The second week of the NFL preseason is now the dress rehearsal for the regular season, which means the Dallas Cowboys will be using their better players more often than they did in the first preseason game. While that doesn’t mean you’ll see all of the stars, there should be more opportunities for the guys expected to make the roster.
The Cowboys’ opponent for the second preseason game is the Las Vegas Raiders, who are coming off a difficult season in which they had to find a new coach and are now looking for a new quarterback. Although they have struggled recently, there are some things the Cowboys hate about facing the Raiders in Week 2 of preseason.
Due to an allergic reaction, the sophomore defensive tackle did not travel with the team to Sin City. Smith had the reaction Friday afternoon and was treated, but it is not yet known if he will play.
While he could arrive on Saturday night healthy and ready to compete, it might be better for his safety to sit out the competition. The problem is that Smith needs to improve and that can only happen through more appearances. That’s difficult when Smith’s health is at stake.
Smith has been improving day by day in camp and had some good moments in the first preseason game, so the organization would hate to see him miss out on a key opportunity for his continued development.
However, the young DT’s long-term health takes priority. The timing is miserable for Smith.
Dangerous duo in defence
With the Cowboys introducing a new offensive line for the game, it couldn’t have come at a worse time. Dallas’ new offensive unit will face off against one of the best defensive line duos in the league, featuring defensive tackle Christian Wilkins and pass rusher Maxx Crosby.
Wilkins signed with the Raiders after setting a career high with nine sacks last year, while Crosby continues to be one of the league’s best pass rushers. Crosby has recorded 27 sacks over the past two seasons, which is the fourth-most in the NFL during that span.
The dynamic duo will face a Cowboys offensive line that could feature two rookies making their first career starts. While it’s good for Dallas to see what left tackle Tyler Guyton and center Cooper Beebe can do, this isn’t going to be a pretty test of fire. Even if Beebe doesn’t start at center, he should play enough snaps to compete against a solid Raiders front.
The Cowboys would hate to see two young, up-and-coming stars lose their confidence just because they lost a few battles against some of the league’s best.
In view of the elite that receives weapons
Dallas’ defense had a great debut under Mike Zimmer, but the Raiders have some elite weapons in the passing game that will give them a challenge. Davante Adams is one of the game’s best wide receivers, although he’s coming off a “down year” in which he caught 103 passes for 1,144 yards and eight scores. It remains to be seen how much, if any, the veteran will play, but when Adams does get on the field, he’ll be a tough opponent for the Cowboys’ secondary.
Adams and Bowers will be a challenge for a Dallas defense that played well the first time around. That could change in Week 2 of the preseason, and Zimmer would hate to see the Raiders pick apart his defense with their two elite pass receivers.
The Raiders also have an elite weapon at the tight end position in rookie Brock Bowers. The team selected him 13th last April and Bowers was considered by far the best TE in the draft. Bowers won the John Mackey Award for the best college TE in 2022 and is one of the best dual-threats at the position in recent years. The rookie has the athleticism to be effective as a receiver, the physical toughness to win as a blocker and he has proven to be a quick learner.
Related links
This article originally appeared on Cowboys Wire: Hate, Hate Hate: 3 things the Cowboys should hate about the Raiders’ preseason clash
