Cowboys Country

Deuce Juice, Kicker Yips? Cowboys vs. Jaguars Top 10 Whitty Observations

Dallas Cowboys' diminutive running back Deuce Vaughn showed flashes, but their new kicker raised concerns in a 28-23 preseason-opening loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Richie Whitt

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Deuce Vaughn's athleticism dazzled but Brandon Aubrey's hook raised doubts as the Dallas Cowboys lost to the Jacksonville Jaguars, 28-23, in their preseason opener at AT&T Stadium.

10. DEUCES WILD - The Cowboys' smallest player/biggest fascination delivered with an intriguing, entertaining performance against Jacksonville. Deuce Vaughn, the celebrated 5-foot-5 running back, juked defenders, got open on pass routes and scored Dallas' second touchdown on a 4-yard run in the fourth quarter. Serenaded by the crowd on every touch, Vaughn produced 56 combined yards on eight carries and three catches. 1993: Daryl "Mooooooose" Johnston. 2023: "Dooooooooooce" Vaughn.

He's the biggest small-man fan favorite in DFW since 5-10 point guard J.J. Barea helped the Dallas Mavericks to their championship in 2011.

9. CURIOUS COWBOY - Trevor Lawrence will probably make the Pro Bowl and lead his team to a playoff berth, but he'd like to forget his first pass of this season. The Jags' quarterback lofted a pass that was intercepted by Juanyeh Thomas. How unheralded is the Cowboys' safety? He doesn't even have his own Wikipedia. In 2023 how is that even possible?

8. REVENGE FACTOR? - Sure, the Cowboys lost. But it wasn't nearly the gut-punch as the last time they played the Jags. Noah Brown's volleyballed Pick Six ring a nauseating bell?

7. MISPLACED MONIKER - Same team that boasted "Doomsday," "Triplets" and "America's Team" is completely misfiring on this year's nickname. "Texas Coast Offense" may be catchy but, um, has coach Mike McCarthy been to Galveston or Corpus Christi? Not nearly picturesque enough for an NFL offense.

6. QB2 CONTROVERSY - While Dak Prescott's job is safe, the battle for backup quarterback might have grown more interesting. Cooper Rush completed 10 of 12 passes, but mostly on checkdowns totaling only 83 yards. Will Grier, meanwhile, tossed two touchdowns to Jalen Tolbert and tight end John Stephens. Grier's impressive performance, however, was spoiled by a late interception over the middle with Dallas trailing 28-16.

5. CLIMATE CHANGE - Back in the days of Super Bowls and outdoor stadiums, the Cowboys would have hosted this game at Texas Stadium. Perhaps Jerry Jones should've opened AT&T Stadium's roof to heat up the glory days. 

Check that, we can think of 106 reasons why that would've been a horrible idea.

4. TOUCHDOWN, TOLBERT - After a disappointing rookie season, Tolbert is already off to a stronger start in 2023. The third-round draft pick caught only two passes last season, but against the Jags he nabbed his first touchdown as a pro. Tolbert made a leaping 30-yard catch, but was called for a questionable offensive interference penalty that negated the play. But on the same drive just before halftime, he ran a crisp post route and caught quarterback Will Grier's bullet for a 17-yard touchdown.

3. HOLDING ... OUT - All-Pro offensive lineman Zack Martin wasn't in uniform and still isn't in training camp. All of us can't envision the season starting Sept. 10 at the Giants without him though, right? 

“I certainly expect him to be part of this year’s team," Jones said last week. "But if you re-adjusted contracts every time anybody did – or felt like they did – as far as playing above their contract, you could never field a team.”

2. QB OOPS! - Prescott didn't play, but he did commit a turnover. The quarterback wore a microphone for a "mic'd up" segment on the CBS TV broadcast. He was his normal, upbeat, enthusiastic self, but on one occasion a little too much so. After Tolbert's touchdown catch late in the first half, Prescott celebrated with an audible "F*cking right!"

1. YIKES, YIPS? - Cowboys' kicker Brandon Aubrey had a perfect day in training camp last week. But, stop me if you've heard this one before, in his first real NFL "game" he missed an extra point. After making a PAT and a 29-yard field goal, Aubrey yanked his second extra point wide left in the fourth quarter to keep Dallas' lead at 16-14. He did regroup to make the extra point after Dallas' final touchdown. 

Last year's kicker Brett Maher, of course, infamously missed four PATs in the playoff win in Tampa. While Cowboys Nation likely raised an eyebrow - and perhaps some pulse rate - at Aubrey's miss, Maher went 0 of 2 Friday night as the new kicker for the Denver Broncos.

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Richie Whitt
RICHIE WHITT

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