IRVING, Texas –All offseason, the Cowboys have repeatedly tried to distance themselves from last year.
The success that occurred on the field might help the confidence, but it's apparent this team is trying to start fresh in 2015 and put everything – the good and bad – in the rearview mirror.
So forgive Brandon Carr if he doesn't beam with excitement when asked about "The Catch" that Giants receiver Odell Beckham made against him last year that was considered the NFL's Play of the Year.
As always, Carr was a professional. He stood there and answered question after question – most of them about Beckham's sensational one-handed grab he made over the veteran cornerback.
After about five questions, Carr did fire back with, "Are we still talking about one play?"
And that was actually a point he wished more of the media and fans would remember. It was just one play in a game the Cowboys were able to win. So when asked about his focus leading into the rematch with Beckham and the Giants, Carr's answer is simple.
"We're trying to win a football game like last year," said Carr, who admits he's seen his share of the highlight since last November. "I've seen it a few times, enough to learn from it. I continue to move on and play football."
Cornerbacks are always taught to have a short memory, regardless of the outcome.
"But you have to learn from it," he said. "You have to correct yourself and you can't make the same mistakes. In this league, you have to quickly diagnose what happened, whether it's a good or bad play. From the bad ones, you have to learn quickly or they'll keep attacking you in the same manner. For the good ones, you have to brush it off and continue to keep rolling."
[embeddedad0]Finally, Carr did actually address the play.
"It was a great ball, a great catch," he said. "For a defender's sake, (I have to) keep running and track the ball better."
The play against the Giants was one of a several that went against Carr in the middle of the season. But towards the end of the regular season and into the playoffs, Carr was playing as well as any defensive back, highlighted by a stellar playoff game in Green Bay where he held Jordy Nelson to just one catch.
Other than a broken hand that occurred in training camp, Carr continues on, as he is expected to start his 114th straight game Sunday as he enters his eighth year without missing a start.
"I'm just blessed," Carr said. "I don't know if it's me or having some luck. Just the higher powers are protecting me and allowing me to play through the little injuries I have and stay away from the major ones so far."
After that statement, Carr turned towards his locker to knock on wood. But it's clear, the veteran cornerback makes a point to stay positive.
"It's a new year, a new season, I'm ready to get it on," Carr said. "I'm looking forward to an exciting season with some explosive, athletic guys on the front end and back end."
