Goodbye old friend

Sunday morning, the community of Dallas and football fans nationwide said goodbye to the only stadium to host five Super Bowl champions. Texas Stadium, home to the Dallas Cowboys from 1971 through 2008, was imploded just after 7am, with thousands of fans gathered to pay their respects to a place that has meant so much.

Two generations of Cowboys fans grew up at Texas Stadium. This is the place where the Cowboys transformed from the "next years champions" of the Cotton Bowl, to "America's Team" and a Super Bowl champion in their first season in the stadium with the famous hole in the roof.

I grew up at Texas Stadium. I don't remember my first Cowboys game. The earliest I can remember would be bits and pieces of the 1992 season, being a seven-year-old kid getting to see the hometown team run all the way to the Super Bowl, crushing the Bills and bringing home a third Lombardi Trophy.

I saw too many Troy Aikman to Michael Irvin touchdowns, and even more TD runs by Emmitt Smith. I saw Jay Novacek hold field goals and extra points. I saw Darryl "Moose" Johnston clear running lanes or catch passes to a raucous "Mooooooooose" chant from the crowds. And I saw Prime Time Deion Sanders high-step into the end zone on several occasions.

I was there when George Teague trucked Terrell Owens on the famous midfield star, cheering as loud as I could. And I was there when Terrell Owens helped lead the Cowboys to the playoffs in 2006 and 2007, doing much of the same.

Many Thanksgivings were spent in Section 108, Row 5, with nachos and hot dogs. What was I thankful for? The chance to spend the holiday in Irving, Texas, watching my favorite sports team take the field. My mother even changed our own Thanksgiving tradition of when we ate meals, moving Thanksgiving "dinner" to noon before the Cowboys game to ensure we didn't fill up at the game and not eat our Thanksgiving meal. Texas Stadium shaped our lives, and that was more than okay.

I witnessed many playoff games, including NFC Conference Championship wins over San Francisco and Green Bay. I also saw the Cowboys fall short against the New York Giants in the final playoff game at Texas Stadium in January 2008.

I heard by father yelling at Pro Bowl offensive linemen to "Block! Block! Block!" for Troy Aikman when he would drop back and survey the field, then laugh at whatever comment Brad Sham would be saying through his pocket-radio.

The "Super Bowl Nachos" were an experience, topped with steamy-hot melted cheese, pico de gaillo, jalapenos and Texas chili. Their successors at concession stands at new Cowboys Stadium leave much to be desired. Stacks and stacks of souvenir Cowboys cups take up an entire cabinet in my parents house.

I saw Emmitt Smith become the greatest rusher in NFL history, scampering past Walter Payton on an 11-yard run up the middle against Seattle in 2002, his last year with the club.

I tolerated the lean Dave Campo years, watching the likes of Quincy Carter or Chad Hutchinson lead my beloved Cowboys. A celebrated the arrival of Bill Parcells who helped put the Cowboys back in contention for playoff berths. And I enjoyed every game of 2007, back home in Texas after graduating from college, as the Cowboys racked up a 13-3 record and the team's first Division title since my middle school days.

December 20, 2008, I caught a flight from Los Angeles to Dallas before sunrise on the West Coast. That night, a teary-eyed Saturday in North Texas, I witnessed The Farewell, the final Cowboys game at Texas Stadium, a disappointing loss to the Baltimore Ravens that helped knock the team out of the playoffs.

I was there for great memories, and I have heartbreaking ones as well. But I'm so glad I wasn't there when that contest-winning child pressed the button and the football world said goodbye. It's why I couldn't be in the room when my childhood pet was put down, too. It's hard to say goodbye. And while no one is debating that the team's new palace in Arlington is the greatest football cathedral ever conceived, let alone constructed, Texas Stadium was iconic for so much more. It had notoriety, it had history, and fortunately, we'll always have those memories.

Divisional Disaster: Dal 3, Min 34

The Cowboys had the momentum for four straight wins while the Vikings limped through December while managing to hang on to a first-round bye. It almost seemed too good for Dallas, with analysts and experts aplenty picking the Cowboys to upset the Vikings in Minnesota. Heck, some wouldn't have even considered it an upset. The Cowboys had momentum and a fierce defense while the Vikings had a 40-year-old signal caller and a shaky secondary.

But as the dust settles after Sunday's Division-Round Disaster for Dallas, the NFC Championship game will feature the two teams that looked to be on a collision course for a Super Bowl berth since the first half of the season. Minnesota defeated the Cowboys, 34-3, to advance to the NFC Championship against the New Orleans Saints with next week's winner representing the conference in Super Bowl XLIV. For Dallas, the season ends two games longer than the previous year.

It's easy to declare this season a success compared to the rest of the Tony Romo era. The Cowboys came on strong to win the NFC East and a playoff game, ending a 13-year drought of postseason struggles. But one week after getting the monkey off the back of head coach Wade Phillips (now 1-5 in playoffs), that mangy ape hopped right back on. A successful season? It doesn't feel like it.

With one game left (NYJ at SD) in the Divisional Round of the playoffs, each of the home teams who enjoyed a first-round bye has faced little if any competition from the Wild Card Round winners. Dallas became the latest victim as the rested Vikings abruptly ended the Cowboys season, a season which looked more and more like something that could result in a Super Bowl berth. Had the Cowboys beaten Minnesota, it would have been a rematch against the Saints, which was proven possible a month ago. Not so fast, Dallas.

Cowboys-Vikings halftime report

The Cowboys just completed their worst half of football in over a month, trailing the Minnesota Vikings at the Metrodome, 17-3, after two quarters. Dallas has encountered more problems in one half than they have in every game since the last loss on December 13 against the Chargers.

Tony Romo has fumbled three times already, losing two of them. His last fumble was half a season ago (9 games). He's been pressured plenty, already being sacked four times.

Left tackle Flozell Adams was going to have a hard time facing pass rusher Jared Allen. Now the Cowboys are in even bigger trouble with Adam out with a strained calf. While his return is questionable/doubtful, it's prognosis negative for the Cowboys protection schemes. Doug Free got plenty of playing time in place of Marc Columbo for half the season, but that was on the other side of the line. And if the Cowboys continue to use Jason Witten to help on Jared Allen -- which by the way didn't work when Allen strip-sacked Romo -- then Dallas loses a solid target in the passing game.

The miscommunication on the offense is apparent. The Cowboys were lucky on a tipped ball where Witten and Miles Austin were in the same area.

Only once in franchise history have the Cowboys come back from a 14-point deficit in franchise history, according to the Fox halftime show. That's a hard stat to believe, considering the long history of the franchise dating back to 1960, but for a Cowboys team that hasn't dwelled on the success/failures of past Cowboys teams, don't expect that stat to bog them down.

Speaking of stats, here's a breakdown of this game through the first half:

Wild Card Win: Dal 34, Phi 14

Stop counting.

The 4760-day streak between playoff wins is over.

The Cowboys blitzkrieged the Eagles for the second straight week to win the franchise's first playoff game in 13 years, 34-14. Dallas dominated early by controlling the clock and scoring consistently with five consecutive scoring drives in the second quarter. Dallas opened up a 27-7 lead at the half and led in time of possession, 22:53 to 7:07.

