FRISCO — Ventell Bryant had appeared on offense eight times all season. In seven of those plays, he blocked on a running play. The Cowboys wide receiver rotated into last Thursday’s game against the Buffalo Bills late in the fourth quarter and heard the play call.
A pass.
“My eyes just lit up,” Bryant said. “I was like, ‘Yes. I have to make a play or just do my job for the team.’”
The second regular-season route Bryant ran in his NFL career doubled as the first pass on which he was targeted. Prescott trusted a 23-year-old who spent training camp with the Cincinnati Bengals to make a contested catch inside the red zone. Bryant applied a lesson from a college mentor to score a 15-yard touchdown against the Buffalo Bills.
Such moments would be sweeter in a win. But the play was no less a milestone for Bryant, whose ability in special teams coverage has made him a regular on the Cowboys’ game-day roster.
Bryant ran a seam route vs. Bills cornerback Taron Johnson, who had outside leverage. From the slot, Bryant initially pressed toward Johnson before veering inside to catch a pass that split two defensive backs.
Bryant first learned such route-running nuances from former NFL wide receiver Frisman Jackson, who coached wide receivers at Temple and today does so at Baylor.
“He was an unbelievable coach,” Bryant said. “He really developed me tremendously. After he left, the coaching was just a little different as far as the details. When he was there, he was really strict about certain things. He was like, ‘If you’re running a seam route and a guy is outside of you, don’t just run straight down the middle because he’s going to wash you down to the safety. You have to widen him. You have to stretch him. And if you can’t stretch him, if you can’t get around him, then you slip him. But at least you have the proper landmark.’
“That’s what I did.”
Bryant kept the football and gloves from the touchdown.
He plans to display them in his home someday.
Prescott said he trusted Bryant to make the catch because of “what he does, each and every day in practice.”
“Somebody that’s passionate about what he does, that carries a lot of pride in his everyday work,” Prescott added. “When he messes up, you can tell. It’s like somebody kicked his dog. He hates it because he feels like he let others down. And when he makes a good play, he’s proud himself. That’s just an example of what he’s done, week in and week out at practice, coming in and making plays.”
Said coach Jason Garrett: “Ventell did a really good job making a contested catch. The moment was not too big for him. He’s done a really good job for us on special teams. He’s continued to show up there, and he’s really grown as a player. So, a big moment for him. He handled it really well.”
Briefly: Running back Tony Pollard was added to Tuesday’s injury report, missing practice with an ankle ailment. Linebacker Leighton Vander Esch (neck), nose tackle Antwaun Woods (knee), safety Jeff Heath (shoulders) and linebacker Sean Lee (pectoral/non-injury) also didn’t participate. … Soldier Field has not been hospitable to visiting kickers this season. They are 6 for 11 (54.5%), including 0 for 4 from between 40 and 49 yards. Brett Maher is 1 for 4 this season from that range. … The NFL launched its “My Cause, My Cleats” campaign this week. It features players wearing painted cleats to raise awareness about causes of personal importance. Most Cowboys participants won’t wear those cleats Thursday becuase of the grass field. They will sport them instead on Dec. 15 against the Los Angeles Rams at AT&T Stadium.
