final defender, Owens thundered into the end zone with his second and only other catch of the game, for a 57-yard touchdown and a 24-16 Cowboys lead.
"We see him all the time, the way he works," Cowboys nose tackle Jay Ratliff said of the 34-year-old receiver who deep inside would like to take on Usain Bolt some day in a 100-meter sprint. "I remember watching him when I was younger, and to me, he seems to be getting faster."
He seemed to get faster on that run.
The touchdown seemed to be a cathartic moment for Owens, too. The week had been tumultuous. He was being called disruptive from all points east of here. He was being called selfish for what he said following the Redskins lost. He was the target of ESPN, and certainly anyone who had a pregame show this Sunday, everyone trying to make a mountain out of his now expected molehill created when anyone asks him if he needs to be more involved.
What's a receiver going to say?
So evidently, he broke down a little when he reached the bench, reportedly breaking into tears, likely overwhelmed by the moment.
He would walk to the podium afterward, saying this was going to be "short and sweet," and he was a man of his word, basically making a statement and walking off. He answered no questions.
"I've just been dealing with a lot of stuff and this was a great team win," said Owens, who has become the eighth NFL player to record 900 career receptions. "We fought hard to get back in this ball game and there has been a lot of criticism that I have taken all week and it's more about getting my faith and giving God all the glory he gave more today.
"It was frustrating out there, but I just stuck with it. I am more about being No. 81. It's more about a star being on my helmet. God put me in a situation to let everybody know I am a man of God no matter what criticism I may take or people point at me."
He then walked off. Said no more, and for a change, let his play do all the talking he needed to do.
As Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said, "I don't know that I've been around a guy who's gotten more negative criticism than me.
"He a great player and made an exceptional play. Catching a ball on a slant and then taking it in on a slant was an exceptional play. I saw him wanting more. He didn't have the attitude like he'd done his part. He had a competitive attitude and look in his face."
After breezing through the first three games, scoring 96 points, teams are beginning to make life rough on this offense. They will accept whatever, but they just aren't going to let Romo-to-Owens beat them. This is the second time in the last three games Owens has only caught two passes. But in both of these games, somehow the Cowboys have managed to score 27 and now 31 points.
Go figure.
Think about that now, and to think the Cowboys wide receivers only had three receptions, and at that, the third was Crayton's carom grab in the end zone for the put-away touchdown off Miles Austin's hands. That's it.
But still they gained 373 total yards. Don't overlook that. Still they managed to convert nine of 15 third downs (60 percent), and one mighty huge fourth - Felix Jones' 33-yard touchdown run. Still they managed to score 31 points. And check this out, and I know everyone will be moaning about Romo losing a fumble and getting intercepted a fifth time in five games:
The guy did throw three touchdown passes and he finished with a 106.2 QB rating. Please let that sink in, and if you think he should be apologetic for that number, then we really have raised the bar.
These Cowboys are not perfect. Not even close. But Romo had a good point after the game, when he said there was no shame in how the Cowboys won, the operative word being "won."
"Probably something happened (Sunday) and you said, 'Whoa, look at that,' or 'Whoa look at that,'" Romo said.
Wonder if he knew Miami beat San Diego? Wonder if he knew Philadelphia lost at home to Washington or that an undefeated Buffalo team got wiped out in Arizona? Or that Indy had to come from way behind to beat
