ARLINGTON, Texas — The NFL’s old dog taught the Cowboys defense a few new tricks.
An inability to force turnovers was one of the main reasons Jerry Jones replaced defensive coordinator Rob Ryan with 73-year-old Monte Kiffin in the offseason, and the move paid immediate dividends for Dallas in a 36-31 season opening victory over the bumbling Giants on Sunday night.
Emphasis on “immediate.”
After needing four games to produce their fourth turnover last season, the Cowboys didn’t even require three full quarters to match that total in the first game this year.
Dallas finished with six forced turnovers by the end of the night (one by way of special teams) as Kiffin’s switch to a 4-3 scheme, two-deep zone coverage and emphasis on taking the ball away took root with his players a lot faster than anyone could have expected.
“The turnovers were the story of the game,” Cowboys coach Jason Garrett said. “They were a huge point of emphasis from Minute 1 this year. That was the difference in the game.”
By the time cornerback Brandon Carr was sprinting 49 yards to the end zone with a deflected Eli Manning pass to Da’Rell Scott with 1:50 left to pretty much put this one out of reach, Jones had to be thinking the Kiffin hire was the best he’d made since luring Bill Parcells out of retirement.
“Those turnovers were all about hustle, and tonight was a great example of what hustle can do for you,” Carr said. “Coach Kiffin preaches that, and we’ve really taken it to heart. I was ready to break on the ball, and once it bounced into my hands, it was off to the races.”
Although the Cowboys intercepted Manning three times, including a pick on the Giants’ first play of the game by defensive end DeMarcus Ware, Dallas had more fun terrorizing Big Blue’s hapless running backs.
Scott, in fact, was only in the game at that pivotal moment because starter David Wilson had lost two fumbles, the second of which was returned 27 yards for a touchdown by Cowboys safety Barry Church early in the third quarter to give Dallas a 20-10 lead.
Unfortunately for Kiffin and the Cowboys’ defense, the Dallas offense could do precious little most of the night with the turnover bounty. Coughlin called the first half “the worst half of football I’ve ever seen,” but the Cowboys had converted the Giants’ three early turnovers into just three points.
And Kiffin’s crew had to point the finger of blame at themselves, too, for helping to give the AT&T Stadium crowd a panic attack in the fourth quarter as the Giants methodically rallied from a 27-10 deficit.
The Cowboys defense was forcing turnovers, but they certainly couldn’t cover Victor Cruz. The Giants’ Pro Bowl wideout finished with five catches for 118 yards and three touchdowns, including a 70-yarder in the second quarter, and could usually be found running free in the Dallas secondary as Manning calmed down and ended up throwing for 450 yards.
But the Cowboys stiffened when it counted, coming up with a decisive turnover at a crucial time — a truly unfamiliar feeling around these parts in recent years.