3 winners & 4 losers from Cowboys' dreadful performance against Ravens

The Dallas Cowboys fell to 0-2 in the preseason with a loss on Saturday night to the Baltimore Ravens. While fans always want a win, that's not the main focus of the preseason.

These games are all about players getting experience and showing they can handle the spotlight. Unfortunately, there were some rough moments in this game, starting with Joe Milton III being sacked for a safety on their first drive.

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The offense continued to struggle, but the defense had some bright moments. That said, let's see which players stood out as winners and losers in Week 2 of the preseason.

Loser: Dallas offensive linemen

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Joe Milton III walks off the field after he is sacked for a safety. | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

The Cowboys' offensive line wasn't impressive in this one. The Ravens had their way with them, as Dallas had 20 yards on nine rushes in the first half. It wasn't better in the second half, as Dallas had 51 yards on 20 attempts.

They couldn't get a push in the ground game, leading to a frustrating debut for running back Miles Sanders. To make matters worse, Brock Hoffman was flagged on the one decent run, negating Malik Davis' 15-yarder in the fourth quarter.

Winner: Andrew Booth, CB

Dallas Cowboys CB Andrew Booth, S Mike Smith Jr., and LB James Houston celebrate after Booth returns an interception for a TD | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

The Cowboys need players to step up at cornerback, and Andrew Booth did that on Saturday. After giving up a couple of receptions, Booth got his revenge late in the first quarter.

Booth was able to pick off a pass from Rush, intended for LaJohntay Webster. Booth then ran the ball back 40 yards for a touchdown, giving his team a 7-5 lead.

Andrew Booth steal & score 😤

📺: #BALvsDAL on CBS11
📲: Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/RmDxAeCG4M pic.twitter.com/RfFlIw0Zpf
— Dallas Cowboys (@dallascowboys) August 16, 2025

Loser: Jalen Cropper, WR

Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Jalen Cropper carries the ball against the Los Angeles Rams in the first half at SoFi Stadium. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

On the second drive of the game for Dallas, Milton dropped back and threw a dime deep downfield for Jalen Cropper. The ball hit his hands, but Cropper was unable to haul it in, leading to a punt.

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The Cowboys have a tight battle at the receiver position, leaving very little room for error, making this a huge drop for Cropper.

Winner: Kemon Hall, CB

Dallas Cowboys cornerback Kemon Hall celebrates with teammates after making an interception against the Baltimore Ravens. | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

The Cowboys believe Kemon Hall can be their starting nickel corner, and he had a solid game on Saturday, giving them more confidence in him.

Hall was beaten on a 25-yard pass in the second quarter, setting up a touchdown. While he wasn't able to break up the pass, he fought through the play and nearly forced an incompletion.

He later recorded an interception, giving the Cowboys a chance to score late in the first half.

Kemon Hall snags it 🤲

📺: #BALvsDAL on CBS11
📲: Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/RmDxAeCG4M pic.twitter.com/xt8t2rS37K
— Dallas Cowboys (@dallascowboys) August 17, 2025

Unfortunately, Milton threw a pick on the very next play, but Hall still did his part.

Loser: Jalen Tolbert, WR

Dallas Cowboys receiver Jalen Tolbert catches the ball at training camp at the River Ridge Fields. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Jalen Tolbert led the team in touchdown receptions last season, but is now in a fight for his job. On Saturday, he didn't do much to help his case, finishing with just two yards on one catch.

Of course, the entire offense struggled, so that's not a huge concern. What really hurt Tolbert, however, was that he was flagged for a block in the back on the first punt of the game and later missed a block on a run by Miles Sanders.

Those are the small plays that can become big, and Tolbert can't afford to make such mistakes.

Winner: James Houston, EDGE

Detroit Lions’ James Houston IV held a youth football camp at JSU in Jackson, Miss. | Lauren Witte/Clarion Ledger / USA TODAY NETWORK

He didn't record any tackles, but James Houston was still one of the best players on the field in this one. He was consistently pushing the pocket and had multiple quarterback pressures.

It's not going to be easy for him to make the roster due to the depth at EDGE, but it seems ridiculous to consider cutting Houston.

Loser: Joe Milton III, QB

It was another rough start for Joe Milton III. Following his rough outing against the Rams, Milton was looking to bounce back against the Ravens, but was sacked for a safety on his first drive, and it didn't get better after that.

Milton had 14 yards passing with one interception heading into the half. He again performed better in the second half, finishing 9-of-18 for 122 yards with one interception.

Cowboys QB Joe Milton in the first half: 2 of 8 passing, 14 yards, 1 INT, 0.0 passer rating
— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) August 17, 2025

Outside of a couple of throws, Milton was inaccurate, didn't see the free rusher when sacked for the safety, and was once again throwing with too much velocity. At this point, it's not a safe bet that he will stay QB2 ahead of Will Grier, although he struggled as well.

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