ARLINGTON, Texas – From the first possession against Denver, it was clear Terrance Williams would have a chance to redeem himself.
On his first attempt of the afternoon Tony Romo looked for Williams, just one week removed from a goal line fumble in the loss to San Diego, to make a play.
Williams delivered, catching a deep hitch and evading tacklers through the middle of the field for 25 yards.
"I just wanted to come out and look the ball in all the way in and minimize the mental mistakes and just give Tony more confidence to throw me the ball," Williams said. Every time he put it up there, I knew I had to make a play."
It's safe to say he did that. In a game that featured several Pro Bowlers and even more freakish athletes in the passing game, it was the rookie who led all receivers with 151 yards and a touchdown on four receptions.
"I think Terrance is gaining more and more confidence each week," said Cowboys coach Jason Garrett. "I thought he did a really good job in the San Diego game except for a couple of plays."
The Cowboys selected Williams in the third round of this past spring's draft in the hopes of adding another playmaker. Through a full preseason and four and a half regular season games, that ability hadn't shown through. Not yet, at least.
Trailing the Broncos 35-20 halfway through the third quarter, the Cowboys seemed destined to be a victim of another Denver blowout. But then, on the second play of the possession, Romo found Williams on a deep post down the middle of the field.
"That's what Jerry Jones brought me in for -- to help take pressure off Dez and take the top off a defense," Williams said.
Williams reeled it in on the Denver 40, and after he shook off cornerback Tony Carter, a 42-yard gain became an 82-yard touchdown.
[embedded_ad] "All week we knew they were going to be a single high defense and we took it as a challenge," Williams said. "When Tony throws the ball up, it's our ball and no one else's."
One week after a game-changing gaffe, Garrett said he was happy with Williams' response – regardless of the result.
"He came back with the right mindset and demeanor," he said. "The ball went to him a few times because they were doubling the other guys. That's where the ball should go and he stepped up and made the plays."
