Cowboys make quick leap into regular season mode

For the Cowboys this Thursday became essentially the Monday of a game week at Valley Ranch.

With a three-win preseason completed, the Cowboys quickly made the transition to regular season mode, and preparing for their midweek season opener at the defending Super Bowl champion New York Giants.

"It's one of those games you really think about," defensive end Jason Hatcher said. "They are the Super Bowl champs. When it comes to us and New York, you know how it is. It's a bad taste in your mouth. It's a rivalry. It's on a Wednesday night, strange night to be playing."

Only hours after wrapping up the preseason with a 30-13 win over the Miami Dolphins, in a game that quarterback Tony Romo and 20 expected starters sat out, the Cowboys had a walkthrough session Thursday focused on the Giants.

"They had been pointing toward the Giants game since we came out of the St. Louis game (on Saturday night)," coach Jason Garrett said. "Get their bodies right, get their minds right, start the preparation. So it's not like they came off a game last night and now we're practicing for a new team. ... They have been kind of working this way mentally for the last few days."

They have been thinking about it much longer.

Dallas and New York both went into the regular-season finale last season with 8-7 records. The Giants won, clinched the NFC East title and league's last playoff spot and went on to win their second Super Bowl in five years. Dallas went home for another long offseason.

The Cowboys have to go back to the same stadium to play in the NFL's kickoff game.

"That's the great thing about playing for the Cowboys. You play in games like this. You play against teams like the Giants," linebacker Sean Lee said. "You are going to have these intense night games that you have to prepare for. Mentally, I think we are preparing the right way."

Even Romo talked during the offseason about having the opener at the Giants to keep the team focused.

For Brandon Carr, the $50 million free-agent cornerback the Cowboys added during the offseason, it will be his first game in the NFC East rivalry.