Cowboys vs. Jets: What We Learned from New York's 27-24 Win

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The Dallas Cowboys and New York Jets put on a show on Sunday Night Football. Through various ups and downs, the game finished excitingly and dramatically. 

The Cowboys fell apart late in the fourth quarter after some questionable plays made by Tony Romo and overly conservative play calling by Jason Garrett. 

Both teams, though, are learning and living, and in the NFL, one loss isn't the end of the season. 

Here are four things we can take away from the Cowboys-Jets game.

Dez Bryant Is Going to Be Amazing

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Darrelle Revis is known for being the best corner in football right now and an absolute shutdown player. His ability to play tight and his athleticism, which allows him to go up and compete for balls, are unmatched.

Dez Bryant, at the ripe age of 22, got the better of him—just once, but that was enough. Through three quarters, Bryant caught only one ball for 26 yards.

But this one catch? Incredible, as it showcased Bryant's ability to leap over defenders and come down with catches. 

Bryant isn't going to avoid being caught in "Revis Island" now, but as soon as he gains more experience and learns the tricks and trades of the NFL, there might not be a corner who stops him.

Mark Sanchez Still Needs Some Work

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Though Mark Sanchez won't be receiving much scrutiny for this game, due to the fact that Tony Romo's failures are far more prolific, he still has a lot of room to grow. 

Sanchez played reasonably well and didn't make many mistakes to start. The New York Jets coaching staff allowed Sanchez to air it out more, but in the waning moments of the game, he began to regress. 

All of a sudden, the majority of his passes were overthrown and his passing became erratic. He lacked accuracy for much of the second half and threw a costly interception late in the game. He fumbled the ball away after carelessly scrambling with one hand on it and couldn't get away from Cowboys' safeties and corners on his throws.

Sanchez played well in a game that saw him throw for a career-high 44 passes, but he still has a very long way to go. 

Rob Ryan Has Transformed the Cowboys Defense

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The high-profile acquisition of Cowboys defensive coordinator Rob Ryan brought hope to fans who recognized that the team was inconsistent on defense. 

And after the first game of the 2011 NFL season, Ryan has proved he can right this ship.

The Jets only ran for 45 yards all game, the lowest in franchise history. Even more, the Cowboys were constantly hitting Mark Sanchez and forcing him to make errant throws. 

Ryan's defense is smart and effective and should allow for the Cowboys to move into a higher tier of NFL teams.

Jason Garrett Is Leading a More Aggressive Cowboys Offense

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Jason Garrett has, according to team scouts, turned the Dallas Cowboys into a highly disciplined and tough team.

Though that wasn't entirely evident in the final minutes of their loss to the New York Jets, what was evident was the offense's newfound vigor. 

To open the game, Tony Romo and his offense threw right at the New York Jets secondary, which is generally a no-no against a team with corners like that. They found success and though they only put up 10 points in the first half, they also managed to put up 24 the whole game (and even led 24-7 up to the fourth quarter).

The Dallas Cowboys had their way with the New York Jets for the majority of the game, and that's something that not a lot of teams can boast about.

 

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