In the first quarter against the Rams, why did the Cowboys call a high-risk pass on fourth down from the 3-yard line when all they needed was 1 yard for the first down? You would think they'd want to give the team every opportunity to run the ball in such situations since the running back position has been an area of concern. They threw away a golden opportunity to test the running game. – Fred London/Morristown, TN
Nick Eatman: I have to agree with you here because I actually tweeted this out after the play. While I totally understand the desire to see if Trey Lance can not only lead his team into the end zone, but to throw the pass, he's still going to be the third quarterback, no matter what happens this year. It's very clear to see that Cooper Rush is the backup quarterback and I don't think anyone thinks it's going to change over the next two preseason games. So I have to wonder if seeing him throw a short touchdown pass is as important as seeing if your new center Brock Hoffman and your rookie tackle Tyler Guyton can actually move people off the line of scrimmage down by the goal line. The running game, especially when it gets tough down by the goal line, has been a problem for the Cowboys. I think I would've put some emphasis on not only scoring a touchdown, but trying to run the ball in there. You can not only show that the running game is improved, but it would still give Lance confidence that the offense was able to score with his leadership. I bet this week in Las Vegas the Cowboys will have a different approach if they get that close.
Kurt: You're right, that would have been a good opportunity to test the running game, but I think the Cowboys' biggest concern perhaps for this entire preseason is finding out what Trey Lance can do. So in that particular situation, they were more interested in testing the young quarterback. Mike McCarthy may have also felt that there would be other chances later in the day to test the running backs in short-yardage situations, and in the end, Dallas had one second-and-1 rush and three handoffs when facing third-and-1. All resulted in first downs, a good sign. Interestingly, all five of their fourth-down attempts were pass plays. One was converted with a 7-yard reception while Lance scrambled the needed 3 yards to move the chains another time. The other three were unsuccessful, including Lance's attempt to connect with Jalen Cropper on that fourth-and-1 at the 3-yard line. He failed that particular test, although McCarthy said afterward, "Frankly, that was on me. I wish I had that play-call back." But hopefully both Lance and the Cowboys were able to learn a little more for next time.
