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After winning the NFC East last season but losing on a did Dez catch or didn’t catch it moment play against the Green Bay Packers in the divisional round of the playoffs, the Dallas Cowboys are anxious to put the past, collectively, behind them.
That chance comes on Thursday, August 13 when Dallas opens its preseason schedule against the San Diego Chargers. The Cowboys, who will once again host training camp in California, will play two west coast games before wrapping up the preseason in Texas.
It will be interesting to see how Dallas, with its dominant offensive line, rebuilds its offense, following the departure of DeMarco Murray, who led the NFL with over 1,800 yards out of the backfield last season. Check out the entire preseason schedule for the Cowboys here. All times are Central.
Dallas Cowboys 2015 Preseason Schedule
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Thursday, August 13 at San Diego Chargers, 9 p.m.
Oh, hey there Melvin Gordon. Welcome to the NFL. The Chargers’ first-round selection exceeded expectations in offseason work and, per reports, the former Wisconsin running back quickly picked up his brand-new team’s offense and was even a solid presence on the passing game. The Chargers will need that to translate to game-time as soon as possible, particularly with the absence of Antonio Gates, who was suspended for the first four games of the season after violating the NFL’s policy on performance-enhancing drugs. If Gordon can find a rhythm out of the backfield and maybe even step up his receiving and blocking game, he can have an immediate impact for San Diego from the get-go. Your move, rookie.
Sunday, August 23 at San Francisco 49ers, 7 p.m.
It is the new age of the San Francisco 49ers. After what was a seemingly never-ending offseason exodus that included everyone from head coach Jim Harbaugh to all-pros like Patrick Willis and Justin Smith, the 49ers are adamant that they are in “reload” not “rebuild” mode. There is some carry-over from last season, notably quarterback Colin Kapernick, who spent the offseason perfecting his throwing mechanics, as well as Vernon Davis and defensive standouts Aldon Smith and NaVorro Bowman. San Francisco is going to need that experience. Badly. Even if the team is just reloading.
Saturday, August 29 vs. Minnesota Vikings, 6 p.m.
Adrian Peterson appeared to be football-ready this offseason, signing a brand-new contract and, seemingly, putting all his legal woes behind him. Despite missing last season, Peterson boasts 10,190 career rushing yards and his speed, and quick feet, will be a good test against a Cowboys defense that occasionally struggled up front last year.
Thursday, September 3 vs. Houston Texans, 7 p.m.
It’s the battle for the Lone Star state and the final preseason game before the season opener. The key factor for the Texans coming into the matchup will be who the team names as its starting quarterback. Prior to the start of the presason that battle was a two-person fight between Brian Hoyer and Ryan Mallett but the position is expected to be designated shortly after the Texans open training camp on July 31.
