FRISCO, Texas — The third episode of the HBO series "Hard Knocks" debuted Tuesday night, and it may have been the best episode of training camp.
The show highlighted Dallas’ training facilities, some of the star players getting prepared for Week 1, as well as some of the players fighting to make the 53-man roster. Here are four takeaways from the third episode:
1. Stunning visuals — The drone shot to start off the episode may be the best three minutes of the 2021 edition of the miniseries. The drone started out at Warren Parkway and swooped northward up The Star Boulevard, all the way through the legs of "The Huddle" and by the Ring of Honor Walk.
The way the soundbites were played of each Ring of Honor member's most memorable career moment was spectacular. They also set viewers into thinking perhaps the drone flight, as magnificent as it was to that point, was over when it got to midfield inside the Ford Center.
Instead, fans got to see more inside the facility — the meeting rooms, the locker room, the weight room, and the practice field. HBO captured The Star in all of its glory.
2. More Jerry — Fans got to see a little bit more of the Cowboys owner, president, and general manager as his speech before the practice crowd at the Ford Center was shown. However, Jerry's helicopter flight on the way to the Aug. 21 preseason game against the Houston Texans was brilliant.
Jones had colorful language when the pilot confirmed they were going to turn around to pick up COO Stephen Jones. Jerry also walked out of the elevator and through the Miller Lite fan lounge to Metallica, which was an interesting visual. A new phrase from camp may have been coined when Jerry said he "had more shots than a cocker spaniel."
3. Family matters — HBO stayed with another player battling to make the team in offensive lineman Isaac Alarcon, and the audience was able to see how connected and supportive his family was.
There was great sense of empathy with Alarcon's mother as she cheered her heart during the Texans game, showing once more that, while these exhibition games may be boring and meaningless to fans, they are the Super Bowl to some.
Another family that was featured was second-year cornerback Trevon Diggs' with his son Aaiden and his mother, Stephanie. The way that Aaiden yelled in support of his father during the Texans game was heartwarming, and his mixing up Dak Prescott for Patrick Mahomes was humorous.
4. Popping contacts — JaQuan Hardy showed how undrafted free agents from unknown schools — Tiffin in Hardy's case — will throw caution to the wind to stay on the field and get more reps. Hardy had a contact pop out onto the inside of his visor during the Arizona Cardinals game on Aug. 13.
Instead of coming out of the game and missing out on precious reps, Hardy stayed in and dropped an easy completion that stalled the drive. Hardy took the same determination, but refocused it into sporting goggles that would have put Horace Grant to shame.
Hardy took some chiding from the coaching staff and veterans for wearing the goggles, but it was another sign that he was willing to do anything to earn a spot on the team.
What are your takeaways from the third episode of Hard Knocks featuring the Cowboys? Share your thoughts with Mark on Twitter @therealmarklane.