Dak Prescott's camp total: 118 of 172
OXNARD, Calif. – If Jason Garrett follows the same form he had leading into the preseason opener, the Dallas Cowboys held their last padded practice while on the West Coast.
With a morning practice, Garrett had the players go at a jog-through tempo last week after their late afternoon work. The Cowboys play the Cincinnati Bengals on Saturday at AT&T Stadium, so Garrett will want to make sure they have their legs and give them a little break on Thursday.
If that is true, then in 12 padded practices, Dak Prescott will have competed 118 of 172 passes in team and seven on seven drills. He threw his fifth interception of camp when Byron Jones was able to get under a throw to the post to Terrance Williams after a play-action fake. Williams was open but the pass hung up a little bit.
On the day, Prescott completed nine of 12 passes. He showed his mobility twice on scrambles from the pocket when things broke down. His best throw came in seven on seven when he found tight end Geoff Swaim down the seam after he got by linebacker Jaylon Smith. He had a touchdown on a scramble play called back because of an illegal touching by Lance Lenoir, who stepped out of bounds before catching the pass.
Four of Prescott’s completions went to Michael Gallup, continuing their run of good chemistry.
We’re starting to click, staring to hit the deep ball a lot more in some of these last practices than we did early on,” Prescott said of his work with his receivers. “But we knew that would be part of it, working out the kinks and we’re all getting comfortable with each other. It’s fun to do it.”
On to the observations:
** WR Tavon Austin left practice early with a tight hamstring. LB Leighton Vander Esch left early with a sore groin after covering a pass to the sideline. Neither is considered serious but the Cowboys are cautious with players who have soft-tissue injuries. FB Jamize Olawale appeared to hurt his arm on a block in the run period but he was able to return.
** Playing with eyes matters for a defender. CB Byron Jones did just that when he read the eyes of Allen Hurns in one on one work on a fade. As Hurns was about to reach for Dak Prescott’s fade, Jones threw his hands in the air for a pass breakup. LB Damien Wilson did the same in the compete period against Olawale on a throw to the corner of the end zone.
** You’ve got to love Sean Lee. After WR Mekale McKay let loose with an emphatic spike in team drills, the veteran linebacker said, “Good for you. Spiking the ball when you’ve done nothing.” Lee made sure the young receiver wouldn’t feel too good about himself.
** DE Randy Gregory seems to be getting back into the fun of things. He had at least one sack of Prescott – if not two – in a three-play span in 11 on 11 work against Tyron Smith. He has always had a quick burst off the line and he might be benefitting from fresh legs at the moment, but it was an encouraging sign.
** Rookie DE Dorance Armstrong was able to win a rep against Smith in the compete period but the All Pro came back on the next two plays by flinging Armstrong to the side on an outside rush and stoning him with a strong inside arm on the next snap.
** I’m sure RG Zack Martin has lost a one on one snap in camp but I’m not sure he has lost two. In the compete period he dominated Daniel Ross and after the second win one offensive player yelled, “Get him out of here.”
** S Jeff Heath did not take part in team or seven on seven drills as he deals with a low ankle sprain suffered on Monday. He does not anticipate it being an issue for long. Kavon Frazier took his place with the first team. Kam Kelly and Jameill Showers were the second-team safeties.
** WR Darren Carrington had a chance to make a good first impression in one on one drills but he dropped a slant in tight red-zone one-on-one drills.
** Former Cowboys punter Mat McBriar, wife Erin and two kids were visitors to camp on Wednesday. Always good to catch up with the Aussie punter, who lives outside San Diego these days.
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