Cowboys At Browns: 'Gimmicks' or 'Gray Matter'?

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FRISCO (105.3 The Fan) - Will the Cowboys need "gimmickry'' or just "gray matter''?

Dallas is 6-1 and prepping to travel to Cleveland to take on the 0-8 Browns. How focused are the Cowboys on themselves?

"I didn't know that,'' defensive lineman Tyrone Crawford said when informed of Cleveland's winless record. "Thanks for that.''

Crawford knows Cleveland is struggling, of course; that's perennially a logical guess. But he's telling the truth about the Cowboys' man-in-the-mirror approach to opponents.

"We say every week, our opponent is 'gray matter," Crawford said. "We talk about us and only us. We go and watch the film, but at the end of the day this football team is going to run the same plays a lot of football teams run. As long as we read our keys, stay on our assignments, the defense should do what we've been doing and play great ball."

Coach Jason Garrett will surely emphasize that point with a slogan or a saying or a chestnut of wisdom. But mostly …

"Just try to be honest with the football team," Garrett said of this week's approach. "Try to recognize what was good about the (win over Philly) and we'll identify the things that weren't good. We're very direct with our guys about how we can get those things right. Oftentimes coaches get into these psychological battles with their team. We're just going to try to be honest and direct with them.''

Of course, "direct honesty'' is psychological approach, too. What the Cowboys might want to remind themselves of is how close Cleveland has been to winning most weeks, how so many games in the NFL feature one-score margins, and how close every club is to being in the range of .500.

"We just focus on our jobs,'' receiver Cole Beasley said. "Everything else takes care of itself.''

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