KaVontae Kickoff, Punt Return TDs; Cowboys Beat Chargers

• KaVontae Turpin turned into the first player in quite a while.
• Opening shot and dropkick return scores in a similar game.
• Dallas Cowboys beat the Los Angeles Chargers 32-18 Saturday night.

KaVontae Turpin endorsed with the Cowboys on July 28 in the wake of gathering MVP praises in the United States Football League.

This previous spring.

Before Turpin, the last player to run back a dropkick and the opening shot in a similar game — preseason, normal season or end of the season games — was Detroit’s Jeremy Ross on Dec. 8, 2013, against Philadelphia.

“He’s so dynamic. You go back to his college days and clearly, in my opinion, he was the best player I saw in the USFL coming out,” Coach Mike McCarthy said of Turpin at halftime. “I’ve been so impressed with him since day one.”

After a 22-yard field objective by Dustin Hopkins gave the Chargers a 3-0 lead halfway through the principal quarter, Turpin returned the following opening shot 98 yards for a score.

Turpin got a pleasant mass of blockers in the field prior to getting into open space close to the 40 and going immaculate up the right sideline.

Dallas had a 29-10 lead at halftime after a couple of scores in the last moment of the subsequent quarter. That incorporated Turpin’s 86-yard dropkick return, where he evaded a tackle endeavor from dropkick heavy armament specialist Deane Leonard subsequent to handling the ball, did a couple juke moves and afterward broke free for the score.

“I’m an exciting player, and every time I get the ball, there’s a big play waiting to happen. I’m happy to be here and take advantage of this opportunity,” said Turpin, who led the USFL in receiving yards and had the league’s lone punt return for a TD.

Victor Bolden of the San Francisco 49ers was the last player to have an opening shot and dropkick return during a similar preseason in 2017.

Following two days of joint practices prior in the week, the two groups rested the majority of their starters. Dallas improved to 1-1 while the Chargers are 0-2.

Cooper Rush and Will Grier each coordinated first-half TD drives for the Cowboys, while Rico Dowdle and Malik Davis each had hurrying scores. Dowdle completed as the game’s driving rusher with 44 yards on 13 conveys.

Easton Stick played the principal half for the Chargers and associated with Joshua Palmer on a wide collector screen for a 18-yard score right off the bat in the second quarter to give the Chargers a fleeting 10-7 benefit.

INJURIES

Chargers: RB Isaiah Spiller experienced a lower leg injury during the last part and didn’t return.

UP NEXT

Cowpokes: Finish the preseason at home against Seattle on Friday.

Chargers: Travel to New Orleans for their preseason finale on Friday.

Advertisement

Also Read

Stuart Broad joins elite Lord’s Test club

On the second day of the Test among England and South Africa....

Advertisement