CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The Cowboys' pass defense is starting one of its toughest stretches of the season.
Sunday night, the pass defense faced the fast and talented Steve Smith and the tall and reliable Keyshawn Johnson of Carolina.
Each was held to season lows in catches and yards in Dallas' 35-14 win at Bank of America Stadium.
The pair had only three catches in the second half, and Johnson had one catch the entire game.
"It happens, man," cornerback Terence Newman said. "That's one of the things you hope for."
Smith had six catches for 55 yards and Johnson one for 19. He also had a costly drop in the third quarter that if caught could have gone for a touchdown.
The Cowboys were determined to stop allowing big plays that cost them two victories this season, leading to a personnel change, benching rookie free safety Patrick Watkins for Keith Davis.
On Carolina's first offensive play of the game, the Cowboys used what they call "Penny," a special nickel defense that brings Aaron Glenn to the field as the third cornerback with Newman and Anthony Henry.
Glenn said the defense was used on the first offensive series against the New York Giants and Philadelphia Eagles last season.
The Cowboys also mixed their coverages with two-deep zone and man-to-man defense and blitzes. The defense pressured quarterback Jake Delhomme, making him hurry throws or move around in the pocket. Delhomme's 149 passing yards was the fewest allowed by the Cowboys this season.
Newman covered Smith most of the game on the outside. The Cowboys used Glenn in the slot, and Henry covered Johnson.
"We just knew they were going to throw the ball, and we just had to make plays," Newman said. "I'm sure they didn't play as well as they could have, but, hey."
The next few weeks will be a major test for the secondary. Dallas takes on Santana Moss and the Washington Redskins next Sunday, followed by Arizona, which has Anquan Boldin and if healthy, Larry Fitzgerald.
Dallas returns home for a big game against the Colts. Peyton Manning and Marvin Harrison are considered the best quarterback-receiver duo in the NFL.
"We didn't fold out there, we came back," Davis said. "If we execute the game plan, you see the results."
E-mail cwatkins@dallasnews.com
