OXNARD, Calif. – Alas, real football.

Well, as real as can be until Sept. 4 when the Cowboys open the NFL season against the Eagles in Philadelphia on Thursday Night Football.

This, 4 p.m. PDT Saturday in Inglewood, Cowboys-Rams, preseason Game 1 of 3 at SoFi Stadium, significantly reduces all those performance qualifiers.

You know, no more but just helmets, jerseys and shorts.

No more just getting in the way serving as phantom tackles or unable to play the ball on defense.

No more no physicality.

No more just "thumping up."

The pads are coming on. This isn't a practice. This isn't a scrimmage.

Un-uh, real tackle football. Put the ball carrier on the ground. Hit the receiver to break up a pass. No redshirts on the QBs. This will be as close as it gets to football as we know it.

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