Secondary gets back on track
By RICK HERRIN
STAR-TELEGRAM STAFF WRITER
GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Maligned Cowboys free safety Patrick Watkins stood at his locker and smiled as he fixed his stylish black suit.
"Well, I didn't get beat deep," the rookie said. "That's a start."
Watkins' humble thoughts also could be directed at the rest of the Cowboys' secondary, which fell apart a week ago in a 22-19 loss at Washington. This time the secondary answered a big challenge by quieting the Cardinals' impressive receiving duo of Anquan Boldin and Larry Fitzgerald in a 27-10 victory Sunday at University of Phoenix Stadium.
The Cowboys' secondary didn't allow a touchdown and dodged big penalties and big plays. Boldin, the Cardinals' leading receiver, was held to a season-low two catches for 53 yards as cornerbacks Terence Newman and Anthony Henry blanketed him.
Watkins, benched after starting the first six games, made his first career interception in the third quarter in a backup role behind starter Keith Davis. He helped shut down Boldin, his friend and former Florida State teammate.
"It was good for him to get back out there," Davis said. "[The interception] couldn't have happened to him at a better time, going through all the ups and downs he's been through. That was real big for him."
Boldin delivered the Cards' longest play when rookie Matt Leinart found him for a 43-yard reception, beating Henry down to the Cowboys' 5.
Fitzgerald, who missed the past three games with a hamstring injury, finished with six catches for 80 yards, but in the first three quarters he had just 27 yards on four catches. Henry finished with seven tackles. Newman had five.
"It feels real good the way we played today," Davis said. "For the most part, that was the way to bounce back for the whole secondary and this whole team."
Linebacker Akin Ayodele had an interception and tackle Jay Ratliff recovered a fumble, to go with Watkins' pickoff.
In the first six games, Watkins was burned by big plays, especially against Philadelphia and the New York Giants. Cowboys safeties have given up seven touchdowns.
Watkins was forced into backup duty when the Cowboys released veteran Marcus Coleman, who was arrested and charged with driving while intoxicated. Coleman talked with Davis on Sunday and wished his ex-teammates good luck.
"We went against a great receiving corps. It should have our confidence back up for next week," Watkins said. "This helped me out a lot. Oh, man, I'm glad I had been studying."
Since Boldin and Fitzgerald are big receivers, the Cowboys used more nickel coverage to combat Arizona's three-receiver formations.
"At some point, you've got to make more plays than they do," Cowboys nickel back Aaron Glenn said.
Pro Bowl safety Roy Williams had no tackles and dropped a potential interception in the second quarter.
IN THE KNOW
Shutout quarters
The Cowboys' defense has shut out its opponents in 14 of 36 quarters this season, including the first and third quarters Sunday at Arizona, and has not allowed more than a field goal in 19 quarters. A game-by-game look at the Cowboys' shutout quarters:
Quarters Opponent
2 at Jacksonville
3 vs. Washington
1 at Tennessee
0 at Philadelphia
2 vs. Houston
0 vs. NY Giants
3 at Carolina
1 at Washington
2 at Arizona
STAR-TELEGRAM STAFF WRITER
GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Maligned Cowboys free safety Patrick Watkins stood at his locker and smiled as he fixed his stylish black suit.
"Well, I didn't get beat deep," the rookie said. "That's a start."
Watkins' humble thoughts also could be directed at the rest of the Cowboys' secondary, which fell apart a week ago in a 22-19 loss at Washington. This time the secondary answered a big challenge by quieting the Cardinals' impressive receiving duo of Anquan Boldin and Larry Fitzgerald in a 27-10 victory Sunday at University of Phoenix Stadium.
The Cowboys' secondary didn't allow a touchdown and dodged big penalties and big plays. Boldin, the Cardinals' leading receiver, was held to a season-low two catches for 53 yards as cornerbacks Terence Newman and Anthony Henry blanketed him.
Watkins, benched after starting the first six games, made his first career interception in the third quarter in a backup role behind starter Keith Davis. He helped shut down Boldin, his friend and former Florida State teammate.
"It was good for him to get back out there," Davis said. "[The interception] couldn't have happened to him at a better time, going through all the ups and downs he's been through. That was real big for him."
Boldin delivered the Cards' longest play when rookie Matt Leinart found him for a 43-yard reception, beating Henry down to the Cowboys' 5.
Fitzgerald, who missed the past three games with a hamstring injury, finished with six catches for 80 yards, but in the first three quarters he had just 27 yards on four catches. Henry finished with seven tackles. Newman had five.
"It feels real good the way we played today," Davis said. "For the most part, that was the way to bounce back for the whole secondary and this whole team."
Linebacker Akin Ayodele had an interception and tackle Jay Ratliff recovered a fumble, to go with Watkins' pickoff.
In the first six games, Watkins was burned by big plays, especially against Philadelphia and the New York Giants. Cowboys safeties have given up seven touchdowns.
Watkins was forced into backup duty when the Cowboys released veteran Marcus Coleman, who was arrested and charged with driving while intoxicated. Coleman talked with Davis on Sunday and wished his ex-teammates good luck.
"We went against a great receiving corps. It should have our confidence back up for next week," Watkins said. "This helped me out a lot. Oh, man, I'm glad I had been studying."
Since Boldin and Fitzgerald are big receivers, the Cowboys used more nickel coverage to combat Arizona's three-receiver formations.
"At some point, you've got to make more plays than they do," Cowboys nickel back Aaron Glenn said.
Pro Bowl safety Roy Williams had no tackles and dropped a potential interception in the second quarter.
IN THE KNOW
Shutout quarters
The Cowboys' defense has shut out its opponents in 14 of 36 quarters this season, including the first and third quarters Sunday at Arizona, and has not allowed more than a field goal in 19 quarters. A game-by-game look at the Cowboys' shutout quarters:
Quarters Opponent
2 at Jacksonville
3 vs. Washington
1 at Tennessee
0 at Philadelphia
2 vs. Houston
0 vs. NY Giants
3 at Carolina
1 at Washington
2 at Arizona
posted by The Gryphon at 9:43 AM
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