Although there was plenty of action on the field in this preseason matchup against the Tennessee Titans, the star of this night was no doubt Cowboys Stadium, the team's new venue opening its doors for football for the very first time.
That's not to say there weren't some things to feel good about concerning the Cowboys' 30-10 victory over Tennessee. The starting offense was particularly efficient, especially on a 15-play, 90-yard drive on their second possession that produced their first touchdown on the night.
In all, the team racked up 466 total yards of offense, compared to just 191 for their visitors. And, they dominated the time of possession, controlling the ball for 40:57 to the Titans' 19:03.
Still, most of the memories on this night were likely delivered by the extravagant new stadium that the Cowboys now call home.
Fittingly, the Cowboys won the opening coin toss and elected to receive the kickoff. Miles Austin took the Rob Bironas boot at his own goal line and went around the left side before being pushed out of bounds at his own 32. But, a holding call on the return team set the Cowboys up for their first possession at their own 22.
Barber took the game's initial handoff up the middle for a loss of one, then Romo went to wide receiver Roy Williams on the left flat for a short seven-yard gain. On third and three, Romo was nearly picked off on the right sideline, the pass broken up by cornerback Nick Harper.
Out came Mat McBriar for his first punt of the night, a 47-yarder that the Titans Tuff Harris returned 21-yards, although a penalty on the visitors pushed them back 10 yards for a first and 10 at the Tennessee 36-yard line.
Chris Johnson took the first handoff, but was brought down for no gain by nose tackle Jay Ratliff. Quarterback Kerry Collins then tried to hit Nate Washington down the left sideline, but the pass came up empty.
On third and 10, Collins hit tight end Bo Scaife for nine yards, falling just short of the first down, which brought in Craig Hentrich for his first punt attempt. Patrick Crayton called for the fair catch but muffed the 45-yard kick, although he was able to fall on it to give Dallas possession at their own 10.
Running back Marion Barber got the drive going with consecutive carries totally 11 yards for a first down at the Cowboys 21. His third consecutive try picked up a short three yards before Barber again carried the ball, this time going right up the middle for seven more and another first down.
Romo then threw out to the left flight to fullback Julius Crosslin, a gain of four yards. Fooling the blitz, Romo dumped off a nice screen pass to Barber, moving the chains again with an eight-yard gain out to the Cowboys 43.
Williams then caught his second pass of the night, a 10-yard pick up that moved the team into Titans territory for a first down. A false start on Williams moved them back five, but Romo found tight end Jason Witten across the middle for a nice 14-yard gain to set up a second and one.
A quick two-yard out to Williams on the left side brought another first down with Crosslin then grabbing Romo's dump-off for an eight yard strike. On second and two, Romo tried to lob one over the shoulder of Williams going down the left sideline, but the pass carried out of bounds.
An interference call on Tennessee's Michael Griffin provided a first down at the Titans 22-yard line with Patrick Crayton then trying a reverse around the right side that picked up six yards. Barber made a bobbling catch that actually lost four yards, setting up a third and eight at the 20-yard line.
Escaping pressure, Romo lofted one just over Witten's shoulder for a 19-yard reception and a first and goal at the one. Barber then finished out the series with a scamper up the middle to get the Cowboys on the board. Nick Folk came out for the extra point, putting Dallas up 7-0. In all, the Cowboys' drive ate up 9:11 off the clock.
Rookie David Buehler booted the kickoff to the two-yard line where Javon Ringer broke out of the pack and scooted down the left sideline for a 51-yard return. An unsportsmanlike conduct penalty at the end of the play on Gerald Sensabaugh tacked on another 15 yards, giving Tennessee possession at the Cowboys 32.
The Titans didn't help their cause with a five-yard false start penalty or a quick out to Johnson on the right side that went for no gain. Johnson tried to go off left tackle, but only got three yards and a pass to Scaife managed just six more. Out came Bironas for a 46-yard attempt, the kick good to put Tennessee on the board, 7-3.