And while the Cowboys offense didn't do much in the second half, they didn't really need to. Wade Phillips' defense suffocated the Eagles for the third time this season. Dallas outscored Philly 78-30 in three meetings this season. All talk of how difficult it is to beat the same team three times only applies when one team doesn't flat out own the other. And this season, as Al Michaels said during last night's broadcast: "In the NFC East this year, the Cowboys have owned the Eagles this season. The Eagles owned the Giants, and the Giants owned the Cowboys. And everybody owned the Redskins."

Yes, it's true. The Giants may have owned the Cowboys in 2009, but they aren't in the tournament. Dallas faced Philadelphia again, and the results were the same.

And after decisive wins against the Saints and the division clincher last week against the Eagles, this playoff win now takes the place as the biggest win of Phillips' and quarterback Tony Romo's careers. For now.

Off the top of my head, I can't think of the last time the Cowboys scored on five straight drives like they did in the second quarter on Saturday night. Just as devastating to Philly is that while the Cowboys were scoring, the Dallas defense, dubbed by the Morning News as Doomsday II, held Philly to just nine second quarter plays after the Michael Vick touchdown throw. Meanwhile, the Cowboys had 28 plays in the same span.

Statistically, it was a blowout. However there are plenty of teachable moments for Wade Phillips' defense. Mike Jenkins has been a top cornerback in the division this season. His emergence solidified a secondary that desperately needed balance opposite Terence Newman. He nabbed an interception late in the game but fumbled the ball back to the Eagles on an ill-advised lateral attempt. Tony Romo finished the game without an interception on the stat sheet, but thats more because of a good challenge by Wade Phillips instead of Romo's flawless decision-making.

The Cowboys did make mistakes. They just did a better job of masking them.

Dallas ended it's playoff drought by not only being a better team but playing like a better team. They are now on a four-game winning streak and are heading to the Vikings to take on a quarterback that moves around more in the offseason than in the pocket. If the secondary can limit the number of open targets, Brett Favre will face the heat from the Cowboys pass rush. And while he will take chances to force some throws, that's when the closing speed of Newman, Jenkins and Gerald Sensabaugh comes into play. Against Philly, each had a leaping breakup of a Donovan McNabb pass.

And while it's not as simple to extrapolate run defense data from the Eagles game to the Vikings game -- last night, Chris Collinsworth did say at one point, "for Eagles fans who don't know, that was a run" -- the Cowboys should be able to contain Adrian Peterson on the ground while sticking with Favre's strong options in the passing game. For the Cowboys to keep winning, it will be because of their defense.

Now for a few more thoughts on the first Cowboys playoff win since ... my Bar Mitzvah (geez, this has been too long!)...

Cuban right to be upset; trust me

With Mark Cuban coming out against the NFL scheduling the Dallas Cowboys playoff game on Saturday night, I have to side with the Mavericks owner. The Mavs are hosting the Utah Jazz on Saturday night, and while the Cowboys/Eagles playoff game may very well be the "biggest" of the first-round playoff games (and NBC's night games are usually the "biggest" games of the week, supplanting the once higher-profile Monday Night Football games of ABC fame), Cuban is right to be upset.

As a native to Dallas and someone who has attended countless Cowboys and Mavericks games in my lifetime, I wouldn't even consider going to the Mavericks game on Saturday night if I was given free tickets. I realize the Mavs are having a great year so far, and Utah is a tough opponent. No doubt this could be a playoff preview. However the Cowboys are in the playoffs now. And Cuban is sadly not far off the mark in calling the Mavs and the NBA pissants compared the Cowboys and NFL in the region.

If I had to choose one to win a championship, it's the Cowboys without hesitation.

And I love the Mavs. I don't want the Dirk years to end. I remember the suffering of 11-71 and 13-69 seasons in the early 90s, however the Dave Campo era Cowboys were even worse to deal with. At least when the Mavs were terrible, the Cowboys were winning Super Bowls.

If you had reservations at Chili's but were invited to dinner at Del Frisco's steakhouse, you're blowing off Chili's. Sure, an Old Timer Burger is great, but one piece of meat is clearly a cut above the other. And come Saturday night, I'll check my phone for the Mavericks score. At halftime, I might even change the channel to see how it's going. But don't think for a second that priority #1 is anything but the Cowboys quest to advance in the playoffs for the first time since two years before Dirk was drafted.

NFC East Champs: Dal 24, Phi 0

The Cowboys have exorcised their December Demons. Now they much conquer their January Jitters.

Wade Phillips' defense posted a second consecutive shutout as the Cowboys rolled to a 24-0 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles to clinch the NFC East and a home playoff game next week, setting up a rematch between Dallas and Philly. The franchise's first-ever posting of back-to-back shutouts gave the Cowboys their third-straight win -- most among all playoff bound teams in the NFC -- and cost the Eagles a chance to clinch a first-round bye.

For all skeptics who say the Eagles held back and figured they'd just regroup to get after the Cowboys next week, I say hooey! No team capable of playing for a first-round bye lollygags through their final game to not only miss out on a week off but also forfeits any chance of a home playoff game. Oh sure, perhaps once the fourth quarter rolls around and Philly was down 24-0 they let up a little, but it's not like they pulled starters.

Dallas had everything to play for and came through to avenge last season's crushing 44-6 loss at the Linc to end the year and cost the Cowboys a shot at the postseason. Now the Cowboys are NFC East Division champs for the second time in Wade Phillips' three seasons as head coach.

The only real glitch of the day seemed to come late in the fourth quarter when the massive video board went out.

The Dallas defense worked efficiently to keep the Eagles off the field and the offense held the ball for more than 40 minutes. The Cowboys dominated every facet of the game to bullrush the Eagles, and while this game may not "count" as much as next week, that does not mean the contest was meaningless. Quite the contrary. The Cowboys now advance to the playoffs with something they haven't had in a decade: momentum.

More thoughts on the Division-winning day:

Turn out the lights!

With just over two minutes left in the Cowboys-Eagles game on Sunday, you could turn out the lights on Philly's chances of winning the NFC East and clinching a first-round bye. In fact, someone at Cowboys Stadium must have taken that literally -- or tripped over a cord somewhere -- as the Godzillavision screen and the display ribbons around the stadium all went dark.

It took about a minute for it all to come back on. Here is video of the ordeal:

Six selected to premature Pro Bowl

The Cowboys have six Cowboys named to the Pro Bowl. Mainstays DeMarcus Ware, Jason Witten, Andre Gurode and Leonard Davis join second-timer Jay Ratliff and first-time selection Miles Austin as NFL all-stars. And while all six may be honored by their selections, these players and their fans would rather see them bypass the Pro Bowl the week before the Super Bowl to play for the Lombardi Trophy.

I'm not a fan of this year's Pro Bowl taking place a week ahead of the Super Bowl. Super Bowl participants will not be playing in the game, and there's a good chance a healthy dose of conference championship game participants will skip the game as well.

For Miles Austin, this selection validates how great his out-of-nowhere season has been. He's been a potential Pro Bowler since his first career start against Kansas City, a 10-catch, 250-yard, two-touchdown explosion that jump-started his season. His selection mirrors that of Tony Romo in 2006, when the quarterback took over for Drew Bledsoe and led Dallas back to the playoffs.

Ware and Ratliff continue to lead one of the NFL's stingiest defenses, as Dallas gives up under 17 points per game, tops in the NFC. More surprising however was that there were the only two selections for the Dallas defense. Not only was Mike Jenkins left off the roster despite a breakout season in his second year in the league, but there was not one other linebacker joining Ware. Keith Brooking? Bradie James? I would have thought at least one of them would have gone as well. While I can see Bradie James being overlooked -- hey, it happened last year too -- but Brooking has been the focal point of the Cowboys defense on so many broadcasts, that I assumed his increased exposure would go along with his high-intensity on the field to earn a selection.

