action of the preseason and carried three times for 6 yards, all before halftime.
The teams met in the NFC Divisional round of last year’s playoffs. The Rams won 30-22 en route to an appearance in the Super Bowl.
WITTEN’S RETURN
Veteran tight end Jason Witten made his preseason debut Saturday after coming out of retirement — and the broadcast booth — last year. Witten was targeted just once — on a third-down pass from Prescott — on the penultimate play of the first Dallas possession. Witten’s 10-yard reception moved the chains and set up Pollard’s 14-yard TD run for the game’s first points.
“It felt really good. I was very anxious to get out there and play,” said Witten, a 16-year veteran and 11-time Pro Bowler. “It is just the next step in the comeback. I worked really hard to get back in shape.
“I hold myself to a high standard, so I can say it was not perfect. I got a little antsy early but had a big third-down conversion on an option route.”
Witten retired following the 2017-18 season and served as color commentator on “Monday Night Football” last year.
INJURIES
Cowboys second-year linebacker Chris Covington went down with an undisclosed injury while covering the opening kickoff. He was attended to by Dallas’ training staff for a few minutes, but was able to walk off on his own.
NEXT UP
Cowboys: Return home to face the Houston Texans on Saturday on Aug. 24.
Rams: Host Denver in their next-to-last preseason game on Aug. 24.
Leaving Hawaii with the dub #DallasCowboys | #DALvsLAR pic.twitter.com/0LLd8y760v
— Dallas Cowboys (@dallascowboys) August 18, 2019
