You heard about and read about, now see it with your own eyes.
T.O double moves and beats Adam Pacman Jones making the crowd go wild.
OXNARD, Calif. - Despite the Cowboys having 80 players on the practice field here Sunday, at times it seemed as if it was just a battle between a wide receiver and a cornerback.
And not just any battle, but the one for which most of the fans out here in Oxnard have been waiting. In fact, the fans actually provoked quite a scene here during the afternoon practice.
Anyway you slice it, this is what the fans wanted to see and the two didn't disappoint.
And on this day, Owens got the best of Jones. In fact, he got the best of just about every cornerback. Owens caught several big passes and it seemed he was streaking to the end zone just about every time.
Cowboys head coach Wade Phillips jokingly opened his press conference Sunday by stating Owens received a "practice game ball."
But it was Owens' performance in the one-on-one battles with Jones that struck up the most attention. One of the best moments of camp so far occurred in the one-on-one passing drills when Owens trotted out to the left side of the field, where Jones was waiting for the battle. Before the two got to the line of scrimmage, the crowd began to roar with anticipation.
Jones then pumped his arms up in the air to ignite the crowd even more.
But sensing that a moment was about to take place, quarterback Tony Romo had to get into the act, too. With third-string quarterback Richard Bartel about to take the snap, Romo tapped him on the shoulder and replaced him for this play, only adding to the excitement.
When the actual play finally got underway, Owens and Jones battled at the line of scrimmage before the receiver got about 10 yards down the field. He then made a double-move on the cornerback and went streaking to the post where he hauled in the perfectly-thrown pass from Romo, a good three or four yards in front of Jones.
The crowd ate it up, and loved it even more when Owens ran back towards the huddle with his hand cupped by his ear, asking for more noise from the fans.
"Well, it's about pitch and catch for me and Tony," Owens said. "Just basically running and reacting."
As for his battle with Jones, Owens said he thrives on the competition, but that he expects to win.
"It's all about competition and we know going into practice, there's going to be some battles," Owens said. "Obviously, with Adam, it's going to be DB against receiver, so it's all in fun, and we're just trying to come out here and practice and get each other better.
"Like I told you guys the other day, the majority of reps, anything that's going to happen between me and Adam, I'm going to get the best of him." And he certainly did. Even Jones admitted that.
"Oh yeah, he got me on that double move today," Jones said. "I knew he was going to do a double move, though, but I thought he was going to do an out-and-up, and as soon as he saw me turn, he went inside me. But he's a great player. I'm just out here learning and having a good time."
Jones said he wants to face Owens as much as possible, and even tries to make sure he times it just right in practice to face the Cowboys' No. 1 receiver. "I always want to face the best. That's how you get better," Jones said. "I think I'm doing pretty good against him. I think I won the whole day yesterday (Saturday). He won today. I'll win tomorrow."
- Nick Eatman
DallasCowboys.com Staff Writer
T.O double moves and beats Adam Pacman Jones making the crowd go wild.
OXNARD, Calif. - Despite the Cowboys having 80 players on the practice field here Sunday, at times it seemed as if it was just a battle between a wide receiver and a cornerback.
And not just any battle, but the one for which most of the fans out here in Oxnard have been waiting. In fact, the fans actually provoked quite a scene here during the afternoon practice.
Anyway you slice it, this is what the fans wanted to see and the two didn't disappoint.
And on this day, Owens got the best of Jones. In fact, he got the best of just about every cornerback. Owens caught several big passes and it seemed he was streaking to the end zone just about every time.
Cowboys head coach Wade Phillips jokingly opened his press conference Sunday by stating Owens received a "practice game ball."
But it was Owens' performance in the one-on-one battles with Jones that struck up the most attention. One of the best moments of camp so far occurred in the one-on-one passing drills when Owens trotted out to the left side of the field, where Jones was waiting for the battle. Before the two got to the line of scrimmage, the crowd began to roar with anticipation.
Jones then pumped his arms up in the air to ignite the crowd even more.
But sensing that a moment was about to take place, quarterback Tony Romo had to get into the act, too. With third-string quarterback Richard Bartel about to take the snap, Romo tapped him on the shoulder and replaced him for this play, only adding to the excitement.
When the actual play finally got underway, Owens and Jones battled at the line of scrimmage before the receiver got about 10 yards down the field. He then made a double-move on the cornerback and went streaking to the post where he hauled in the perfectly-thrown pass from Romo, a good three or four yards in front of Jones.
The crowd ate it up, and loved it even more when Owens ran back towards the huddle with his hand cupped by his ear, asking for more noise from the fans.
"Well, it's about pitch and catch for me and Tony," Owens said. "Just basically running and reacting."
As for his battle with Jones, Owens said he thrives on the competition, but that he expects to win.
"It's all about competition and we know going into practice, there's going to be some battles," Owens said. "Obviously, with Adam, it's going to be DB against receiver, so it's all in fun, and we're just trying to come out here and practice and get each other better.
"Like I told you guys the other day, the majority of reps, anything that's going to happen between me and Adam, I'm going to get the best of him." And he certainly did. Even Jones admitted that.
"Oh yeah, he got me on that double move today," Jones said. "I knew he was going to do a double move, though, but I thought he was going to do an out-and-up, and as soon as he saw me turn, he went inside me. But he's a great player. I'm just out here learning and having a good time."
Jones said he wants to face Owens as much as possible, and even tries to make sure he times it just right in practice to face the Cowboys' No. 1 receiver. "I always want to face the best. That's how you get better," Jones said. "I think I'm doing pretty good against him. I think I won the whole day yesterday (Saturday). He won today. I'll win tomorrow."
- Nick Eatman
DallasCowboys.com Staff Writer
