OXNARD, Calif. — The Dallas Cowboys offense is at the point in camp where the timing usually lags behind the defense. Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer said Tuesday that the passing game is catching up.
Dak Prescott threw an interception early in team drills against the New Orleans Saints. Everything after that went the other way. Prescott finished the day unofficially 15-of-19 and went 5-of-6 in the red-zone period, per Todd Archer of ESPN, hitting Jake Ferguson on a shovel pass, George Pickens on a slant, and Ryan Flournoy on a post thrown high enough that only he could get to it. Ferguson and Pickens each won with size at the goal line.
“I think it’s important,” Schottenheimer said. “I think we’re into that part of camp where usually the offense is a little bit playing catch-up because of the timing, rhythm and all the things that go into the passing game, combination blocks, all that stuff. But I think we’re finding our rhythm. And I think I’ll go back to the preseason game. I think we kind of found our rhythm even in the second half against Seattle. And it’s what training camp is for.”
Two Straight Joint Practices Of Red Zone Work
The red zone is the one place this offense fell short last season. Dallas got inside the 20 on 65 drives and came away with 37 touchdowns and 17 field goals. That 57% conversion rate ranked 18th, and it belonged to a unit that finished second in the NFL in total yards and first in passing yards. Prescott said in early August that the Cowboys spent the offseason studying why.
A week before the Saints came to Oxnard, Dallas drove to Woodland Hills and did the same thing to the Rams. Prescott threw four touchdowns in that red-zone period, two of them to CeeDee Lamb, with KaVontae Turpin and Brevyn Spann-Ford catching the others and Flournoy adding a slant, per ESPN’s Archer.
“I think that was probably the stronger drill or the stronger period of the day for us, and so that’s good,” Prescott said that day. “Obviously coming off of the struggles at the end of last year, it’s good to see.”
“First time going against another jersey, another team, I thought it was good,” Prescott explained. “Is it quite where we want it to be? No, not necessarily. But started off hitting the runs, some things were physical.”
The Half Brian Schottenheimer Pointed To
That second half in Seattle belonged to Joe Milton III and an undrafted rookie receiver. Camden Brown caught a 2-yard fade from him on the opening drive out of the break, his second touchdown of a 17-7 win, and Sam Howell had thrown him the first one before halftime.
“Really good day,” Schottenheimer said of Brown that night. “He’s got to keep stacking them, but he’s been doing it.”
Dak Prescott Has Not Played Yet
Prescott has yet to take a preseason snap. He is not going to before Week 1 either, something Schottenheimer settled in early August. What the starters get instead is the joint practices, and Tuesday was the last one.
Prescott led the NFL in completions last season and threw for 4,552 yards. All five offensive line starters are back. Pickens reported to Oxnard on the franchise tag after a 1,429-yard season, and Klayton Adams is in his second season as coordinator.
Dallas plays at the Arizona Cardinals on Saturday at 9 p.m. CT. The preseason finale against the Saints is Aug. 28 at AT&T Stadium.
