IRVING, Texas - Terrell Owens has been in Miles Austin's position before. He, too, was a young, developing receiver who benefited from the extra attention defenses paid to his superstar teammate.
Owens fed off Jerry Rice's double teams in San Francisco years ago. This past Sunday, Austin was the latest Cowboys wideout to exploit Owens' double coverage, catching two passes for 115 yards and a touchdown in a 27-16 win over Green Bay.
The Packers consistently shaded a safety in Owens' direction and held him to two catches for 17 yards. The Cowboys countered with an effective running game (218 yards from Marion Barber and Felix Jones) and a democratic passing attack in which Tony Romo hit seven different receivers.
Owens was satisfied with his quiet night. His proof? The Cowboys' 3-0 record heading into Sunday's division game against the Redskins.
"As long as we're winning, I don't have a problem," Owens said. "If it's a situation where games are close and we're losing, then that's when I have a problem with it."
Austin, the third-year veteran from Monmouth, sealed the victory with a 52-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter. Had he taken a different angle on his other 63-yard catch, he would have scored again.
Owens contributed in less flashy, more complementary ways - racing downfield to block on Jones' 60-yard touchdown run and helping corral Packers safety Nick Collins after Romo's end-zone interception.
"These are plays that are winning plays, that help you win the football game," Romo said. "People only see catches and stuff like that but those are the plays that determine outcomes of football games a lot of the time.
"I think he's just about winning. Obviously you want the ball; that's part of being a receiver. You find me a receiver who doesn't care if he ever catches the ball and I'll find you one who's not very good."
Owens expects defenses to double him every week. Last year, that didn't stop him from catching a franchise-record 16 TD passes. In some cases, teams get sick of watching tight end Jason Witten catch pass after pass over the middle and eventually place a single defender on Owens.
In that situation, the star receiver says, "I don't think I can be stopped."
"I already know going into the game that with the double-team coverage and stuff like that," Owens said. "It gets frustrating, but at the same time I know that other guys are making plays as you've seen thus far."
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