INGLEWOOD, Calif. - The Brian Schottenheimer era is here as the new head coach guided the Dallas Cowboys in live game action for the first time. But with the team's starters largely resting comfortably alongside him, his debut didn't have the preferred outcome, Dallas falling to the Los Angeles Rams, 31-21.
Also making a debut in this one was Joe Milton, who was a bit hit-and-miss in his effort. The quarterback showed flashes of his immense talent, particularly his big arm, but there were just as many misfires as his accuracy proved to be an issue at times. Playing nearly the whole game, he completed 58.6 percent of his passes for 143 yards with a touchdown and an interception to finish with a 68.6 passer rating.
The ground game had better success, though, as the team averaged 5.5 yards per carry. Newly signed Malik Davis racked up 63 yards on seven attempts late in the game while rookie Phil Mafah totaled 36 yards on 10 tries. Mafah would have actually had more if not for some inopportune penalties negating his gains.
Defensively, the Cowboys got off to a shaky start but managed to settle down in the second and third frames, allowing only three points over those 30 minutes of game play. Of course, the unit gave up 28 points combined in the first and fourth quarters as Rams quarterback Stetson Bennett threw for 188 yards with a pair of touchdowns and an interception for a 100.7 rating.
Stopping the run, a problem for Dallas for the last couple seasons, didn't exactly look any better in this exhibition tilt. Los Angeles stormed for 181 rushing yards on 38 carries, an average of 4.8 yards per carry.
First Quarter
There wasn't much for Cowboys fans to cheer about in the opening frame as the Rams dominated both the time of possession, 13:26 to 1:34, and total yards, 160 to 1. Those lopsided numbers came thanks to LA drives of 11 plays and then 13, which both resulted in Blake Corum touchdown runs up the middle to give the home side an early 14-0 lead.
Meanwhile, Dallas struggled, going three-and-out on their two series in the quarter.
Second Quarter
The Cowboys' time of possession and total yards flipped in the second quarter with the team working the clock, 12:06 to 2:54, and outgaining LA, 96 to minus-4. Unfortunately, they weren't able to get into the end zone. Brandon Aubrey provided the team's first points with a 35-yard field goal that wrapped up an 11-play 55-yard drive. This came despite Dallas committing five penalties during the drive, including illegal formation flags on right tackle Asim Richards on back-to-back plays.
And after the Dallas defense forced the Rams' first three-and-out, Milton and company then came right back and began another trek deep into enemy territory, burning off the final 5:52 of the half. The quarterback had completions of 10, 16 and 20 yards and picked up the first down on a fourth-and-1 at LA's 16.
But the offense could get no closer than the 7-yard line, again turning to Aubrey, whose 25-yarder as the clock hit zeroes narrowed the gap to 14-6 going into the break.
Third Quarter
The second half got underway with a trading of interceptions between the two teams. Milton threw deep into double-coverage, hoping to connect with wideout Ryan Flournoy. Instead, Rams cornerback Cam Lampkin came down with the ball in the end zone.
Not to worry, four plays into LA's ensuing series, Cowboys cornerback Israel Mukuamu returned the favor, pulling down his own pick.
However, that early excitement didn't last long as the only points in the quarter came via a Rams' 37-yard field goal, which upped their advantage to 17-6 heading into the final 15 minutes.
Fourth Quarter
Los Angeles was on the move when the clocked ticked over into the fourth quarter and soon enough the Rams found themselves back in the end zone. Bennett dumped a pass off to running back Cody Shrader, who scampered across the goal line for the 9-yard completion and score.
While the outcome was basically decided, there were still valuable minutes to be played for those fighting for a spot on the Dallas roster. Most notably undrafted rookie free agents Traeshon Holden, a wide receiver out of Oregon, and former Auburn tight end Rivaldo Fairweather.
Seeing his first action of the game, Holden hauled in a 35-yard pass down the right sideline, Milton's longest throw of the night, before Fairweather capped off the nine-play, 73-yard drive with a touchdown catch in the back-right corner of the end zone. Milton then found another undrafted rookie, Texas Tech wideout Josh Kelly, for the two-point conversion, the score now 24-14.
But the defensive players now in the game for the Cowboys didn't have quite the same success. After LA returned the kickoff 38 yards to its own 41-yard line, Bennett needed only five plays to find Brennan Presley in the corner of the end zone for the touchdown.
Third-string quarterback Will Grier wound up seeing some action in the fourth quarter when Milton left the game after being sandwiched by a pair of Rams defenders. He appeared ready to rejoin the action, but with a little more than three minutes remaining, his night was done.
Grier managed to not only keep the offense moving, he took care of the scoring himself. On third-and-7 at the Rams' 8, the quarterback rolled to his right, but unable to find an open target, he then sprinted across the goal line to wrap up the game's scoring, 31-21.
