Cowboys backup QB opens eyes with preseason performance

Dak Prescott who?

The Dallas Cowboys starting quarterback wasn’t in the lineup for the team’s preseason game on Aug. 22 against the Arizona Cardinals. Instead, it was Joe Milton III that got the nod from head coach Brian Schottenheimer.

And Milton made the most of the opportunity.

The third-year pro out of Tennessee shined in the opening 30 minutes, leading the Cowboys to a 24-6 halftime lead and accounted for all three touchdowns. A pair of them came with his arm, including a 53-yard strike to Jonathan Mingo to make it 14-0 Dallas.

He later called his own number on a quarterback draw, rushing in for the two-yard score.

While Milton has thrived in his preseason action, it’s important to remember that he is still firmly behind Prescott on the depth chart. He will remain there unless an injury forces the star out of action.

If nothing else, Cowboys fans can sleep a little better at night with the belief they have a capable backup behind Prescott. After all, that’s what the preseason is all about – seeing what you have up-and-down the roster.

After the first half in Arizona, the Cowboys might be feeling even better about the quarterback room. Here’s a look at what Milton did in the desert.

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Nielsen ranks most passionate NFL fan bases, from worst to first

When it comes to fan avidity, Bills Mafia reigns supreme. On the other hand, fans of the New York Jets and New York Giants have some work to do. According to the inaugural “Nielsen Scarborough NFL Fandom Index” from media audience research firm Nielsen, the Buffalo Bills have the best fandom in the league. Bills fans scored 208 on the new index, which takes into account eight key metrics, Nielsen announced in a press release. The key metrics, all from Nielsen’s own data are apparel purchases, event attendance, streaming, social media following, TV viewership, radio listening, betting intent, and overall interest level. The firm noted that fanbases in Philadelphia and Cincinnati both ranked in the top five across several categories, which pushed Eagles and Bengals fans near the top of the index despite “neither lead[ing] a single metric outright.”
New York 30

(Leslie Barbaro, NorthJersey.com via USA TODAY Network)

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