SEATTLE -- Numerous Cowboys players said they didn't believe they were beaten up by the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday, but there were some questionable plays that might lead you to believe something dirty was going on.

Wide receiver Golden Tate's peel-back, blindside hit on linebacker Sean Lee in the fourth quarter drew the ire of the Cowboys' sideline. Rookie guard J.R. Sweezy was called for a chop block. And in the first quarter, something sparked mild-mannered nose tackle Josh Brent into a 15-yard unnecessary roughness penalty as he swung his arms at an opponent.

Several Cowboys players said they knew the Seahawks were a chippy team from film study.

"If you watch football, that’s the way they play," defensive end Jason Hatcher said. "They cut, they hit you after the play, that’s the way they're built. It's not a surprise to us. We knew it was coming. It was a war out there. At the end of the day, they won. So I'm just ready to put it behind us and forget about it and get ready for the next team."

The Cowboys have no choice but to move ahead, but could this setback linger?

"I still have confidence in our team," cornerback Brandon Carr said. "This is only our second game, and we're 1-1. We got a chance to look at the film and correct our mistakes and get better for next week."

After losing such a physical game -- more physical than the Giants game -- you have to wonder if the Cowboys underestimated their opponent.

Jerry Jones said he didn't think his team did and had plenty of praise for Seattle afterward.

Still, for the Cowboys to get beat up in this fashion was surprising.

"It didn’t surprise me," outside linebacker DeMarcus Ware said, who also hit the ground after a blindside hit. "If you add 10 or 11 days to get ready for people and know what's at stake, you know what you’re going against. And we knew. ... We were very prepared, and we didn’t execute like you should."