LOS ANGELES -- It wasn't quite the incredible leaping attempt late in a playoff game, but Dez Bryant's touchdown catch Saturday night brought back some memories of his non-catch in Green Bay.

Bryant jumped over Rams cornerback Coty Sensabaugh to make the 10-yard grab, reaching over the goal line as he went to the ground. Even though the ball came out after Bryant was already on the ground, the play was ruled a touchdown, giving Dallas an early 14-0 lead.

"It was kind of sort of similar but I'm going to let that one slide," Bryant said. "That's the little chip I got on my shoulder, man. I think that's the reason I'm playing the way that I'm playing because of that."

Bryant was on the field for 10 plays in Dallas' preseason opener, his first game action since having foot and ankle surgery in January. In one series, the star receiver caught two passes -- both fades -- for 28 yards.

"He played about the amount of snaps we wanted him to play," head coach Jason Garrett said. "He's been away from it and he needed to be out there. He needed to run routes against an NFL corner in a game setting. He'll continue to do that over the course of the preseason. He was ready for it. Mentally and emotionally he was ready to play and I thought he did a really nice job taking advantage of his opportunities."

Bryant has started looking like his old self during training camp practices over the past week, recording several highlight catches in both team and individual drills.

"I was just playing my game," Bryant said. "Wasn't thinking about anything, just doing what I love to do and that's play football."