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 on Saturday night.
D’Ernest Johnson ran for a 2-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter for the Ravens (2-0).
Loop — the likely replacement for Justin Tucker, who was released in the offseason after he was accused of inappropriate behavior by massage therapists — connected from 53, 52, 42, 36 and 29 yards
while missing from 50.
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.
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’s interception immediately followed one 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.
The fourth field goal by Loop came on a possession extended by a roughing-the-passer penalty against linebacker Darius Harris.
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.
The Cowboys, playing in their first home preseason game, observed a moment of silence before kickoff for the victims of the July 4 flooding in Texas.
Ravens: At Washington next Saturday.
Cowboys: Host Atlanta on Friday.
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