From Opening Drive, Cowboys Meet Their Expectations Head On
The Dallas Morning News
CLEVELAND -- The message was delivered subtly during the week
by Wade Phillips.
Even if the playoff loss to the New York Giants still stung
eight months later, last season was last season.
The Cowboys opened the 2008 season Sunday with an impressive
28-10 win at Cleveland, looking every bit like a team with Super
Bowl aspirations while realizing it's only September.
"Losing a game like that and hearing all the things
about New York winning the Super Bowl, you've got to go out and
prove it," tight end Jason Witten said. "That's something
this team is working on. You just can't talk about it. You've got to
show it, and coming on the road, I think we did a good job of
building on where we left off last year."
There was a real worry, at least in the eyes of owner and
general manager Jerry Jones. Cleveland was 7-1 at home last year and
possesses an offense filled with weapons much like the Cowboys, only
its every move wasn't chronicled by HBO's Hard Knocks this summer.
"I was real concerned that we'd come up here and catch
them on a high roll and maybe let these expectations that we all
have get in our head a little bit," Jones said. "We did
not do that."
The Cowboys needed 10 plays to score on their first drive,
when Marion Barber scored the first of his two touchdowns.
Tony Romo completed his first eight passes, including a
35-yard touchdown strike to Terrell Owens on the Cowboys' second
drive that gave them the lead for good. Romo finished 24-of-34 for
320 yards, his 11th 300-yard passing game in 27 starts.
Owens' touchdown catch was the 130th of his career, tying
him with Cris Carter for second-most in NFL history. In just his
fourth regular-season start, Barber needed 16 carries to gain 80
yards. Rookie Felix Jones scored on his first touch as a pro,
ripping off an 11-yard touchdown run to give the Cowboys a 28-7 lead
with 6:24 left in the third quarter.
The Cowboys held the ball for 37 minutes, 29 seconds; picked
up 30 first downs; and gained 487 yards while averaging 7.7 yards
per play.
Even the bad news, such as the bruised ribs that knocked
Barber out in the third quarter and the cut to Romo's chin and the
hit to his left hand, were mitigated by negative postgame X-rays and
13 stitches to Romo.
"They just have the total package over there,"
Browns linebacker Andre Davis said. "They have a good
quarterback, good running backs, a great receiver and a great tight
end. They also have a huge offensive line. Anybody can probably
stand behind that offensive line and make passes."
The Cowboys limited the Browns to 11 first downs, 205 total
yards and a touchdown, even without Pro Bowl cornerback Terence
Newman, who sat out with
a groin injury. A year ago, the Browns never had fewer than
13 first downs in a game; they also had fewer than 205 yards once
and fewer than 10 points twice.
"We gave you guys definitely a glimpse of what we can
become," linebacker Bradie James said. "We've definitely
developed into a tight and gelled unit, and everybody knows what
everybody's role is. We accept that and are holding each other
accountable to play well."
(c) 2008, The Dallas Morning News.
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