GLENDALE, Ariz. — The Cowboys haven’t won in this state for a long time. Maybe it’s the heat or the mountains of Arizona.
Whenever the Cowboys visit, something goofy happens, whether it’s a regular-season or preseason game.
Everything worked for Dallas on Saturday night, however, when it emerged with a 34-13 victory over the Cardinals, ending a six-game losing streak to the Arizona franchise. The last time the Cowboys beat the Cardinals in a regular-season or preseason game was in the 2017 Hall of Fame Game. That contest was held in Canton, Ohio.
You must go back to Sept. 25, 2017, to find the last time the Cowboys defeated the Cardinals in this state.
The Cowboys took a commanding 24-6 lead at halftime thanks to three touchdowns (two passing and one rushing) from quarterback Joe Milton.
Backup receiver Jonathan Mingo caught his first career touchdown pass, regular season or preseason, on a 53-yarder from Milton.
It was another solid performance for the Cowboys’ defense as well. Shavon Revel picked off a pass and there were two sacks.
So, what happens when you go 2-0 in the preseason?
The Cowboys are 2-0 in the preseason for the first time since 2007, when Wade Phillips was the coach. What happened that year? The Cowboys finished 13-3 and were the No. 1 seed in the NFC. Not sure if you know the rest of that story? The Cowboys were upset by the New York Giants in the NFC Divisional Round of the playoffs with the main storyline being Tony Romo, Jason Witten and Bobby Carpenter visiting Mexico during the playoff bye week. That trip didn’t hurt the Cowboys in that loss, but it’s nice to talk about it. Moving forward, a 2-0 start doesn’t mean much in the regular season, but it does show the Cowboys are moving in a positive direction.
Joe Milton vs. Sam Howell
Milton started the second preseason game and took a lead over Sam Howell for the No. 2 job at quarterback. Milton completed 9 of 13 passes for 179 yards with two passing touchdowns and one rushing score. Milton finished with a 151.4 quarterback rating. Milton had six first-half possessions, with four ending in scores. One of Milton’s best throws was a 53-yard touchdown pass down the Cowboys’ sideline on a fade route to Mingo.
Howell had three possessions in the second half. He finished 7 of 10 for 65 yards with an interception. Howell completed his first four passes. The interception came under pressure as Howell threw off his back foot toward rookie receiver Anthony Smith. Howell attempted two good throws, a fade to Jaden Smith and a deep pass to Anthony Smith, that just fell incomplete. Depending on the roster construction, the Cowboys might keep both quarterbacks on the 53. It seems the final preseason game Friday against New Orleans will decide.
Cornerback changes are eye-opening
The Cowboys made changes with their cornerbacks Saturday night. Revel and Ameer Speed got the start. Calen Carson, who started last week with Revel, didn’t come into the game until 11:09 left in the first half. Revel, after getting penalized for illegal contact to the face in the first quarter, picked off a Gardner Minshew II pass. Former Cowboys receiver Simi Fehoko fell down before the ball arrived, allowing Revel to snag the pass. It led to the first score of the game. After Revel played two defensive series, he was replaced by Devin Moore. Derion Kendrick played in the slot. Moore allowed a 32-yard reception to Fehoko on a deep pass down the sideline in the first half. The fact that Speed, a free agent signing, and Moore, a 2026 fourth-round pick, played before Carson was telling. With one more preseason game left, Carson could be fighting for a roster spot.
Rookie linebacker Jaishawn Barham gets moving
Third-round pick Jaishawn Barham missed the preseason opener with a groin injury. He made his debut Saturday night as the middle linebacker, getting the defensive signals from defensive coordinator Christian Parker. Barham had five first-half tackles, including a tackle for loss as he shot the gap on a run play. The Cowboys used different players at middle linebacker during training camp, from DeMarvion Overshown, Curtis Robinson, Shemar James and Barham.
What can Camden Brown do for you?
After scoring two touchdowns in the preseason opener, receiver Camden Brown finished with two catches for 77 yards. Brown didn’t play in the second half. He made a 70-yard reception in the second quarter off a Milton scramble. Brown got behind a defender and ran down the Cardinals’ sideline before getting caught near the goal line. Later in the first half, Brown made a nice catch over the middle and held onto the ball after taking a hard hit from safety Wydett Williams Jr. The Cowboys might keep six receivers. Entering the final stages of the preseason, Mingo, who caught his first career touchdown as a pro Saturday, and Brown are the leaders on the back end of the receiving group.