With 40 seconds remaining in the quarter, Austin took the kickoff at his one-yard line and fought his way back to the 20. Out came Romo and Co. again, the quarterback opening the drive with a dump-off to Felix Jones on the left sideline, the play picking up five yards as the first quarter came to an end.
Jones tried to get something off left tackle, dancing for two yards, before Romo found an open Crayton over the middle for an easy 15 and a first down at the Dallas 42. Williams grabbed a pass on the left sideline for six yards with Romo then hitting Crayton again, although a holding penalty pushed the play backwards.
On second and 14, Romo slipped one in to Witten, crossing midfield with a 13-yard completion. Crosslin then barreled up the middle, his two-yard effort producing a first down at the Titans 47.
A pass attempt to Jones went incomplete, which was followed by Jones providing no gain on a run up the middle. On third and 10, Romo found Crayton streaking across the middle, the wideout diving forward for a nine-yard effort, just short of the first down.
Deciding to go for it on fourth and inches, Romo faked a handoff up the middle and pitched out to Barber around the left end, a gain of two yards and a first down at the Tennessee 36.
The drive continued with Barber trying to go off right tackle for a loss of one and then taking the handoff up the middle for a short five yards. On third and six, Barber again got the call, this time on a draw play, coming up just short of the markers with a five-yard carry.
Going for it once again on fourth and inches, the Cowboys suffered a false start penalty on Marc Colombo. The five-yard deficit brought out Folk for a 49-yard field goal, the effort hitting the right upright, no good.
Taking over at their own 39-yard line, Tennessee's LenDale White got his first carry of the night for the Titans, picking up three yards around the left end, then took his second attempt up the middle for one yard. On third and six, Collins threw the ball away to avoid the oncoming rush of Anthony Spencer, another three and out. Hentrich's third punt carried 41 yards, Crayton calling for the fair catch at his own 16-yard line.
Jones took a pitch around the right side for an 11-yard run, then went up the middle for three more. Romo had an open Hurd across the middle, the pass bouncing off his shoulder pads for an incompletion. On third and seven, Romo's pass sailed over the head of Crayton, setting up McBriar for his second punt of the night.
The Aussie's boot carried an impressive 63 yards to the Titans seven, Harris returning the kick just 10 yards. But offsetting penalties required a re-kick. On his next try, McBriar lofted it 55 yards down to the Tennessee 15, Harris returned it this time 16 yards for a first and 10 at the their own 31-yard line.
Collins fumbled the snap on the next play, but teammate White was there to pounce on it for a loss of three. But the Dallas received an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, a 15-yard bonus that set up first and 10 at the Tennessee 44.
A Collins completion to Washington picked up six yards with Ringer then breaking free around the right end for a 16-yard gain and a first down at the Dallas 34. Collins tried to hit tight end Scaife, but linebacker Bradie James was there to break it up. The quarterback then dumped out to the left flat to Ringer, who earned two yards as the two-minute warning sounded.
On third and eight, Collins found Justin Gage on an out pattern for a 10-yard gain and a first down. He then whipped one to Ringer on the left side, a pick-up of five yards to the Cowboys 17. Ringer then seemingly had a touchdown, going off left tackle, however penalties on both sides nullified the score and required a new play.
But the next snap produced the same results, Collins hitting a wide-open Gage in the end zone for an easy six. Bironas added the extra point and Tennessee had the lead, 10-7 with 59 seconds left on the clock.
Kevin Ogletree took the kick from a yard deep in his end zone out to the Dallas 21-yard line. Romo then went to work in the two-minute offense, hitting Bennett over the middle for 17 yards, then flipping one out to Jones, who broke a tackle and bolted 42 yards all the way down to the Tennessee 20-yard line.
A quick out to Williams on the left sideline produced 11 yards and a first and goal at the nine with Romo then finding Crayton over the middle at the three for a six-yard completion. With 14 seconds on the clock, Dallas called a timeout, then Romo tried to go high to Austin in the right corner, the ball carrying over his target's head.
