Rams vs. Cowboys: 10 Key Players, Things to Watch for Dallas

Saturday is it for the Dallas Cowboys. It's the "dress rehearsal" game before the start of the regular season in September.

We will receive an extended look at some starters and a peek behind head coach Jason Garrett's offensive curtain.

More than anything it is a chance for fans to see just how well, or bad, the team looks before their showdown with the Giants to open the season.

So with so many injuries and changes to the Cowboys on both sides of the ball, here are 10 items to watch during Saturday's game against the Rams.

Cowboys Offense Without Jason Witten

Witten is out for an extended period of time due to his spleen injury. He is scheduled to visit a doctor next Tuesday and we should receive a timetable as to when he’s able to return.

Long-term the Cowboys shouldn’t worry about rushing Witten back on the field, as he may be needed for a playoff run.

What we will get to see on Saturday is how the offense will look without Witten’s presence. He has been the team’s top receiver for awhile now and Romo’s fail safe.

Hear me again—when I say that he was the team’s top receiver, he is over and better than Miles Austin. No Cowboys receiver catches more passes and does more offensively than Witten.

How well will John Phillips and James Hanna fit in with Witten out?

I’ve made it known that I believe in and really like James Hanna. So does the team, as he has been a nice surprise for them so far.

No one player can replace Witten, so it will be up to two young tight ends to get the job done. Can they do it?

The Cowboys Offensive Line

We always have our eyes on the Cowboys offensive line because it's either changing or in bad shape.

It may be a little of both right now as we know where the two tackles stand, but how about guard and center?

But more than anything, at least in my eyes, how will this line hold up against the rush? The first team did well against the Chargers but looked shaky vs. the Raiders.

An extended look at this unit's progression and who is expected to start come September 5th will be on full display come Saturday.

Kevin Ogletree and the Slot Receiver Band of Brothers

Who in the world will be the team's slot receiver? Ogletree did a great job against the Chargers with his 35-yard catch in rush hour traffic from the Chargers secondary.

That type of catch goes a long way in earning the trust of the coaches and his quarterback. He may have just done that with his performance in San Diego.

If Garrett decides to go with another receiver or a committee approach, he has to pick from Cole Beasley, Danny Coale and Dwayne Harris.

Because Ogletree has the most experience and the others are rookies or still young in their careers, I expect for Kevin to win the job.

For the record, my money is still on Danny Cole down the road.

Morris Claiborne’s Progression

Claiborne got a little work against the Chargers, which was his first NFL game action. We received a chance to look at the rookie's skills and how he would handle NFL game speed.

He did OK for himself, and we'll get to see more on Saturday. Just how far has he come, and is he really as good as the hype?

Can he press, play in the zone, and just how physical can he be?

Bruce Carter and Dan Connor

This was a position battle to watch coming into training camp, and it appears that Carter has won.

I had the belief that Connor would start the season as starter and Carter would eventually come on toward mid-season.

But Carter is in his second season in Rob Ryan's scheme and Connor was an offseason free agent pick-up.

Pairing Carter with Lee will make the Cowboys linebacker units one of the best in the NFC.

Seeing how Ryan uses both Carter and Connor will be interesting, because Connor is nothing short of a defensive asset for Dallas.

Did Rob Ryan Simplify His Defense?

Ryan didn’t “dumb his defense” down, but he did simplify the audible system.

Can the Cowboys' new players catch on? Morris Claiborne, Brandon Carr and Matt Johnson are new to the system and will have to catch on fast.

The quickest has to come for Johnson, as he’s trying to make the team and prove that he belongs.

Has the system been simplified enough for new players to catch on?

Tyrone Crawford and the Cowboys Pass Rush

Crawford has surprised the Cowboys coaches with his play and growth on the field. He's not a starter, but he is slowly working his way toward playing as a full-time defensive end.

Crawford isn't the best against the run, which is why he isn't starting. If he continues to work, then there is no reason why he shouldn't make it to that point.

However, the Cowboys pass rush has to do a better job of getting to the quarterback. If they can, that gives the secondary a better chance to defend against the pass.

Crawford will provide a spark if he's brought in on third-down situations to rush the passer, but there will have to be a bigger push from the bigs up front.

Felix Jones

There is no headline or title to this: How well will Mr. Jones play on Saturday? Better yet, how well will he play this season?

I keep going back to Jones failing his conditioning test to start training camp, and to me it seems that he hasn't recovered.

I may be totally off but I just feel that this may be Jones' last season in Dallas. He had two bad plays against the Chargers, the dropped pass and the hold-up on third down, that continues to play in my mind.

Will he redeem himself on Saturday?

Will Dez Bryant's Training Camp Performance Translate to Success on the Field?

Bryant is such an athletic beast that it's tough to say that he won't have success on the field.

But he disappeared in the second half of many contests last season as teams either took him out of the game or he seemed fatigue.

What we see from him on Saturday will be a small portion of what we will get from him during the season.

Will Bryant play for all four quarters or will we see him tail off toward the end of games?

Black Marble

Jennelle Carrillo is suing the Cowboys because she burned herself on a hot, black marble bench outside of the Cowboys stadium.

She said that the hot bench caused her to suffer third-degree burns.

Will Cowboys owner Jerry Jones rope off the bench outside of the stadium if it bakes in the sun for too long? Better yet, will he have it removed so that it may not be used as evidence in the lawsuit?

Never a dull moment with the Cowboys, but this story was too outrageous not to mention.