ARLINGTON, Texas -- Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant did not feel like Dez Bryant in the first half Sunday. He didn't look like him either.
After he stumbled on a route that led to a Tony Romo interception, failed to hold on to a deep ball and had another route miscommunication with the quarterback, Bryant had the perfect antidote at halftime: a visor and a new pair of cleats.
"Had to go back to being Dez," Bryant said. "I wore my visor this week as y'all can tell. Truthfully, it makes me feel a certain way. I feel like I have to go back to being me, wear the things I normally wear and don't try to do anything different. I am like that. I am just that kind of guy. I am back to me."
Whatever works.
Bryant caught two passes for 15 yards in the first half. In the second half, he caught seven passes for 136 yards, showing a patience and a resolve he might not have shown just a year or two ago, dominating the New York Giants at whatever turn.
"Truthfully, I think what I learned to do is not to make things personal because I think once you make things personal you tend to fall off a little bit," Bryant said. "That's for anybody."
That has not always been Bryant's demeanor. He has let defenders get under his skin at times, wasting emotion that has sapped him of his strength and composure. That has played a part in why he has needed intravenous fluids during games.
Now all he needs is a visor and cleats.
And Tony Romo.
More than half of Romo's completions went to Bryant. He finished with 279 yards on 17-of-23 passing. He had three touchdown passes, two to tight end Gavin Escobar and an 18-yard scrambling find of Terrance Williams.
"I'd have to say that may be [the] best game I've ever seen Tony Romo play," owner and general manager Jerry Jones said. "That was an outstanding game. He was pinpointing the ball, making the kind of plays and protecting the ball."
Romo was Troy Aikman-like with his efficiency and Roger Staubach-like with his ability to buy time. He needed a toradol shot before the game to help with bruised ribs and a sprained ankle suffered in last week's win against the Seattle Seahawks, but maintained his surgically repaired back felt fine.
On his touchdown throw to Williams, Romo spun his way out of trouble and immediately spotted Williams in the back of the end zone. His touchdown passes to Escobar were perfect. He took no chances with the ball.
And if he was going to take a chance in the second half, it would be to Bryant.
"I think he wanted a couple of plays back in the first half and he mentally locked in," Romo said, apparently unaware of what a visor and different cleats mean to Bryant. "He played an outstanding game. He was tough to handle in the second half."
Five of Bryant's seven second-half catches went for a first down. A 44-yarder on third and 6 helped lead to Escobar's second touchdown. He had a touchdown called back after a strike from Romo over Prince Amukamara when the replay showed his knee hit the ground before he stretched over the goal line.
"That's one of those that when we go back and watch the tape, we'll watch that one again and again," Cowboys coach Jason Garrett said. "To me when I saw it live and then I saw it replayed up on the screen as we were trying to determine whether it was a touchdown or not, just to see what he's all about on that play, to go get the football and put every ounce of energy into getting in the end zone. It was big time."
Bigger time was the two catches on the next drive after the Giants cut the lead to 28-21. Bryant had a 10-yard gain on second-and-11 and 13 yards on second-and-9. The Cowboys were effectively able to kill the clock and put the game away with a 49-yard field goal from Dan Bailey.
"One of the things he's done a really good job of is not getting frustrated," Garrett said. "He's got a mature approach, a real calm, composed approach. And he's a really fiery guy. He's a great competitor, so for him to balance those things throughout the game and be patient and wait for his opportunities, it's really impressive."
