ARLINGTON, Texas -- Perhaps only in a preseason game in which the starters are playing for the first time would a coach not be mad about his team starting an opening drive at its own 5.
That's what the Dallas Cowboys’ first-team offense faced Saturday against the Indianapolis Colts. Seven plays and 3 minutes 34 seconds later, Dez Bryant was on the receiving end of a 32-yard touchdown pass from Dak Prescott.
"That drive was great," Prescott said after the 24-19 victory. "We were all on the same page and communicating well. It definitely felt good to be out with the guys again in a game situation."
On the Cowboys' first offensive play, Prescott and Bryant connected on a 23-yard slant with Bryant shucking a Colts defender for extra yards.
Jason Witten caught two passes for first downs and a total of 24 yards.
The starting offensive line -- from left to right: Tyron Smith, Jonathan Cooper, Travis Frederick, Zack Martin and Tyron Smith -- opened holes big enough for Darren McFadden to pick up 16 yards on three carries.
The Cowboys did not have a play gain fewer than 5 yards on the drive as they ran their no-huddle offense.
On the touchdown pass, Prescott came back late to Bryant, who ran a double move on Colts cornerback Vontae Davis. Prescott's pass was perfect, reaching Bryant’s back shoulder as Davis slipped. Bryant took a hit from safety Darius Butler but was able to spin into the end zone.
In the Dallas offense's first game action since the January playoff loss to the Green Bay Packers, it started as efficiently as could be.
The second Cowboys drive was on its way to being just as efficient. McFadden had three straight carries for 28 yards and, after Prescott's only incompletion of the night, took a fourth carry another 14 yards. The Cowboys finally faced a third down -- their first, on their 17th snap -- and Prescott connected with Cole Beasley for 10 yards and a first down.
On first and 10 from the Colts 15, however, McFadden fumbled to end the scoring threat.
After the game, McFadden wasn't sure how he fumbled. “Putting the ball on the ground is not me," he said. "It's definitely not up to my standards or the team standards. I'm definitely going to get that cleaned up. We're going to be a lot better moving forward."
Prescott's night was through after the turnover. He finished with 106 yards on 7-of-8 passing and the touchdown, with a perfect passer rating of 158.3. Smith played just one series as he works through a tight back. Witten showed he can move the chains. So did Beasley.
The Cowboys picked up 166 yards on 17 plays on the first two drives. And that came with Ezekiel Elliott, the leading rusher in the NFL last year, serving as a spectator.
"It felt good to get the band back together," Witten said. "Dak was spectacular. It was good. We were going on the ball; the fastball stuff was really good for us. It's good to see Dez in that form already. He's had a full offseason of work and worked really hard to be precise with his route running. He had a great day. It was good for our offense to get a good start there."