Not surprisingly, Jason Witten made his sixth Pro Bowl appearance. The tight end is now tied for sixth among Cowboys with the most Pro Bowl selections. He's been Romo's favorite target since 2006 and just put up another 80+ catch season.

Seeing Andre Gurode and Leonard Davis each make the Pro Bowl reminds me what the Cowboys should be able to do. With the Cowboys not being able to move the ball efficiently on 3rd & 1 or 4th & 1 over the last few weeks, perhaps these selections will put some pep back in the step of an offensive line capable of overrunning a defense for one measly yard. Gurode and Davis are each going to a third-straight Pro Bowl.

For quarterback Tony Romo, he just missed out on a third-straight Pro Bowl, giving way to Drew Brees, Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers. He has a career-low in interceptions this year while being super-efficient under center. He has matured into a steady hand at QB, and if the Cowboys don't make the Super Bowl and one of the other three quarterbacks selected does, look for Romo to be the alternate who plays in Miami on January 31.

See the 2010 Pro Bowl selections:

Playoff Bound: Dal 17, Was 0

After beginning the month of December with back-to-back losses and a date with the undefeated Saints looming on the schedule, the Cowboys seemed destined for another year of fading late in the season. Instead, the Cowboys handed New Orleans their first loss of 2009, and used a road game against the rival Redskins as the perfect platform to clinch a playoff berth.

Now Dallas will host Philadelphia on the final day of the season for a chance to win the division, host a playoff game (possibly against the Eagles in consecutive weeks), and even have a shot at a first-round bye. The Cowboys' 17-0 shutout of Washington once again showcased the strength of Wade Phillips' defense, and the offense got on the board with an opening-drive touchdown for the second straight week.

The date with the Eagles at Cowboys Stadium won't be as daunting as last season's win-and-you're-in situation that turned into a nightmare in Philadelphia. The winner takes the NFC East and will most likely host the other in the first round, depending on how the Cardinals and Packers do next week. Dallas beat the Eagles in Philadelphia earlier in the season in an impressive 20-16 victory on Sunday Night Football. So while losing next week isn't a deathblow for any hopes to advance in the postseason, it's certainly a better alternative to host a playoff game than go on the road.

Tony Romo has now led the Cowboys to the playoffs in three out of four seasons as the quarterback of America's Team. With his consistently strong play down the stretch this year combined with a defense that has been stifling any opponent not named the Giants, the Cowboys have a potent combination heading into January football.

The Cowboys' defense is the best in the NFC, giving up only 16.7 points per game. The other playoff-bound teams in the NFC? Here's how all these defenses compare:

NFC Playoff Team	Points Allowed Per Game
Dallas	16.7
Minnesota	19.2
Green Bay	19.3
Arizona	19.5
Philadelphia	20.9
New Orleans	21.2

The Cowboys are better than the next closest team by almost three points, the amount of points they need to prevent to make up for missing any field goals. And as much as Dallasites love to hate Wade Phillips and his "Aw shucks" attitude around Valley Ranch, there is simply no denying that his defense can take over a game by shutting down an opponent.

On the other side of the ball, here's how these same six teams have done this season. While the Cowboys had the stingiest defense, their offense doesn't fly quite as high as the rest of the point-churning NFC playoff contenders:

NFC Playoff Team	Points Per Game
New Orleans	33.3
Philadelphia	28.6
Green Bay	28.5
Minnesota	28.3
Arizona	24.5
Dallas	22.9

Perhaps it's nice to sit back and enjoy the adage of "Defense Wins Championships" at a moment like this. The order of offensive success is a virtual inverse of how the defenses have done this season. We have seen the Cowboys defense hold the likes of the Eagles (16), Saints (17) and Chargers (20) to some of their lowest scoring outputs of the season.

It's going to be a battle beginning in Week 17 as Dallas jockeys with Philadelphia for a home game to open the playoffs. If Dallas gets the home game, they will either face the Eagles for a third time or the Packers for the second time in 2009. Either way, there should be plenty of game tape to go around.

For now, the Cowboys can enjoy this evening, clinching a third trip to the postseason in four years. Now it's just a matter of getting the elusive playoff victory, not seen in Dallas since '96.

Speaking of enjoying the evening, here's a few thoughts on tonight's playoff-clinching win in Washington:

Kicking and Screaming

Cowboys fans have been kicking and screaming recently.

A poor output of the former leading to a more vicious helping of the latter.

The Cowboys are moving forward with a new kicker as they have signed Shaun Suisham, the former Redskins who missed two kicks in the Cowboys win over Washington, in place of Nick Folk, who has missed an NFL-leading 10 field goals this season. Suisham will get his first chance at his second go-around with Dallas when he takes on the same Redskins in Washington on Sunday.

But as frustrating as it was seeing Folk miss for six consecutive games -- left, right, short, off the upright -- after looking at all the kickers that have been in Dallas since Jerry Jones took over, he's arguably the most consistent kicker the Cowboys have had.

Romo, Ware ruin Saints perfect season: Dal 24, NO 17

Let's call this what is truly is. This is the biggest win of Tony Romo's tenure as starting quarterback of the Dallas Cowboys.

Bigger than Romo's win over Green Bay in 2007 in a match up of two 10-1 teams that gave the Cowboys the inside track to home field advantage. Bigger than his first ever start against the Panthers back in 2006. Bigger than his return from injury against the Redskins last season in Washington.

Romo engineered the offense, flanked by an out-of-this-world defense, as the Cowboys handed the New Orleans Saints their first loss of 2009, a 24-17 thriller that wasn't decided until the final six seconds. The Cowboys snapped a two-game skid, got a December win, and proved to themselves that they are capable of playing with and beating any team in the NFL.

And as tough as Romo's performance was (just look at his heads-up scamper on a broken play where Marion Barber didn't take the handoff), it was matched if not surpassed by defensive leader DeMarcus Ware's superhuman performance all game long after leaving last week's game with a stadium-silencing neck injury. Ware came through with two sacks including the game-clinching fumble, jarring the ball loose from Drew Brees with six seconds left as the Saints were trying to tie up the game. Ware and Romo led by example, and the rest of the Cowboys except Nick Folk followed along.

Cowboys hold down Saints early

Early on in New Orleans, the Cowboys are on top of the Saints, 14-0, thanks to Dallas' defense forcing a pair of three-and-outs on New Orleans first two drives. In the mean time, the Cowboys offense has been churning down the field for a pair of touchdowns.

To give you an idea of the fast-starters that the Saints have been all season, here's a look at the results of their opening drives in 2009:

Week 1: vs. Detroit	Touchdown
Week 2: at Philadelphia	Touchdown
Week 3: at Buffalo	Touchdown
Week 4: vs. N.Y. Jets	Field Goal
Week 6: vs. N.Y. Giants	Touchdown
Week 7: at Miami	Punt
Week 8: vs. Atlanta	Touchdown
Week 9: vs. Carolina	Punt
Week 10: at St. Louis	Intercepted Pass
Week 11: at Tampa Bay	Punt
Week 12: vs. New England	Field Goal
Week 13: at Washington	Punt
Week 14: at Atlanta	Field Goal
Week 15: vs. Dallas	Punt

The Cowboys forced the Saints to punt on their first two possessions for only the second time this season. Both possessions were 3-and-out drives of 9- and 7-yards. As for the Cowboys, they scored touchdowns on their first two drives of the game for an early 14-0 lead.

