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Dez Sets Tone Early, Passes Owens' Record To Cap Off End Zone-Filled Regular Season

LANDOVER, Md. - If Dez Bryant's 65-yard touchdown on the Cowboys' second possession of the game wasn't spectacular enough, how about the 23-yard touchdown catch he hauled in on the very next drive?

"Just went up and got it," Bryant said confidently. "I went up and got it. That's what we work on. That's what we do."

That's what Bryant and Tony Romo do, but it wasn't a sure thing as the officials initially ruled that the ball was incomplete, but later reversed the call to give Bryant a pair of scores in the game, 16 on the year and possession of the Cowboys single-season record, breaking the mark once held by Terrell Owens of 15, set back in 2007.

"That's the type of connection that me and Romo got," Bryant said. "I'm just here to do my job."

A job well done and everybody sees what kind of impact he's had on the season and the franchise as a whole.

"He's done that throughout his career. He's just a hell of a football player," head coach Jason Garrett said. "You know the passion that he plays with, the kind of teammate he is, just what he's all about is infectious and contagious and everybody responds to it on our team."

Bryant finished the game with four receptions, two of which went for touchdowns and 99 yards in the Cowboys 44-17 beat down of the Redskins.

"Dez is just an unbelievable player," said Jason Witten. "I thought he had his best year, just running good routes and being where he's supposed to be. He's a dynamic player. It's great to see his growth."

Bryant has had a monster regular season, racking up 1,320 receiving yards on 88 catches for 16 touchdowns, but he's just happy to do his part for the NFC East champions.

"We're accepting our roles and when our number is called we've got to be there to make that play. That's exactly what we're doing," Bryant said.

To make the milestone even more unique, Bryant broke Owen's record on the very next play after DeMarco Murray surpassed Emmitt Smith's single-season franchise rushing record.

"Pretty unique," said offensive coordinator Scott Linehan. "Those are good little icing-on-the-cake kind of moments for us this year. It's been a great regular season, but everybody is so hungry for what's next." 

While this record is something to marvel at for some, don't count Bryant in that group because he could care less.

"It feels good, but it's not what I want," Bryant said. "We've worked too hard and we've got an opportunity to do something special. That's what my mind is focused on."

On a night when several franchise records were broken, it's a team-first mantra the Cowboys are expected to live by as they enter the playoffs for the first time since 2009, a first for the fifth-year wide receiver.

"Just got to keep fighting. Got to keep playing together," Bryant said. "Got to want it more than the next man and that's what we're exactly going to continue to do."

Fight. It's what Bryant and this team have done all year long. No reason to start questioning them now. 

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