IRVING – If the Cowboys were going to beat Indianapolis on Sunday, they had to run the ball. Not just run the ball, but really run the ball.
At least that was the theory.
For the first 2½ quarters, the Cowboys struggled to move the ball with either Julius Jones or Marion Barber. The Colts, owners of the worst-ranked run defense in the league through nine games – 159.3 yards a game – were doing their best to frustrate the Cowboys.
But slowly it changed, starting with 5:02 left in the third quarter and ending when Barber scored the game-winning touchdown with 6:00 left in the game.
The final numbers – 36 carries, 117 yards – are not pretty. Jones finished with 79 yards on 22 carries. Barber had only 35 yards on nine carries. But the other number – time of possession – was big with the Cowboys holding the ball for 33:42.
"It took us a while to get started," coach Bill Parcells said. "It took us forever to get started."
Trailing 14-7 after Peyton Manning's touchdown pass to Dallas Clark in the third quarter, the Cowboys got their running game going. Jones picked up 24 yards on three straight carries.
He would carry the ball six more times on the drive, setting up Barber's 5-yard touchdown run with 11:36 left to play. On the go-ahead drive, Jones picked up 12 yards on four carries and had a 15-yard catch on a screen play.
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JOHN F. RHODES Marion Barber runs in for his first of two fourth-quarter touchdowns. |
Barber then bulled his way in from the 1. It was Barber's second multi-touchdown game of the season, and his nine rushing scores lead the NFC.
Barber's rushing touchdowns total is highest for a Cowboys back since Emmitt Smith had nine in 2000.
As the game wore on, the Cowboys' size finally won out over speed.
"That could have been a little bit of it," right guard Marco Rivera said. "We're bigger, and we might've tired them out toward the end. If you keep going, you're going to wear them down a little bit."
E-mail tarcher@dallasnews.com
