EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Tony Romo can't think of a better place for the Dallas Cowboys to start the season than in the stadium where it all ended for them nine months ago.
“As a competitor and an athlete, you love that you get to go back and challenge someone, especially the world champs,” the quarterback said, referring to tonight's nationally televised NFL kickoff game against the New York Giants. “This will be a great test for our team.”
Losing 31-14 to the Giants in a win-or-go-home season finale on New Year's Day sparked the Cowboys' flurry of offseason moves. Most notably, they revamped their secondary with the additions of cornerbacks Brandon Carr and Morris Claiborne.
The stinging loss also drove several veterans to work harder than ever.
“Those tough losses always stick with you,” Romo said. “That's what fuels you in the offseason. You want to remember those moments so you can improve from them.
“As a team, we've taken an approach that we need to get better. I think we've done that with the personnel moves and the way guys have been committed.”
But will the Cowboys' upgrades and the players' desire to gain a measure of revenge be enough to overcome a team that seemingly owns them?
With last season's sweep of their NFC East rivals, the Giants matched their most dominant nine-game stretch against Dallas since it entered the league in 1960. New York is 7-2 in that span, including a playoff win after the 2007 season.
So do the Giants have the Cowboys number?
“A little bit,” Giants wide receiver Victor Cruz told the New York Daily News. “We got a pretty good bead on what they like to do.”
One thing possibly working in the Cowboys' favor is they have plenty of new faces that haven't experienced the Giants' domination. In addition to the two corners, Dallas has newcomers at fullback (Lawrence Vickers), guard (Mackenzy Bernadeau, Nate Livings) and linebacker (Dan Connor).
“The past is the past. This is 2012,” Carr said. “We have new faces everywhere on this team. ... I'm ready to show the other 30 teams what's been brewing within this locker room.”
Coach Jason Garrett hopes Carr's teammates follow his lead.
“That feels like a lifetime ago,” Garrett said of last year's losses to New York. “Last season was last season. The games against the Giants and everybody else are way behind us. We're focused on this team, this group of players, and getting ready for the challenge of this year.”
But Garrett's efforts to downplay the rivalry have been undermined — by his boss. Jerry Jones stirred up the Giants during training camp when he invited fans in Oxnard, Calif., to come to Cowboys Stadium to see his team “beat the New York Giants' ass.”
Giants linebacker Mathias Kiwanuka fired back in an interview last week with New York's WFAN, reminding Jones the Giants have won two Super Bowls since the Cowboys won their last after the 1995 season.
“I mean, the Giants have been whupping his ass for a long time,” Kiwanuka said. “It's got to be tough on the outside looking in on all these championships lately.”
Jones later told USA Today that Kiwaunka had a good point.
“The Giants are an inspiration,” Jones said. “We have that kind of respect for them. I don't shy away from saying, ‘Hey guys, you've got what I would have liked to have had.'”
For Romo, it boils down to Dallas continuing to show the drive it exhibited in camp and the preseason.
“The guys have the right approach with the commitment level it takes to succeed in the NFL,” he said. “I'm excited about this (game). It's going to be fun.”
Read more: http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/...hallenge-the-champs-3840056.php#ixzz25beNmHiA
“As a competitor and an athlete, you love that you get to go back and challenge someone, especially the world champs,” the quarterback said, referring to tonight's nationally televised NFL kickoff game against the New York Giants. “This will be a great test for our team.”
Losing 31-14 to the Giants in a win-or-go-home season finale on New Year's Day sparked the Cowboys' flurry of offseason moves. Most notably, they revamped their secondary with the additions of cornerbacks Brandon Carr and Morris Claiborne.
The stinging loss also drove several veterans to work harder than ever.
“Those tough losses always stick with you,” Romo said. “That's what fuels you in the offseason. You want to remember those moments so you can improve from them.
“As a team, we've taken an approach that we need to get better. I think we've done that with the personnel moves and the way guys have been committed.”
But will the Cowboys' upgrades and the players' desire to gain a measure of revenge be enough to overcome a team that seemingly owns them?
With last season's sweep of their NFC East rivals, the Giants matched their most dominant nine-game stretch against Dallas since it entered the league in 1960. New York is 7-2 in that span, including a playoff win after the 2007 season.
So do the Giants have the Cowboys number?
“A little bit,” Giants wide receiver Victor Cruz told the New York Daily News. “We got a pretty good bead on what they like to do.”
One thing possibly working in the Cowboys' favor is they have plenty of new faces that haven't experienced the Giants' domination. In addition to the two corners, Dallas has newcomers at fullback (Lawrence Vickers), guard (Mackenzy Bernadeau, Nate Livings) and linebacker (Dan Connor).
“The past is the past. This is 2012,” Carr said. “We have new faces everywhere on this team. ... I'm ready to show the other 30 teams what's been brewing within this locker room.”
Coach Jason Garrett hopes Carr's teammates follow his lead.
“That feels like a lifetime ago,” Garrett said of last year's losses to New York. “Last season was last season. The games against the Giants and everybody else are way behind us. We're focused on this team, this group of players, and getting ready for the challenge of this year.”
But Garrett's efforts to downplay the rivalry have been undermined — by his boss. Jerry Jones stirred up the Giants during training camp when he invited fans in Oxnard, Calif., to come to Cowboys Stadium to see his team “beat the New York Giants' ass.”
Giants linebacker Mathias Kiwanuka fired back in an interview last week with New York's WFAN, reminding Jones the Giants have won two Super Bowls since the Cowboys won their last after the 1995 season.
“I mean, the Giants have been whupping his ass for a long time,” Kiwanuka said. “It's got to be tough on the outside looking in on all these championships lately.”
Jones later told USA Today that Kiwaunka had a good point.
“The Giants are an inspiration,” Jones said. “We have that kind of respect for them. I don't shy away from saying, ‘Hey guys, you've got what I would have liked to have had.'”
For Romo, it boils down to Dallas continuing to show the drive it exhibited in camp and the preseason.
“The guys have the right approach with the commitment level it takes to succeed in the NFL,” he said. “I'm excited about this (game). It's going to be fun.”
Read more: http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/...hallenge-the-champs-3840056.php#ixzz25beNmHiA