Marion Barber plunged into the end zone from three yards out after struggling last week to punch in a ball from inside the five yard line on four straight carries.

As for the Cowboys, the two touchdowns on the first two drives were a refreshing change after having struggles on the offensive side of the ball the last two weeks. In fact, it was the first time Dallas scored on its first two drives since Week 1, and they did it while the defense kept a high-powered Saints team in check. Here is how Dallas's first two drives have gone so far this season:

Week 1: at Tampa Bay	Field Goal	Field Goal
Week 2: vs. N.Y. Giants	Punt	Touchdown
Week 3: vs. Carolina	Missed FG	Punt
Week 4: at Denver	Punt	Field Goal
Week 5: at Kansas City	Punt	Missed FG
Week 7: vs. Atlanta	Punt	Punt
Week 8: vs. Seattle	Punt	Touchdown
Week 9: at Philadelphia	Punt	Touchdown
Week 10: at Green Bay	Missed FG	Punt
Week 11: vs. Washington	Punt	Fumble
Week 12: vs. Oakland	Punt	Punt
Week 13: at N.Y. Giants	Punt	Punt
Week 14: vs. San Diego	Field Goal	Punt
Week 15: at New Orleans	Touchdown	Touchdown

Stick a Bolt in 'em: Dal 17, SD 20

A second straight games full of missed opportunities has the once division-leading Cowboys now at 8-5 and in dangerous jeopardy of missing the playoffs, firing a head coach, and doubting the abilities of its franchise quarterback.

Dallas failed to punch in a game-tying touchdown on four straight plays from within the Chargers five yard line, and Nick Folk missed another field goal from the 40-49 yard range as San Diego won its eighth straight, beating Dallas at Cowboys Stadium, 20-17. And while it might be head coach Wade Phillips who will end up taking the ultimate fall for the Cowboys failures in December, the players failed to execute when the ball was put in their hands.

The Cowboys ran Marion Barber four consecutive times inside the Chargers 5-yard line on a drive in the second quarter, and each time the Chargers stopped the run. Three of those tries were from the 1-yard line. I wasn't a fan of Jason Garrett calling the back-to-back fade routes early in the season, but you can't fault an offensive coordinator for believing that one of the biggest offensive lines in the NFL can push forward three feet to get into the end zone. Sure, it'd be great to get a play-action pass worked into the mix, but if the Cowboys can't punch the ball from the 1-yard line on three chances, it's on the players.

Romo returns as holder

It's official. Tony Romo will be the holder for the Cowboys' field goal unit on Sunday when Dallas hosts San Diego.

Punter Mat McBriar had been the holder for Dallas this year, taking over after Brad Johnson served as the holder for Nick Folk during his first two seasons. But with McBriar falling on his sword -- hands? -- for three of Folk's eight misses this season, Cowboys special teams coach Joe DeCamiliis now has a new operation for three pointers. And most importantly, Cowboys fans should not be worried.

Giant disappointment: Dal 24, NYG 31

The Cowboys came into Giants Stadium atop the NFC East with a chance to avenge an early season loss and begin the month of December on the right foot. Instead, the New York Giants amputated that foot and kicked Dallas in the groin with it, en route to a 31-24 win over Dallas to put New York back into the division race while raising the annual December doubts in Dallas.

The Cowboys offense looked sharp enough, but it was the defense and special teams - two areas that had been so strong while the offense tried to find its groove midseason - that provided the biggest letdown. Both phases of the game gave up backbreaking big plays. After the offense scored in the third quarter, the defense gave up a 74-yard pass to Brandon Jacobs, the longest play of his career by 30 yards. Later in the game, when Dallas so desperately needed a stop for a chance to overcome a 7-point deficit, Domenik Hixon daggered the Cowboys with a 79-yard punt return for the game-icing score.

Dallas won the turnover battle (2 to 1), won the time of possession (38:50 to 21:10), won the yardage battle (424 to 337), won 3rd down conversions (9/17, 53% to 4/10, 40%), got more first downs (27 to 15), and ran more than 30 more plays than the Giants (80 to 49). And none of it mattered.

Dallas had a fourth down on its last real chance to keep the game close when there was still ample time on the clock, and where was Jason Witten? The man who already had 13 catches on the day was in the backfield blocking instead of running a route. The result: Romo throws a checkdown to Barber that wasn't long enough, turning the ball over on downs and clinching the win for New York. Romo and Witten connected 14 times on the day, with another catch tacked on late in the game, but not having him available on 4th down seemed more than curious.

The Cowboys were able to tack on a touchdown inside of one minute left in the game, a Romo pass to Miles Austin who played possum on a stop-and-go route to the end zone. With :58 seconds left, the Cowboys onside kick attempt hit Sam Hurd within 10 yards, giving the ball to the Giants. And while the ref who threw the flag on Hurd was in no position to actually see who it touched first, being that the ball hit on the other side of their bodies, the play would have been reviewed anyway, and it was clearly touched first by Hurd, but not by much.

Both teams had 10 days off, as they each played on Thanksgiving. But New York seemed to respond after a thumping in Denver. The Cowboys had strung together a streak of nine games without allowing more than 21 points, a streak dating back to the home-opening 33-31 loss to the Giants. The defense had given up just 14.2 points per game, including seven games where the opponents were held under 20 points. In fact, only the Giants have been able to put up more than 21 points on Dallas this season. Too bad they play twice a year.

What the Giants lacked in quantity, they made up for with quality in terms of offense, with 7.0 yards per play compared to the Cowboys' 5.3 ypp. Steve Smith made several big catches to go along with Jacobs' homerun. On the ground, Ahmad Bradshaw was able to add important rushing yards when needed, including a 29-yarder to get into the red zone.

On the other side of the ball, the Cowboys defense looked good on paper, and even a few times in real life, but when it mattered most, the defense couldn't hold the fort. And it looked like there were plenty of signs that things could be shaky down the stretch after the defense crumbled late in the first half. Dallas had just gone up 10-0 when the Giants needed just five plays (one of them an incomplete pass) to respond with a TD of their own. New York moved 74 yards in five plays (albeit better than when they went 74 yards in one play). The Giants took advantage of a Marion Barber fumble for a short field, leading to another TD, giving New York a 14-10 halftime lead.

(Special Teams) And in the third phase of football, the Cowboys special teams were a little bit too "special" in this one. It's never good to give up a punt return TD, but the Cowboys allowed Hixen to spoil any realistic hopes of a comeback win with his score. At some point, the special teams unit will need to make a legitimate tackle instead of just bouncing off a guy just because he's holding a football. Nick Folk continued to struggle, missing yet another field goal from that 40-49yd range. Missing the 57-yarder is forgivable, but he is now 4-10 on field goals between 40-49 yards and has missed eight field goals this year after missing seven in his first two seasons in the NFL. It's fair to say that while none of his kicks have clearly decided games, he's beginning to cross the line from asset to liability.

