The Dallas Cowboys defeated the Las Vegas Raiders 27-12 in their second preseason game of the 2024 season, showcasing multiple elements of the team that fans can look forward to.
Preseason games do not count for or against a team’s record but still provide valuable insight into how a team could function during the regular season as young players and backups competing for roster spots.
Dallas chose to rest the vast majority of its starters against the Raiders, wanting to make sure they are healthy to begin the year. Many of the second and third-string players took to the field during the game.
While many of these players are unlikely to play significant roles during the regular season, there are still important takeaways from the second preseason game of the year:
Did Dallas Hit The Offensive Line Jackpot Again?
The Cowboys have a long history of being among the best teams in the NFL when it comes to drafting and developing players along the offensive line, with the likes of Larry Allen, Zach Martin, and Tyron Smith helping lead dominant offensive lines during their time in Cowboys uniforms.
Despite entering the offseason with concerns about multiple positions along the offensive line, the team has seemingly made these positions a strength going into the 2024 season.
Dallas addressed these concerns in the 2024 NFL Draft. The organization selected two offensive linemen in the first three rounds, picking up tackle Tyler Guyton from Oklahoma in the first round and interior lineman Cooper Beebe from Kansas State in the third round.
Both Guyton and Beebe played much of the Cowboys’ first two preseason games and have shown signs that they will be major assets to the team’s offensive line in the coming years.
Guyton has been on the field for 29 pass-blocking snaps through the first two preseason games of the year, allowing only one pressure on the quarterback and clocking a pass-blocking score of 80.0, according to Pro Football Focus.
Guyton’s performance indicates that he could be an immediate starter for this Cowboys offense and one of the most important players on a team looking to compete for a Super Bowl.
Similarly, Beebe has played many of the Cowboys’ first two preseason games and shown flashes of being an impact player to start his career.
Beebe played nearly every snap at Kansas State at the left guard position but could be looking at a role change after his performance at center during the Cowboys’ first two preseason games.
The rookie is currently listed on the Cowboys’ depth chart as the second-string center behind third-year center Brock Hoffman; however, many expect this order to change once Beebe is given more time to prove himself in training camp and games.
Beebe has proven to be effective at stopping pass rushers from the center position, taking on multiple defensive tackles during the Cowboys’ preseason games.
Cooper Beebe double tap pic.twitter.com/Tl9v4IZ4g9
— Nate Tice (@Nate_Tice) August 18, 2024
While Beebe is not guaranteed to be named a starter by the time Week 1 comes around in less than three weeks, he will surely be an important part of the Cowboys’ future and could be inserted into the lineup very early in his career.
Brandon Aubrey’s Rookie Season Was Not A Fluke
Dallas signed Aubrey to a contract leading into the 2023 season after he spent time kicking for the Birmingham Stallions of the USFL, stepping in to take over for Brett Maher after he spent three of his first four seasons with the Cowboys.
Aubrey quickly moved up the ladder of the best kickers in the NFL after making a field goal from at least 50 yards in each of his first two games with the Cowboys.
He finished the 2023 season as one of the best kickers in the entire league, leading the NFL with 36 field goals made while connecting on an incredible 94.7% of his attempts.
In addition to being one of the most accurate kickers, Aubrey has arguably one of the strongest legs in the NFL after finishing with the fourth-longest field goal during the season at 60 yards.
Although some may have been concerned about Aubrey’s ability to recreate this performance during the 2024 season, he put many of these worries to rest after nailing difficult field goals against the Raiders.
Aubrey once again demonstrated his leg strength during the Cowboys’ win against Las Vegas, as the second-year kicker nailed a 66-yard field to give America’s Team a 13-6 lead going into halftime.
This kick, had it taken place in the regular season, would have tied the record for the longest field goal in NFL history, which was set by Justin Tucker in 2021.
NFL’s Next Gen Stats evaluated the field goal shortly after it was completed and determined that Aubrey’s kick would have been good from 72 yards, which would have shattered the previous record, per Roundtable Sports.
Aubrey’s ability to connect on field goals from the halfway point of the field will provide the Cowboys with a significant advantage over opponents, as other teams will now have to focus on stopping the Cowboys earlier in possessions to prevent scoring drives.
The Cowboys will now look to capitalize on the impressive start to the year by key players and carry this momentum into the regular season.
Dallas will have one final preseason game against the Los Angeles Chargers on August 24, followed by the beginning of the regular season against the Cleveland Browns on September 8.
