DMN: Garrett explains why Dez Bryant 'needed' to play in Cowboys' preseason opener

[Irving Cowboy]

Garrett explains why Dez Bryant 'needed' to play in Cowboys' preseason opener
By Jon Machota

LOS ANGELES -- It wasn't quite the incredible leaping attempt late in a playoff game, but Dez Bryant's touchdown catch Saturday night brought back some memories of his non-catch in Green Bay.

Bryant jumped over Rams cornerback Coty Sensabaugh to make the 10-yard grab, reaching over the goal line as he went to the ground. Even though the ball came out after Bryant was already on the ground, the play was ruled a touchdown, giving Dallas an early 14-0 lead.

"It was kind of sort of similar but I'm going to let that one slide," Bryant said. "That's the little chip I got on my shoulder, man. I think that's the reason I'm playing the way that I'm playing because of that."

Bryant was on the field for 10 plays in Dallas' preseason opener, his first game action since having foot and ankle surgery in January. In one series, the star receiver caught two passes -- both fades -- for 28 yards.

"He played about the amount of snaps we wanted him to play," head coach Jason Garrett said. "He's been away from it and he needed to be out there. He needed to run routes against an NFL corner in a game setting. He'll continue to do that over the course of the preseason. He was ready for it. Mentally and emotionally he was ready to play and I thought he did a really nice job taking advantage of his opportunities."

Bryant has started looking like his old self during training camp practices over the past week, recording several highlight catches in both team and individual drills.

"I was just playing my game," Bryant said. "Wasn't thinking about anything, just doing what I love to do and that's play football."

 

[Rynie]

What about Romo, you pussy? He's been away from it longer.

 

[bbgun]

Translation: I don't have the balls to tell these guys "no." I'd rather they love me.

 

[ThoughtExperiment]

^^ Exactly. Just like Murray running himself into the ground during meaningless games during a contract year or Witten never coming off the field.

 

[dbair1967]

^^ Exactly. Just like Murray running himself into the ground during meaningless games during a contract year or Witten never coming off the field.

Huh?

 

[ThoughtExperiment]

I thought it was pretty self-explanatory

 

[cmd34]

Did he explain why he shut him down and Dez said "Umm, no, I'm playing."

Unquestioned authority!

 

[dbair1967]

Did Garrett ever indicate Dez wasn't playing? Or did that come from Jones only.

I'm glad they put him out there along with most of the other offensive starters. They do need the reps.

 

[dbair1967]

I thought it was pretty self-explanatory

I honestly have no idea what you were talking about on this. Care to elaborate?

 

[Omegasupreme]

I honestly have no idea what you were talking about on this. Care to elaborate?

If it's about Murray or Witten staying on the field when they were supposed to come out, I heard about that but I wonder if there was something a little more combatant going on. What if Callahan in his spite just kept calling in plays and sequences of plays so that Murray would have to stay on the field and ruffle the pass-focused Garrett; and what if Jason Witten in his allegiance to Garrett or with Garrett's urging just stayed on the field to spite Callahan as a member of the passing game. It just makes no sense that the team could be so successful in running the ball with Callahan and Garrett not wanting to keep him.

 

[ThoughtExperiment]

I honestly have no idea what you were talking about on this. Care to elaborate?

I made the observation many times in 2014 that it was idiotic to keep Murray in play after play late in the season when we had things sewn up already. From comments Murray and others made, it was obvious it was because he refused to come out of the games. It was just like Witten has done so many times, even when he's hurt and can barely run out there. (And then that's the team's excuse for tight end after tight end failing -- because Witten plays all the time.)

While it's admirable that players want to play every play, it shouldn't be up to them. It's up to the coach to manage the game and the season properly in that regard.

 

[dbair1967]

I made the observation many times in 2014 that it was idiotic to keep Murray in play after play late in the season when we had things sewn up already. From comments Murray and others made, it was obvious it was because he refused to come out of the games. It was just like Witten has done so many times, even when he's hurt and can barely run out there. (And then that's the team's excuse for tight end after tight end failing -- because Witten plays all the time.)

While it's admirable that players want to play every play, it shouldn't be up to them. It's up to the coach to manage the game and the season properly in that regard.

Linehan discussed the Murray thing at length a couple of times and said while they would have liked to rested him some, the fact was he was just too good to take out of the games. We did the same thing with Emmitt back in his hey day too, even when we had games pretty much in hand he didn't come out.

When Jimmy was here the starters rarely came out of games unless it was a total blowout.