It's been easy to take shots at the Dallas offense over the last few weeks -- they don't run enough, too many consecutive fades to the corner, no big plays. There's been a long list of complaints about the offense, but on defense things seemed to be okay. Yeah, there weren't too many takeaways, but opposing teams weren't putting up points. Today, the defense forced a pair of turnovers, the fifth multi-takeaway game for the Cowboys in 2009 (2-PHI, 2-SEA, 3-ATL, 3-CAR). It was a lot better than the -4 turnover battle from the first Cowboys/Giants game.

Early in the game, things looked promising. Gerald Sensabaugh tipped away a pass to the outside. Terence Newman showed great closing speed to break up some passes, including a deep ball over the middle that would have easily put New York in scoring range. Jay Ratliff was able to break into the backfield and force a fumble of Bradshaw to set up the Cowboys first touchdown drive.

While this loss certainly is primarily on the defense and special teams, the Cowboys offense had a chance to pick up some of the slack throughout the game. On the first scoring drive, the Cowboys couldn't capitalize on 1st and Goal from the Giants' 9 yard line. Instead, they settled for a Folk field goal (don't worry, it was from inside 40 yards, where Folk is 10 of 11 this year).

On the Cowboys next drive, they nearly gave the ball up inside the five the ball squirted away from Tashard Choice on a run up the middle. Replay overturned the initial fumble ruling, and Romo found Roy Williams for a touchdown.

Roy Williams
In fact, Roy Williams' first TD was helpful in making us forget his throw-his-hands-over-his-head-and-hope-the-ball-lands-in-them attempt. Williams fought through press coverage within the first five yards, getting past the defender for the score. Williams actually posted his first two-touchdown game since November 11, 2007 with the Lions. He finished the game with 6 catches for 60 yards, including a 25-yarder where he caught a ball thrown slightly behind him on his hip, taking the ball away from the reach of a nearby defender before breaking into the open field for extra yards.

Romo was able to work the ball to plenty of targets early, completing passes to eight different Cowboys in the first half. Jason Witten had his biggest game of the year, catching 14 passes for 156 yards. It might have been better if he'd been in the pattern on the Cowboys 4th down attempt late in the game while trying to mount a comeback. Instead he was in the backfield blocking as Romo hit Marion Barber shy of the first down. Witten did a great job of catching pretty much everything that was thrown to him, including a deflection off a tipped pass. Miles Austin continued his Pro Bowl caliber year, catching 10 passes for 104 yards and a late touchdown that pulled Dallas within 7 points.

A few other thoughts from a loss I still don't understand:

+ Officiating Head-scratcher
Here's a head-scratcher for anyone who understands NFL officiating. Late in the 2nd quarter, the Giants caught the Cowboys in position where several Cowboys were offsides, however before the ball was snapped, the Giants right tackle jumped as well. That ruling should be a neutral zone infraction on the defense and a five-yard penalty. Instead, the Giants were allowed to continue playing, gaining 11 yards for a first down. That's a play that should have been blown dead. The Giants proceeded to score a touchdown on the drive. Not sure if the extra 6 yards would have made a difference or not, but it certainly doesn't help the Cowboys' cause.

+ Blame Leonard Davis for fumble
As the Cowboys were trying to answer the Giants in the 2-minute drill, on 1st and 5 on a screen pass to Marion Barber, Barber got behind right tackle Leonard Davis out in space. Davis seemed to brush aside Mathias Kiwanuka, not really putting a true block on him, and the Giants defensive end knocked the ball from Barber's arms. Barber must not have had a great grip on the ball because the ball-jarring hit didn't pack too strong of a punch. The Giants get the ball on the Dallas 28 and go in for the go-ahead touchdown before the half.

+ Flozell Adams
As the teams went to the half, Flozell Adams cheap shotted one of the Giants, erupting a fight in front of the Giants sideline. A flag was thrown, and the Cowboys began the second half 15-yards in debt. This was an ugly and stupid move by Adams, who seemingly personified the lack of composure the Cowboys demonstrated as the Giants awoke to strike for 14 points in the final two minutes of the first half. Even though this penalty was after the half had expired, it's eerily similar to the dumb 15-yard penalty that Kevin Burnett made two years ago against the Giants just before the half (and of course, the subsequent Jimmy Johnson blow up on the FOX halftime show).

+ End of first half drive
After the Giants scored it's second touchdown in the final two minutes of the first half, I fully expected to take a knee or run a few dive plays to get to the locker room. Instead, the Cowboys launched into a drive to setup a field goal attempt. And while the Cowboys were unable to convert on a 57-yard field goal attempt, it did demonstrate some sort of resolve that most didn't know Dallas had that in it's make in 2009. It's a moral victory, which doesn't really count for much. At some point, Dallas will have to use the talents it demonstrated on that fruitless drive for something more meaningful, such as eeking out a win in the final seconds.

+ Good, bad, ugly coverage
As the Giants made their way down the field to begin the 3rd quarter, the Dallas secondary left Steve Smith, who is quickly becoming one of the more reliable receivers in the game, too open. Alan ball failed to close the gap on Smith, who slipped past a driving Ball and raced 36 yards to the Dallas 25. On the next play, however, Mike Jenkins leapt in front of Mario Manningham for drive-stopping interception, his fourth of the year.

+ Offense, Romo firing on all cylinders
On 3rd and 9, Romo lasers the ball to Miles Austin for a first down. Two plays later on 2nd and 6, Romo again rocketed a ball to Witten just beyond a defender for first down on 9yd line. Then Jason Garrett dialed up a great play: Romo faked handoff to the up-back, faked a toss to Miles Austin heading toward the outside, and hit Roy Williams a step ahead of a DB for the score, 17-14 Dallas. Having Austin in the backfield maked the defense pay extra attention that something "different" may happen. When Romo faked the pitch to Austin, two linebackers headed to the side to cut off Austin, leaving a clear throwing lane for Romo to find Williams for his second TD of the game. FYI: Nov 11, 2007: last time Roy Williams had two TDs in the same game. Romo was 4-for-5 for 48 yards on the drive.

Now the Cowboys find themselves without their lead in the NFC East, tied with the Eagles at 8-4 and currently holding the head-to-head tiebreaker, and only a game ahead of the Giants who swept the season series. The NFC playoff picture just got plenty murkier for the Cowboys, who began the month of December by rekindling doubts of seasons past.

NFC East Standings

NFC East	W-L
Dallas Cowboys	8-4
Philadelphia Eagles	8-4
New York Giants	7-5
Washington Redskins	3-9

Dallas still has games remaining against the Eagles and Redskins in the division as well as a home game against the Chargers and a terrifying trip to New Orleans. Some would say Dallas needs three wins in December to clinch the division. Two wins in the final four games should at least mean a playoff berth. But for the next week, the Cowboys must answer questions about their past while trying not start asking the same questions themselves.

Will it be a December to remember?

The Dallas Cowboys late-season woes have been well-documented in the 13 seasons since America's Team last won a playoff game. With the Cowboys sitting at 8-3 with a one-game lead in the NFC East, the final five games on the 2009 schedule - perhaps the most challenging five game stretch this franchise has faced in some time - seem even more treacherous than in years past.

The Cowboys will finish the 2009 regular season with three of five games on the road, three games against NFC East rivals, and two against division-leaders including undefeated New Orleans. It begins Sunday at New York, where the Cowboys were beaten down last season without Tony Romo. And while the Giants have certainly struggled in recent weeks - going 1-5 after a 5-0 start - the Cowboys will also be facing their own recent history.

Since 1996, the last year the Cowboys won a playoff game (going 2-1 in the regular season, 1-1 in the playoffs), the December/January regular-season record for Dallas has been nothing short of sickening. And when they have made the playoffs... eh.

