Dez Bryant got a lot of attention on Sunday for his sideline tantrums directed at Tony Romo, tight end Jason Witten and wide receivers coach Derek Dooley. Probably too much attention, considering all the amazing moments in Detroit's last-second win over the Dallas Cowboys.
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Bryant was unapologetic after the game. He sees his emotion as a strength.
"My passion is always positive," Bryant said, via ESPN.com. "It's always positive. It's going to remain the same way. I'm not saying anything wrong. I'm not saying anything bad. It's all positive. That's just what it is. I'm the nicest person off the field. When I'm on the field, even when I look angry, it's still all good passion. It's all good passion. I feel like that's what we need. I'm going to remain the same way. I feel like I love this game. I love it. In order to win, you've got to be passionate about this game. You have to be. You've got to let that dog come out and just put it all out there on the line."
We essentially agree. Bryant might learn over time that being so demonstrative puts his teammates in a bad spot in the locker room answering questions, but ultimately his passion is part of what makes him great. This is football. A lot is said on Sundays that is immediately forgotten afterward, except by those of us writing and talking about it.
"That's [the media's] problem, because everybody knows up in this locker room who I am," Bryant said. "It's been that way since Day 1. The day that I got drafted, like I told y'all, don't get it twisted: I love this game. I love my teammates. That's what it is."
The outbursts will get a lot of attention, especially because the Cowboys lost. Jason Garrett has lost too many excruciating games late in the fourth quarter as the team's head coach. Dallas' defense gave up a brutal last-minute drive and more than 600 yards of offense on Sunday. Yet Bryant will be the focus.
"He is the only guy on that team that plays with that kind of passion. The only guy," Deion Sanders said on NFL Network's "NFL GameDay Highlights. " ... At certain times he shows immaturity. (However), you can't want the passion, mental toughness and aggressiveness on the field but not want it off the field."
Bryant was one of the main reasons the Cowboys were ahead in the first place. Sideline rants might be fun to watch, but they don't decide games.
*The latest "Around the League Podcast" has takeaways from every Week 8 game. *
