After taking time to review the Dallas Cowboys' loss to the New York Giants, there weren't many positives to be found, but the lone bright spot out of this game came from running back Javonte Williams.
Despite his knucklehead taunting penalty that cost the team at least one and possibly two points, Williams was the most productive player on offense, gaining 72 total yards and scoring twice. Rushing yards were a challenge, thanks to the Giants' defenders clogging his run lanes and at times meeting him in the backfield, forcing Williams to get creative to pick up positive yardage.
Williams lone rushing touchdown was a prime example of the tough yards he picked up all game, taking a handoff with 41 seconds left in the third quarter off the right
side and fighting through defenders before crossing the goal line.
He finished with 41 of his yards on the ground.
Williams was also one of the most reliable receivers for Dak Prescott, matching receiver CeeDee Lamb's reception total, catching all five of his targets for 31 yards and a touchdown.
The touchdown came with 5:26 left in the fourth quarter; Williams caught a pass in the flat from Prescott and beat Giants defender Arvell Reese to the pylon for his second touchdown of the night. Unfortunately, he would pick up a taunting penalty after he held the football out to Reese before crossing the goal line, and that penalty would push the Dallas extra point back 15 yards, where kicker Brandon Aubrey would miss the extra point wide right.
Head coach Brian Schottenheimer admitted the team was planning to try for the two-point conversion if not for the penalty.
It was an irresponsible move by Williams and one that cost his team points and shone a bit of a negative light on his overall positive game. But taking his overall game into account, he was the best player on the field for the Cowboys, the most productive on offense, scoring both on the ground and through the air. No one on the roster was more impactful on Dallas than Williams, and it wasn't even close.
This article originally appeared on Cowboys Wire: Despite dumb penalty, Javonte Williams was Cowboys' Week 1 Player of the Game
