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COLUMN By GERRY FRALEY / The Dallas Morning News
gfraley@dallasnews.com
ARLINGTON – Contrary to appearances, the Cowboys really do have wide receivers in their offense.
You must watch closely, or you will miss them.
After spending nearly all of Sunday afternoon in seclusion, the wide receivers emerged in a two-play sequence late in the fourth quarter against Washington. Catches by Sam Hurd and Miles Austin helped push the offense toward the game-winning points in a victory over the Redskins.
"It didn't get intense," Austin said of the final possessions. "We've got to stay pointed and execute the game plan. I think that's what we did."
For the first 57 minutes of the game, the Cowboys had five catches for 52 yards by the wide receivers: Austin, Hurd and Manuel Johnson in his NFL debut. Austin had a touchdown catch; Hurd could not come up with two throws in the end zone.
Tight end Jason Witten, for the fifth consecutive game, was the lead target in the passing attack. He seemed the logical choice for more throws when the Cowboys, tied at 30, began a drive from their 48 with 3:11 remaining.
Quarterback Jon Kitna went away from the human security blanket.
On second-and-9, Kitna got the football to Hurd, on a curl pattern, for a 9-yard gain. On the next play, Austin came free on a quick slant for a 12-yard reception to the Redskins' 30. Three safe runs by Tashard Choice set up David Buehler's game-winning 39-yard field goal.
"I'm out there having fun, just like the rest of my teammates," Hurd said. "If you're uptight, that's when you drop the ball. I'm out there having fun. Whenever a ball is thrown to me, I'm trying to make the play because I know what is needed."
To say the throws to Austin and Hurd were unexpected is an understatement. Each had had only one target in the second half, and both throws went for incompletions.
Kitna insisted he was not trying to outfox the Redskins. Kitna always says he is willing to throw to any receiver at any time. This demonstrated that faith to an extreme.
"Like I've said all along, I try as hard as I can to throw within the system," Kitna said. "At that time, that's where the ball was dictated to go. That's what we had to do.
"To me, it's staying within the system and not trying to force Jason the ball."
Kitna operated with an inexperienced group of wide receivers.
Injuries recently have cut into the position. Prodigy Dez Bryant incurred a season-ending ankle injury Dec. 5. Kevin Ogletree replaced him last week and suffered a season-ending toe injury. Roy Williams missed this game because of a groin injury.
The last time Williams missed a game, Austin emerged as a breakthrough replacement: 10 catches for 250 yards and two touchdowns in an overtime win at Kansas City on Oct. 11, 2009. Nether Hurd nor Johnson could come close to duplicating that fill-in feat.
The only throw to Johnson – a deep throw in the first quarter – was an incompletion. Kitna blamed himself for not getting Johnson more involved in the offense.
"I probably should have thrown a few more balls toward Manny, but it just didn't come up in the natural flow of the game," Kitna said.
Hurd, the more experienced receiver, had more chances. He had four receptions for 35 yards, but the two passes he did not catch almost cost the Cowboys.
Both were passes that could've resulted in touchdowns. A throw into the back corner of the end zone in the second quarter would have been a difficult, but doable, catch for Hurd. Later, he missed on what would have been a routine diving catch in the third quarter.
"I should have had some touchdowns," Hurd said. "I'm not going to kick myself over it, because God gave me another chance. I'm thankful for that."
He had to wait a while. In the current Cowboys' offense, wide receivers must wait their turn.
Less out wide
The game-by-game production of the Cowboys' wide receivers:
(Opponent - Rec. Yds TDs)
at Washington - 21 223 1
Chicago - 16 247 0
at Houston - 11 187 2
Tennessee - 20 286 2
at Minnesota - 6 71 3
NY Giants - 7 92 2
Jacksonville - 17 241 0
at Green Bay - 13 119 1
at NY Giants - 7 205 2
Detroit - 7 35 3
New Orleans - 9 130 0
at Indianapolis - 7 93 0
Philadelphia - 8 96 0
Washington - 7 73 1
gfraley@dallasnews.com
ARLINGTON – Contrary to appearances, the Cowboys really do have wide receivers in their offense.
