Cowboys Win Preseason Opener Against Colts, 23-10
DallasCowboys.com:
IRVING, Texas - The starters played less than a half. Peyton Manning, Marvin Harrison and Co. also hit the opposing sideline early.
As expected, rookies and reserves dominated the Texas Stadium turf, but Cowboys head coach Wade Phillips accomplished his goals for Thursday's preseason opener against the Indianapolis Colts. He finally got to evaluate his players in a game situation, and his team played competitively, beating the Super Bowl champions, 23-10.
After a quiet first half that featured only two field goals from Martin Gramatica and rookie Nick Folk, the Cowboys established a 10-point lead when safety Keith Davis intercepted a Jim Sorgi pass and returned it 41 yards for a touchdown. Cowboys rookie linebacker Alex Obomese tipped Sorgi's pass, allowing Davis to swoop in for the pick.
Backup running back Tyson Thompson's 2-yard touchdown on the Cowboys' next drive pushed the lead to 20-3 later in the third quarter, and cornerback Joey Thomas' interception stalled a Colts drive midway through the fourth with the Cowboys comfortably ahead, 23-3.
Indianapolis trimmed the lead to 23-10 with a 3-yard touchdown pass from Josh Betts to Trent Shelton.
Phillips played his second- and third-team units throughout the second half. Quarterback Tony Romo and most of the starting offense played only two series in the first half. Romo, who played without wide receiver Terry Glenn (knee scope), finished 9-of-10 for 91 yards and zero touchdowns before giving way to backup Brad Johnson.
Romo's completed his first pass of the game to wide receiver Terrell Owens, who played only one series.
The Cowboys held out starting offensive tackles Flozell Adams and Marc Colombo for precautionary reasons following their recent return from arthroscopic knee surgery. On defense, safety Ken Hamlin and outside linebacker Greg Ellis were inactive. First-round pick Anthony Spencer started in Ellis' place.
Rookie Doug Free, who started at left tackle, left the game with a sprained knee.
IRVING, Texas - The starters played less than a half. Peyton Manning, Marvin Harrison and Co. also hit the opposing sideline early.
As expected, rookies and reserves dominated the Texas Stadium turf, but Cowboys head coach Wade Phillips accomplished his goals for Thursday's preseason opener against the Indianapolis Colts. He finally got to evaluate his players in a game situation, and his team played competitively, beating the Super Bowl champions, 23-10.
After a quiet first half that featured only two field goals from Martin Gramatica and rookie Nick Folk, the Cowboys established a 10-point lead when safety Keith Davis intercepted a Jim Sorgi pass and returned it 41 yards for a touchdown. Cowboys rookie linebacker Alex Obomese tipped Sorgi's pass, allowing Davis to swoop in for the pick.
Backup running back Tyson Thompson's 2-yard touchdown on the Cowboys' next drive pushed the lead to 20-3 later in the third quarter, and cornerback Joey Thomas' interception stalled a Colts drive midway through the fourth with the Cowboys comfortably ahead, 23-3.
Indianapolis trimmed the lead to 23-10 with a 3-yard touchdown pass from Josh Betts to Trent Shelton.
Phillips played his second- and third-team units throughout the second half. Quarterback Tony Romo and most of the starting offense played only two series in the first half. Romo, who played without wide receiver Terry Glenn (knee scope), finished 9-of-10 for 91 yards and zero touchdowns before giving way to backup Brad Johnson.
Romo's completed his first pass of the game to wide receiver Terrell Owens, who played only one series.
The Cowboys held out starting offensive tackles Flozell Adams and Marc Colombo for precautionary reasons following their recent return from arthroscopic knee surgery. On defense, safety Ken Hamlin and outside linebacker Greg Ellis were inactive. First-round pick Anthony Spencer started in Ellis' place.
Rookie Doug Free, who started at left tackle, left the game with a sprained knee.
posted by The Gryphon at 10:48 PM
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