Dez Bryant, rookie Jourdan Lewis in heated exchange during Cowboys practice

Dez Bryant might not be having the same production as in previous years, but his passion for the game hasn’t changed.

That much could be seen on Thursday when Bryant won a one-on-one match-up over rookie cornerback Jourdan Lewis in a compete drill at the end of practice. Bryant gloated about the play by rolling the ball toward Lewis afterward, and then the two got into a heated exchange.

“It’s just competing,” Lewis said. “He wants to win just as bad as I do. Sometimes that gets a little feisty. We just have to channel that energy in a positive way and try and get a win on Sunday.”

The Dallas Cowboys (7-6) play at Oakland (6-7) Sunday night.

Lewis said he had no issues with Bryant throwing the ball toward him.

As Lewis said, “That was the heat of the moment. I’ve just got to win the rep.”

Bryant, who is on pace for a third consecutive season with less than 1,000 yards receiving, hasn’t spoken with reporters in weeks. But Lewis understands the value of going up against a player of Bryant’s stature on a daily basis.

And, even though some might question whether Bryant is still an elite receiver, Lewis views him as one of the best in the game.

“Anytime you’re facing one of the best that’s played the position, it’s always a good thing to get those reps in, especially when he’s at his prime when he’s trying to get at you,” Lewis said. “So it’s always a good thing to have those little moments. That just means that you have people on the team that actually really want to win.

“It gets so intense and you can see it through the way we play.”

This story was originally published December 14, 2017 at 4:36 PM with the headline "Dez Bryant, rookie Jourdan Lewis in heated exchange during Cowboys practice."