Cowboys Player of the Game in preseason loss to the Chargers

Deuce Vaughn made sure this wasn't his last time suiting up for the Dallas Cowboys.

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Trey Lance (19) hands the ball off to running back Deuce Vaughn (42) / Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports

The Dallas Cowboys fell to 1-2 in the preseason as the Los Angeles Chargers handed them a 26-19 loss. They had several chances to take control of the game and could have tied it up, or taken the lead, with a touchdown in the final seconds.

That didn't happen as Trey Lance threw his fifth interception of the game as time ran out. As frustrating as it is to see the ball turned over frequently, there were still some positive takeaways from this one. That includes seeing Deuce Vaughn stand out as the player of the game.

MORE: Winners & losers from Cowboys' preseason finale: Trey Lance throws game away

Vaughn, who is on the roster bubble, made sure to do all he could to secure a spot on the 53-man roster. He ran for 53 yards on nine attempts and set up a second-quarter touchdown when he ripped off an 18-yard run, which also resulted in an extra 15-yards due to a face mask penalty.

Big gain for Deuce Vaughn 🙌

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— NFL (@NFL) August 24, 2024

In addition to his 53 yards on the ground, Vaughn ran a 23-yard kickoff return as well.

A special shout out should go to the defense for continually getting the ball back but they had several different players stand out. That's a testament to the work Mike Zimmer is doing as the defensive coordinator.

On offense, however, Vaughn was the one who deserves the praise for making the most of his opportunities.

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