Why did Cowboys WR Dez Bryant disappear in the second half again?

[Midswat]

ByRainer Sabin / Reporter
rsabin@dallasnews.com | Bio

8:51 PM on Sun., Oct. 2, 2011

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ARLINGTON -- When Dez Bryant made a six-yard touchdown reception with 10 minutes, 58 seconds left in the first quarter, he appeared to be on his way to piecing together a memorable performance. At that point, he had had already accounted for three catches, 37 yards and two touchdowns. But Bryant's stat line wouldn't change from that point forward.

The Cowboys' second-year receiver, who was listed as questionable Sunday because of a deep thigh bruise he suffered Sept. 11, disappeared in the second half just as he did in Dallas' season opener. In that game, Bryant made three receptions for 71 yards and a touchdown in the opening quarter. But for the remainder of the game, he failed to record a catch.

When asked to explain why Bryant had vanished after the second quarter, Cowboys coach Jason Garrett said, "We got the ball to some other people in the second half. ...Sometimes guys get the ball early. Sometimes they get it late. Sometimes they get it in the middle. You just keep banging away and try to find some options and move the football."

 

[Midswat]

It's always a good idea to keep the ball out of your most physically gifted offensive weapon.

 

[peplaw06]

What answer is the writer looking for? Dez blew up on the field when that replay was challenged and reversed, and we decided to just stop giving him opportunities? Does everything have to be some big controversy? It's like Romo missing Jerruh on the sidelines last night. Suddenly Romo is defying his boss...

Why was Calvin Johnson invisible in the first half? I think he was scared because Rob Ryan had talked shit all week.

 

[Clutch88]

Didn't throw to Dez late because Detroit took him out of the game. That's fairly obvious. That's why Laurent and Ogletree were so open in the game. They put sometime 2, sometimes 3 on Dez. In that case, the smart thing is to throw to the open receiver. One of the smart things Romo actually did do yesterday. Unfortunately, when they took Laurent and Jason out of the game, he didn't look elsewhere then. Detroit did an excellent job defensively in the second half. Didn't look like anyone was open. Again, that's when we should have been running the ball anyway. But that's a whole different subject. Part of the problem might have been the deep thigh bruise too. Dez was on the side of the field riding the stationary bike when he wasn't on the field. Might have just lost his speed, might have tightened up through the course of the game. Hope he gets this thing healed up in the bye. We need him full strength.

 

[lons]

We really missed Miles in the 2nd half.

 

[dbair1967]

Why was Calvin Johnson invisible in the first half? I think he was scared because Rob Ryan had talked shit all week.

lol

 

[dbair1967]

We really missed Miles in the 2nd half.

Not really, Romo could have easily tried to force dumb passes to him too, regardless of how many defenders were around him.

 

[cboys72]

Not really, Romo could have easily tried to force dumb passes to him too, regardless of how many defenders were around him.

Yeah, he was having a Bonehead day-wouldnt have mattered if Austin was in...