Now with nine seconds remaining, Romo this time went to the left side and Williams, the lanky receiver earning an interference call on cornerback DeMarcus Figgins. Given a first and goal at the one with five seconds on the clock, Romo handed off to Jones who danced his way into the end zone for the six points. Folk did his duty, giving Dallas the lead back, 14-10. The Cowboys reeled off six plays and went 79 yards in just 58 seconds.
With only one second remaining, Buehler squibbed one down the field, Tennessee's Ahmard Hall falling on it to bring on the half.
Buehler's kickoff to get the second half going went three yards deep into the end zone, but Ringer brought it back 23 yards for a first and 10 at the 20. With Vince Young now behind center, Tennessee's first drive of the half did little. Ringer went nowhere on a handoff, which was followed by Young picking up only one yard after the pocket collapsed.
Young then dumped one underneath to Kenny Britt, although the play produced no gain, setting up A.J. Trapasso for the punt. Terence Newman dropped back for the return and took 47-yard kick at his own 32, returning it 12 yards to give Dallas a first and 10 at their own 44.
In at quarterback, Jon Kitna immediately hit Hurd for a 17-yard gain, which was followed by a one-yard carry by Tashard Choice. Choice then got held up at the line of scrimmage, but managed to bounce around the stack for three yards. On third and six, Kitna had a wide-open Austin flying down the left sideline, but overthrew his target, requiring another punt by McBriar. The boot was corralled by Harris for a fair catch at the Tennessee nine.
Ringer took the initial handoff of the series and produced one yard with a holding penalty declined by the Cowboys. But Young then found Jared Cook cutting over the middle for an 11-yard gain and a first down at the 20.
A handoff to Ringer saw the back plow up the middle for 13 yards and another first down, which was followed by Young trying to go deep to a wide-open Britt. Fortunately for the Cowboys, the ball was underthrown and cornerback Mike Jenkins was able to race back to break up the pass.
Ringer then went around the right side for a short three yards to bring up third and seven. Again Young tried to go to Britt down the right sideline, but failed to connect and Trapasso got the call again. On this attempt the punter actually hit the enormous scoreboard, resulting in a dead ball and the play redone.
Trapasso's effort this time cleared the obstacle with DeAngelo Smith there to call a fair catch at the Cowboys 17-yard line.
Kitna got things going by hitting Austin on a quick out to the right sideline, but Choice was called for a chop block, which pushed the team backwards to their own nine. Choice tried to make up for the miscue by going up the middle, but only picked up four yards. Kitna then found Bennett for 11, before a false start penalty seesawed them back again five. An incompletion to Bennett wrapped up the series as McBriar came on the field again.
Harris took the 46-yard punt at his own 35 and managed six yards on the return to give Tennessee possession at their own 41. Young's first attempt of the drive fell incomplete with a handoff to Chris Henry resulting in a loss of two yards. On third and 12, Young tried this time to pass to Henry, but his target got tangled up with the official and the attempt fell incomplete.
Smith again stepped back for the 47-yard punt, and called for the fair catch at his own 14. Choice got things going for the home club with a run up the middle for five yards, but was then stopped in the backfield for a loss of two. Stepping up to avoid the pressure, Kitna tossed one out to Bennett, who came down with the catch for a 16-yard completion and a first down at the Dallas 33.
Dropping back again, this time Kitna hit Ogletree on an out pattern for 14 yards and another first down. A false start penalty pushed them back five before Kitna dumped out a screen pass to Choice, the back gaining four. On second and 11, Choice again got the handoff, going up the middle for five yards.
Faced with a third and six, Kitna found his tight end Bennett again cutting across the middle, the third quarter coming to a close with a nice 21-yard completion and a first down at the Titans 28.
As the final 15 minutes got underway, Kitna scrambled to his left and threw the ball away, Tennessee declining an ineligible receiver penalty by Dallas. On second down, Kitna then dumped off to running back Keon Lattimore, who finished the play with a five-yard pick-up.
Kitna continued by throwing a 21-yard pass on the left sideline to Ogletree, setting up a first and goal at the two. A fade route to the left corner of the end zone also found the arms of Ogletree, a penalty on Tennessee declined for the six points. Folk's kick was good to give Dallas the 21-10 advantage.
