The afternoon was filled with a mixture of explosive games and, on two separate occasions, a scuffle broke out.
The first started with an exchange of words between offensive lineman Brock Hoffman and defensive end Sam Williams, which ended in a huge scrum that had to be broken up before defensive coordinator Dan Quinn made the call. in a full team huddle to get everyone back on the same page before moving on. practice.
That calm lasted all of 20 minutes, if that.
Shortly after the initial kerfuffle, two-time All-Pro linebacker Micah Parsons squared off against Pro Bowl center Tyler Biadasz — the latter was at the center of the initial scuffle — throwing at least two punch to Biadasz’s helmet before being separated and calmed down by two-time Pro Bowl quarterback Dak Prescott.
For his part, it’s exactly the kind of fire he’s been asking for from the Cowboys offense, all along.
“Hell yeah, I need that,” he said. “I’m here to make them better. I push myself for the better and pushing myself only makes them better, at the end of the day. I don’t care who I’m playing against. It doesn’t matter if it’s Tyron, if it’s Zack, if it’s Tyler Smith — I’ll beat the hell out of them.
“It’s only going to make them better. … This is where the championships start – right here in camp. The goal is to bring that out, and the camaraderie, to bring it all together. It’s just one goal at the end of the day.”
By the way, Parsons says his hands are fine, because you’re wondering.
The aforementioned goal for the Cowboys is to finally get over the hump and into the Super Bowl this coming season, and then hoist the Lombardi trophy when the clock ticks down to all zeroes on February 11 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. And, in Parsons’ point, the fuel needed to reach that destination can’t just be picked after the Week 1 trip begins.
The tank needs to be filled in training camp, first and foremost.
“That’s how this thing works,” Kearse said. “When you go up against a bunch of dogs on the opposite side, it just brings the best out of you. We’re just trying to keep working, and bring those guys on. … When you come out here and you go against us, it will bring the best of you.
“You against Micah, D-Law, you against Mazi [Smith]OAt [Odighizuwa]you are against [Dante] Fowler — you have many dogs against you. It brings out the best in you. … In the end, we will stand for all time.”
The team will now prepare to pack up and fly out to face the Seattle Seahawks on Saturday, then return to Dallas, where they will hold a few more practices before ending their preseason against the Raiders on August 26.
Needless to say, they left Oxnard with a bang this year.
“It’s the last practice of camp, man,” Parsons said. “You’ve got to bring your all. That’s what it’s all about. I told the guys before we went out there that this is our Super Bowl [on the line]. It is nothing more than fierce and a dog competitor.”
Kearse agreed, and wholeheartedly.
“This is our last day out of Oxnard, and that’s probably it,” he added. “… Either way, it’s all good competition and, on September 10, it will be another team on the opposite side of the two. [our] offense and defense, and they have to take what we bring them.”
In other words, bring in the New York Giants, and whoever else wants a piece.