It was just one game in a long, winding season, but the Dallas Cowboys answered many questions in Wednesday's resounding 24-17 win over the New York Giants.
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After a summer filled with doubt about the state of the team's third receiver position, we saw Kevin Ogletreebust out against a depleted New York secondary. Equally encouraging was the handiwork of Dez Bryant, who shut the door on a troubling offseason with four catches for 85 yards, including a spectacular 38-yard grab to set up the team's first touchdown.
Bryant was a closed book during training camp, refusing to speak to the media. He finally opened up after the game, acknowledging he's the most prepared he's ever been for a football season.
"Of course, that's my job," Bryant told The Dallas Morning News. "If you're going to be put out there with Tony Romo or (Jason) Witten and Miles Austin, I have to know what the hell I'm doing. I felt like I dedicated myself to do that."
Added Bryant: "Everybody is focused and we have to get our job done. We really prepared ourselves very well. As long as we keep doing that, good things will happen."
We saw a new focus from the Cowboys in their thumping of last year's champs. When Dallas made the occasional blunder, the team moved on and turned mistakes into opportunities. The Giants closed last season as the league's scrappy road warriors, forcing you to believe in them. The Cowboys -- and Bryant -- opened this season doing the very same.
Follow Marc Sessler on Twitter @MarcSesslerNFL.