OXNARD, Calif. -- Normally it takes a little time for a training camp practice to get a little feisty, but for the Dallas Cowboys it came on the second day in pads.
Tyrone Crawford owned up to crossing the line on a day that saw three scrums between the defensive and offensive lines in one-on-one pass-rush drills. He and All-Pro guard Zack Martin went at it after one snap. Damontre Moore got into it with reserve Ruben Carter. Rookie defensive tackle Lewis Neal got into it with backup center Joe Looney.
The incidents lasted a handful of seconds each time and there were no haymakers thrown.
"It's on me," Crawford said. "I took responsibility for the entire D-line. We can't do that. We need the reps. We need to get better. At the end of the day we're all family. We can bring that energy somewhere else but here. We've got to get the reps in. I just came in, maybe a little too much energy today, and started stuff I shouldn't have started. Those are my brothers, just like everybody else on the team is my brother. I can't do that stuff."
Cowboys coach Jason Garrett mentioned the skirmishes in his post-practice meeting with the players, but he was not entirely upset.
"It was a little spirited, particularly over there in the pass-rush drill, and you like that," Garrett said. "You'd rather have to dial it back than constantly having to light a fire under these guys. Your guys are very passionate about football. They love to play and they love to work at it. Sometimes you get across the line, though. You've got to make sure they dial it back and focus on what they need to focus on, which is the next play."
Martin and Crawford have been teammates for three seasons and never before have they had a spat like Thursday's. Martin took no offense, even if Day 2 in pads seemed a little early to have issues.
"We've been going at each other since OTAs, so when you go against the same guy for months at a time, stuff builds up," Martin said. "We've got some great competition between the offensive and defensive line, and we're making each other better."
It probably won't be the last tussle between the offense and defense during camp.
"We're real men," Crawford said. "Men against men, it's never just a nice thing. But it's good energy, just as long as we don't have six or seven like we did today."
