OXNARD, Calif. -- Sunday was the first time during training camp when the Cowboys could tackle to the ground.
The Blue-White scrimmage was designed for the second-and-third teams to get more snaps in game situations. The Cowboys worked on moving the ball down field, the two-minute drill and special team coverage.
"It's huge learning a new system, moving the football up and down the field, two-minute situations, a lot of situational defenses -- it was good for us," defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin said. "I thought we played good early with the first group, and the second group played really well."
Kiffin wasn't the only one pleased with Sunday's scrimmage.
"I thought it was a good pace on both sides of the ball," rookie center Travis Frederick said. "Guys were coming out and competing, and that's one of the things we wanted to do and that's what the coaches are telling us to do, and that's compete."
The defense took control of the scrimmage for the most part Sunday with the second- and third-team offenses failing to score any points. The only positive play for the offense came when quarterback Nick Stephens threw a deep pass to Tim Benford that drew a pass interference penalty on cornerback Devin Smith.
Several defensive backups, including B.W. Webb, Landon Cohen, Monte Taylor and Jerome Long, made big plays. Webb intercepted a Kyle Orton pass and returned it for a touchdown, and Cohen continued to excel as he picked up another sack.