Year	Head Coach	Dec./Jan. Record	Reg. Season Record	Playoffs?
1997	Barry Switzer	0-3	6-10	--
1998	Chan Gailey	2-2	10-6	L vs. Ariz
1999	Chan Gailey	2-3	8-8	L at Min
2000	Dave Campo	1-3	5-11	--
2001	Dave Campo	3-3	5-11	--
2002	Dave Campo	0-4	5-11	--
2003	Bill Parcells	2-2	10-6	L at Car
2004	Bill Parcells	2-3	6-10	--
2005	Bill Parcells	2-3	9-7	--
2006	Bill Parcells	2-3	9-7	L at Sea
2007	Wade Phillips	2-2	13-3	L vs NYG
2008	Wade Phillips	1-3	9-7	--

In 2005 and 2008, the Cowboys finished one game out of a playoff berth, with bad December beats that could have been the difference between a playoff appearance and an early end to football in North Texas.

For the Cowboys to make the playoffs in 2009, they need to win one of the follow final five games of the season:

Week 13	@ New York Giants	6-5
Week 14	San Diego Chargers	8-3
Week 15	@ New Orleans Saints	11-0
Week 16	@ Washington Redskins	3-8
Week 17	Philadelphia Eagles	7-4

If Dallas can win two games, they could get to 10 wins on the season and almost certainly wrap up the NFC East. If I had to pick two games that the Cowboys have the best chances to win, I suppose it would be the home game against San Diego, and either game on the road against New York or Washington. However, none of these five games could be considered "locks" like the Cowboys' last game against Oakland.

If the Cowboys win just one game, they might, might, be able to limp into the playoffs, but that would most likely only extend a 1-4 finish to the season into another postseason disappointment.

NFC Playoff Picture
The road to Super Bowl XLIV begins in just six weeks, and only with three of the NFC divisions all but locked up, it seems that just five teams will be fighting for the final three spots, with one of those teams being the NFC East Champ. The Saints, Vikings and Cardinals have 5-, 3-, and 2-game leads in their respective divisions. The Cowboys, Eagles, and Giants are all still in contention for the NFC East crown, and Green Bay and Atlanta are still fighting for Wild Card attention.

The current NFC playoff picture:

1	New Orleans Saints	11-0	NFC South
2	Minnesota Vikings	10-1	NFC North
3	Dallas Cowboys	8-3	NFC East
4	Arizona Cardinals	7-4	NFC West
5	Philadelphia Eagles	7-4	Wild Card
6	Green Bay Packers	7-4	Wild Card
7	New York Giants	6-5	on the bubble
8	Atlanta Falcons	6-5	on the bubble
9	San Francisco 49ers	5-6	on the bubble

The playoffs would open today with the Packers at Cowboys and Eagles at Cardinals. The Eagles lost in Arizona in last season's NFC Championship game, while the Packers clunked the Cowboys at Lambeau earlier this season.

Who gets home field advantage in the NFC?
The Saints and Vikings don't play each other this season, so each team needs to keep winning down to the final week if they want to lock up home field advantage. Both the Saints (7-0) and Vikings (8-0) are undefeated in the conference, and all remaining Saints games are in the conference, so if the Saints and Vikings finish with identical records, the Vikings would claim home field with a better conference record. Still a long way off, and the remaining platter schedule for the Saints isn't extremely taxing.

The Rest of the Way
Over the final five weeks of the season, the NFC dogfight will pit most of these playoff-bound teams against each other, providing plenty of head-to-head opportunities to edge out opponents for the six spots in the conference tournament. Winner gets the Colts. Every team except the Packers will play 2 or 3 games against this pool of 9 NFC teams for the postseason. Here's a breakdown of each team's remaining opponent's records:
(click team to jump to its remaining schedule)

New Orleans Saints (11-0)	22-33	.400
Minnesota Vikings (10-1)	29-26	.527
Dallas Cowboys (8-3)	35-20	.636
Arizona Cardinals (7-4)	25-30	.455
Philadelphia Eagles (7-4)	32-23	.582
Green Bay Packers (7-4)	27-28	.491
New York Giants (6-5)	32-23	.582
Atlanta Falcons (6-5)	29-28	.509
San Francisco 49ers (5-6)	21-34	.382

Remaining schedules for NFC playoff contenders:
1. New Orleans Saints

Week 13	@ Washington Redskins	3-8
Week 14	@ Atlanta Falcons	6-5
Week 15	Dallas Cowboys	8-3
Week 16	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	1-10
Week 17	@ Carolina Panthers	4-7

Remaining Opponents Total W-L: 22-33 (.400)

2. Minnesota Vikings

Week 13	@ Arizona Cardinals	7-4
Week 14	Cincinnati Bengals	8-3
Week 15	@ Carolina Panthers	4-7
Week 16	@ Chicago Bears	4-7
Week 17	New York Giants	6-5

Remaining Opponents Total W-L: 29-26 (.527)

3. Dallas Cowboys

Week 13	@ New York Giants	6-5
Week 14	San Diego Chargers	8-3
Week 15	@ New Orleans Saints	11-0
Week 16	@ Washington Redskins	3-8
Week 17	Philadelphia Eagles	7-4

Remaining Opponents Total W-L: 35-20 (.636)

4. Arizona Cardinals

Week 13	Minnesota Vikings	10-1
Week 14	@ San Francisco 49ers	5-6
Week 15	@ Detroit Lions	2-9
Week 16	St. Louis Rams	1-10
Week 17	Green Bay Packers	7-4

Remaining Opponents Total W-L: 25-30 (.455)

5. Philadelphia Eagles

Week 13	@ Atlanta Falcons	6-5
Week 14	@ New York Giants	6-5
Week 15	San Francisco 49ers	5-6
Week 16	Denver Broncos	7-4
Week 17	@ Dallas Cowboys	8-3

Remaining Opponents Total W-L: 32-23 (.582)

6. Green Bay Packers

Week 13	Baltimore Ravens	6-5
Week 14	@ Chicago Bears	4-7
Week 15	@ Pittsburgh Steelers	6-5
Week 16	Seattle Seahawks	4-7
Week 17	@ Arizona Cardinals	7-4

Remaining Opponents Total W-L: 27-28 (.491)

7. New York Giants

Week 13	Dallas Cowboys	8-3
Week 14	Philadelphia Eagles	7-4
Week 15	@ Washington Redskins	3-8
Week 16	Carolina Panthers	4-7
Week 17	@ Minnesota Vikings	10-1

Remaining Opponents Total W-L: 32-23 (.582)

8. Atlanta Falcons

Week 13	Philadelphia Eagles	7-4
Week 14	New Orleans Saints	11-0
Week 15	@ New York Jets	6-6
Week 16	Buffalo Bills	4-8
Week 17	@ Tampa Bay Buccaneers	1-10

Remaining Opponents Total W-L: 29-28 (.509)

9. San Francisco 49ers

Week 13	@ Seattle Seahawks	4-7
Week 14	Arizona Cardinals	7-4
Week 15	@ Philadelphia Eagles	7-4
Week 16	Detroit Lions	2-9
Week 17	@ St. Louis Rams	1-10

Remaining Opponents Total W-L: 21-34 (.382)

Plenty of meaningful football left for everyone in the NFC playoff picture. The first round byes in the NFC appear to be all but locked in, but with very little else decided, it truly should be a December to remember (or in the case of the team that ends up struggling this month, a December to forget).

