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LONDON — The Dallas Cowboys came to London with one goal in mind.
Yes, they took in some sights.
And, yes, they did their part to help spread the gospel of the NFL to an international audience.
But head coach Jason Garrett knows how to keep the team focused on the game.
Riding a two-game losing streak, the Cowboys essentially flew nine hours to get a win and get their mojo back before this week's bye and the start of the final stretch to the playoffs against the New York Giants on Nov. 23.
The Cowboys accomplished that mission in relatively easy fashion with a 31-17 victory against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Wembley Stadium.
The Cowboys led 24-7 at halftime and 31-7 in the third quarter before resting their starters midway through the fourth quarter and cruising to victory.
The Cowboys ended their two-game losing streak and are 7-3 heading into the bye, just a half-game behind the NFC East-leading Philadelphia Eagles (7-2).
"It was really important to focus as a team coming over here and dealing with the distractions," Garrett said. "Our team did a good job going to work. That was a huge deal for us, a huge point of emphasis by our entire coaching staff to make sure we come over here and handle the distractions of travel and getting yourself adjusted and just going to work.”
"And I thought our team did a really good job having the right approach, the right mentality, the right mindset, coming into this game, reflected in the work that we had over here and our performance."
The Cowboys got the win primarily because the Jaguars are woeful. They are now 1-9 and suffered their sixth double-digit loss of the season.
Receiver Dez Bryant led the way for the Cowboys with six receptions for 158 yards and two touchdowns—all in the second quarter to blow the game open.
The biggest positive was the play of quarterback Tony Romo, who missed last week's game against the Cardinals with two fractured transverse processes in his back.
Romo took a pill before the game to manage the pain but appeared no worse for wear, completing 20 of 27 passes for 246 yards and three touchdowns.
"I think just sore," Romo said. "Just, any time anybody's had anything broken before, knows it's uncomfortable at times and things like that, but you play football. You go play. It's uncomfortable, but it's also manageable in the sense of your ability to still function and do some things you need to do to produce."
Romo produced a quarterback rating of 138.8, marking the fifth time this season he has had a rating of 100.0 or better.
Running back DeMarco Murray also got back on track with 19 carries for 100 yards, one week after seeing his NFL-record streak of consecutive 100-yard games stopped at eight in the 28-17 loss to the Arizona Cardinals.
Murray now has nine 100-yard games in 10 starts this season.
This all has the Cowboys feeling good about themselves and their best start to a season since opening 7-3 in 2009 en route to the NFC East title and their only playoff win since 1996.
The Cowboys have six games left to finish what they started.
"It's good. But we can't pay attention to it," Bryant said. “We got to continue to keep our head down and focus on our goal, and we all know what that is. We got to stay together, play together, and hope for the best."
"You obviously want to have a chance to control your destiny and go out and do that. And we have that ability and guys have played hard and they put forth a lot of work and commitment to get to this point. And I'm proud that they have got themselves and ourselves in this position," Romo said. "But no one has won anything yet. It's all in front of you. You got to take it and move forward and get better."
The trip to London ended a tough, 10-week grind to start the season. The Cowboys are pleased to get a week off and heal up for the final stretch.
Not only does Romo need the week away to heal, but the Cowboys can get linebacker Rolando McClain (knee, groin) and defensive tackles Tyrone Crawford (knee) and Nick Hayden (shoulder) healthy and going again after the bye.
"It was a big week," Romo said. “I think this will be an important week just for me. Just having this one to kind of get back on track a little bit and help heal up some stuff. Our football team needs it. They have really just put their head down and gone to work for 10 straight weeks. It's a credit to them that they're able to kind of stay in that mode and really not let up. And now they have that ability, and they deserve it. And they need to get their minds away from the game for a week.
"It's been a very good grind, but we're going to need to come back and do it again."
Clarence Hill covers the Cowboys for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. All quotations obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted.
Read more Dallas Cowboys news on BleacherReport.com
Continue reading...
