Witten has gone the last two games without a catch in the opening two quarters and caught seven passes for 128 yards and a touchdown against Washington and Miami. It’s the lowest two-game total for Witten this season.
“I think in general if defenses are committed to taking someone out of a game they can do that,” coach Jason Garrett said. “Hopefully we’re good enough offensively to go elsewhere with the football and move the ball and give us the opportunity to score points. Jason Witten is a seven-time Pro Bowler. Typically defenses know this guy and they game plan for him. He’s done a great job during his career dealing with that and still being a productive player.”
Defenses are bracketing Witten with linebackers and safeties and taking away the intermediate throws down the seam. His 59-yard catch against the Redskins came off a broken play, as did the 23-yard grab against Miami.
“You appreciate it and always feel humbled and respected by it when teams do that,” Witten said, “but at the same time you get a little upset by it because it gets you out of your rhythm of what you’re trying to do. You just try to overcome it and do different things. You’ve got to keep that poise, stay composed so when the opportunities do come, even if they’re less, you’ve got to take advantage of them.”
Witten would benefit from the return of Miles Austin, who has missed the last three games and is not expected to play Sunday against Arizona.
“I think first of all he helps are team tremendously, but I’m trying to tell him if he needs massages, whatever he needs, I’ll set it up for him,” Witten said. “I’ll even do it myself. Obviously teams know where he’s at on the field, but Laurent and the other guys have stepped up and been a huge asset for our team and made plays.”
Todd Archer
ESPNDallas.com
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Calvin Watkins
Calvin Watkins joined ESPNDallas.com in September 2009. He's covered the Cowboys since 2006 and also has covered colleges, boxing and high school sports.
Todd Archer
Todd Archer joined ESPNDallas.com in November 2010. He's covered the NFL since 1997 and the Cowboys since 2003. He covered the Bengals and Dolphins before arriving in Dallas. A Massachusetts native, Archer lives in the Dallas area with his wife and two children.
Tim MacMahon
Tim MacMahon joined ESPNDallas.com in September 2009. Tim covers the Cowboys and Mavericks. He has covered the local sports scene from high schools to colleges to pros during his six-year tenure at The Dallas Morning News. MacMahon is a graduate of UNT.
Jean-Jacques Taylor
Jean-Jacques Taylor joined ESPNDallas.com in August 2011. A native of Dallas, Taylor spent the past 20 years writing for The Dallas Morning News, where he covered high schools sports, the Texas Rangers and spent 11 seasons covering the Dallas Cowboys before becoming a general columnist in 2006.
Ben Rogers
Ben Rogers joined ESPNDallas.com in November 2009. He is one half of "The Ben & Skin Show," heard weekdays from 9a-12p on 103.3 FM ESPN.
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