The Dallas Cowboys officially kicked off the 2025 preseason with a disappointing loss to the Los Angeles Rams.
Dallas immediately fell behind in this matchup before losing 31-21 when the game ended, marking the first loss of the team’s preseason.
Although this game will not matter once the regular season begins on September 4, there are still valuable takeaways from each preseason matchup.
Here are three key takeaways from the Cowboys’ first preseason matchup against the Rams:
Injuries Could Prove Disastrous For Dallas
Injuries suffered by any team can derail a season before it begins, but the Cowboys’ lack of depth at key positions has become evident over the past week.
Dallas opted against playing the vast majority of starters during this preseason matchup, a decision that was mirrored by the Rams’ decision to sit their starters as well.
Despite both teams choosing to sit certain players, the Rams still had firm control over this matchup very quickly in the game after jumping out to a 14-0 lead.
While this could be a testament to the Rams’ coaching staff and second-string players, it also poses a concern about the Cowboys’ lack of depth.
Realistically, wide receiver is the only position on the Cowboys’ roster that should be considered deep, and that is largely due to the presence of Ceedee Lamb and George Pickens.
After that, the Cowboys have real concerns about nearly every position on the team regarding the second unit.
These injury concerns have already popped up along certain positions, with both the offensive line and cornerback rooms dealing with significant injury issues entering the regular season.
As a result, both units struggled to compete with the Rams during the teams’ joint practices and preseason games.
Naturally, major injuries to players such as Lamb, Dak Prescott, or Micah Parsons could be disastrous for the team, but even smaller injuries that take less time to heal could expose the team’s lack of depth.
Run Defense Poised To Struggle Once Again
While this game should not be used as a major barometer for any aspect of the regular season, the Cowboys’ inability to stop the Rams’ rushing attack should raise concerns.
Rush defense has proven to be a major issue for the Cowboys over the last few seasons, with this season already looking like it will continue this trend.
Dallas did little to add to the interior defensive line this season and added very few linebackers with true experience in the league, indicating that the front office was not focused on adding to a defense that surrendered the fourth-most rushing yards in the league last season.
This decision against adding more meaningful pieces became evident against the Rams, as Los Angeles rushed for 181 yards and 4.8 yards per carry.
Cowboys Rookies Could Play Major Role In Coming Season
Despite the first two takeaways from this game being negative, some positive aspects of this game should help the team answer questions entering the regular season.
The biggest questions pertain to where the Cowboys’ rookies should slot in on the team’s depth chart.
Major shifts in the depth chart are unlikely to be made after just one preseason game, but certain rookies managed to stand out and prove that they should be in consideration for real snaps during the regular season.
Notably, Dallas chose to keep rookie guard Tyler Booker on the shelf for this game, indicating that he has already secured his starting spot along the offensive line entering next season.
Outside of Booker, Dallas could potentially play three other rookies in the regular season, with running back Phil Mafah and defensive end Donovan Ezeiruaku having the potential to contribute.
Mafah had the best game of any Cowboys rookie in this preseason matchup, collecting 36 rushing yards on 10 carries while adding 15 receiving yards from the backfield.
While these numbers may not jump off the screen, Mafah looked both patient and aggressive during his touches, showing that the game is starting to slow down to a point where he may contribute in the coming weeks.
Dallas needs a consistent running back to truly compete this season, and Mafah is throwing his name in the hat as a potential option.
Similarly, Ezeiruaku did not produce any major counting stats during this matchup, but the film provides a solid amount of hope for the second-round draft pick.
Ezeiruaku was often involved in the play and made an impact on the Rams’ offensive players, though no splash plays took place for him during this game.
While it might be difficult for Ezeiruaku to immediately work his way into the Cowboys’ defensive end unit, there is the possibility that he can contribute later in the season.