Yes, they took in some sights.
And, yes, they did their part to help spread the gospel of the NFL to an international audience.
But head coach Jason Garrett knows how to keep the team focused on the game.
Riding a two-game losing streak, the Cowboys essentially flew nine hours to get a win and get their mojo back before this week's bye and the start of the final stretch to the playoffs against the New York Giants on Nov. 23.
The Cowboys accomplished that mission in relatively easy fashion with a 31-17 victory against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Wembley Stadium.
The Cowboys led 24-7 at halftime and 31-7 in the third quarter before resting their starters midway through the fourth quarter and cruising to victory.
The Cowboys ended their two-game losing streak and are 7-3 heading into the bye, just a half-game behind the NFC East-leading Philadelphia Eagles (7-2).
"It was really important to focus as a team coming over here and dealing with the distractions," Garrett said. "Our team did a good job going to work. That was a huge deal for us, a huge point of emphasis by our entire coaching staff to make sure we come over here and handle the distractions of travel and getting yourself adjusted and just going to work.”
"And I thought our team did a really good job having the right approach, the right mentality, the right mindset, coming into this game, reflected in the work that we had over here and our performance."
The Cowboys got the win primarily because the Jaguars are woeful. They are now 1-9 and suffered their sixth double-digit loss of the season.
Receiver Dez Bryant led the way for the Cowboys with six receptions for 158 yards and two touchdowns—all in the second quarter to blow the game open.
The biggest positive was the play of quarterback Tony Romo, who missed last week's game against the Cardinals with two fractured transverse processes in his back.
Romo took a pill before the game to manage the pain but appeared no worse for wear, completing 20 of 27 passes for 246 yards and three touchdowns.
"I think just sore," Romo said. "Just, any time anybody's had anything broken before, knows it's uncomfortable at times and things like that, but you play football. You go play. It's uncomfortable, but it's also manageable in the sense of your ability to still function and do some things you need to do to produce."
Romo produced a quarterback rating of 138.8, marking the fifth time this season he has had a rating of 100.0 or better.
Running back DeMarco Murray also got back on track with 19 carries for 100 yards, one week after seeing his NFL-record streak of consecutive 100-yard games stopped at eight in the 28-17 loss to the Arizona Cardinals.
Murray now has nine 100-yard games in 10 starts this season.
This all has the Cowboys feeling good about themselves and their best start to a season since opening 7-3 in 2009 en route to the NFC East title and their only playoff win since 1996.
The Cowboys have six games left to finish what they started.
"It's good. But we can't pay attention to it," Bryant said. “We got to continue to keep our head down and focus on our goal, and we all know what that is. We got to stay together, play together, and hope for the best."
"You obviously want to have a chance to control your destiny and go out and do that. And we have that ability and guys have played hard and they put forth a lot of work and commitment to get to this point. And I'm proud that they have got themselves and ourselves in this position," Romo said. "But no one has won anything yet. It's all in front of you. You got to take it and move forward and get better."
The trip to London ended a tough, 10-week grind to start the season. The Cowboys are pleased to get a week off and heal up for the final stretch.
Not only does Romo need the week away to heal, but the Cowboys can get linebacker Rolando McClain (knee, groin) and defensive tackles Tyrone Crawford (knee) and Nick Hayden (shoulder) healthy and going again after the bye.
"It was a big week," Romo said. “I think this will be an important week just for me. Just having this one to kind of get back on track a little bit and help heal up some stuff. Our football team needs it. They have really just put their head down and gone to work for 10 straight weeks. It's a credit to them that they're able to kind of stay in that mode and really not let up. And now they have that ability, and they deserve it. And they need to get their minds away from the game for a week.
"It's been a very good grind, but we're going to need to come back and do it again."
Clarence Hill covers the Cowboys for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. All quotations obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted.
Read more Dallas Cowboys news on BleacherReport.com
Continue reading...