(OT) Joe Milton’s play must give Cowboys legitimate concerns about backup QB

[lancerman]

Joe Milton’s play must give Cowboys legitimate concerns about backup QB

The Cowboys' assumed backup QB was sacked for a safety and threw an interception in the preseason loss.

www.nytimes.com

ARLINGTON, Texas — Whether they want to admit it or not, the Dallas Cowboys have to have concerns about their backup quarterback position.

Joe Milton, the favorite for the job entering training camp, struggled for the second consecutive preseason game.

A week after giving himself a D/D-minus grade against the Los Angeles Rams, Milton wasn’t any better Saturday at AT&T Stadium against the Baltimore Ravens.

If it wasn’t for the interception, I feel like it would’ve been a smooth C-plus,” Milton said after the 31-13 loss. “But right now I still feel like I give myself a D. Just because I got to clean my eyes up.”

In the first half, Milton was 2 of 8 passing for 14 yards with no touchdowns, one interception and a 0.0 passer rating. The turnover he mentioned came right after Dallas had recorded a takeaway of its own.

With Milton’s big arm and the Cowboys taking over at the Baltimore 41, it’s not a surprise that head coach and offensive play-caller Brian Schottenheimer dialed up a big play opportunity. The problem: Milton never saw the safety helping over the top.

Milton was targeting wide receiver Jonathan Mingo down the middle of the field. There’s a good chance it would’ve been six points without the safety help. But Reuben Lowery was in perfect position to intercept the pass in the end zone.

“Seeing the boundary safety rolling down,” Milton said, “I just have to get my eyes correct. … I just got to see the post safety rolling over the top.”

Milton’s vision was also an issue on the Cowboys’ first offensive possession. Backed up to their own 7 following an illegal block during a Baltimore punt, the Cowboys lost four yards on two consecutive run plays. Facing third-and-14 from their own 3, Milton never saw Ravens cornerback Keyon Martin blitzing through untouched. The QB was brought down for a safety.

“I knew my hot responsibilities, I just didn’t see him,” Milton said. “Just because there was a bunch over there. I just didn’t see him.”

Schottenheimer’s goal for Milton was to play most of Saturday’s game. He wanted to see him perform like he did in the second half against the Rams. Schottenheimer felt a second preseason game would allow things to slow down for the second-year player. As was the case throughout four weeks of training camp practices in California, Milton showcased his big arm Saturday. A 49-yard deep ball connection with Mingo on third-and-8 in the third quarter was an example of why Dallas traded for him in April.

But, again, the bad plays outweighed the good. And with only one preseason game remaining, the Cowboys can’t feel like Milton — who finished 9 of 18 for 122 yards — has done enough to have secured the No. 2 job behind Dak Prescott.


You can read the rest in the article

 

[Steve102]

This can't be a thing. We've got at least one other thread singing the virtues of this guy.

 

[Pape]

9 of 18 for 122 yards 0 Tds 1 Int

Now thats the Joe Milton I wanted in the last game of last year...

 

[TheRainMaker]

This is why you don't let backups play hero ball in a meaningless week 18 game last season.

 

[lancerman]

Now thats the Joe Milton I wanted in the last game of last year...

 

[jmt57]

Many, especially in the national corporate media, simply wrote that game off as being meaningless for Buffalo; "the Bills had nothing to gain" by winning.

But in reality that is a very short sighted viewpoint. Yes, they had nothing to gain in the playoff picture by winning. But there was actually much more to it than that. The Bills had a lot to gain by losing, because doing so would hurt a division rival. And hurting a division rival helps them in the long term.

I realize that will sound like a lot of sour grapes, tin foil conspiracy theory BS - but it is true: Bufalo gained a huge advantage by losing.

The Patriots were in a bind though. If they tell Mayo to tank and then fire him, he's going to let everyone know about the order to tank. The better way around that would have been to fire Mayo before the Buffalo game, and give the interim coach instructions to start as many practice squad players as possible, 'so the front office could get a good look at prospects'. And that should have included letting Milton play for a drive or two, then letting some recently signed rookie free agent QB go the rest of the way. That or just run the ball up the middle 55 times.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

This is why you don't let backups play hero ball in a meaningless week 18 game last season.

Even if they put Brissett out there, BUF wasn't really trying to win, so I doubt it would've turned out much differently. Mayo was still trying to win (whether he was trying to save his job or trying to leave a flaming bag of poop on his way out the door, the result's the same).

 

[Zoomnbyu]

320 posts of the same BS wasn't enough for you?

