Preseason Week 1 Wrap Up; Monday Night Football Aug 16, 2012 | More
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Dallas 3, Oakland 0

Dallas Cowboys

This game was ugly and it began with the Dallas pass blocking. Cowboys' starting quarterback Tony Romo was under constant duress, being sacked twice as the first-team offense only produced one first down. Most alarming was Oakland’s ability to generate constant pressure up the middle. Poor offensive line play will kill an entire team’s fantasy production, as the Dallas offensive line troubles are a situation worth monitoring.

DeMarco Murray remains the Dallas starting tailback, but had two carries for zero yards while being stuffed by Oakland’s front five (also bad offensive line play). Felix Jones came in to relieve Murray, but only managed two carries for four yards along with a terrible dropped pass. Jones is nothing more than a handcuff/late-round flier.

Dez Bryant is considered the Cowboys highlight reel, making a nice snag for a 24-yard gain. Bryant has passed Miles Austin as the preferred wide receiver to own from the Cowboys roster.

Oakland Raiders

Carson Palmer struggled mightily, throwing a bad interception into double coverage on the Raiders’ first possession. Many have speculated that Palmer will develop into a viable fantasy starter, but I’m not ready to drink the Kool-Aid.

Denarius Moore did not play in this game, giving way to fellow wide receiver Jacoby Ford. Ford showed terrible alligator arms on two targets, obviously afraid of getting hit over the middle. I’m not sure which Oakland wide receiver to recommend as rookie wide receiver Rod Streater led the Raiders with six catches for 66 yards. Streater has been getting rave reviews in camp and clearly has caught the attention of the coaching staff. 

The most exciting news to come out of this game was Darren McFadden’s play, gaining 38 yards on three touches. Run DMC dazzled the crowd with his usual shifty maneuvers and downhill burst. There has never been any doubt of his raw talent. However, we must remind ourselves that McFadden has never played more than 13 games in a single season. He remains an injury-prone player of the highest regard as I only need to remind everyone that Ryan Mathews is also loaded with talent.