Rush, Cowboys plagued by penalties and turnovers early in preseason opener

Coming into the preseason opener, quarterback Cooper Rush was presented with the opportunity to earn some leeway in the race for backup quarterback. With Will Grier out, Rush started the game and spent all of the first half leading the way for the Cowboys offense.

The mile-high air didn’t treat Rush well, unable to muster 100 passing yards and turning the ball over on a fourth-down attempt. On an out route from rookie wide receiver Jalen Tolbert, the ball was late and inside for the Broncos defense to steal. Grier’s stock likely rises with the struggles for his competition.

Beyond Rush’s struggles, the penalties were the story for the better half of the game for Dallas. In 2021, Mike McCarthy’s team struggled with penalties and the first outing of 2022 was no different. In the first half, the Cowboys committed a whopping ten penalties and came out of the locker room after halftime with another pair of infractions from the offense.

The abundance of the players on the field are reserves but the lack of discipline with penalties are a concern as the regular season is less than a month away. Dallas found themselves down 17-0 with cornerback Nahshon Wright picked on heavily by Denver. There’s been little to smile about for the Cowboys in this game, but rookie Tyler Smith’s strength on display was a nice touch.

Story originally appeared on Cowboys Wire