Cowboys Scalp Skins 41-24

by coldwarmachine | 10 years ago | 0 Comments

The Dallas Cowboys picked their first win of the season, defeating their rivals, the Washington Redskins 41-24 yesterday. It was the home opener for the Cowboys and marked the debut of rookie Qb Hansen Boone making his first career NFL start. Boone missed most of the preseason and the first two weeks of the regular season with a shoulder injury. Boone didn't waste anytime introducing himself to his new rivals. he hooked up with TE Gavin Escobar for the first TD pass of his career. Boone went 15-26 and threw for 184 yards and 2 Tds. More importantly, Boone didn't turn the ball over, something Mallet and Romo did excessively the first two weeks of the regular season. 

It was aback and forth game with neither team able to gain much ground on the other. RG3 led a scoring drive of his own to tie the game at 7 all. The Cowboys retook the lead after a 1 yard run by Keevon Arnold on 3rd and goal. Arnold ran through several defenders, breaking tfour tackles to fight his way into the endzone giving Dallas a 14-7 lead. Griffin III led the skins right back down the field and tied the game up on a short pass over the middle to WR Dion Pittman who had a monster game notching 11 catches for 169 yards and 2 touchdowns. Boone executed the 2 minute offense to perfection at the end of the first half, finding Arnold on a beautiful wheel route with just under 10 seconds remaining in th half to give Dallas a 21-14 lead. 

Special teams miscues gave the Skins the lead early in the third quarter. Rookie wr Bruton fumbled on a punt return and then fumbled on a kick off reurn giving the skins a short field. Cameras pn the sideline caught Coach Coldwar screaming at the rookie after his second mistake, unhappy with the way Bruton was carrying the football. Alfred Morris scored on 1 yard TD run to tie the game and 21. After the fumbled kickoff  the Cowboys defense really locked in and saved the day. Playing a short field, the Dalals defense held the skins to Fg to make the score 24-21 Skins. After a Dallas 3 and out, the Skins comitted their first turnover of the day throwing an interception to cornerback Arryn Simon. Simon returned the ball inside the Skins 30, but the Cowboys settled for a FG to make the score 24-24. A few plays later, a mistimed route lead to a Rolando McClain pick six, giving Dallas the lead at 31-24. Arryn Simon picked off another pass on the ensuing drive and returned it 40 plus yards for another pick 6, ealing the Cowboys victory.

Game Notes

- Six different wrs caught passes from Hansen Boone. Boone did not seem to have a favorite target rather he just made reads and threw to the open receiver.

- Keevon Arnold has clearly won the starting job from Demarco Murray. Arnold rushed for 124 yards on 21 carries and had 1 TD.

- The defensive line really got a spark from the return of Henry melton from injury. This was the line Coach Coldwar envisioned after drafting Vazquez and resigning Greg Hadry. The cowboys front four produced 5 sacks, 3 in the fourth quarter. Melton and Demarcus Lawreence had 2 sacks a piece.

-Coach Coldwar called out rookie Garic Burton, saying that the rookie had "potential, but will never get achieve it if he keeps making mistakes like that" referring to Bruton's two fumbles. Coach Coldwar would not comment on who would be returning punts next week vs Detroit.