Dez Bryant fumbled on Sunday. The Dallas Cowboys wide receiver recorded his second fumble of the season. The Cowboys still won the game, but Bryant is now dealing with the questions about ball security. After owner Jerry Jones criticized the way Bryant runs on the field with the ball, the wide receiver is going on the defense about his ability to protect the football.
In his four-year career, Bryant has fumbled 11 times. Despite all of the yards and touchdowns the receiver has put up, those 11 fumbles are what appears to be all that everyone can talk about. Jones went on 105.3 The Fan in Dallas to discuss the need for Bryant to get back to fundamental football and holding the ball properly while running.
"He's violent when he's got the ball," Jones said. "He's violent going after the ball. Consequently, he does need to have the ball in closer. He needs to fundamentally have it closer to his body. A lot of this is a natural, physical way he plays football, and you're not going to coach it out of him."
Bryant caught win of the owner's criticism and did not really take too kindly to it. Bryant does not believe he has issues with ball security, instead blaming his turnover on the cold weather the team faced last Sunday.
"I think my ball security, in my honest option has been fine," Bryant said, via the Dallas Morning News. "It was just that kind of a game to where you have to be a little bit more prepared focusing on what kind of difficulties it will be in the cold weather handling the ball. You just got to prepare a little bit better knowing you will be in the game."
Bryant was targeted 16 times in Week 12, one shy of his career-high. He recorded 86 yards and could not understand why his one fumble was the headline of the game. The wide receiver was smart to not address the topic any further, simply saying the team had no issue moving the ball down the field and things were fine.
"We can't make this about the [16] targets," Bryant said. "We did win that game as a team. It's not all about me, not to be rude."
If the issue continues, things will become about Bryant whether he likes it or not. while the fumbles are certainly inconsistent, they are there. The Cowboys offense focuses on him as Tony Romo relies heavily on the wide receiver. Filled with big-time moments, Bryant has not plans on slowing down.
"I had to keep myself together because those guys were believing in me and I was believing in them," said Bryant, "and I had to keep my composure and go out there and play my game."
