For three and a half quarters, the Dallas Cowboys looked like they had turned the page from last season's embarrassment. But in a shocking turn of events, they were undermined by quarterback Tony Romo's two turnovers and a special-teams gaffe.
Say one thing for these Cowboys: They know how to lose season openers in epic fashion. Even by Romo's boom-or-bust standards, this was a doozy.
He managed the game brilliantly for much of the night, and then erased the good vibes with two inexplicable turnovers in a 27-24 loss that will leave a mark. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones stood in the hall outside a quiet locker room and attempted to defend his franchise quarterback, but he wasn't overly convincing.
The fourth-quarter collapse ruined a solid debut by Rob Ryan's defense. That would have been the story of the game had Romo not coughed up the ball at the Jets' 3-yard line with 8:59 left in the game. A field goal on that drive would've given the Cowboys a 27-17 lead. Instead, the Jets were given new life.
Then, with five minutes left, Joe McKnight raced through a massive opening to block a Mat McBriar punt with one hand. Isaiah Trufant, just activated from the practice squad Saturday, scooped it up and raced into the end zone to tie the game at 24.
The Cowboys' defense once again held the Jets, giving Romo 59 seconds and the ball on his own 41-yard line.
But on the first play, he floated a pass in the direction of wide receiver Dez Bryant that was easily picked off by Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis. The Jets only moved the ball two yards from that point, but former Cowboys kicker Nick Folk nailed a 50-yard field goal with 32 seconds left to give the Jets their first lead of the game.
Romo had an animated discussion with Bryant following the play, but the quarterback assumed blame after the game.
"He was right with what he did," said Romo of Bryant. "He kept going (on the route). It was a dumb decision, too reactionary. I should have made sure. That was my fault."
Even head coach Jason Garrett, one of Romo's most ardent defenders, seemed at a loss for what happened.
"I didn't get a great look at the play, but it looked like they went to what we call a two-man [coverage]," said Garrett. "We played up underneath it, and I don't know if Tony was fooled by it a little bit, but unfortunately we made that turnover and gave them a chance to win the ball game."
The irony is that everyone thought the Cowboys' offense would have to cover for the defense early in the season. But for much of this game, Ryan schooled his twin brother Rex, the Jets' head coach.
The Cowboys somehow overcame the loss of two starting cornerbacks in the game. Orlando Scandrick left the game with an ankle injury in the first half, and Mike Jenkins had to exit twice before returning in the fourth quarter. Jones said Scandrick would be out three to four weeks.
The Cowboys had four sacks, an interception and two forced fumbles against the Jets. Rob Ryan was beside himself as he left the field. He shouted several expletives while ripping his baseball cap off to reveal his unruly silver mane.
From the moment the NFL schedule was released for 2011, Rex and Rob Ryan knew they'd be a popular storyline. Each twin tried to avoid making this about him, because they knew the 10th anniversary of 9/11 was far more significant.
But asking the sons of Buddy Ryan to act like wallflowers when family pride's at stake is a dicey proposition under any circumstances. The 80-year-old Buddy, who made a rare road trip from his horse farm in Kentucky, had to enjoy seeing Rex and Rob throwing haymakers at each other on a remarkable night at MetLife Stadium.
Rob reminded reporters this week that he'd been a pretty good coach at both the college and professional levels. And for much of the evening, he backed up those words by confusing the Jets' offense with an array of different looks and blitz packages.
This looked nothing like the 2010 Cowboys defense — or the one that was gashed in the running game throughout this preseason. Ryan spotted a weakness in the form of Jets right tackle Wayne Hunter, who was embarrassed by Cowboys All-Pro DeMarcus Ware from the opening snap.
The Ryan boys hugged on the field following the game and then gathered with family members outside the Jets locker room. Rob put a bear hug on his father and then trudged toward the team bus.
"I'm not talking!" he said to a reporter as he slicked back his drenched hair.
One by one, Cowboys players talked about how they'd wanted to win the game for Rob. Defensive end Jason Hatcher, who made a surprise start Sunday, still had a look of disbelief on his face.
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