LOS ANGELES, CA – The Dallas Cowboys win their first preseason game on the road since 2012 in a 32-18 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers on Saturday night. The man we can all thank for that is rookie punt returner Kavontae Turpin.
Dallas struggled against Denver getting into the end zone and only scored one touchdown at the tail end of the fourth quarter to avoid a shutout. Last night the Cowboys scored four touchdowns, three in the second quarter, and Turpin had two of the four.
The Cowboys picked up the rookie out of TCU and boy did he show some energy last night. The 5-foot-7 158 pound returner started the game off with a 98 yard punt return midway through the first quarter giving Dallas a 7-3 lead.
To think a 98 yard return for a touchdown was enough, nope Turpin was at it again in the second quarter with an 86 yard punt return for yet another touchdown. Both returns showed Turpin’s ability to find the holes and his natural ability to be lightning fast.
“I got the heart of a lion,” Turpin told the CBS broadcast during a sideline interview. “So I’m just trying to use my speed, use my ability that God gave me to my advantage.”
“Return man, that’s what I do,” Turpin said. “I’m a specialty guy. I’m here to prove to everybody I’m a true receiver. Special teams is what I do, I can wake up and do that. I’m here to prove to everybody that I’m a true receiver.”
Turpin said in recent practices that speed kills and he plans to use that to his advantage.
The quarterback situation for last night’s game was 100 times better than it was against Denver. Cooper Rush started for the Cowboys and then Will Grier entered the game in the second quarter. Grier finished 6-of-10 for 98 yards and showed that he can be calm inside the pocket and deliver some solid passes.
On the defensive side of the ball there were two names that stood out, Trysten Hill and Israel Mukuama. The 6th round pick in the 2021 draft had a killer night in the backfield. The defensive back had an interception and a pass break resulting in an incomplete pass and a ruffled Chargers offense.
Hill played extremely well and was the best defensive lineman of the game. He had three tackles on the night and had his biggest play of the game with a sack, strip, and fumble late in the first half giving Dallas the opportunity for a touchdown that resulted in a 22-point second quarter for the Cowboys.
The Cowboys will head back to Dallas for their third and final preseason game of the year in AT&T Stadium on Friday night against the Seattle Seahawks. Kick off is set for 7pm CST.
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