Dez Bryant vs. Josh Norman is most-wanted Cowboys-Redskins matchup
The Dallas Cowboys used the same company line as the Washington Redskins last week.
“The game’s not about Josh Norman and Dez Bryant, and Dez doesn’t want it to be that way,” Cowboys receivers coach Derek Dooley said. “I’m sure Josh doesn’t want it to be that way. It’s the Dallas Cowboys playing the Redskins, and that’s our approach.”
Now that we have that disclaimer out of the way: Who can’t wait for Dez Bryant vs. Josh Norman?
He’s a physical specimen. He’s going to get the ball at its highest point. He’s a threat, man. He’s a threat.
Redskins defensive back Josh Norman
on Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant“Dez, he gets going man, and he’s a hard guy to control,” Norman told reporters in Washington. “He really is. He gets that motor going, and it’s all he wrote. He’s a physical specimen. He’s going to get the ball at its highest point. He’s a threat, man. He’s a threat.
“I’m going to be excited to see him again. Looking forward to it, as always.”
Bryant and Norman have met on the field twice previously. In the Cowboys’ 19-14 victory over the Carolina Panthers in 2012, Norman made four tackles, and Bryant had two catches for 14 yards. The Panthers beat the Cowboys 33-14 last Thanksgiving, with Bryant making only two catches for 26 yards and Norman making two tackles and defensing a pass.
After last season’s game, Norman ran into the locker room yelling, “They need to get Dez’s $70 mil back.”
Norman and Bryant downplayed that the past week, insisting there is mutual respect.
You’re going to have that dog. It’s all part of the game. That’s what makes you. He has that, and I have that, and we’re just going to go out there and battle.
Dez Bryant
on Josh Norman“Just understanding that it’s part of the game,” Bryant explained. “It’s the nature of football. You’re going to have that passion. You’re going to have that fight. You’re going to have that dog. It’s all part of the game. That’s what makes you. He has that, and I have that, and we’re just going to go out there and battle.”
Bryant, who earned All-Pro honors in 2014, signed a five-year, $70 million contract with the Cowboys before the start of last season. He has only 32 catches for 409 yards and three touchdowns in 10 games since, though Bryant never played a game 100 percent healthy last season because of foot, ankle and knee injuries.
Norman signed a five-year, $75 million deal with the Redskins before the start of this season, with $51.1 million guaranteed.
Both teams were questioned all week about how they used their big-money stars in Week 1.
Cowboys rookie quarterback Dak Prescott targeted Bryant only five times with Bryant making one catch for 8 yards. Bryant had a touchdown overturned by replay.
Prescott mostly threw it underneath, targeting tight end Jason Witten 14 times and slot receiver Cole Beasley 12 times.
So sometimes I almost laugh when they go, ‘Boy, they really need to think about ways to get Dez the ball.’ We do it every week. Sometimes it works, and sometimes it doesn’t.
Cowboys receiver coach Derek Dooley
“There hasn’t been a game that we’ve gone into since I’ve been here that we don’t put a lot of attention on figuring out ways to give our best players the football,” Dooley said. “So sometimes I almost laugh when they go, ‘Boy, they really need to think about ways to get Dez the ball.’ We do it every week. Sometimes it works, and sometimes it doesn’t. So we’re always self-critical as coaches that, ‘Man, we should have done this, and we should have done that.’
“What you hope is you’re measured over your body of work over 16 games, not one game. There’s naturally going to be games where it doesn’t, for whatever reason, work out. Compound that as the first game of the season, compound that with he had a rookie quarterback, you’re playing a heck of a defense — some really good players on defense — so the worst thing you can do is overreact, and Dez doesn’t want us to do that. If we’re going to sit there and try to invent new stuff to try to get him the football, he’ll be the first to tell you, that’s not what he wants. Does he want to be involved and help us win? Of course he does, and so do we.”
Kudos to AB. He’s one of the best in this league. I’m with the Cowboys and we have to stick to what our game plan is.
Bryant on Antonio Brown’s big game against the Redskins
The Redskins chose not to have Norman shadow Pittsburgh Steelers receiver Antonio Brown on Monday night and paid a high price in a 38-16 Washington loss. Cornerback Bashaud Breeland was responsible for seven of the eight passes Brown caught, according to Pro Football Focus.
Brown burned Washington for 126 yards and two touchdowns, though he had no catches the two times he was targeted with Norman covering him.
Bryant chuckled when asked if he watched what Brown did with Norman not shadowing the All-Pro receiver.
“Well, it’s always fun to see another guy at that position have a hell of a game,” Bryant said. “Kudos to AB. He’s one of the best in this league. I’m with the Cowboys and we have to stick to what our game plan is. Whatever that is, we’re going to try our best to execute it.”
Bryant hopes Norman covers him. Norman hopes he gets to cover Bryant.
Unlike Norman’s relationship with Giants receiver Odell Beckham Jr., Norman and Bryant have become “frenemies.” Part friend, part enemy. Total respect.
“We got over that hump,” Norman said. “That was last year. I don’t feel the same way as I did then. My mind is fresh, so everything is different.”
Charean Williams: 817-390-7760, @NFLCharean
This story was originally published September 17, 2016 at 4:41 PM with the headline "Dez Bryant vs. Josh Norman is most-wanted Cowboys-Redskins matchup."