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The numbers pretty much told the story of Vince Young's first NFL start in 2006: two interceptions, two fumbles, a 43.7 quarterback rating and a 45-14 loss.
But in retrospect, the most accurate assessment came from the quarterback who beat him.
Veteran Drew Bledsoe knew the pressure, the expectations and the challenges facing a highly acclaimed rookie. He had lived them as the first player selected in the 1993 draft.
"The big thing for a young quarterback when you're drafted that high is to be resilient," said Bledsoe, who would relinquish his job to Tony Romo three games later.
"Sometimes it takes one year. Sometimes it takes three or four. But what will define him is how he bounces back."
Four years later, Young faces the Cowboys for the first time since his rocky debut. The bounces keep coming. He is still searching for definition.
Resiliency, as it turns out, has no guarantee. The player who led Texas to the national title with one of the greatest performances in the history of college football remains an unfinished pro product.
Five games into his fifth season, Young is still proving himself. His career has been more about ups and downs than joining the upper echelon of NFL quarterbacks.
His development has been slowed by inconsistencies. Flashes of greatness have been followed by setbacks, including being benched, a four-hour police search in 2008 and a misdemeanor citation at a Dallas gentleman's club in July.
"I feel like I'm doing OK," Young said. "I'm taking care of my responsibilities."
Despite his tough start, Young led the Titans on a six-game winning streak in 2006 and was named Rookie of the Year by the Associated Press.
But after taking Tennessee to the playoffs in 2007, Young played only three games the next season. He was the subject of a four-hour search by Nashville police after family members expressed concern over his "emotional well-being."
He dismissed the incident as a big misunderstanding.
How much has he changed since that first start against Dallas?
"I feel a lot," he said. "I'm 27 years old now. I'm very comfortable with the offense. Different things: more reps and seeing a lot more different defenses and things like that. I feel I'm getting more and more mature about the game from where I used to be."
This was to be the season of Young's maturation, on and off the field. Last season, he came off the bench after the Titans' 0-6 start and led them to 8-2 finish. The starting job was his.
But in July, he received a misdemeanor assault citation after an altercation at a Dallas strip club.
Then reports surfaced that Young had missed or arrived late for at least two meetings leading up to Tennessee's game against Pittsburgh last month. He was benched in the fourth quarter with his team trailing by 13.
He was back as the starting quarterback the next week.
"He's clearly improving," Titans coach Jeff Fisher said. "He's 10-4 since taking over last year and is making good decisions."
Young has been hardened by the scrutiny that accompanies NFL quarterbacks. He's motivated by proving "the doubters" wrong.
During a conference call with Dallas-area reporters Wednesday, Young seemed surprised that somebody asked about his impressive 28-15 record as a starter.
"There are so many doubters and they're still doubting now," he said. "A lot of people don't even mention that. They always mention all the other stuff. That's why I've continued to stay focused and use that type of thing as motivation."
The biggest change in his life has been fatherhood. His longtime girlfriend, Candice Johnson, gave birth to a son, Jordan, in July.
"I've got a family now," Young said. "I'm just focused on a lot of different things. It's not about VY. It's about myself, my kids and my family right now."
