ARLINGTON, Texas -- No player had more on the line for the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday than quarterback Jameill Showers.
Given the opportunity to play the whole game against the Houston Texans with the Cowboys holding out Dak Prescott, Showers completed 10 of 25 passes for 91 yards with a touchdown, but an interception return for a touchdown deep in Dallas territory with 1:55 remaining could be his undoing. The Cowboys lost to Houston, 28-17.
Showers had some good moments, such as his touchdown pass in the first quarter to Darius Jackson on a screen. Besides the pick-six, he had some poor moments, like a second-quarter fumble that Houston turned into a touchdown. He had some moments the coaches would like, such as directing a final-minute scoring drive to close the half with completions to Jackson, Gavin Escobar and Andy Jones to set up Dan Bailey’s 52-yard field goal.
The Cowboys have made no secret in their desire to add a veteran backup quarterback, but if they choose to place Tony Romo on injured reserve because of a back injury then Showers’ chances to make the roster will improve. With a stellar showing, he might have been able to convince the Cowboys he was ready to handle a job, but that didn't happen.
QB depth chart: After Austin Davis chose to look for a better chance elsewhere, the Cowboys signed Jerrod Johnson to be their emergency quarterback if something happened to Showers. Johnson didn’t play and will collect $1,800 for his night of service.
RB depth chart: The Cowboys’ deepest position is running back with Ezekiel Elliott, Alfred Morris, Lance Dunbar and Darius Jackson. It might be so deep that last year’s leading rusher, Darren McFadden, might not be needed to start the season. McFadden is continuing to recover from a broken elbow suffered in the spring. Jackson got the bulk of the work Thursday and finished with 21 yards rushing on nine carries and scored on an 18-yard screen play.
Sealing a spot: Sixth-round pick Anthony Brown already sewed up a spot on the roster, but he helped his chances of being part of the defensive packages with his work in the slot that included an interception return for a touchdown in the third quarter. Facing fourth down, former Cowboys quarterback Brandon Weeden trusted his arm too much on a shallow out route that Brown was able to jump and he returned the pick for a score.
A surprise who played: The Cowboys’ biggest free-agent signing of the offseason was defensive tackle Cedric Thornton, who received a four-year, $17 million deal. While almost none of the regulars played vs. the Texans, Thornton started. Rookie defensive tackle Maliek Collins, who missed almost all of the offseason program and early part of training with a broken foot, was among those who didn’t play, and he will enter the regular season with just 13 snaps of preseason action. That’s a curious decision.
Can they grab a spot?: The Cowboys don’t have a lot of spots open on the roster, but several players had a chance to work their way into the mix. Defensive end Mike McAdoo had a sack and tackle for loss. Lawrence Okoye lined up across the defensive front and had some productive moments. Rookie safety Kavon Frazier was more active in this game than any of the other preseason contests. Will it be enough or too little too late? Of the three, McAdoo might be able to sneak in with one of the final pass-rusher spots.
Still wondering: Chaz Green started for the third time in four preseason games at left tackle. He also played some right tackle against the Texans. The Cowboys had hoped he would convince them he is their swing tackle behind Tyron Smith and Doug Free, but questions remain. He had a false start on the first drive. He was pushed back into Showers a couple of times. He was able to sustain more blocks as the game went on, which was something of a knock in his other preseason outings. The Cowboys will keep an eye on who gets cut elsewhere this weekend to potentially look for veteran help.
Position switch: In 2012, the Cowboys drafted Kyle Wilber to be an outside linebacker in a 3-4 scheme. In 2013, they moved to a 4-3 scheme and Wilber never got a solid footing as a defensive end and instead hung around as a linebacker and special-teams player. With the Cowboys having issues rushing the passer this offseason, Wilber apparently has moved back to defensive end. While he did not play vs. the Texans, he took his pregame warmup snaps at defensive end.
What’s next?: The Cowboys have 18 roster moves to make by Saturday to reach the 53-man limit. The Cowboys will be active in looking to make additions from the waiver wire or low-end trades. They already have started preparation for their season opener against the New York Giants, but will get into a normal practice routine on Monday. “I’m just looking forward to preparing for the regular season,” safety Byron Jones said. “We have been going in training camp mode for the last month and a half, and it’s time for the real thing.”
