ARLINGTON, Texas - The Cowboys beat the Titans 30-10 in Friday night's home preseason opener in what will go down as the first game ever played in the new Cowboys Stadium.
The Cowboys special teams units, however, probably wish this game was wiped from the record books.
Here are the stat lines:
- 0-for-1 on field goals, with kicker Nick Folk knocking a 49-yarder off the right upright.
- 12.3 yards per punt return allowed, including a 21-yarder.
- 23 yards per kickoff return allowed, low-lighted by a 51-yard return by Titans rookie running back Javon Ringer.
- Two muffed punts, including one by the normally sure-handed Patrick Crayton.
- Three special teams penalties, two of which put the ball further back in Dallas territory.
Wide receiver Sam Hurd, who committed one of those penalties, predictably wasn't pleased with the units' performances.
"We can pick it up a lot more," Hurd said.
Despite the poor showing, it's still too early to panic, Hurd said. There are two more preseason games left to play, and Hurd promises everything will be fine-tuned by the Sept. 14 regular season opener at Tampa Bay.
"By the time the regular season games start rolling around, we'll all be ready," Hurd said. "Every phase, punt, kickoff, kickoff return and punt return. We'll all be ready."
Felix 100 Percent Back
If there were any doubts about whether Cowboys running back Felix Jones had regained his explosiveness after being limited to six games during his rookie season due to hamstring and toe injuries, he answered them Friday night.
Jones had five rushes for 17 yards and a touchdown, and also corralled two catches for 47 yards, including a highlight reel-worthy 42-yard catch and run that set the Cowboys up for a touchdown to end the first half.
With 33 seconds remaining in the second quarter and the Cowboys in their two-minute offense at their own 38-yard line, quarterback Tony Romo hit Jones in the left flat, and the 2008 first-round pick took it from there. Jones shook a few guys, faking inside to throw one man off, and then ripped down the left sideline before being knocked out of bounds at the Titans' 20-yard line by safety Donnie Nickey. The Cowboys ended up scoring with five seconds left in the half, fittingly on a one-yard run by Jones.
"I was thinking I could take it all the way in," Jones said of the catch-and-run. "Miles Austin made a great block, and I saw Patrick Crayton coming up from behind trying to help out to."
Jones said he's had no more problems with his toe, stiffness in which kept him out of one training camp practice in San Antonio.
"I'm feeling good," Jones said. "I've been working hard this off-season to get back to where I feel I can produce, and that's what I feel like I'm doing."
Rookie OLB Hurt Again
Cowboys rookie outside linebacker Brandon Williams worked his way back from a shoulder injury to participate in the last few practices of training camp in order to play Friday night, and play he did.
Until he tried to cover a punt in the third quarter and came up limping with what is being classified as a left knee sprain.
Williams said after the game that his knee will be checked out Saturday, although he declined to comment further.
First-year outside linebacker Steve Octavien performed well in Williams' absence with three tackles, one for a loss and one pass defensed. He can sympathize with Williams, though, since Octavien missed the first preseason game against Oakland with a groin injury.
Even though Williams' injury may give him a better shot at the 53-man roster, Octavien doesn't want to win a spot by default.
"You don't ever put competition in front of that, especially with an injury, and especially with a good friend like Brandon," Octavien said. "I don't ever think about competition. I just want him to get healthy and play ball. Everything will work out."
In fact, it wouldn't even be about competition if Williams were healthy. For Octavien, it's about becoming a better player.
"I'm not trying to play to win the spot," he said. "I'm just trying to play hard, regardless if I'm here or somewhere else. I just want to play hard and become a solid backup and become a solid special teamer. Whatever my role is, that's what I want to do.
"I'm not out here to compete against my fellow linebacker, especially when he's hurt like that."
Crosslin Catches On
With starting fullback Deon Anderson still recovering from a knee scope, first-year veteran Julius Crosslin started his second straight game at fullback. And on Friday night, he actually saw some passes come his way, recording two catches for 12 yards.
Crosslin admitted to being a little nervous, though, and he bobbled both catches a bit before eventually securing them. Pass catching was something he did not do much as a fullback at Oklahoma State.
"I wasn't looking them in," Crosslin said. "I was trying to get upfield and go. I know what I need to do, and what I need to work on in practice for the next game."
Crosslin felt much more confident about his performance as a blocker, though, and Felix Jones credited him for the key block on his one-yard touchdown run in the second quarter.
Home | Email | Print | Register for New Alerts | RSS
