The Cowboys closed out a winless preseason with a 14-6 loss to the Houston Texans on Thursday night.
Dallas also went winless in the preseason in 2014 and finished 12-4 and won the NFC East, so there's certainly no reason to panic, considering most of the team's starters didn't play the final two games.
That said, here are 10 thoughts on the loss:
1. Cooper Rush did not look good. Too many high throws and too many inaccurate throws overall. He completed 14 of 25 passes for 83 yards with two interceptions
Rush doesn't look like the player who played with such confidence as a rookie last year.
The coaching staff keeps saying that it feels confident in him as a backup because of his total body of work since he arrived last year as an undrafted free agent, but it's hard to believe the Cowboys aren't trying to upgrade the position.
The reality is Rush finished the preseason 46 of 74 for 358 yards with one touchdown and four interceptions and a passer rating of 56.0.
Privately, the Cowboys will tell you Rush has been affected by playing with lesser players and that has made him take risks as a passer that he wouldn't do with better players on the field.
Right now, though, it feels like the season ends the moment Dak Prescott gets hurt, can't start for a month and Rush must play.
2. Lance Lenoir showed toughness, while catching nine of 10 passes directed to him for 69 yards. He also drew a 30-yard pass interference penalty. None of that is going to earn him a roster spot, but it should be enough to get him on the practice squad when he gets released.
3. Kicker Brett Maher continues to have a strong camp. He made field goals of 57 and 41 yards against Houston and finished the preseason 4 of 5. He also averaged 44.8 on seven punts. He's not going to make the Cowboys, but he should be on some team's roster before the season ends.
4. Chaz Green had issues in protection again, and It's hard to believe he's going to make the team because there's no way the coaching staff could have the confidence to play him in a game that matters.
5. Kony Ealy was supposed to provide quality depth at defensive end but he was moved inside to defensive tackle and it's unlikely he's going to make the team. Early played 45 snaps against Houston, tied for fifth most on the team. There are younger, better players.
6. Dorrance Armstrong had a sack, two tackles for loss and four tackles. He was active and it looks like he has earned a role with his performance this preseason.
7. Rico Gathers caught two passes for 12 yards, while playing 41 snaps. No tight end played more. He even played five snaps on special teams
Gathers was blown up on one short-yardage play, which isn't going to help his cause to make the team. Gathers is going to have a tough time making the team unless the Cowboys go short in another area.
It's hard to believe Dallas will keep four tight ends.
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8. Mike White, a fifth-round pick, completed 13 of 21 passes for 118 yards. White played the second half and only led the team to a field goal. He's tentative at times in the pocket, double-clutching on passes and staring down receivers, so he's not ready to challenge for the backup job.
9. Justin March-Lillard did a nice job against Houston with four tackles and a quarterback hit. He played 36 snaps and a team-high 24 on special teams. That's enough to get him on the roster as a solid backup and core special teams player.
10. Michael Gallup, the Cowboys' best draft pick in training camp, played 33 snaps and caught four passes for 29 yards. It seems odd to play a key member of the offense that many snaps, but he survived and he'll be a key player for the Cowboys this season.
