IRVING, Texas - The Dallas Cowboys have all kinds of answers for how the NFLs worst defence a year ago has improved despite losing its best player to injury, dumping the franchise sacks leader and letting the most productive lineman go to a division rival.Theres cornerback Brandon Carrs theory of growing up: You look different from 5 to 6 years old, right? he said, laughing.Or how about defensive co-ordinator Rod Marinellis idea that its so simple a 5-year-old could do it: And then, we dont change a lot.And finally, coach Jason Garretts take on players with something to prove: I think everybody has a story, and oftentimes you tap into what their stories are.Add them all up, and you have a team that kept New Orleans out of the end zone for three quarters and built a 31-3 lead a year after giving up an NFL-record 40 first downs in an embarrassing blowout loss.The Cowboys (3-1), who take a three-game winning streak into Sundays game against Houston (3-1), dont stand out defensively in the rankings because theyre giving up plenty of yards a€” including a bunch to Drew Brees and the Saints in the second half of a 38-17 win.But Dallas is among league leaders in takeaways with eight a€” a Marinelli staple a€” and in the top 10 in scoring defence, the other measure that matters the most to the man who took over the defence when Monte Kiffin was demoted after last season.Marinelli and Kiffin came in together a year ago to switch the Cowboys back to a four-man front after nearly a decade in the 3-4.Once we get our package right in the off-season, I think you stay with it, Marinelli said. So the players arent learning something new every week. Theyre trying to refine their skills. Theyre trying to play faster.The Cowboys opened free agency in March by cutting defensive end DeMarcus Ware in a salary cap move, and their off-season began with a season-ending knee injury to linebacker Sean Lee in the first practice. Dallas decided not to give some of that Ware money to defensive tackle Jason Hatcher, who led the team in sacks in 2013, and he signed with Washington.Now the defensive front is a collection of bargains, while Rolando McClain has the potential to be a playmaking leader of the linebackers after the former top 10 pick flamed out early in Oakland and walked away from the game twice in Baltimore. The Cowboys traded for him before training camp.I felt a group of guys that are hungry, McClain said of when he showed up at camp after missing the 2013 season. I was hungry.With Bruce Carter out against the Texans because of a quadriceps strain, each starting linebacker has missed at least one game. The Cowboys have adjusted by mixing and matching in their front seven.Dallas lost cornerback Morris Claiborne to a season-ending knee injury against the Saints. But there were already questions about whether the former top-10 pick could stay on the field ahead of undrafted fourth-year player Sterling Moore, who figures to have an expanded role against the Texans.After consecutive seasons with injury-depleted units, the Cowboys have reached a point where they dont seem to care whos on the field. And theyre making plays they werent in those two years.Were all students of the game and were trying to get this thing right, Carr said. The time is now. You cant keep waiting.In other words, you have to grow up sometime.NOTES: QB Tony Romo and DE Anthony Spencer kept with their weekly routines. Romo skipped another Wednesday practice after strong games the previous two times. Spencer, who played for the first time in more than a year against the Saints, skipped Fridays practice, just as he has all season since coming off the physically unable to perform list.___Online:AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and http://twitter.com/AP_NFL___Follow Schuyler Dixon on Twitter at https://twitter.com/apschuyler Mike Davis Jersey . The Ravens werent about to let it happen again. Carleton picked up its fourth straight national mens basketball title, and 10th in the last 12 years, with a 79-67 victory over its crosstown rival on Sunday. Mitch Kupchak Jersey . As they are wont to do, the Spurs made things real easy. The Spurs signed Parker to a multi-year contract extension on Friday, ensuring that the six-time All-Star point guard will be in the fold whether Duncan and Ginobili are able to continue their careers or not. https://www.cheapwizardsonline.com/869k-larry-hughes-jersey-wizards.html . Jamies number grades given are out of five, with five being the best mark. Henrik Lundqvist, New York Rangers (5) – He had good saves on Giroux, Akeson, and Hartnell tonight. Calbert Cheaney Jersey . Grimes signed a $32 million, four-year contract to remain with Miami. The deal, which includes $16 million guaranteed, rewards Grimes for his recovery from an Achilles tendon injury that forced him to miss almost all of the 2012 season. Mike Riordan Jersey .Connor Graham, Alex Lintuniemi and Sam Studnicka also scored for Ottawa (11-8-2). Liam Herbst made 21 saves for the win.Brendan Lemieux had both of Barries (10-10-2) goals. DOHA, Qatar -- Venus Williams eased past Croatian qualifier Petra Martic 6-2, 6-2 to line up a second-round match with former Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova in the Qatar Open on Monday. Williams was broken only once, when she led Martic 4-0. She has an up and down record so far this season, reaching the final in Auckland and losing in the first round at the Australian Open. Williams has won only one of her three matches against Kvitova, the third seed who has a first-round bye, but all three have gone the distance. Also, Chinas Peng Shuai beat 2006 champion Nadia Petrova 7-6 (5), 7-5 to even their matchups at 4-4. Petrova, who had to qualify after an injury-plagued 2013 dropped her singles ranking to 100, almost pulled off the win despite nine double faults. Tsvetana Pironkova of Bulgaria defeated Roberta Vinci of Italy 6-3, 6-3 for the first time in four matches, while Annika Beck beat Mona Barthel in their all-German match 7-6 (5), 6-2 for the first time in three matches.dddddddddddd Taiwanese qualifier Hsieh Su-wei won for the first time against Italys Flavia Pennetta 7-5, 6-3, and Czech qualifier Petra Cetkovska beat American Sloane Stephens 7-5, 6-1. Stephens, whod beaten Cetkovska at the last two Wimbledons, rallied to level at 5-5, but could win only one more game as she lost her serve five times. The field features seven of the top 10, led by Australian Open champ Li Na who, regardless of her result this week, will move to a career-best No. 2 ranking next week, above Victoria Azarenka, the two-time reigning Doha champ who was absent with a foot injury. ' ' '