You must watch closely, or you will miss them.
After spending nearly all of Sunday afternoon in seclusion, the wide receivers emerged in a two-play sequence late in the fourth quarter against Washington. Catches by Sam Hurd and Miles Austin helped push the offense toward the game-winning points in a victory over the Redskins.
"It didn't get intense," Austin said of the final possessions. "We've got to stay pointed and execute the game plan. I think that's what we did."
For the first 57 minutes of the game, the Cowboys had five catches for 52 yards by the wide receivers: Austin, Hurd and Manuel Johnson in his NFL debut. Austin had a touchdown catch; Hurd could not come up with two throws in the end zone.
Tight end Jason Witten, for the fifth consecutive game, was the lead target in the passing attack. He seemed the logical choice for more throws when the Cowboys, tied at 30, began a drive from their 48 with 3:11 remaining.
Quarterback Jon Kitna went away from the human security blanket.
On second-and-9, Kitna got the football to Hurd, on a curl pattern, for a 9-yard gain. On the next play, Austin came free on a quick slant for a 12-yard reception to the Redskins' 30. Three safe runs by Tashard Choice set up David Buehler's game-winning 39-yard field goal.
"I'm out there having fun, just like the rest of my teammates," Hurd said. "If you're uptight, that's when you drop the ball. I'm out there having fun. Whenever a ball is thrown to me, I'm trying to make the play because I know what is needed."
To say the throws to Austin and Hurd were unexpected is an understatement. Each had had only one target in the second half, and both throws went for incompletions.
Kitna insisted he was not trying to outfox the Redskins. Kitna always says he is willing to throw to any receiver at any time. This demonstrated that faith to an extreme.
"Like I've said all along, I try as hard as I can to throw within the system," Kitna said. "At that time, that's where the ball was dictated to go. That's what we had to do.
"To me, it's staying within the system and not trying to force Jason the ball."
Kitna operated with an inexperienced group of wide receivers.
Injuries recently have cut into the position. Prodigy Dez Bryant incurred a season-ending ankle injury Dec. 5. Kevin Ogletree replaced him last week and suffered a season-ending toe injury. Roy Williams missed this game because of a groin injury.
The last time Williams missed a game, Austin emerged as a breakthrough replacement: 10 catches for 250 yards and two touchdowns in an overtime win at Kansas City on Oct. 11, 2009. Nether Hurd nor Johnson could come close to duplicating that fill-in feat.
The only throw to Johnson – a deep throw in the first quarter – was an incompletion. Kitna blamed himself for not getting Johnson more involved in the offense.
"I probably should have thrown a few more balls toward Manny, but it just didn't come up in the natural flow of the game," Kitna said.
Hurd, the more experienced receiver, had more chances. He had four receptions for 35 yards, but the two passes he did not catch almost cost the Cowboys.
Both were passes that could've resulted in touchdowns. A throw into the back corner of the end zone in the second quarter would have been a difficult, but doable, catch for Hurd. Later, he missed on what would have been a routine diving catch in the third quarter.
"I should have had some touchdowns," Hurd said. "I'm not going to kick myself over it, because God gave me another chance. I'm thankful for that."
He had to wait a while. In the current Cowboys' offense, wide receivers must wait their turn.
Less out wide
The game-by-game production of the Cowboys' wide receivers:
(Opponent - Rec. Yds TDs)
at Washington - 21 223 1
Chicago - 16 247 0
at Houston - 11 187 2
Tennessee - 20 286 2
at Minnesota - 6 71 3
NY Giants - 7 92 2
Jacksonville - 17 241 0
at Green Bay - 13 119 1
at NY Giants - 7 205 2
Detroit - 7 35 3
New Orleans - 9 130 0
at Indianapolis - 7 93 0
Philadelphia - 8 96 0
Washington - 7 73 1
