LANDOVER, MD. -- It would've been so easy for Dez Bryant to throw one of those familiar sideline temper tantrums in the second quarter and lose focus after quarterback Matt Cassel didn’t see him on a slant that probably would’ve been a touchdown.

But he didn’t. Sure, he let a few naughty words fly. But then it was over.

He didn’t let the frustration of ending the first half without a catch make him lose focus either. He was still mentally into the game, even though he had no catches and Cassel had directed only two passes his way.

It’s that mentality that helped Bryant catch three passes for 62 yards and draw two penalties in the fourth quarter as the 4-8 Dallas Cowboys beat theWashington Redskins and pulled within a game of first place in the wacky NFC East.

"A lot of frustrations at the beginning of the game but at the same time, you gotta keep yourself in check and understand you’re gonna get an opportunity,” Bryant said. "At the end of the day, whenever you look at the bigger picture and stay poised and stay ready, good things happen.”

When Cassel missed Bryant in the second quarter the Cowboys settled for a 38-yard field goal that gave them a 3-0 lead.

"I’m going to be honest about that one. I was frustrated I was,” Bryant said. "You just have to understand it’s the game. It's the game. Everybody wants to make plays. Everybody wants to be there for the team.”

This whole season has been one battle against frustration for Bryant, who spent the offseason in a contract dispute with the Cowboys instead of attending offseason workouts and practices.

He wound up with a five-year deal worth $70 million that made him the NFL’s fourth-highest paid receiver -- a deal he deserved averaging 91 catches, 1,314 yards and 14 touchdowns over the previous three seasons.

Bryant strained a hamstring early in training camp, didn’t play in the preseason and broke his toe in the first game against the New York Giants.

He rushed back from the injury after just five weeks, but has managed just one 100-yard game and two touchdowns in seven games.

His 62-yard performance against the Redskins ended a streak of three consecutive games with fewer than 50 yards receiving.

"Like me and my brother talked about, I could’ve easily shut this thing down a long time ago, but that’s not me man,” Bryant said. “Things creep in. Something be telling you something in this ear and something be telling you something in the other ear.

"I’m me. F--- that. I’m a competitor. I want to be on the field I want to play football. This is what I love. I don’t care what nobody think. I don't care what nobody says. I just want to win. At the end of the day that’s all that matters."

To do that, though, Bryant must control his emotions -- the Cowboys call it passion -- so he stays focused on what’s most important. He hasn’t always been able to do that.

In previous seasons, he’d let his emotions control him and gone into a funk for a quarter or a half.

“Dez is such a great competitor he wants to impact the game and help our team,” said Garrett, “and sometimes when you have that mentality all the time, it can be frustrating when you’re not able to do that.

“But he hung in there and just kept doing his job, fighting though it throughout the night and making critical plays in the critical moments."

Bryant has caught only 26 of 57 passes thrown to him, an indication the injury has robbed him of the ability to consistently separate from defensive backs and that backup quarterbacks Brandon Weeden and Cassel haven’t been able to get him the ball.

"I think I have to do a better job of giving him more opportunities to get the ball,” said Cassel, "and make plays like he did on that one in the fourth quarter.”

Bryant’s diving 42-yard grab along the left sideline set up a game-tying 20-yard field goal by Dan Bailey with 4:22 left.

"I saw it the whole way,” Bryant said with a smile. "I been wanting one of those babies the whole game. I finally got the opportunity.”

The victory means the Cowboys’ season, somehow, still has a chance to end with a trip to the playoffs. For that to happen, Bryant must play at a high level, Cassel must get him the ball, and the coaching staff must put him in position to make plays.

"Sometimes I walk with a limp in the early part of practice,” Bryant said. “By Friday, I’m walking straight and ready to go baby. It’s a mindset.”

Jean-Jacques Taylor, ESPN Staff Writer