The first time the Dallas Cowboys’ offense faced a third down Saturday, quarterback Trey Lance delivered.
Instead of playing it safe with a checkdown, as he so often did in the first two preseason games, Lance stood in the pocket. He scanned the field. And he tossed a strike down the left sideline to wide receiver Tyron Billy-Johnson for a 25-yard gain that moved the chains and drew a roar from the AT&T Stadium crowd.
That throw proved to be the first of many sharp momentum swings for Lance, who played behind center for the Cowboys’ entire 26-19 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers in Saturday’s preseason finale.
After the 24-year-old quarterback’s first two preseason performances lacked both costly mistakes and eye-popping highlights, Saturday’s outing was more eventful — for better and, mostly, for worse.
Lance finished 33-for-48 passing for 323 yards, one touchdown and five interceptions. He also ran 11 times for a game-high 90 yards, including a 46-yard score.
Despite the five turnovers, Lance dotted Saturday’s game with bright moments.
His average of 6.7 yards per pass attempt Saturday outdid his mark from the first two preseason games. Throws like the one to Billy-Johnson helped him showcase an ability to push the ball downfield that he failed to display earlier in the preseason.
Lance also lofted an 11-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Ryan Flournoy late in the first half to cap a 13-play, 65-yard drive. And he enjoyed success with his legs, scrambling to convert third downs on three different occasions and sprinting past several defenders for that 46-yard touchdown in the third quarter.
The two quarterbacks ahead of Lance on the Cowboys’ depth chart — Dak Prescott and Cooper Rush — do not claim such scintillating running capabilities.
But consistency is paramount to quarterbacks in the NFL, and Lance struggled to provide it Saturday.
He threw an interception to Chargers veteran safety Tony Jefferson in the first half when he rolled to his right and failed to put enough oomph on a short third-and-three throw. Jefferson dove in front of the soft-floating pass to secure the takeaway.
In the second half, Jefferson picked Lance off again — this time by jumping in front of a pass in the end zone. Lance also was rolling right and throwing on the run when he tossed that second interception.
Lance’s third turnover came when he stood tall in the pocket and whipped a pass across the middle of the field during the fourth quarter. Problem was, he didn’t see Chargers linebacker Tre-Mon Morris-Brash, who leapt to snag the pick and then trucked Lance en route to a touchdown return.
Interception No. 4 came on a lob to wide receiver Cam Johnson that Chargers cornerback Matt Hankins yanked away. And the fifth pick came on a last-second heave that ended the game.
Lance also fumbled twice Saturday off botched handoffs, though he recovered the ball both times.
None of the mistakes alone will define Lance’s career, but they spoiled what could’ve been an impressive showing to end a busy preseason. His best moments were overshadowed by sharp lows.
It’s likely Lance won’t see significant playing time for the Cowboys during the regular season, barring injuries to Prescott or Rush. And if Saturday was Lance’s last game action in 2024, he’ll at least head to the background having provided plenty of plays worth reviewing on film.
He’ll want to celebrate some and find ways to learn from others.