ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Cooper Rush threw a touchdown pass and a pick-6 in his return to AT&T Stadium, and rookie Tyler Loop kicked five field goals as the Baltimore Ravens beat the Dallas Cowboys 31-13 in a preseason game on Saturday night.
D’Ernest Johnson ran for a 2-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter for the Ravens (2-0).
Loop, who played for Lovejoy High in the North Texas town of Lucas before starring at Arizona, connected from 53, 52, 42, 36 and 29 yards while missing from 50. Coach John Harbaugh told reporters afterward that Loop would be the Ravens’ kicker to start the regular season.
The sixth-round draft pick replaces Justin Tucker, who was released in the offseason after he was accused of inappropriate behavior by massage therapists.
“He’s earned it,” Harbaugh said of Loop. “I just appreciate the fact he wants to make ’em all.”
“Got to still earn it every day,” said Loop, who said he had about 30 relatives and friends in attendance.
Cornerback Andrew Booth picked off Rush and returned it 40 yards for a TD, and Brandon Aubrey kicked field goals of 47 and 36 yards for the Cowboys (0-2).
Rush, who spent the previous seven seasons as Dak Prescott’s Dallas backup before signing as a free agent with Baltimore, flipped a 1-yard TD pass while backpedaling to Keith Kirkwood on a fourth-down play early in the second quarter. Rush played the first half, going 20 of 30 for 198 yards with two interceptions.
“Cooper coming back, playing against his old team, and winning and playing great football,” Harbaugh said. “He’s been playing like this all camp.”
Rush beating the Cowboys appeared to be more significant to Harbaugh than to Rush, who said it didn’t mean more than wins against other teams.
“No, but it was cool just to be back,” said Rush, who started eight games last season when Prescott was sidelined with a torn hamstring but was held out of the season finale, costing him a $250,000 bonus because he fell just short of playing 55% of the season’s offensive snaps. “It was cool to be back, see a lot of old teammates.”
Rush’s first pick was a throw behind receiver LaJohntay Wester. Booth grabbed it and raced down the left sideline, avoiding tacklers during the final 10 yards.
Joe Milton, looking to assume Rush’s role with the Cowboys this season, was 9 of 18 for 122 yards and one interception while playing 3 1/2 quarters. He connected with Jonathan Mingo for 49 yards to set up Aubrey’s first field goal.
Milton was intercepted immediately after a pick by Dallas’ Kemon Hall that deflected off the hands of running back Rasheen Ali. Milton’s heave from midfield into the end zone was picked off by safety Reuben Lowrey.
“It was not an easy catch,” Harbaugh said of Lowrey’s pick.
Neither Prescott nor Ravens starting quarterback Lamar Jackson was in uniform. Prescott received a few seconds of screen time on the stadium’s enormous videoboard, urging the fans to make noise before the fourth-down Baltimore play that resulted in Rush’s TD pass.
The Ravens outgained the Cowboys 273 yards to 31 in building an 18-7 halftime lead. They ran 50 plays to the Cowboys’ 19 during the first half and totaled 16 first-half first downs to the Cowboys’ two.
Keyon Martin gave the Ravens a 2-0 lead by sacking Milton in the end zone on the Cowboys’ third offensive play on third-and-13 from the 3-yard line.
Right guard Tyler Booker, Dallas’ first-round draft choice, made his preseason debut. He started and played into the third quarter.
Mingo, who led Dallas in receiving yards with the one 49-yard catch, left in the third quarter with a knee injury but walked into the locker room after the game.
Cowboys struggle on offense again
First-year Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer sought a better start after last week’s first quarter against the Los Angeles Rams resulted in six offensive plays gaining 1 yard. Dallas’ first-half possessions Saturday resulted in two punts, an interception, a turnover on downs and a safety.
The Cowboys’ leading rusher was Miles Sanders with 15 yards.
“We’re not pushing the panic button,” Schottenheimer said. “We’re pushing the work button.”
Milton was 2 for 8 for 14 yards and the interception during the first half.
“It wasn’t just Joe,” Schottenheimer said. “We didn’t get in a rhythm.”
Third-stringer Will Grier was 1 for 5 for 33 yards.
As for naming a No. 2 to Prescott, Schottenheimer said, “I feel like I don’t have to decide anything today.”
Up next
Ravens: At Washington next Saturday.
Cowboys: Host Atlanta on Friday.
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