Cowboys vs. Giants 2012: Grading Best and Worst Performances from Season Opener

On Wednesday night, the New York Giants and Dallas Cowboys opened the 2012 NFL season. If the result of that game was any indication, it’s going to be a wild year for football.

The Cowboys pulled off the improbable upset, defeating the G-Men 24-17 in a contest that they dominated in almost every facet.

Let’s take a look at some of the best and worst performances from players in the contest, and give them a grade.

Top Performers

Tony Romo: A

The Cowboys QB was absolutely fantastic in his season debut.

He was able to do his best to avoid the Giants' vaunted pass rush, and took just two sacks despite being pressured for most of the night.

Romo was also pinpoint with his throwing accuracy, connecting on 22 of his 29 passes for 307 yards and three touchdowns with just one interception.

He’s taken a lot of heat in the past, but the ‘Boys signal-caller just stepped up on the biggest of stages and won the game for Big D.

DeMarco Murray: A

Murray was another huge part of the Cowboys win.

The second-year RB showed absolutely no sign of lingering injury. He took off for 131 yards on 20 rushing attempts, added two catches for nine yards and helped put the team in scoring position on numerous occasions.

If he can keep bruising like this for the course of the season, he’ll take a lot of pressure off Romo and become a legitimate big-play threat.

Total Duds

Victor Cruz: D

Cruz was targeted 12 times on the night and only hauled in six receptions. He dropped three of those, and they were extremely catchable passes.

The record-setting Giants WR managed to rack up 58 yards, but much more was expected from him and he should have made something happen with all of those targets.

Instead, he seemed nervous and couldn’t grasp the football when it counted.

If Cruz’s catch percentage continues to hover around 55 percent for the season, he might go back to being an unknown, undrafted player sooner than later.

Justin Tryon: F

Tryon was definitely the goat in this game.

The 28-year-old journeyman cornerback was forced to play a big role in the fourth quarter when starter Michael Coe went down with injury.

He gave up a big TD pass to Miles Austin and allowed Kevin Ogletree to convert for a first down on a game-clinching third-and-long.

Tryon also mistimed his jump on a perfect punt earlier in the contest, allowing the Cowboys to start on the 20-yard line instead of being backed up against their own goal line.

The G-Men had best hope that some of their corners get healthy, because this man simply can’t continue to start at the CB position.