Thankful for offense: Dal 24, Oak 7

Don't dismiss it as a game against the Raiders. The Cowboys desperately needed the confidence and swagger that comes with a half-dozen big plays after consecutive weeks of offensive ineptitude.

The Cowboys (8-3) used the struggling Raiders to cure what ailed them, unleashing all offensive weapons in a 24-7 win on Thanksgiving that should silence critics as the Cowboys enjoy a mini-bye before a division showdown in New York in December. Dallas racked up 494 yards of offense, including 195 on the ground, as everyone from Felix Jones to Roy Williams made significant contributions.

During the short week since the narrow win over Washington, the Cowboys offense has been under the gun due to its lack of big plays on offense since the Eagles game. They were nearly shut out in Green Bay, but added a meaningless TD late in the game. But on this day, the Cowboys offense came out gangbusters, airing it out and pounding on the ground.

It wasn't all sunshine and rainbows, however. The Cowboys figured out half of the equation. They were able to make the big plays frequently, but too often they were unable to follow up on that momentum and translate some of those plays into big points. Here's a look at the big plays - plays of 20 yards or more - that the Cowboys made on Thursday against Oakland:

Cowboys Big Plays:

Quarter	Down & Dist.	Yard Line
1st	2nd & 6	Dal 24

(Shotgun) T.Romo pass deep middle to M.Austin to OAK 27 for 49 yards

This big play was immediately followed by a false start (-5), 1 yard run by Barber, Romo sacked, illegal use of hands (-10), McBriar punts from Oak 41 on 4th & 24.

Quarter	Down & Dist.	Yard Line
1st	1st & 10	Dal 23

T.Choice up the middle to OAK 11 for 66 yards (from RAZORBACK, direct snap to Choice)

The Cowboys followed up this long run by giving the ball back to Choice where he promptly was stopped for no gain. Not really his fault - no NFL player is turning down the ball - but Jason Garrett has to give him a chance to catch his breath, right? On the run for no gain, Dallas was flagged for holding (-10). The drive stalled, and Nick Folk kicked a consolation field goal from 36 yards.

Quarter	Down & Dist.	Yard Line
2nd	2nd & 4	Dal 27

T.Romo pass short left to M.Austin pushed ob at OAK 46 for 27 yards

Dallas finally bucked the trend of struggling to finish after the big play. The very next play, Romo handed off to Felix Jones, and the Cowboys home run hitter finally knocked one out of the park for the first time this season.

2nd

1st & 10

Oak 46

Felix Jones up the middle for 46 yards, TOUCHDOWN

Jones galloped into the end zone for the first TD of the game, celebrating by leaping around like a Gramatica trying to hurt himself. The fourth big play of the day for Dallas finally results in serious ramifications for the Raiders. Dallas led 10-0.

Quarter	Down & Dist.	Yard Line
2nd	1st & 10	Dal 28

(Shotgun) T.Romo pass short right to M.Barber pushed ob at OAK 30 for 42 yards Pass complete in the flat to Barber out of backfield.

After big plays by Tashard Choice and Felix Jones, the veteran of the trio of running backs got loose out of the backfield for a big gain down the sideline. However, Dallas followed Barber's big burst with a false start, an incompletion, a 9-yard pass, and a sack of Romo for -5. Dallas sent on Folk to attempt a 49-yard field goal which clanged off the upright, resulting in no points despite the big play.

Quarter	Down & Dist.	Yard Line
2nd	1st & 10	Dal 37

(Shotgun) T.Romo pass short left to M.Austin pushed ob at OAK 43 for 20 yards

The drive was all about the arm of Tony Romo and the churning legs of Miles Austin. Everyone wanted the Cowboys to have a stronger running game after the loss in Green Bay, and while the ground game has responded, there's no doubt that it's the passing game that truly fuels the offensive fire in Dallas. After a run by Barber for no gain, the Cowboys went to the air again:

2nd

2nd & 10

Oak 43

(Shotgun) T.Romo pass short middle to J.Witten to OAK 22 for 21 yards (Pass complete on crossing pattern)

Dallas got into striking range with the first big play to a tight end of the 2009 season. For anyone keeping track, this was the Cowboys' 11th game of the year. Dallas kept things in the air as Romo looked for Austin on the next play. The speedy receiver was originally awarded a touchdown when it appeared he rolled over a defender and avoided being down, but replay overturned the 22-yard score into a 14-yard gain. Two plays later, Romo and Austin hooked up on a bubble screen for the drive-capping touchdown. Credit Doug Free with the block that gave Austin enough wiggle room to find the end zone.

Quarter	Down & Dist.	Yard Line
3rd	1st & 10	Dal 20

(Shotgun) T.Romo pass deep left to J.Witten to OAK 43 for 37 yards (Pass complete on a seam route)

Dallas looked like they would be starting the third quarter with the same high offensive energy that they displayed in the second quarter, however it didn't materialize on this drive. Barber ran for 0, Romo was sacked for a loss of 5, and one incomplete pass later, the Cowboys were punting from Oakland territory.

Quarter	Down & Dist.	Yard Line
4th	1st & 10	Dal 48

T.Romo pass short left to J.Witten to OAK 8 for 44 yards

The long pass to Jason Witten helped set up the gravy on the turkey in this Thanksgiving win. Choice scampered for 6 yards before Romo hooked up with Roy Williams for a 6-yard touchdown. Dallas led, 24-7.

Quarter	Down & Dist.	Yard Line
4th	3rd & 1	Dal 20

M.Barber runs right tackle to OAK 48 for 32 yards

Barbers big run helped even out his average for the day but did little else. Dallas had a 17-point lead at this point, and didn't necessarily need to add more points, which was good because they didn't. This play was followed by Barber for 1, Barber for 1, a pass to Felix Jones for 5, and another punt from Oakland territory.

Of punter Mat McBriar's six punt attempts, three of them came from within Oakland territory, and a fourth had a line of scrimmage at the Dallas 49. Sadly, that doesn't illustrate a great ability to capitalize on some of the big plays the Cowboys made, but it was certainly enough to beat the hapless Raiders.

There must be more to show for the 494 yards of offense than a mere 24 points against Oakland, however after back to back 7-point outings, this game will provide solid footing for a Cowboys team looking to reestablish its identity as a big play offense.

The Cowboys now get 10 days off before their rematch with the New York Giants at the Meadowlands. New York ruined the debut of Cowboys Stadium en route to a 5-0 start while Dallas was a mere 3-2, limping into the bye with an overtime win over the Chiefs. It seems the Giants and Cowboys are two very different teams since so early in the 2009 campaign. New York endured a four-game losing streak, as Dallas leapfrogged the rest of the division. However, the Cowboys are facing a must win game at Giants Stadium if they have any desire to win the NFC East. If New York wins, they hold the tiebreaker with two wins over Dallas. If the Cowboys win, they'll retain their division lead with a very rugged schedule still ahead. Should be a great battle.


A few more thoughts on a Thanksgiving thumping:

+ Defense
The Cowboys defense did a good job of stifling the Raiders offense until Dallas was able to build a substantial lead. However, they still allowed the Raiders to open up holes and move the ball on them. At the end of the day, they allowed seven points, so it wasn't all bad, but on more than one occasion someone in silver and black was one tackle away from going the distance.

