SAN ANTONIO (AP) -There will be a different sense for the Dallas Cowboys when they get back to practice in the Alamodome. Especially for the non-starters.
One preseason game can change the perception of things.
“You can start plays over at practice. It’s different in games, you can’t start plays over,” linebacker Bradie James said after the Cowboys lost their preseason opener 31-10 at Oakland. “When they get coached this week, they’ll understand. It will set in.”
Tony Romo and the No. 1 offense played two drives, following an opening three-and-out Thursday night with a nine-play touchdown drive in which six different players ran or caught the ball.
penalty against new safety Gerald Sensabaugh gave the Raiders first-and-goal at the 8 on their opening drive.
But things got out of hand when the starters were done, creating cause for concern about the Cowboys depth.
“That isn’t the way we wanted to start out team-wise,” coach Wade Phillips said. “Our second groups were sloppy overall. We tried to play basic techniques and basic running plays and pass plays, and we didn’t execute them all.”
Beside the 47-yard penalty, the Raiders also had a 48-yard pass play and a 45-yard run against a defense for which Phillips is now his own coordinator. There have been widespread personnel changes, with only six of the top 13 tacklers from last season still on the team.
Oakland had 456 total yards, 176 on the ground.
“Overall, we’ve still got some work to do,” James said.
The Cowboys got a break Friday before their final five days of training camp in the Alamodome, starting with two sessions Saturday. They break camp Wednesday, then two days later play the first game in their new $1.1 billion stadium with the preseason home opener against Tennessee.
With Terrell Owens gone, the starting offense did spread the ball around. The six different players who touched the ball on the touchdown drive each had gains of at least seven yards.
at this offense is about,” said tight end Jason Witten, who caught an 8-yard TD from Romo. “There are a lot of different weapons. Obviously,it makes us a better offense when we can do that, puts a lot of stress on the defense.”
Romo completed four passes on his final drive to four different receivers.
One of the second-team standouts was receiver Sam Hurd, who caught five passes for 79 yards.
“It was obvious that Sam played really well,” Phillips said. “He showed some things. That was encouraging for us.”
Fullback Deon Anderson had arthroscopic surgery on his left knee Thursday and could be out a month. The Cowboys also played the preseason opener without cornerbacks Terence Newman (groin), Mike Jenkins (ankle) and rookie Michael Hawkins (knee), backup running back Alonzo Coleman (knee) and rookie linebacker Stephen Hodge (knee).
But there appeared to be no significant injuries sustained against the Raiders.
“It looked like we didn’t get many injuries,” Phillips said. “Look at it the other way, it doesn’t look like we played hard enough to get some injuries sometimes.”
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