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Joe Milton’s 179 Yards Blew Up the Stat Sheet, But the Cowboys Still Call Their QB2 Battle “Long From Over”

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Joe Milton absolutely lit it up on Saturday against the Cardinals, making a *major* case for the Cowboys’ backup quarterback spot. Their starter, Dak Prescott, is set, but who’s the next man up on the depth chart? Milton went 9-of-13 for 179 yards and a touchdown when he got the start. That’s a strong showing, man.

Milton’s Two Good Halves Have Fans Hyped

This wasn’t some one-off fluke for Milton, either. He played really well after stepping in for Sam Howell in the preseason opener, too. Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer even gave him credit for “two good halves” on Saturday. Seriously, the guy is making a statement out there. Milton himself says he feels a “major difference” from where he was a year ago, when he joined the Cowboys late in the 2025 preseason. You can see it on the field, that growth is real.

But Schottenheimer Says This Competition Is “Long From Over”

Even with Milton putting up those numbers, Schottenheimer is pumping the brakes, saying the competition is “long from over.” He added that they’re heading “back to Frisco, thankfully, get a chance to be home and put some more training camp days in.” He gave Joe his due credit, acknowledging he’s “played really well the past two games,” but then immediately added, “but we have a lot of confidence in Sam as well.” Howell didn’t have the same showing, going 7-of-10 for just 65 yards and throwing an interception after Milton’s stellar start. That’s a tough look when your competition just put up 179 yards and a score.

So, the Cowboys are still figuring out their QB2, even with Milton stacking up those impressive preseason performances. They’ve got more training camp days ahead to sort it out. Will Milton’s “major difference” be enough to secure the backup job, or does Howell still have a shot to claw his way back? It’s all up in the air right now.

This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.

Originally reported by Pro Football Talk.

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