Buehler came in for the kickoff and rocketed the ball six yards deep into the end zone for the touchback. Taking over at their own 20, an illegal motion penalty was declined after the pass fell incomplete. Henry then went up the middle for two yards to bring on third and eight.
Forced to scramble out of the pocket, Young was brought down by linebacker Bobby Carpenter after a short one-yard play. In to punt was Trapasso, whose kick was muffed by Smith. The ball bounced around before finally being covered by Mike Mickens.
Stephen McGee took over at quarterback and quickly handed off to Lattimore twice for a combined 11 yards and a first down. McGee then threw a pass to tight end John Phillips, but the play actually lost one yard.
Lattimore continued his workload, bouncing outside for two yards to bring up third and nine. McGee again hit Phillips, the completion going for a short four yards, forcing another McBriar punt.
Rafael Little took the 36-yard punt at his own 13 and returned it six yards to give Tennessee the ball on their own 19. Henry got things going with a seven-yard run, which was followed by the back picking up two more on his next attempt.
Young then found Rodney Ferguson on the right flat, the running back breaking free for a 23-yard pick up. But on the very next play, Young's pass was deflected at the line of scrimmage by Steve Octavien and intercepted by Matt Stewart who then went 12 yards to give Dallas the ball at the Titans' 42-yard line.
Lattimore tried to go around the left end, but went nowhere with McGee then throwing a ball that was deflected and should have been intercepted. But 4th and Long star Jesse Holley took the ball out of the defender's hands for the nine-yard catch.
A false start call on Dallas moved them back five to set up a third down and six, and then another McGee pass was nearly picked up, but fell incomplete. Out came McBriar to punt to Little, the visitor calling for the fair catch at his own eight.
After Patrick Ramsey couldn't connect on his first pass, the quarterback was called for intentionally grounding the ball while in the end zone, which resulted in a safety, giving the Cowboys a 23-10 lead. Rookie linebacker Jason Williams was credited with the sack.
Smith took Trapasso's kick at his own 18 and managed 10 yards before brining brought down at the 28. Forced to scramble, McGee went out of bounds on the right sideline after a four-yard gain with Lattimore then trying to go around the left side, a holding penalty instead pushing them back 10.
On second and 16, Lattimore muscled up the middle for 12 yards, followed by McGee throwing over the middle to fellow rookie Manuel Johnson, an 18-yard completion and a first down at the Titans 48. The club then went back to Lattimore, the back carrying the ball the next two plays. Although he gained only a combined three yards, a personal foul on Tennessee brought 15 yards and a first down at the Tennessee 30.
The Lattimore show continued with consecutive runs up the middle for five yards combined. McGee then had to scramble out of the pocket sliding down at the 22 for a three-yard pickup as the two-minute warning sounded.
Facing a fourth and two, McGee through a 22-yard strike to Rodney Hannah, the tight end hauling in the pass for the score. The sure-footed Folk then completed the night, giving the Cowboys an insurmountable 30-10 lead.
Little returned the kick out of his end zone 18 yards to the 16, but an illegal block in the back call pushed the Titans to their eight-yard line. Working out of the shotgun, Ramsey misfired on his first pass attempt of the series, although a roughing the passer penalty provided 15 yards and an automatic first down.
With room to work, Ramsey hit Cook for a 22-yard connection, but saw his next two passes fall incomplete. The quarterback was successful on his next attempt, though, a 28-yard completion to Dudley Guice for a first down at the Dallas 27.
Ramsey then went to Cook again for a short two-yard gain and then tried to find Phillip Morris in the end zone, but missed his target. With 51 seconds remaining, Ramsey's next effort was incomplete, but an offsides call provided five yards and another first down.
Facing a third and three at the Dallas 20, Ramsey hoped to hit Guice again, but failed with Alan Ball then breaking up the final attempt on fourth down to give Dallas the ball and the game, the home team kneeling down to run out the final seconds.
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