Dallas Cowboys Preseason Week 3 Matchup Preview

Typically the third week of the preseason is regarded as the dress rehearsal game. The starters usually play the entire first half and possibly even into the third quarter to prepare for the opening game of the season. Unlike the other preseason meetings, this contest commonly has some game-planning to it and even some film study on the opponent. 

This week, the Dallas Cowboys take on the Oakland Raiders in one of the more exciting matchups of the weekend. Both the Cowboys and Raiders were playoff teams in 2016, and they have Super Bowl aspirations this season as well. 

The Raiders will give Dallas a good test on both offense and defense. Oakland has one of the best offensive lines in the NFL, a great young quarterback and talented receivers. On defense, it has one of the best pass-rushers around in Khalil Mack and should be able to provide a decent preview of what Dallas could see on opening night against the New York Giants. 

Without further ado, here is your preseason Week 3 preview for the Raiders-Cowboys matchup. 

Who Starts at Left Guard?

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One of the Cowboys' biggest positional battles of the offseason was at the left guard position. After the team tried out numerous players, the two left competing for the job are Chaz Green and Jonathan Cooper. 

Last week against the Indianapolis Colts, Cooper got the start despite Green being active for the game. He played very well, grading out as Pro Football Focus' second-highest-ranked guard of the week. He also graded out as the top performer among all players in the game. But despite Cooper's dominant performance, Green has still seen first-team snaps in practice and rotated with Cooper on occasion, per Jeff Cavanaugh of 105.3 The Fan and Jon Machota of the Dallas Morning News, respectively.

Late in Tuesday's practice, Green limped off the field with an apparent leg injury. Later on, it was revealed it was just cramp, according to Cowboys beat writer Clarence Hill. However, Green's inability to stay on the field is the primary reason he hasn't won this job already as he's clearly the more talented player. 

As mentioned before, this is the team's dress rehearsal, so pay close attention to who starts at left guard. Dallas will likely make a decision soon as to who will fill the void left by Ronald Leary, and Saturday night should give us a pretty good guess as to who will line up there in Week 1 against the Giants.

How Many of the Injured Players Play?

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One of the biggest storylines out of camp so far is the number of injuries. Third- and fourth-round picks Jourdan Lewis and Ryan Switzer have both missed the team's first three preseason games, and neither took part in the team's padded practice on Monday, per David Helman of DallasCowboys.com. It's unlikely either will make his first appearance this week. 

The star of the first two preseason games, Rico Gathers, isn't expected to play this week either, according to Machota. Others questionable are rookies Chidobe Awuzie and Xavier Woods, as well as veterans Cedric Thornton, Sean Lee and Justin Durant. 

None of the injuries are considered serious, though, and all should be available at some point early in the season.

But the number of starters or potential contributors who likely won't play in the team's dress rehearsal is concerning. However, look for someone like Andy Jones to be available this week after missing the previous game. 

La'el Collins vs. Khalil Mack

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A lot of what we watch for in the preseason is the development of certain players, specifically young guys. It's rare that we actually get to focus on certain matchups in the preseason, but there will be a few intriguing matchups here. The first one to highlight is All-Pro Khalil Mack going against both Tyron Smith and La'el Collins.  

Mack lines up on both the right and left side, so it's safe to assume he will see action against both of the Cowboys' talented tackles. While Smith is an All-Pro himself, Collins is still adjusting to the position. Smith should be able to hold his own, but Collins could struggle against one of the league's best. 

This is an important matchup for Collins because he will face talented rushers, including Mack, this regular season. If Collins can hold up reasonably well, it would ease a lot of concern about the right tackle spot heading into the season.

Can the Cowboys Cover Amari Cooper and Michael Crabtree?

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The Cowboys open the season against the New York Giants, and they have one of the most talented receiving groups on paper, with Odell Beckham Jr., Brandon Marshall and Sterling Shepard. Luckily for Dallas, it will get a good tune-up on Saturday night when it faces Amari Cooper, Michael Crabtree and the Oakland Raiders. 

Despite the likely absences of Chidobe Awuzie and Jourdan Lewis, the Cowboys should have their entire starting secondary on Saturday night. Nolan Carroll and Orlando Scandrick are likely to be the team's top two cornerbacks, with Anthony Brown coming in on nickel situations. However, don't expect either cornerback to follow a certain receiver. 

This will be a good test for the team's rebuilt secondary as the Raiders have one of the more dynamic passing games in the NFL. Like the offensive tackles' battle against Khalil Mack, don't expect them to win on every play, but holding their own would be a major boost to the secondary's confidence entering the season. This one will be fun to watch.  

Ezekiel Elliott's First Performance

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While it hasn't been announced if Ezekiel Elliott will play this week, head coach Jason Garrett said the team's star running back could play eight-to-12 snaps like he did last year against Seattle. Last season, Elliott appeared in just one preseason game, and that's all he'll likely play again this year. 

But for Elliott, playing some snaps could be vital as it's possible he won't take another carry until the end of October, when his suspension is over. While no one knows exactly what Elliott and Jerry Jones will do regarding the situation, they do need to prepare for the fact he could miss the first two months of the season. 

Elliott doesn't have much to prove on the field—he's already established himself as one of the best running backs in the NFL. But it will be interesting to watch him on Saturday to see if all the offseason chatter has taken a toll on him physically or mentally. 

Expect to see some of Elliott on Saturday night, but the team understands there is no reason to overwork him in a meaningless preseason game. Not only is Dallas trying to save him for the season, but it is trying to save his 22-year-old body for the future as well. 

Does Cooper Rush See More Snaps This Week?

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After an incredible three-game stretch as the team's third quarterback in the preseason, Cooper Rush worked with the second team during team drills on Monday. That continued on Tuesday, per Drew Davison of the Star-Telegram.

While it's encouraging to see the rookie quarterback get more snaps in practice, it doesn't necessarily mean that will translate to more snaps during the actual games. However, it does seem the team is no longer debating whether to stash him on the practice squad, as he's likely to be on the final 53-man roster. 

If Rush does see more reps with the second team in the fourth preseason game, it'll be interested to see how he handles the adjustment in speed. Will the Cowboys put more on his plate? How will he fare when playing with new receivers? Can he handle the jump in talent? These are all critical questions that will be answered this Saturday night against the Raiders.