Cowboys Corner

Jones happy with the win at the new stadium

 

Owner Jerry Jones was admittedly dejected following the loss to the Giants in inaugural game at Cowboys Stadium last Sunday.

He had hoped it would be an added weapon and had put pressure on the team to live up to the standard of the $1.2 billion stadium with its play.

So he was no doubt happy and relieved with the 21-7 victory against the Panthers last night.

"It certainly does feeel good," Jones said. "The way it went so early, it just felt like maybe we ought to check this thing out for grim reapers living in the back some place."

 

Clarence E. Hill Jr.

Choice to the rescue

Marion Barber was inactive, resting his injured quadriceps. Then, Felix Jones hurt his left knee in the third quarter. That left the Cowboys with one healthy running back -- Tashard Choice.

Choice had 82 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries -- a 4.6 yards per carry average -- and caught four passes for 36 yards. The Cowboys had their second consecutive 200-yard rushing game, running for 212 on 32 tries.

"That's the name of the ball game," Choice said. "You don't get many opportunities in this league, especially being a third-string running back. When you get the chance you have to be ready to step up. I prepare myself to do that, and I thank God that I did."

-- Charean Williams

T-New comes up big, gets lucky?

Terence Newman, perhaps trying to deflect some of the praise that was being heaped on him for his sizable efforts Monday night, downplayed his interception in the fourth quarter.

"It was a lucky play on my part, basically. I was just trying to get a jam on him. I got a good hand on him and he tried to re-direct, and I don't know if it was a called slant, but that's what the quarterback threw," Newman said. "So while he was trying to go out I got another hand on him and I looked inside and I just saw the ball coming. It was just a lucky play on my part. I think anybody over there probably would have got that."

Jeff Caplan

On the road again....

After back-to-back home games, the Cowboys won't be back home for four weeks. They return to the road for two weeks before taking their bye week. They travel to Denver (3-0) and then Kansas City (0-3).

"Well, we all know how tough it is to win on the road," Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said. "But before we can get there, we have to see that it was tough to win at home too in the new stadium, and we needed to get that done. It was an important win for us."

The Cowboys are 1-0 on the road this season, having opened the year with a victory at Tampa Bay.

-- Charean Williams

Felix says he's OK

I ran into Felix Jones trying to sneak out of the stadium unnoticed. It was kind of hard not to notice him with the big ice bag wrapped around his left knee.

He says he'll be fine.

"It just felt a little weak," Jones said. "But I'm good. I'm good."

Jones was injured on his 40-yard run in the third quarter. He returned for two plays, though he didn't touch the ball again. He finished with 94 yards on eight carries, and 20 yards on one reception.

-- Charean Williams

Peppers says Cowboys did "nothing special"

Carolina's Pro Bowl defensive end Julius Peppers had two tackles. That's it. No sacks. No quarterback hits. Yet, he gave the Cowboys no credit.

"What were they doing to me?" Peppers asked rhetorically. "Nothing special. I can't sit here and go over every play and how they blocked me, but I didn't see anything special they were doing."

-- Charean Williams

Butler comes through

Rookie linebacker Victor Butler earned a chance for more playing time, if not the starting job. He had two sacks and a forced fumble. It's exactly what linebackers coach Reggie Herring said the Cowboys had been looking for opposite DeMarcus Ware.

"It's just great to get in there and help the team when you need it," Butler said. "It's clutch time, and they get in their two-minute drill and you rehearse that stuff all week in practice, and to get in there behind Anthony Spencer and DeMarcus Ware and be productive feels great."

Spencer had three tackles and a pass breakup. In less playing time, Butler had two tackles, including one for a loss, two sacks for 12 yards in losses and a forced fumble.

-- Charean Williams

Feeling better?

OK, folks, it's question time:

I guess there are a few ways of looking at this game... the Cowboys' defense played better, especially in the second half. Terence Newman, who had a lot of folks shaking their heads last week, came up with the big interception/touchdown at the end.

The Cowboys' offense? The rushing game was solid, with Tashard Choice picking up the slack when Felix Jones went down (he is going to be, by the way, re-evaluated). Tony Romo was turnover-free. Always good.

Still, there's something kind of puzzling about this whole game. Sorry, devil's advocate coming out here: This was a late victory against a not-so-good team. Simply put.

So.... feeling better about the Cowboys?

Still concerned?

If so, about what?

-- Tracey Myers

Romo OK with critics

Sitting in the post-game presser, and someone asked Tony Romo about criticism received after last week's performance:

"Criticism is meaningless to me," he said. "If I threw four touchdowns last week everyone thinks you're amazing. That's the same as if they tell you you're no good. It doesn't matter. It's about improving and doing it on the football field. I know what I hope to achieve as an individual, collectively as a group. I get frustrated when I don't play up to the level. My focus this week was to understand why I did certain things, improve and help this football team win."

Still, considering the criticism, Romo will enjoy this week more.

"This week will be better than last," he said. "I think that's a fair assessment."

-- Tracey Myers

Marion out

RB Marion Barber is one of the inactives for tonight. It is not a surprise. He has a thigh injury and did not participate in the walk-through Sunday.

OLB Curtis Johnson, whom the Cowboys claimed off waivers from the Colts, is active. He makes his Cowboys' debut after rehabbing a hamstring injury.

-- Charean Williams