Hitchens Has Huge Game, Proving Worth

Rookie linebacker Anthony Hitchens is making it blatantly clear that the Cowboys knew what they were doing by drafting him in the fourth round out of Iowa earlier in the year.

Hitchens made his second start of the season at middle linebacker on Sunday in London as Rolando McClain was able to sit out and rest for a week despite being suited up and active, and Hitchens was all over the field.

The rookie made nine tackles and was the key component in two huge plays for the Cowboys defense.

The first came on a negative play, when Cecil Shorts caught a pass on the sideline, shook free of Brandon Carr and took off for a 53-yard gain where he was chased down by, you guessed it, Hitchens. On the next play, Jacksonville lost a fumble, making Hitchens' stop a true touchdown-saver.

Later in the game, it was Hitchens who stuffed Jacksonville running back Toby Gerhart for no gain on a fourth-and-1 try to essentially end any doubt the Cowboys were going to win.

Bruce Carter, who had a pretty nice game himself with an athletic interception, summed up his thoughts on his rookie teammate pretty succinctly.

"Hitch is a baller," Carter told The Dallas Morning News. "He's the best thing since sliced bread."

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