The Dallas Cowboys are fortunate the Rams had no clue how to sit on a 21-0 lead. That's why a team that was left for dead somehow clawed its way back and escaped with a 34-31 win over St. Louis in the Edward Jones Dome on Sunday.
That the Cowboys had closed the gap to 21-10 at halftime was pretty remarkable in itself. Rams quarterback Austin Davis, who started training camp as the third-stringer, torched the Cowboys for much of the game.
To be more specific, he knew where Cowboys cornerback Morris Claiborne was lining up every play and threw it in his direction. It was a pitiful performance for Claiborne... right up until the time he made the game-clinching interception with just over a minute left in regulation.
About seven minutes earlier, Cowboys linebacker Bruce Carter made his first career interception and returned it 25 yards for a touchdown. The play gave the Cowboys a 10-point lead that was anything but safe.
Here are five things that grabbed my attention in the Cowboys' win:
DeMarco keeps his streak alive: DeMarco Murray joined Hall of Famers Tony Dorsett and Emmitt Smith as the only Cowboys who have opened the season with three consecutive 100-yard days. Smith actually holds the record with four straight 100-yard outings in 1995. Murray had 24 carries for 100 yards against the Rams.
He showed great determination when there was no running room throughout much of the first half. But he lost a fumble in the first quarter for the third consecutive week. This is getting out of control. Yes, he was tripped on the play by cornerback Janoris Jenkins. That still doesn't explain why he's so susceptible to having the ball dislodged from his arms. This is almost like an illness at this point. Fox analyst Daryl Johnston suggested that it's something Murray is now thinking about too much. The good news is that playcaller Scott Linehan didn't abandon the run when the Cowboys fell behind by three touchdowns. Right now, Murray is way too valuable to bench due to fumbling. But he needs to quickly find a solution for whatever is causing this issue.
Impressive day for Tyron Smith: Going up against one of the best defensive ends in the NFL, Robert Quinn, Smith did more than hold his own. Quinn was basically a no-show in this game. Smith and left guard Ron Leary did a superb job on a crack toss in the third quarter that helped spring Murray for a big gain. They each wiped out a Rams defensive back. When Smith plays like he did Sunday, it provides Tony Romo with a lot more comfort.
Romo makes amends for awful INT: Romo made one of those potentially back-breaking mistakes in the first half that allowed the Rams to take a 21-0 lead. He let cornerback Janoris Jenkins bait him into a horrible decision. When Romo lofted the ball toward Dez Bryant, Jenkins had an easy Pick-6.
The positive news is that Romo moved a lot better in the pocket. And when he desperately needed to keep a drive alive in the fourth quarter on third-and-13, he ripped off a 15-yard run. He faked out a Rams linebacker in space to get the last few yards he needed. It's something we rarely see from Romo these days, but it was an enormous play. He also made a beautiful throw to Terrance Williams in a third-and-long situation on the same drive. Romo was much more than a complementary piece down the stretch.
Cowboys benefit from a bad call: It's unlikely the Cowboys would've added three points before halftime had the Rams not been flagged for roughing-the-passer. Defensive end Eugene Sims made contact with Tony Romo's shoulder and then appeared to grave his helmet with his hand. The play helped the Cowboys get in range for kicker Dan Bailey to make it 21-10. A botched snap by Rams center Scott Wells is what set up that scoring drive for the Cowboys.
The Rams also helped the Cowboys when tight end Jared Cook dropped a pass in the end zone. The score would've extended the Rams lead to 28-20. Instead, they had to settle for a field goal.
Cowboys rookie LB Hitchens makes a huge play: Rookie Anthony Hitchens started at middle linebacker in place of the injured Rolando McClain. He was tentative on too many plays in the first half, but he made a game-changing hit in the third quarter. Jeff Fisher made the curious decision to go for it on fourth-and-inches with his team up 21-17. Hitchens shot through an open gap and nailed Rams running back Zac Stacy for no gain. The Cowboys drove for a field goal after the play. Jeff Fisher was trying to show confidence in his offense, but Hitchens shut the door.