Thread 'Joe Milton Dallas'

Jul 21, 2025

Whats the news from Dallas (if any) on Joe Milton. Is he good enough to unseat Dak. I bet he thinks he is.

• Dec54
• Replies: 373
• Forum: PatsFans.com - Patriots Fan Forum

 

[TheRainMaker]

Even if they put Brissett out there, BUF wasn't really trying to win, so I doubt it would've turned out much differently. Mayo was still trying to win (whether he was trying to save his job or trying to leave a flaming bag of poop on his way out the door, the result's the same).

Brissett doesn't have the ability to run around and chuck it downfield like Milton did. It's one thing if guys were flying wide open and Milton completed passes that way, but he was going out of his way to extend plays like he was Eli Manning in SB42. I think Mayo was told he wasn't coming back which was why he was so aggressive all game. If he knew otherwise, he'd be running the ball all game and trying to secure the #1 overall selection/control of the entire draft.

 

[Jim Beankie]

Brissett doesn't have the ability to run around and chuck it downfield like Milton did. It's one thing if guys were flying wide open and Milton completed passes that way, but he was going out of his way to extend plays like he was Eli Manning in SB42. I think Mayo was told he wasn't coming back which was why he was so aggressive all game. If he knew otherwise, he'd be running the ball all game and trying to secure the #1 overall selection/control of the entire draft.

If we're gonna blame anyone for that last game, it'd be the strategic blunder on the part of Kraft for telegraphing the firing. Just guessing on that part, though, like we all are.

 

[Family]

If we're gonna blame anyone for that last game, it'd be the strategic blunder on the part of Kraft for telegraphing the firing. Just guessing on that part, though, like we all are.

If we blame anyone for that game, it's Buffalo.

No matter who you play at QB, if the other team isn't going to cover you, it makes it tough to lose.

 

[signbabybrady]

We got Campbell and Henderson why is anyone still complaining about draft position. It couldn't have really worked out much better.

 

[varjao]

The Cowboys are one of the teams that should spend a little more on backup QB given Dak history of season ending injuries.

As for the Patriots, I thought at the time it was a bad trade because of the compensation but I wasn't upset about it because it seems Milton was opening his mouth a little bit too much so not that that would hurt Maye's feelings or what else but I think if Vrabel felt for a minute that could become a problem, he was right to ship Milton. The last thing you want starting a new program is issues like this.

But I wanted a better backup QB, I really wanted Andy Dalton, it seems he settled in the backup QB role, is a good dude and a competent QB, actually he was a top 10ish QB for a few years and his style matches with Maye but it seems he likes Carolina and developed good friendship over there. JimmyG could also be a thing but seems like he doesn't want to leave California, poor dude, good looking and millionaire, I wouldn't either.

 

[Toofy]

We got Campbell and Henderson why is anyone still complaining about draft position. It couldn't have really worked out much better.

I think people wanted the extra draft 1 pick of jags from next year worst case titans might have given us an additional 2nd this year and 2nd next year for jumping from 1 to 2. So thats a lot of assets on rookie contract .

But in hindsight if we had that pick we might not have drafted Campbell and got some mid level Olinemen as LT. All good.

 

[Bill Lee]

We got Campbell and Henderson why is anyone still complaining about draft position. It couldn't have really worked out much better.

Complaining is the reason they are here. It's not socially acceptable to kick the dog, so they come here to vent.

 

[signbabybrady]

Complaining is the reason they are here. It's not socially acceptable to kick the dog, so they come here to vent.

Said by a man who enjoys kicking old dogs

 

[imahobgoblin]

This is a fake post and fake news. Some on here had him worth a first round draft pick at the end of last year.

 

[rochrist]

This is why you don't let backups play hero ball in a meaningless week 18 game last season.

On the contrary, it's why you DO. So that Jerry will wander in and take him off your hands.

 

[Jim Beankie]

If we blame anyone for that game, it's Buffalo.

No matter who you play at QB, if the other team isn't going to cover you, it makes it tough to lose.

Not sure what you mean. They had almost the entire starting secondary out there when Milton completed his 1st 10 passes or around that. Game planning to lose I can see, but the players are gonna play.
The big thing is not having Von Miller and the starting DL in there. He sacked Maye in the 1st series to reach a contract incentive. Then again the Pats basically had 3rd string OL to block for Milton, so it was a wash there.

 

[brdmaverick]

So it's tougher to play quarterback when the other team isn't trying to throw the game?