Anthony Spencer led the way with a pair of sacks on Bruce Gradkowski. Spencer out-shined Greg Ellis, the man he replaced in the starting line up, with 8 tackles (6 solo) in the game. He along with Demarcus Ware (1 sack) and the rest of the front seven put frequent pressure on Gradkowski, hitting the QB 10 times throughout the game.

Unfortunately, the defense was unable to force a meaningful turnover. Ware sacked Gradkowski on the final play of the first half, forcing the ball loose, and Jay Ratliff fell on it with no time on the clock. Not as big as the single turnover in last week's game - an interception by Spencer to halt the last real chance for Washington. A few defensive backs had opportunities to step in front of balls, but there were no glaring drops of interceptions.

Dallas is -4 on the season in the turnover differential, tied for 24th in the NFL with a mere 7 interceptions, and tied for 18th with 6 recovered fumbles. That's 13 takeaways in 11 games, not an impressive total by any stretch. The other division leaders in the NFC:
- New Orleans has 29 (20 INT, 9 fumbles recovered) ... +10
- Minnesota has 16 (7 INT, 9 fumbles recovered) ... +6
- Arizona has 16 (11 INT, 5 fumbles recovered) ... -5

Still plenty of work left to do on the defensive side of the ball. The Cowboys are middle of the pack in total yards allowed, but they are giving up only 16.5 points per game, which is third-best in the NFL, and tops in the conference.

Points Per Game Leaders (*including Thursday's games)
RK ... TEAM ... PTS/G
1. Indianapolis ... 15.7
2. New England ... 16.4
3. Dallas ... 16.5*
4. Cincinnati ... 16.7
5. Baltimore ... 17.1
6. Denver ... 17.2*
7. Washington ... 17.8
8. Pittsburgh ... 18.4
9. NY Jets ... 18.9
10. Minnesota ... 19.3

+ Miles Austin
It seemed during the middle of this season that Miles Austin was the only Cowboy capable of going off for a big play. While he got plenty of support from others on the offense, the young receiver still led the way with big plays. He finished with seven catches for 145 yards and a touchdown, giving him a total of 824 yards (currently 7th in the NFL) and 8 touchdowns in 2009. He is currently tied with Reggie Wayne for the most 20+ yard plays with 15. He still may not be the official #1 receiver for the Cowboys, but get ready for some well deserved Pro Bowl talk.

Austin has the third-most yards of any NFC receiver, and the second-highest yards per catch average in the conference. His 8 TDs is tied for second with Vernon Davis behind Larry Fitzgerald's 9 in the NFC. It's not just numbers, but it's how his play changes the game for Dallas. There might not be many others from the Cowboys offense joining him in the Pro Bowl, but Austin is well on his way to locking up an invite.

+ Roy Williams
Speaking of receivers, Roy Williams made an appearance in Thursday's contest, catching two balls for 15 yards and a touchdown. It wasn't much, but it's better than the bagel he put up last week. This week he didn't have any glaring drops, which could be considered an improvement. Perhaps the biggest contribution of Williams against the Raiders was that he drew the attention of Nnamdi Asomugha for most of the game. He was only targeted four times. It's a rough paradox of success for Roy: should Romo throw to him if he's covered by such a good cornerback, or is he expected to be able to beat that coverage regardless? Either way, Asomugha covering Williams left Austin able to roam free.

+ Nick Folk
Bad news for Nick Folk. I realize that his only miss on the day was from 49 yards, but that dropped his season field goal percentage to 73.7 (14 of 19), which has Dallas as the 25th most accurate field goal team in the NFL this season. In 2008, Folk's work was good enough (20 of 22, 90.9%) for fourth-best percentage in the NFL. The list of teams with uglier field goal percentages on the season so far: Carolina (73.3), Cincinnati (70.6), Jacksonville (64.7), Houston (64.7), Atlanta (62.5), Tampa Bay (50.0).

Folk is 6-for-6 from inside 30 yards, and still 3-for-4 from 30-39 yards out, however he has struggled from longer range this season. He is 4-of-8 from 40-49 yards in 2009, a 50% rate of success down from his 10-of-11 mark on 40-yarders in 2008. He's not missing by much, but as the Cowboys begin the tough test of a December schedule that has them facing three division opponents and two more division leaders, they'll need as many three-pointers as they can get.

+ Punting at the video board
Raiders punter Shane Lechler is averaging a whopping 51.5 average yards per punt, with a 44.5 net yards per punt in 2009. He punted nine times in Thursday's game, and if he didn't hit the board during the game, it's safe to say that no one is going to. He did cause folks in our section to hold their breath a few times as punts continue to rise toward the board, but Jerry's TV remains unscathed.

+ 3rd Downs
It's odd that the Cowboys were able to control this game so well, and were able to make big play after big play during the game, yet they remained relatively hopeless on 3rd down conversions. Dallas extended drives just a third of the time, converting 4-of-12 third downs. And yet, it wasn't even the worst 3rd down success rate the Cowboys had in a win this season.

Here's how the Cowboys did on 3rd downs in other games this year:
(losses in italics)
at Tampa Bay ... 3-of-10 ... 30.0%
vs. New York Giants ... 6-of-11 ... 54.5%
vs. Carolina ... 5-of-13 ... 38.5%
at Denver ... 3-of-14 ... 21.4%
at Kansas City ... 5-of-12 ... 41.7%
vs. Atlanta ... 6-of-13 ... 46.2%
vs. Seattle ... 7-of-13 ... 53.8%
at Philadelphia ... 7-of-15 ... 46.7%
at Green Bay ... 3-of-12 ... 25.0%
vs. Washington ... 3-of-11 ... 27.3%
vs. Oakland ... 4-of-12 ... 33.3%

+ Running Backs
It's pretty cool when a trio of running backs has everyone gain at least 60 yards on the ground, not to mention the 41 additional yards that Barber had in the passing game. Here's the rushing stats:

Dallas Rushing
	CAR	YDS	AVG	TD	LG
F. Jones	7	68	9.7	1	46
T. Choice	3	67	22.3	0	66
M. Barber	14	61	4.4	0	32
T. Romo	1	-1	-1.0	0	0
Team	25	195	7.8	1	66

+ New York Giants
The New York Giants were unable to ride the wave of success after snapping their four-game losing streak in overtime last week. Denver dismantled the Giants at Invesco Field in the Thursday night game, 26-6, to drop the Giants to 6-5, two full games behind the Cowboys in the NFC East. While the Giants did win the only head-to-head battle so far, they too have a rough road the rest of the way if they are going to battle for the division or even a wild card berth.

+ Schedule the rest of the way
Here's the schedules for the NFC East contenders (Dallas, Philly, New York) as well as the only other legitimate Wild Card contenders (Green Bay, Atlanta) as it stands right now. New Orleans, Minnesota and Arizona all have large enough division leads that if they were to miss the playoffs, it would be due to some catastrophic collapse.
Remaining schedules of NFC contenders:

Dallas	Green Bay	Philadelphia	New York	Atlanta
8-3	7-4	6-4	6-5	5-5
W vs. Oak	W @ Det	WAS	L @ Den	TB
@ NYG	BAL	@ ATL	DAL	PHI
SD	@ CHI	@ NYG	PHI	NO
@ NO	@ PIT	SF	@ WAS	@ NYJ
@ WAS	SEA	DEN	CAR	BUF
PHI	@ ARI	@ DAL	@ MIN	@ TB