Jerry Jones: I can't recall seeing the Dallas Cowboys play better defense
ARLINGTON – Do you think Jerry Jones enjoyed the dominant performance the Dallas Cowboys defense turned in on Sunday at AT&T Stadium?
The Cowboys owner and general manager was so pleased with Monte Kiffin's group that after the game he said, "I can't recall when I've seen us play better. Ever."
St. Louis had not allowed a sack in its first two games, however, the Cowboys managed six during Sunday's 31-7 victory. It marked the most sacks Dallas has had in a game since recording six at San Francisco in 2011.
The Rams gained only 18 yards of offense in the first half, the fewest the Cowboys have allowed in a half since giving up 17 to Seattle in 1992.
"We've had, I was adding it up, approximately 500 games since I have been with the Cowboys in 25 years," Jones said standing outside the Cowboys locker room. "I bet I can count on 15 fingers, 20 fingers the number of games that have had this kind of positive play, get the lead and have this kind of ultimate outcome.
"You don't get many in the NFL. And, of course, with those, you usually have some that go the other way."
Leading the way on defense were front-line veterans DeMarcus Ware and Jason Hatcher. Ware passed Harvey Martin to set the franchise record with 115 sacks, two coming against the Rams. Hatcher added another, giving him a sack in each game this season.
"Out of 10, five weren't on the roster when we started training camp," Jones said of the team's defensive linemen. "I'm really pleased because you saw them out there making plays. It does show that to some degree, a different system makes you use players that you might not have used in a different system.
"And some of these guys aren't as long as we've always thought they need to be in a 3-4 and they're coming in here and really contributing. We'll keep this up and I have to give Rod [Marinelli] and Monte, of course, all the credit and Jason [Garrett], of course."
Follow Jon Machota on Twitter: @jonmachota
