Cowboys Plan to Feature Offensive Weapons Against Bengals

The Cowboys are looking to get their budding offensive stars some reps on Saturday, which is a perfect opportunity for the Bengals to showcase their D.

The Bengals have their second preseason challenge this weekend against the Dallas Cowboys, and there will be a lot of focal points for the Bengals this Saturday. However, the Cowboys seem to have a heavy focus on offense in their second preseason game this year.

The Landry Hat, the Dallas Cowboys fan site on FanSided, broke down five players to watch on the Cowboys versus the Bengals on Saturday. Aside from defensive back Anthony Brown, all the players cited were offensive players. Quarterback Cooper Rush is another player the site mentioned, although he is definitively the backup QB.

The other three Cowboys they mentioned were running back Bo Scarborough, wide receiver Michael Gallup, and tight end Rico Gathers. These players should definitely be featured by the Cowboys, and may pose an interesting threat to the Bengals on defense.

Scarborough is a physical runner who has an enormous frame. He should see a lot of inside runs behind the strong Dallas offensive line, which will test the Bengals’ defensive tackles. Nose tackle was a question mark for the Bengals this season, so players like Andrew Billings and Andrew Brown will have to prove themselves against Scarborough.

Gallup, the Cowboys’ third round pick, may be their most talented wide receiver. A quick route runner with excellent hands, Gallup should line up all over the field, challenging most of the Bengals’ corners. The most intriguing matchup, though, will be against Darqueze Dennard. Dennard plays primarily out of the slot, so getting to match up with Gallup will be a great test for him in the preseason.

Gathers is a converted basketball player from Baylor who has been growing as a tight end on the Cowboys. He has a lot of raw skill, but his physical gifts are second to none. As a receiver, Gathers could really stretch the Bengals’ secondary on Saturday. The matchup that intrigues me most is against Jordan Evans at linebacker. Evans has the size, speed, and cover skills to match up on Gathers. If he can lock down Gathers, the Bengals should feel comfortable leaving him on receiving tight ends.

The Cowboys may want to focus on the offense, but the Bengals should do their best to lock them down come Saturday. Several fringe starters, like Billings and Evans, could use solid performances to lock up starting jobs. This week two game is the perfect opportunity to showcase their skills.