ShareThisThey say Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones requested the New York Giants as the foe to christen his new stadium Sunday night.
Silly move. Even sillier than the pre-game video that compared JerryWorld to the Pyramids, Parthenon, Great Wall of China, Taj Mahal and Roman Coliseum.
Eli Manning and these G-Men have stared down better teams than these Cowboys, in coliseums both ancient (Lambeau Field) and modern (University of Phoenix Stadium; remember Super Bowl 42?).
Manning did it again, taking the Giants 56 yards in the final four minutes, never once looking harried. Lawrence Tynes' 37-yard field goal on the final play beat Dallas 33-31 in a rousing NFL debut for the sporting world's latest wonder field.
The Cowboys were better in the trenches. They rushed for 251 yards and generally stuffed the Giant run game. Hard to lose an NFL game when you rush for 251 yards.
But the Giants were better at quarterback. Much better.
Tony Romo completed just 13 of 29 passes and threw three interceptions, all on bad throws. Hard to win an NFL game when you're outscored 24-0 in points off turnovers.
"I have to get better at the mistakes I made, and I will," Romo said. "Sorry I wasn't able to play at the level the rest of the guys did."
Meanwhile, with such bluebloods as John Madden, George W. Bush, Roger Goodell and LeBron James watching from the same box, Manning was cool under pressure all night.
"We knew it was going to be loud," Manning said of the record crowd in excess of 105,000. "It was tough all night. Big win for us."
Manning completed 25 of 38 for 330 yards and no interceptions. He showed why it won't be long before he's the best quarterback in the Manning family.
And the Giants showed why they lord over the NFC East. They didn't beat themselves. They allowed Romo to do that.
Before the game, security guards stood sentry over the covered star at midfield, as if Terrell Owens might sneak in and strut.
But no one can defend the Cowboys' honor once the ball is kicked. They have to do that themselves.
"I am disappointed for Jerry," said Cowboy coach Wade Phillips. "We wanted to win it for him. He sure is a great owner, and he put all of this out for us."
Including the Giants, a visitor not conducive to sending the Cowboys home happy.
(Berry Tramel at btramel@opubco.com.)
(Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service, www.scrippsnews.com.)
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