The Cowboys continued picked up where they left off from the scrimmage against the Houston Texans by defeating them in their second preseason game 34-6 at Texas Stadium on Friday.
Quarterback Quincy Carter overcame a sluggish start in the first quarter to score two touchdowns in 14 seconds.
Carter, who ended the night completing 10-of-17 passes for 141 yards, went 6-for-6 on a 96-yard scoring drive. Troy Hambrick got into the end zone on a one-yard run.
But the Texans fumbled the subsequent kickoff and the Cowboys recovered the ball on the Texans’ 30-yard line.
One play was all that was needed, as Carter hit Antonio Bryant on a 30-yard touchdown pass.
Head coach Bill Parcells told the press earlier in the week that Chad Hutchinson would not play this game. He also said for people not to read anything into that.
Asked if Carter’s performance helped make his decision, Parcells was non-committal.
"I don't know yet," he said. "We'll try something different next week. I'm not ready to make a decision. We'll look at the film and evaluate the performances."
Parcells did not elaborate on what “something different” meant. The Cowboys travel to Pittsburgh for a Thursday night game against the Steelers.
Undrafted rookie Tony Romo from Eastern Illinois replaced Carter in the third quarter. After fumbling the ball while scrambling on his first snap and bobbling the second snap, he also settled into a rhythm, hitting Randall Williams on a 60-yard touchdown pass. Romo ended the night 4-of-6 for 74 yard and the touchdown.
Parcells said the quarterback made “more good decisions than bad” and the long scoring drive “was a good sign, that was real positive.”
Clint Stoerner made his first preseason appearance in the fourth quarter. He drove the Cowboys into field-goal range and nearly hit Ken-Yon Rambo on a 25-yard touchdown pass, which was ruled incomplete. A review did not overturn the decision.
Another aspect that Parcells wants to improve – special teams – also came up with a big play.
Rookie Zuriel Smith – a sixth-round pick out of Hampton, scored on an 83-yard punt return in the fourth quarter. Smith was one of the best punt returners in college. He had one game last year where he returned three punts for touchdowns.
"I know I can play in this league, " Smith said. "It's all about taking advantage of your opportunities. I feel comfortable returning punts. I always have. So I was glad I could make a big play out here tonight."
Parcells was also pleased with the performance, cracking a smile and patting Smith on the back as he came to the sidelines.
"That's one of the plays I was excited about," Parcells said. "He made a good play."
But Parcells being Parcells, he put everything into perspective.
“It's just a start, something to build on, a little encouraging for me,” Parcells said. “But I want a smart team and a smart team doesn't get eight penalties and turn the ball over twice. A dumb team does that. And dumb players are offsides three times in a row in the second half.”
The Dallas defense also stepped up a little more, allowing a total of 204 yards and not giving up a third down conversion until the fourth quarter, long after the starters had exited the field.
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