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August 18, 2012; San Diego, CA, Dallas Cowboys quarterback Kyle Orton (18) drops back to pass during the second quarter against the San Diego Chargers at Qualcomm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-US PRESSWIRE

Cowboys Vs. Chargers: Dallas Loses 28-20

The Cowboys played much better on Saturday night in their final preseason game before returning home, but their reserves blew an early lead in the second half.

Cowboys Vs. Chargers: Dallas Loses 28-20

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8 Total Updates since August 17, 2012

 

9 months ago Article 0 comments

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Cowboys Injury Update: Miles Austin The Latest Injured Player For Dallas

Miles Austin joins a growing gang of names on the Dallas Cowboys Injury list.

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9 months ago Update 0 comments

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Replacement Officials Blow Game-Changing Call Against Cowboys

With the NFL employing replacement officials during the ongoing labor dispute with the NFLRA, it was expected there would be some painful issues with the unseasoned crews working the preseason games. If the NFL is expecting to use the replacement officials once the games count, however, then mistakes such as the one made in the Dallas Cowboys and San Diego Chargers game cannot be made.

In the second quarter, with the Cowboys looking to build on a 10-0 lead following Brandon Carr's second interception of Philip Rivers, Dallas quarterback Kyle Orton had moved the offense into Chargers territory with just over a minute remaining in the half. On first-and-10 from the San Diego 30, Orton's deep pass intended for Andre Holmes bounced off several defenders before eventually ending up in the hands of Changers linebacker Donald Butler.

The play was blown dead and flags were thrown. After a long discussion, the officials announced the penalty was for an illegal hit to the head of a receiver by Chargers safety Eric Weddle, with the interception standing. The replay officials upheld the interception.

Many football fans were left scratching their heads over the legalities of the ruling, and Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio explains it was the biggest gaffe of the preseason for the replacement offiicials.

Following yet another extended discussion after the play, the officials gave the ball to San Diego and marked off the personal foul against the Chargers for the illegal hit. The correct move, as anyone who pays attention to NFL football knows, would have been to wipe out the interception, give the ball back to the Cowboys, and mark off the penalty against the Chargers from the previous spot.

Florio also points out that with every turnover being automatically reviewed by replay officials (who are not replacements) the call should have been reversed.

The Cowboys would lose the game 28-20.

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Cowboys Vs. Chargers: Plenty Of Positives In Loss

While Dallas let the game slip away from them in the second half, their first and second string players were much sharper than they looked against Oakland.

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9 months ago Update 0 comments

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Cowboys Vs. Chargers Final Score: Dallas Falls 28-20 In Second Preseason Game

The Dallas Cowboys lost 28-20 to the San Diego Chargers on Saturday night at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego.

The Cowboys first team offense played much better in their second preseason game, with Tony Romo 9-for-13 and 75 yards in an efficient first quarter. The Cowboys would come within a Dez Bryant toe-length of taking an early 7-0 lead, settling for a 40-yard Dan Bailey field goal instead while untimely penalties derailed another long drive for Romo and the Cowboys.

Kyle Orton would lead the Cowboys to 10-0 lead in the second quarter when Brandon Carr's interception of Philip Rivers gave Dallas advantageous field position, with Jamize Olawale cashing in on a one-yard touchdown.

Carr would intercept Rivers once more in the second quarter, with the Chargers quarterback going 13-of-15 for 109 yards in the first half. The Cowboys first team defense has yet to allow a point this preseason, with the team as a whole not giving up much before Charlie Whitehurst took advantage of the Cowboys reserves in the third quarter with an 18-yard pass to Vincent Brown.

The Cowboys would allow 21 unanswered points in the second half, hindered by a stagnant Cowboys offense under Stephen McGee (9-of-16, 86 yards, INT), before Rudy Carpenter would lead the Cowboys on 10-play, 71-yard touchdown drive to finish out the game.

Despite the second-half disappointment, the Cowboys played much better in their second preseason game, aided by a tremendous effort by rookie receiver Cole Beasley. The SMU product, who briefly left camp two weeks ago while questioning his career in football, caught seven passes for 104 yards and became the go-to target for the Cowboys in the second half.

Beasley would also demonstrate what they mean when someone says, "He left it all on the field." Following his third-straight reception, Beasley could barely make it to the sideline before literally losing his lunch.

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The Cowboys third preseason game is next Saturday in Dallas, with Sam Bradford and the St. Louis Rams visiting Cowboys Stadium.

For more on the Cowboys, make sure to head to Blogging The Boys for posts like a look at five non-starters to watch.

9 months ago Update 0 comments

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Cowboys Vs. Chargers Game Score: Dallas Leads 10-0 At The Half

The Dallas Cowboys lead the San Diego Chargers 10-0 at halftime.

Tony Romo was 9-for-13 for 75 yards in the first quarter for the Cowboys, with DeMarco Murray also looking sharp in limited action. The Cowboys would cap a 12-play, 39-yard drive at the end of the quarter with kicker Dan Bailey nailing a 40-yard field goal. Those were the first points put up by the Cowboys first team offense so far this preseason.

The Cowboys came close to scoring just a few plays before, with Dez Bryant making an incredible one handed grab in the back of the end zone that the officials ruled out-of-bounds.

