'Chippy’ Crayton returning to useful role

By RAY BUCK

rbuck@star-telegram.com

ARLINGTON — Emmitt Smith built an entire NFL career on proving his critics wrong.

The NFL’s all-time leading rusher could do whatever the naysayers thought he couldn’t do.

Patrick Crayton has a little Emmitt in him.

While Crayton probably won’t rewrite the NFL record book as the Cowboys’ third receiver/punt returner, he still goes about his job with a chip on his shoulder.

"Actually, I got two chips," Crayton corrected Sunday, after returning a punt return for a touchdown for the second week in a row in the Cowboys’ 38-17 win. "That’s my mentality week in, week out. I’ve got two chips on my shoulder."

When asked if he thinks of himself as (1) a receiver who returns punts or (2) a punt returner who catches passes (five against Seattle for 39 yards), Crayton used one of those chips to answer the question.

"I’m just a football player, dude. Whatever I’m asked to do I’m going to do," Crayton replied. "Defense? Yeah, I’ll jump over there. Just give me a different jersey number."

Talk about job insecurity. Two weeks ago, Crayton went into the Atlanta game without punt-returning responsibilities. Veteran Allen Rossum was brought in to return punts and kickoffs.

But Rossum was injured (hamstring) on his first kickoff return as a Cowboy and Crayton reacted by getting back on the field and proving his critics dead wrong.

In back-to-back games, Crayton scored on punt returns of 73 yards against the Falcons and 82 yards against the Seahawks.

Which one was easier?

"Um, last week’s," Crayton decided. "I didn’t have to make but one cut last week  ... Today, I weaved twice."

And, of course, he wasn’t about to let Seahawks punter Jon Ryan bring him down, so he stiff-armed him out of the way and spared himself all the grief that would’ve brought him inside the Cowboys’ locker room.

These are Crayton’s first two punt returns for touchdowns, although he does have 22 career TDs in six seasons for the Cowboys.

Early in the second half Sunday, he muffed a punt at the Dallas 8 — recovering the ball himself — but then, two punts returns later, he took it to the house. Apparently, both chips kicked in.

"He does whatever we ask him to do," coach Wade Phillips said. "He might be returning punts better than anybody in the league right now."

Owner Jerry Jones has always liked what Crayton brought to the team, but it far exceeds toeing the company line.

"It’s never even been a concern of mine — anything about Patrick Crayton," Jones said. "He will walk out there and play like he’d just been named to the Pro Bowl on any given play."

The good teams have role players who know their role. On a day when Sam Hurd, Marion Barber, Roy Williams and newest team sensation Miles Austin found the end zone ahead of him, Crayton stayed patient, focused ... and a little bit crazy.

That comes with the job of returning punts.

"You have to be a little crazy to [return punts] because you have 11 guys coming down at you, and I’m trying to make ’em miss," he explained. "It’s fun. You gotta love it."

Two weeks ago, Crayton was feeling challenged and demoted. The way he has responded the past two games has been nothing but good for the team.

"You shouldn’t walk on eggshells over those kind of issues," Jones said. "That’s not the point [Crayton’s demotion]. The point is that we’re all lucky to get to be here."

And while Jones isn’t "big into team chemistry," he does appreciate the team concept.

"Then, you can sprinkle in the talent," Jones said, "and Patrick Crayton certainly has his."

That was evident Sunday. So was Crayton’s crazy side.

Ray Buck, 817-390-7760

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