Dallas Cowboys at Denver Broncos Notebook | 2022

Receiving Attention

There were times when it felt as if Cooper Rush was forcing the ball to rookie third-round pick Jalen Tolbert - at one point targeting him five times in the first quarter alone with no completions and one interception - and that didn't bode well for other young receivers vying to make an impression on the coaching staff, but Simi Fehoko made a molehill into a mountain. Fehoko was targeted just twice the entire game, but caught both passes thrown his way, including the Cowboys' only touchdown of the game.

"It was huge for me, it was my first one," Fehoko said. "It's a huge confidence-booster and something I can stack on. I think i'm doing pretty well in camp and I feel like this was just the icing on top."

The second catch was in the end zone after breaking on a crisp route to gain space against his defender, though it wasn't Rush who made the toss. It was Ben DiNucci, and so while Fehoko didn't see a lot of work from either QB, he reminded them both why they should look for him more often when the Cowboys visit the Chargers next weekend. Fehoko is having a very, very strong camp and it stands to reason he should get more than two looks per game in the final two preseason outings (or at least, he hopes so).

— Patrik Walker

Swinging Gate

Josh Ball continues to struggle in camp and his bad day at the office in Thursday's scrimmage rolled over into Saturday, where the Broncos effectively had their way with him. This raises the concern level at the backup tackle position to dire straits, but maybe Isaac Alarcon can calm the storm there a bit. Alarcon has been getting more and more reps at tackle as of late - his base with the Cowboys being at guard - since the loss of rookie fifth-round pick Matt Waletzko to a shoulder injury at the start of camp in Oxnard.

Alarcon did everything he was supposed to do when given the chance in Denver, consistently creating run lanes and also standing tall against the very pass rush that gave Ball trouble. When asked if he feels he can make the immediate switch back to tackle (where he played at Monterrey) and potentially be an impact player for the Cowboys in that role, a smiling Alarcon simply replied, "Sure. … I feel good." After seeing what he was able to do in limited duty on Saturday, he should.

– Patrik Walker

Bland Impresses

The irony of DaRon Bland being one of the spiciest players on the Cowboys roster doesn't escape me one bit. The rookie fifth-round pick out of Fresno State has drawn high praise from players and coaches alike for his ability to blanket receivers at X, Z or in the slot during training camp practices - often performing like a seasoned veteran. He looked great again on Thursday in the team's scrimmage against the Broncos and any concerns on if he could translate his due north trajectory to an NFL game has mostly been put to bed, considering what he did against the Broncos.

Bland had five combined tackles - third-most on the team - and his coverage skills were readily on display early in the contest when he was the key reason the Broncos stalled on their first offensive drive and was forced to punt. He's shaping up to be a player the Cowboys can't afford to let go of in late August, but with two more preseason games to go, the job to secure a spot on the final 53-man roster isn't done. That said, he's off to a roaring start in securing one.

– Patrik Walker

DT Shines

Despite a poor showing in general by the Cowboys in the preseason opener against the Broncos, there were some bright spots to speak on - one of which being the defensive line. As third-year lineman Neville Gallimore so eloquently put it in his post-game interview: "The check engine light did not come on tonight." That was a playful jab at the comment he made following Thursday's scrimmage, his first time ever playing in Denver, noting the altitude immediately took its toll on his stamina and breathing.

But after a walkthrough on Friday, Gallimore seemed fully acclimated and played the majority of snaps on Saturday (deep into the second half), joining compatriots like Quinton Bohanna, Dante Fowler and Tarell Basham in making it virtually impossible for the Broncos to run the ball. In the end, the Cowboys defense allowed only 39 yards on 22 attempts (1.8 yards per carry) - a major nod at the likelihood of Dallas having potentially fixed what was once their biggest Achilles Heel on defense.

– Patrik Walker