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The Cowboys defense continues to be the star of the preseason, having yet to allow a point through six quarters of play. Brandon Carr, the Cowboys prize free agent signing, had two interceptions of Philip Rivers that halted any momentum the Chargers were trying to muster.

Kyle Orton looked just as sharp as Romo, going 7-for-10 for 83 yards before throwing an interception when Donald Butler hauled in a deflected ball on a long pass.

For more on the Cowboys, make sure to head to Blogging The Boys for posts like a look at five non-starters to watch.

9 months ago Update 0 comments

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Cowboys Vs. Chargers Inactives: Dallas Has 19 Players Out With Injuries

19 Dallas Cowboys will miss Saturday night's preseason game with the San Diego Chargers with injuries, including DeMarcus Ware, Miles Austin, and Jason Witten.

Ware, Austin, and Witten are three of the eight starters who won't go against San Diego. Ware and Austin both have hamstring issues, though Ware has said his isn't serious, while Witten is recovering from a lacerated spleen suffered in Dallas' preseason opener.

Here's the full list of Cowboys out tonight, via the Fort Worth Star-Telegram:

WR Miles Austin, C Phil Costa, G Nate Livings, TE Jason Witten, NT Jay Ratliff, LB Anthony Spencer, LB DeMarcus Ware, DT Jason Hatcher, WR Saalim Hakim, CB Mike Jenkins, RB Lance Dunbar, RB Phillip Tanner, S Matt Johnson, LB Isiah Greenhouse, LB Kyle Wilber, LB Caleb McSurdy, C/G Kevin Kowalski, OT Jermey Parnell, WR Danny Coale.

For more on the Cowboys, make sure to head to Blogging The Boys for posts like a look at five non-starters to watch.

9 months ago Update 0 comments

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Cowboys Vs. Chargers: David Arkin Heads List Of Five Non-Starters To Watch

The Dallas Cowboys are counting on David Arkin to step up and provide depth at the center position, says Blogging The Boys' Tom Ryle in his piece about five non-starters to watch in Saturday night's preseason game vs. the San Diego Chargers.

After reading what seems like hundreds of articles about the event, loosely termed a football game, involving the Oakland Raiders, I am not sure just how good or bad Arkin is. Given the frequent and lingering injury situations in the interior of the offensive line, the odds are very high that he is going to be called on at some point in the regular season, and the team needs him to step up. He is struggling with the center position. He ought to, given that he never played it before. Having undergone his baptism by fire, so to speak, it will be interesting to see how he does in his second game. If he just looks reasonably competent, it could bode well for the Cowboys down the road.

Kickoff is slated for 8:00 p.m. CT, and the game will be televised on NFL Network.

Be sure to check out SB Nation's NFL hub for additional pro football coverage.

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Cowboys Vs. Chargers 2012: Game Preview, Kickoff Time, TV Schedule And More

The Dallas Cowboys will take on the San Diego Chargers in their second preseason game Saturday night at Qualcomm Stadium, as the team looks to find their offensive rhythm after an ugly 3-0 win over the Oakland Raiders back on Monday.

The defense will be without DeMarcus Ware, who is sitting out the game with a hamstring injury. The injury is not considered serious, so it is being done more as a precautionary measure.

The first-team offense and defense will be expected to take more reps, which should lead to more progress on the offensive side of the ball.

These two teams met in the preseason in 2011, with San Diego winning, 20-7.

Here is all the information you need to enjoy the contest.

Time: 8:00 p.m. CT
Location: Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, CA
TV: NFL Network

For the latest on the Dallas Cowboys, be sure to check out Blogging the Boys. Head over to SB Nation's NFL hub for even more NFL news. Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube Channel for video commentary.

Check out the SB Nation Channel on YouTube

9 months ago Update 0 comments

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Cowboys Vs. Chargers: DeMarcus Ware Will Sit With Hamstring Soreness

DeMarcus Ware will sit out tomorrow's game against the San Diego Chargers with hamstring soreness, according to ESPN's Todd Archer. The injury is not expected to be serious and it's likely that Ware would have played if this were a regular season game, but this is yet more alarming news for a team with high hopes this season.

The Dallas Cowboys have had to work through an incredible amount of injuries thus far in the 2012 preseason, with notable starters such as Miles Austin, Anthony Spencer, Jason Hatcher, Jay Ratliff and Phil Costa all missing significant time with various ailments.

Ware finished last season with 19.5 sacks and reports from camp stated that the linebacker was in the best shape of his career, and had taken steps to avoid the neck issues that had ailed him the past few seasons.

The Cowboys are facing some depth issues at linebacker in San Diego, with Spencer and Ware out and several inside linebackers fighting through various injuries. Caleb McSurdy, who had been fighting for a backup ILB spot, was lost for the season earlier this week with a torn Achilles.

For the latest on the Dallas Cowboys, be sure to check out Blogging the Boys. Head over to SB Nation's NFL hub for even more NFL news. Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube Channel for video commentary.

Check out the SB Nation Channel on YouTube

Photographs by jamesbrandon, jdtornow, phlezk, flygraphix, mcdlttx, tomasland, and literalbarrage used in background montage under Creative Commons. Thank you.