ARLINGTON, Texas - All week, the Cowboys were reminded of two season-low numbers from last Sunday's loss to Green Bay:
Eleven carries for 45 yards among running backs Marion Barber, Felix Jones and Tashard Choice.
The offense set a much different tone in Sunday's 7-6 win over the Redskins at Cowboys Stadium:
Marion Barber eclipsed both totals by himself in the first half, gaining 70 yards on 13 carries. The offense ran seven straight times over their first two possessions, though one resulted in a Barber fumble.
The Cowboys collectively had 106 rushing yards by halftime and finished with 153, their third-highest total of the season.
"It's hard for us to run the ball better than we did early in this ball game," offensive coordinator Jason Garrett said. "We had a chance to do that, and I think really were taking it to them, and that's one of the things we felt was important in this game was to establish that physical-ness early."
The Cowboys' season-high 33 rushing attempts surpassed quarterback Tony Romo's 27 passes. Barber had 99 yards and Jones chipped in 49 against the Redskins' 24th-ranked rushing defense, which played without star defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth.
Both backs appeared more explosive coming off early-season injuries. Jones played without a brace for the first time since injuring his posterior cruciate ligament on Sept. 28, and Barber also rushed for his highest total since straining his quadriceps on Sept. 20.
"He ran with purpose today," wide receiver Roy Williams said. "And it showed."
Free Steps In
Though he did get extensive work relieving Marc Colombo against the Packers last week, Sunday marked right tackle fill-in Doug Free's first career start.
In his third year out of Northern Illinois, Free had played mostly left tackle before replacing Colombo, who the Cowboys don't expect back during the regular season, and may be done for the year with a broken fibula and high ankle sprain.
For the most part, it seemed Free fared pretty well. He didn't receive too much tight end help to handicap the offense, and the Redskins seem to be testing him with elaborate blitzes on his side. Free said he faced defensive ends Andre Carter and Phillip Daniels for most of the day, and rarely if ever drew a matchup against rookie Brian Orakpo, Washington's leader in sacks with 7.0.
"It went real well," Free said. "Definitely some things I've got to improve on. There're some things I definitely should have been better at and didn't get done. I'm just going to have to learn for Thursday."
Free pointed to short yardage run blocking and pass protection as specific things he could have done better, but said he would need to look at the film to really get a better grasp of the performance. Wade Phillips and Tony Romo both thought he did fine, though they said they would look at the tape. Romo didn't sense an inordinate amount of pressure coming from Free's side.
With the most anticipated game of his young career behind him, Free said it was nice to be starting as opposed to inactive or playing only on special teams.
"It definitely felt good to help contribute," Free said. "Being a guy that just does practice and stuff, you don't get quite the feeling. But everybody has their integral part, being a practice guy or whatever part you are, it helps the team win."
-Josh Ellis
Jenkins Banged Up
Starting cornerback Mike Jenkins got knocked woozy while making a tackle on the Cowboys' final defensive series and did not return.
Afterward, he said he was OK.
"I was kind of out of there for a second," he said.
Jenkins had five tackles and one pass deflection and helped limit Redskins receiver Santana Moss to four catches for 38 yards.
Brooking Sets Career Mark
With a sack Sunday, 12-year veteran Keith Brooking now has a career-high four sacks in his first season with the Cowboys.
An illegal contact penalty on cornerback Terence Newman negated another sack by Brooking in the first quarter.
Despite his career mark, Brooking was more pleased with the defense's overall performance.
"We kept talking, 'Just keep doing your job, plays are going to come our way,'" he said. "Just a great team effort."
-Rob Phillips
Folk Misses
For only the second time in his three-year career, kicker Nick Folk has missed a field goal in back-to-back games.
His 46-yard attempt would have tied the game at 3-3 in the second quarter.
Folk missed only seven of 53 attempts in his first two seasons. He is 14-of-19 in 2009.
-Rob Phillips
Short Shots
Wide receiver Roy Williams did not have a catch for the third time in 78 career games . . . Tight end Jason Witten's five catches upped his career total to 483 and passed Jackie Smith (480) for eighth in league history among tight ends. Witten also passed Tony Hill (479) for fourth in receptions in club history. He trails Emmitt Smith (486), Drew Pearson (489) and Michael Irvin (750) . . . Third-year veteran Alan Ball had three tackles in his first career start for injured free safety Ken Hamlin, who is sidelined two-to-four weeks with a high ankle sprain . . . Cowboys inactives were third quarterback Stephen McGee, safety Ken Hamlin (ankle), cornerback Allen Rossum (hamstring), linebacker Jason Williams, guard Montrae Holland, guard/center Duke Preston, offensive tackle Marc Colombo (ankle/leg) and linebacker Curtis Johnson. With Colombo and Ken Hamlin injured, offensive tackle Pat McQuistan and rookie safety Mike Hamlin were active for the first time this season. Linebacker Steve Octavien also replaced Johnson on the game-day roster.
-Rob Phillips
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