GLENDALE, Ariz. – Earlier in the week, Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer said that he and his staff would evaluate both Joe Milton and Sam Howell's play throughout the week before deciding on a starter in Dallas' second preseason game against the Cardinals.
It was Milton who got the nod after Howell started a week ago, and he made the most of it. Milton completed nine of his 13 passing attempts for 179 yards and two touchdowns, adding a two-yard rushing touchdown on a quarterback draw in the second quarter, all of which came in the first half of Dallas' 34-13 win over Arizona.
"Tonight was great," Milton said. "I was able to go out there and showcase what I got, what we've been working hard towards this whole camp, so it was great. My comfort level was amazing. Way more comfortable that I was last year."
Through two preseason halves, Milton has thrown for 286 yards and scored four touchdowns, three passing and one rushing. Schottenheimer credited his third-year quarterback for that performance, and some of the big plays he made on Saturday night.
"I think Joe has put together two really good halves," Schottenheimer said. "It's funny because he threw the double-move to Mingo off the timeout. It's a last reminder that Steve Schimko gave him to put good air under it. Joe has been doing that. The fade to Cam Brown last game under duress. This game is about being able to control the RPMs and all the different speeds and touches and he's done that a really high level. I thought the scramble to his left to Cam was a big play as well."
Eventually, Schottenheimer and his staff will have to decide on who Dallas' backup quarterback will be. Milton says he's focusing solely on his own play, and not whether or not he's done enough to win the job.
"That's out of my control," Milton said. "The only thing I'm able to do is go out there and call the play, and just make sure the offense is moving. Whatever they decide, they decide."
Last year, Milton said he only knew about 75-85% of the Cowboys playbook after being traded to Dallas from New England. Now, he has a full grasp of it and is benefitting because of it with his play.
"I'm able to go into the huddle and just say the play clear, tell the guys where they need to go," Milton said. "If guys have questions in the huddle, I'm able to answer those without just making sure with my coach and making sure that I'm right. I'm able to be confident enough to tell them what they got in the huddle and demand that from the guys."
Just how much of a difference does that 15-25% truly make?
"Major difference," Milton said. "You get to do a lot to more. When I say that, there's a lot more to our offense that we're able to do, change as the quarterback position. You're able to do all that, you're able to make sure that your points are right, make sure the way you're reading the play is correct. Just being able to go through that process of a whole year being in this offense to now, it's great."
Milton's two biggest plays of the day were a deep throw down the left sideline to Jonathan Mingo for a 53-yard touchdown, and a roll out to the left where Milton floated a pass to a wide open Camden Brown that resulted in a 70-yard gain and set up his rushing touchdown.
It's not just Milton who is competing for a roster spot as QB2, it's players like Mingo and Brown that are fighting to make the team as well, and those are plays that help everybody's case.
"Those guys come out here and work every day," Milton said. "That's what we ask of those guys. We ask everybody on this team just to do their 1-11, and that's what they came out here and did today. They did their 1-11. I'm pretty sure that they'll go back and watch some plays, and want to take some plays back, but for the most part they did their 1-11, and that's all that we could ask from those guys. Whatever happens, who's not on the team, that's out of our control. So you only control what you can control."
One thing that Milton takes control of is his confidence, which is paramount to the way he approaches the game.
"I'm a very confident person," Milton said. "Anytime I look in the mirror, I tell myself that my game is up to par. Right where I need it to be, even if I do need stuff to work on, just because that's just the confidence you have to instill in yourself. That's just the person I am."
There will be things that Milton, and the Cowboys as a whole, will need to work on, but this performance only makes Milton's confidence grow stronger.
"I definitely get to learn from them, but also, it just gives me more confidence," Milton said of his preseason experience. "Just keep going out there, deliver the football, understand the gameplan, understand what the defense is trying to do to me, and how they're going to play me. So just going out there and just executing."
The Cowboys return back to the Star in Frisco this week for two training camp practices on August 25 and 26, and will close the preseason at AT&T Stadium on Friday, August 28 against the New Orleans Saints with kickoff set for 7:00 p.m. CT.
