Dallas, TX
Winners and losers in Cowboys preseason loss to the Rams
The Dallas Cowboys fell to the Los Angeles Rams in Week 1 of the preseason 13-12 on a touchdown pass from Stetson Bennett with four seconds to play.
Losing is always frustrating but that’s not what’s important in the preseason. What matters is getting players the reps they need as teams figure out their 53-man roster. For Dallas, that included getting Trey Lance plenty of opportunities to prove he can get the job done.
MORE: Jerry Jones clumsily explains ‘urgency’ comments in attempted walk back
Lance showed flashes but it was hard to classify him as either a winner or loser in this one. That’s not the case for the following players who either made a case for their spot on the team, or put themselves in a hole.
Markquese Bell is back at his natural position and he looks as comfortable as ever.
He nearly came up with an interception in the end zone on the first drive of the game but didn’t drop the ball when he got another chance. On the second defensive drive, Bell reached up and grabbed a pass from Stetson Bennett, getting it back for his offense.
Cowboys safety Markquese Bell with the interception pic.twitter.com/towlBQEegi
— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) August 11, 2024
Bell was all over the field, recording nine tackles in addition to the interception.
It was already going to be tough for Eric Scott, Jr. to make the roster before Andrew Booth was added in a trade with Minnesota. He might have gotten past Nahshon Wright but won’t surpass Booth, especially after he struggled against the Rams.
Scott was unable to prevent Jordan Whittington from catching a pass over the middle of the field, which turned into a 30-yard reception on the opening drive. On the Rams’ third possession, he was beaten by Xavier Smith on a third-and-six. To make matters worse, Scott was flagged for a late hit, giving Los Angeles an additional 15 yards.
His issues continued as he was constantly picked on, including when Whittington beat him on a fourth-and-three with just over a minute to go in the first half. Scott redeemed himself with an interception but that doesn’t erase the big plays he surrendered.
The Cowboys fell behind 3-0 early but were able to tie the game when Brandon Aubrey knocked in a kick from 30 yards out. Their drive lasted seven plays but it was the one from Jalen Brooks that put them in scoring range.
Brooks got free downfield and hauled in a 43-yard pass from Cooper Rush. He had to slow down to catch the ball which could have been a touchdown if Rush had a few more yards on the throw.
Rush. Brooks. 43 yards!@DallasCowboys moving down the field.
📺: #DALvsLAR on @NFLNetwork — NFL (@NFL) August 11, 2024
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/H52bWI1bgT
Brooks has had an excellent training camp as he battles Jalen Tolbert for the WR3 position. This reception was a reminder of why he’s generated so much excitement.
Dallas lost Sam Williams to a knee injury during camp which is unfortunate, but it did open the door for Viliami Fehoko, Jr. The second-year defensive end now had a shot at moving up the depth chart after not seeing the field as a rookie.
He was out there for most of the game against the Rams and wasn’t able to impress. Fehoko lined up on the edge but didn’t show any burst whatsoever. He played slow and was out of position throughout the night. There’s still time for him to earn playing time but he has to show improvement in a hurry.
First-round pick Tyler Guyton had a lot of eyes on him in this game. The Cowboys added him as their future left tackle and he’s going to have some big shoes to fill with Tyron Smith leaving in the offseason.
He turned heads throughout camp and did the same against L.A. Guyton proved to have the athleticism to deal with speed rushers and wasn’t lacking in power either.
Tyler Guyton is fun to watch https://t.co/M18bvCAQAv pic.twitter.com/6I8qkGESqW
— Joseph Hoyt (@JoeJHoyt) August 11, 2024
The coaching staff might not be ready to name him the starter just yet but it’s hard to see any scenario where he’s not protecting Dak Prescott’s blindside in Week 1 against Cleveland.
Malik Davis was the first running back off the bench after Rico Dowdle got the start. In his third season with the Cowboys, Davis is on the chopping block. He could still fight his way onto the roster but that won’t be easy after he struggled in Week 1 of the preseason.
Davis had 20 yards on two receptions but finished with a mere 18 yards on eight rushing attempts. That’s just 2.25 yards per attempt. The Cowboys were expecting more after dominating on the ground in the scrimmage against the Rams, making this even more disappointing.
— Enjoy free coverage of the Cowboys from Dallas Cowboys on SI —
Start Your Engines: 7 players to watch in Sunday’s preseason opener
Make Or Break: 3 key matchups to watch in Cowboys vs. Rams preseason opener
Where It Started: Looking back at Dak Prescott’s phenomenal preseason debut in 2016
Fix It: Cowboys offense has one major concern to correct before Week 1
Camp Battles: 6 surprising notes from Cowboys first unofficial depth chart
Cowgirls: Meet Reece Allman: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader
Editor’s note: See World Cup standings and scenarios updated in real time
The Socceroos live on at the 2026 World Cup.
Australia and Paraguay played to a 0-0 draw on Thursday night, which was good enough for Australia to secure second place in Group D and advance to the knockout stage of the tournament. Paraguay is likely to advance as a high-ranking third place team, but nothing is confirmed at the moment.
SHOP: Australia round of 32 World Cup tickets
Australia will head to Dallas where they will play their first elimination match on Friday, July 3 against the second-place team from Group G.
While we don’t yet know Australia’s opponent, we know the location, date and time of the match, which means tickets are already available. Here is everything you need to know in order to buy Australia World Cup tickets in Dallas.
Shop Australia Round of 32 tickets
Australia round of 32 World Cup tickets
As of publication, the cheapest round of 32 ticket to see Australia in Dallas on Friday, July 3 is $937. Any ticket for less than $1,000 at this point in the tournament is a steal considering most other prices.
