SAN DIEGO -- Brandon Weeden's stats from his one series of work in the Dallas Cowboys' 17-7 loss Thursday to the San Diego Chargers look OK: four for five, 42 yards, including a 17-yard pickup on a third-and-11 play.
But after a fourth-down conversion it unraveled when Weeden could not hold on to a shotgun snap from Travis Frederick at the San Diego 32. Instead of falling on the loose ball, Weeden unsuccessfully attempted to bat the ball away and the Chargers recovered at the Dallas 33.
The Chargers scored six plays later and Weeden didn't take another snap.
QB Depth Chart: Looking better: Dustin Vaughan needed to show improvement if he wants to earn a spot on the roster if not push Weeden for the No. 2 job. He had been inconsistent in training camp but made some strong NFL throws, including deep crosses to Devin Street for a total of 41 yards on the Cowboys' first scoring drive. He finished the game 12-of-18 for 106 yards.
Getting up to speed: Greg Hardy saw seven snaps of work in the first half before calling it a night in his first action since last year's season opener with the Carolina Panthers. All but one of the snaps came at right defensive end. He didn't record a tackle but displayed his strength in bulling Chargers tackle King Dunlap into the lap of Philip Rivers. He also dropped once in coverage, staying with tight end John Phillips down the seam.
Rookie Watch: First-round pick Byron Jones was tested by Philip Rivers on the quarterback's first pass with a back-shoulder throw to Keenan Allen, who may have had a slight push. Jones was beaten twice more in the first half on similar throws. The good news? He made the tackles. The bad news? He gave up the completion. In the second half, Jones took snaps at safety.
The Gus Bus: With Joseph Randle (oblique), Darren McFadden (hamstring) and Lance Dunbar (ankle) not playing, the undrafted Gus Johnson started at tailback. He made a decisive cut on a 5-yard touchdown run in the second quarter and finished with 35 yards on 13 carries before a shoulder injury ended his night. It might not be enough to make the 53-man roster but he has put himself in practice-squad contention.
Undrafted rookie watch: La'el Collins is undrafted in name only. He was a first-round talent but the Cowboys were able scoop him up after the draft. On Gus Johnson's TD run, Collins blocked two defenders, peeling off to get one filling the gap to give Johnson room to get up field for the score.
One Reason To Freak Out, Not Really: Don't get carried away with the poor coverage on special teams. The Cowboys' front liners did not see much action at all and the bigger returns came with the rookies and backups unable to play fast enough. Punter Tom Hornsey didn't help with short and low hang-times on his punts.
Unlucky but resilient: Undrafted wide receiver Lucky Whitehead hurt himself with a second-quarter fumble on a 19-yard punt return. He rebounded with a 38-yard kickoff return the next time he touched the ball. The coaches will like that resiliency but despise the turnover more. He won't get another do-over.
What might've been: Melvin Gordon was one of the running backs the Cowboys brought to Valley Ranch before the draft, but ultimately they did not have the opportunity to pick him with the Chargers taking him No. 15 overall. On the first two series, Gordon ran four times for 11 yards for a quiet night.
Getting closer: Three hours before kickoff cornerback Orlando Scandrick (knee), tackle Doug Free (foot) as well as McFadden (hamstring) and Dunbar (ankle) went through rehab sessions on the field. McFadden, who is expected to practice Saturday, and Dunbar were in practice jerseys and shoulder pads for their work. Free did a series of sprints and footwork drills to test his surgically-repaired foot.