The Dallas Cowboys opened the 2025 preseason with a 31–21 loss to the Los Angeles Rams on Saturday night at SoFi Stadium, giving fans their first in-game look at quarterback Joe Milton this year. The second-year signal-caller had drawn praise for flashes of potential during training camp, but those bright moments were more challenging to find under the lights in Los Angeles.
Dallas stumbled out of the gate, managing just one total yard in the first quarter while the Rams raced to a 14–0 lead, fueled by two rushing touchdowns from rookie Blake Corum. Los Angeles leaned on its ground game all night, finishing with 181 rushing yards on nearly five yards per carry.
Milton, who entered camp hoping to solidify his place as the Cowboys’ quarterback of the future, looked unsettled early. His trademark arm strength was evident, but timing and accuracy wavered, leading to stalled drives. In the fourth quarter, he finally connected with tight end Rivaldo Fairweather for a touchdown and added a two-point conversion—small victories that hint at the upside coaches have seen in practice.
The temptation will be to overreact, but this was still just one preseason outing. Milton is adjusting to Brian Schottenheimer’s offensive system and working behind a shuffled offensive line, with several key weapons—including CeeDee Lamb—on the sideline.
Defensively, the Cowboys had moments, highlighted by Israel Mukuamu’s interception of Rams quarterback Stetson Bennett in the third quarter. But Dallas couldn’t turn the takeaway into points, and the Rams extended their lead with late scores from Cody Schrader and Brennan Presley.
The Cowboys will face the Baltimore Ravens next, giving Milton another chance to build chemistry, regain momentum from his promising camp performances, and show he can turn potential into consistent production. Preseason may not define careers—but for Milton, the clock to prove himself is ticking.