Australia Round of 32 opponent
As the runner-up of Group D, Australia will take on the second-place finisher from Group G. Australia’s opponent will be finalized on Friday, but given the current standings it could be any of the following four teams:
- Egypt
- Iran
- Belgium
- New Zealand
Shop Australia Round of 32 tickets
Australia World Cup schedule
- Australia vs. Turkey – WIN 2-0
- Australia vs. United States – LOSS 2-0
- Australia vs. Paraguay – DRAW 1-1
- Friday, July 3 – Australia vs. Group G runner up at AT&T Stadium in Dallas (round of 32) – Shop tickets
World Cup Group D Standings
Shop Australia World Cup tickets
Editor’s note: See World Cup standings and scenarios updated in real time
Ivory Coast is headed to the knockout round at the 2026 World Cup.
With everything on the line Thursday afternoon, the Ivory Coast played perhaps its best match of the tournament so far to lock down second place in Group E and advance to the knockout stage of the tournament. Ivory Coast will head to Dallas where they will play their first elimination match on Tuesday, June 30 against the second-place team from Group I.
SHOP: Ivory Coast round of 32 World Cup tickets in Dallas
While we don’t yet know Ivory Coast’s opponent, we do know that it will either be France or Norway, meaning either way the African squad will have to defend against one of the best goal scorers in the world.
Here is everything you need to know in order to buy Ivory Coast World Cup tickets in Dallas.
Shop Ivory Coast Round of 32 tickets
Ivory Coast round of 32 World Cup tickets
As of publication, the cheapest round of 32 ticket to see Ivory Coast in Dallas on Tuesday, June 30 is $895, making this one of the cheapest tickets for the round of 32.
PRODUCT CARD
Ivory Coast Round of 32 opponent
As the runner-up of Group E, Ivory Coast will take on the second-place finisher from Group I. Ivory Coast’s opponent will be finalized on Friday, but given the current standings it will be either France or Norway.
Shop Ivory Coast Round of 32 tickets
Ivory Coast World Cup schedule
- Sunday, June 14 – Ivory Coast vs. Ecuador – WIN 1-0
- Saturday, June 20 – Ivory Coast vs. Germany – LOSS 2-1
- Thursday, June 25 – Ivory Coast vs. Curacao – WIN 2-0
- Tuesday, June 30 (Round of 32) – Ivory Coast vs. Group I runner up at AT&T Stadium in Dallas – Shop tickets
World Cup Group E standings
Shop Ivory Coast World Cup tickets
Oftentimes, it’s a good idea to extend players early. The Dallas Cowboys have learned this the hard way as they’ve allowed negotiations with key contributors such as Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb, and Micah Parsons to get out of hand.
Prescott was able to use his leverage to land a contract worth $60 million per season, which was a record at the time. Lamb held out during that same offseason, eventually landing a deal worth $34 million annually, whereas Parsons forced his way out after his negotiations stalled.
To their credit, the Cowboys might have tried to avoid more issues by signing a few players early. That includes guard Tyler Smith, who landed a four-year, $96 million extension in 2025. That has proven to be a home run, but the same can’t be said for another one of their big extensions.
Dallas decided to lock up cornerback DaRon Bland, signing the former fifth-round pick to a four-year, $92 million extension. This was a surprise move from the Cowboys since Bland was coming off a frustrating season, which was marred by a foot injury. The Cowboys were banking on Bland returning to the form we saw in 2023, but that wasn’t the case.
Bland continued to struggle with durability and wasn’t the impact player we saw during his breakout season when he was on the field. Now, he enters his fifth season in the league with a hefty price tag, and there are questions about his long-term status with the team.
DaRon Bland’s cap hit in 2026 is a problem
According to Over The Cap, Bland has the fifth-highest cap hit on the team this season. Bland, who is earning an annual average salary of $23 million, has a hit of $17 million this year.
The good news for the Cowboys is that they seemed to protect themselves slightly with this deal. While they can’t feasibly move on in 2026, even if Bland loses his starting job, they do have a way out of his deal next year.
Dallas can release Bland ahead of the 2027 season while absorbing a dead cap hit of $12.941 million. That would essentially make his deal a two-year contract for $36.355 million. That’s still not an ideal situation for the Cowboys, but that’s also what happens when the front office rolls the dice.
It’s also an unfortunate trend, as the Cowboys decided to extend Michael Gallup and Terence Steele while coming off injury-plagued seasons, and the results weren’t much better.
— Sign up for the Cowboys Daily Digest newsletter for more free coverage from Dallas Cowboys on SI —
Add us as a preferred source on GoogleFollow
-
Montana6 minutes agoEXCLUSIVE: 2 ‘Exceptionally Rare’ Ski-In, Ski-Out Montana Mansions Head to Auction in Big Sky—and Could Sell for a Serious Steal
-
Nebraska9 minutes agoToday in History – June 26: University of Nebraska holds first commencement
-
Nevada14 minutes agoNevada’s EV market is booming. Here’s why apartment charging could be the next challenge.
-
New Hampshire21 minutes agoA mom is thankful for Dismas Home – which is expanding recovery services to Rochester
-
New Jersey24 minutes agoNew Jersey Supreme Court requires transparency for facial recognition evidence
-
New Mexico29 minutes agoNM PRC hears pushback on El Paso Electric rate hike that could add $40 a month
-
North Carolina36 minutes agoMay home sales increase over 6% from last year in western North Carolina
-
North Dakota39 minutes agoNorth Dakota Supreme Court reverses dismissal of contractors’ lawsuit against city of West Fargo
