It is NEVER a good idea to question the passion and big-time talent of tight end Jason Witten. The 13-year veteran came up with two huge touchdown receptions including the eventual game winner, as the Dallas Cowboys (1-0) slogged through two 10-point deficits to turn back the New York Giants 27-26 at AT&T Stadium tonight.
There are those inside and outside the media who say Jason Witten is old and not the big-time threat he used to be circa 2007. Well, those people should have watched tonight’s game because they would have seen that the future Hall of Famer has still got it and that he is still one of the elite tight ends in the game. He caught 8 passes for 60 yards and 2 scores on the night.
His partner in crime was none other than quarterback Tony Romo, who put the Cowboys’ comeback efforts on his back too. He was 36 of 45 for 356 yards, 3 touchdown passes and 2 thefts on the night.
The Cowboys had all those yards (436) tonight and all that fourth quarter scoring without their best player in receiver Dez Bryant, who left the game in the fourth quarter with a foot injury. He had 5 catches for 48 yards on the night.
Dallas’ first offensive scoring drive of the game was disheartening. Why? Because it took them 17 plays and 10:27 seconds of game clock time, just to get a 21 yard field goal by Dan Bailey. It was 3-0 Dallas with just under 4:40 left in the first quarter.
With the game tied at 3-3 and near midway through the second quarter, Dallas running back Darren McFadden keyed Dallas’ next scoring drive with a 19 yard reception down the left sideline to the NYG 21. That play set up a 32 yard successful field goal by Bailey to give the Cowboys a 6-3 lead with 5:42 left.
On the Giants’ ensuing drive they were forced to punt. Because on 3rd and 13, Dallas strong safety Barry Church snatched Giant running back Shane Vereen (60 yards total offense) around his ankles and took him down at the NYG 37 after a 10 yard reception. The Giants’ Brad Wing got off a 50 yard punt to the DAL 13 where the Cowboys took over for their last drive of the first half.
Taking over at their own 13, Dallas thought they were well on their way to a 13-3 lead by virtue of a Bryant 18 yard reception to the DAL 35 and a Cole Beasley (4 catches for 49 yards) 15 yard reception to the NYG 42. But wait! Beasley fumbled at the NYG 42 and Giant cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, recovered Beasley’s gaffe and returned it 57 yards unscathed to the end zone to give his team a 10-6 lead late in the second quarter.
That was Rodgers-Cromartie’s first fumble recovery since his rookie year of 2008, and the first fumble recovery he returned for a touchdown of his eight-year career.
Later, on one of their better offensive drives of the game, the Giants went on a methodical and quick 12-play, 68 yard drive. The only problem with that drive was that they couldn’t get a touchdown out of it. On 3rd and 2 from the DAL 12, Eli Manning (20 of 36 for 193 yards and no scoring pass) flicked a pass to number four receiver Preston Parker, who didn’t catch the pass and had tight coverage from Dallas cornerback Tyler Patmon.
So, placekicker Josh Brown came in and converted his third field goal of the night, this one from 30 yards. The Giants now had a 16-6 lead with just under ten minutes left in the third quarter.
The same player (Rodgers-Cromartie) who turned this game on its ear and in the favor of the Giants late in the second quarter, was the same player who helped give Dallas some momentum late in the third quarter. Because on 3rd and 4 from the NYG 18, the talented cornerback was charged with a pass interference penalty on Dallas wide receiver Terrance Williams (5 catches for 60 yards) in the end zone.
On the next play, Romo fired a pass to the back of the end zone to a crossing Gavin Escobar who secured the pass for the score. Now the Giants lead was cut to 16-13 with 4:01 left.
Near the eight minute mark of the fourth quarter, the Giants received another defensive gift. Their cornerback Trumaine McBride pilfered a Romo pass near the right sideline, and proceeded to speed down to the DAL 1 yard line. That play set up a Rashad Jennings (13 carries for 52 yards and 1 score) 1 yard touchdown run that gave the Giants a 23-13 cushion with 8:01 left in the contest.
Williams was huge on the Cowboys’ next scoring drive as he caught 2 passes for 37 yards, one of which got his team to the NYG 17 yard line. That play set up a marvelous tackle-breaking/desperate for momentum play by Beasley to the NYG 1 yard line. Williams and Beasley’s theatrics, set up a Witten over the shoulder 1 yard TD reception that put the score at 23-20 with 5:08 left in the game.
Meanwhile, super late in the fourth quarter, the Cowboys’ pass rush and secondary forced Manning to settle for a throw away pass out of the end zone on 3rd and goal. Brown came in for his fourth field goal of the game with this one being from 19 yards and successful. The score was now 26-20 Giants with 1:43 left in the game.
On their last drive of the game, Dallas took over at their own 28. Randle took two Romo passes to the NYG 32. Randle had 2 catches for 40 yards on this drive as he has gone out of his way to become a complete back (rushing, receiving, and pass blocking).
Then, leave it to Witten to outshine what Randle did. On 3rd and 2 from the NYG 11, Witten ran up the seam and beat a Giant defender for Romo’s pass and good positioning in the end zone to secure the 59th scoring pass of his career to give his team a 27-26 lead with precious few seconds left in the game.
On the Giants next drive, they couldn’t get past the NYG 42 yard line despite the best efforts of Vereen and Parker trying to execute a lateral play, with the clock eventually running out. Game over.
