Lebanon natives Pat and Paul are earning more playing time in Dallas

and Oakland

Time and hard work are starting to pay off for Pat McQuistan.

The Lebanon High School grad has steadily worked himself into an opportunity for playing time in his third season as an offensive lineman with the Dallas Cowboys.

At 6-foot-6 and 315 pounds, McQuistan is listed second at right tackle behind Marc Colombo on the Cowboys’ depth chart on the team’s home page.

Dallas opens the NFL regular season Sunday afternoon at Cleveland.

A third-year player, Pat started for the injured Kosier in the Cowboys’ final preseason game. But coach Wade Phillips told the Dallas Star-Telegram that McQuistan didn’t look as comfortable there as he did at tackle.

McQuistan’s chances for increased playing time on the line took a hit this past offseason when Dallas resigned veteran tackle Flozell Adams.

“I’m not going to lie. I want to play,” McQuistan told the Star-Telegram last month. “But I can’t be mad at a guy if (the Cowboys) pay a great guy like Flozell. I understand that. The guy’s earned it. So if they want me to be a swing guy I’ll do it, but I want to play.”

McQuistan played in all 16 regular-season games in 2007, primarily on special teams.

Among the highlights was his first NFL kickoff return, which went for 12 yards in the final regular season game against Washington.

Pat was listed as inactive for the first 15 games in 2006, his rookie season. Though he did play on special teams in the regular-season finale against Detroit and in the Cowboys’ playoff game at Seattle.

McQuistan was drafted by Dallas in the seventh round of the 2006 NFL Draft.

His twin brother, Paul, was taken by the Oakland Raiders in the third round, making them the first set of brothers taken in the same draft.

The twins played together at Lebanon and then at Weber State in Ogden Utah.

Paul has established himself with the Raiders since his rookie season.

He started six games each of his first two years.

Paul is listed as second string at left guard on the Oakland website.

The Raiders open their season Monday night at home against Denver.