Romo, Owens lead Cowboys over Eagles
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Tony Romo completed 20-of-25 passes for 324 yards and three touchdowns and Terrell Owens had 10 catches for 174 yards and a score to lead the Dallas Cowboys to a resounding 38-17 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field.
The freshly-paid Romo found three different receivers for scores and made up for his one blemish - a late first half interception - with a touchdown on the following possession, while Cowboys running backs Julius Jones and Marion Barber combined for 113 yards and a pair of touchdowns on the ground.
Romo signed a six-year contract extension earlier in the week worth more than $65 million, keeping him in Dallas through 2013 and making him one of the NFL's highest-paid signal-callers.
Owens, playing in his second game in Philadelphia since being dismissed from the Eagles midway through the 2005 season, was considerably more productive than in his first return, when he caught just three passes for 45 yards and was held scoreless in an Eagles victory.
"Coming into this environment, it's hostile," the receiver said afterward. "They're trying to get a win and we're coming in here and we have to win on the road. It was a little feisty out there...I feel at peace with myself with the way the situation panned out. I'm with the Cowboys and I'm doing what I'm supposed to do. We're just trying to keep on track and win some division games. Tonight was a good step for us."
"He's a heck of a player," Eagles head coach Andy Reid said of Owens. "They did a good job of scheming him where he got them in one-on-one situations. He had a big night."
The Cowboys (7-1) hold a one-game advantage heading into next Sunday's showdown with second-place New York at Giants Stadium. It is also the team's best start since 1995, when they went on to win Super Bowl XXX.
"An impressive showing I thought of our group," Dallas coach Wade Phillips said. "We knew it would be a tough game. They kept fighting back, but our offense I felt controlled the ball. It was hard for them to get the ball back. Our defense made plays like they have all year."
Donovan McNabb was 27-for-46 passing for 264 yards with one touchdown, a pair of interceptions and a fumble lost. Brian Westbrook rushed 16 times for 65 yards and a score and also caught 14 passes for 90 yards, but the Eagles (3-5) dug an early hole and never recovered on their way to falling solidly into last place in the NFC East.
"As coaches we've got to make sure we put the guys in the right position to make the plays," Reid said. "I don't think anybody did a very good job, starting with me."
McNabb fumbled on the Eagles' first play from scrimmage, setting Dallas up at the Philadelphia 37. Romo hit Owens for a 23-yard pickup and a key third-down conversion, and three plays later Jones went in standing up for a two-yard touchdown and quick 7-0 lead that silenced the home crowd.
Philly answered on its next possession, with McNabb hitting Reggie Brown for a 45-yard pass-and-run that set up Westbrook's three-yard plunge to tie the game before the Cowboys ripped off 21 unanswered points.
Dallas' other back, Barber, keyed its next scoring drive, catching consecutive screen passes for gains of 22 and 14, then rushing around the right end for 16 more to set up Romo's one-yard touchdown pass to Tony Curtis with 2:20 remaining in the quarter.
Late in the second, Dallas moved inside the Philly 30 on a pair of completions to Owens that sandwiched a 15-yard run by Jones. But Romo, rolling to his right, underthrew Patrick Crayton and was intercepted by Lito Sheppard inside the 10-yard line.
McNabb, however, returned the favor on the ensuing possession when he was picked off by Ken Hamlin trying to hit Hank Baskett over the middle. Three plays later, Dallas made good on its second chance to score before the half, as Barber bulled his way in from five yards out for a 21-7 count with 44 left until intermission.
Isaiah Stanback's kickoff return set Dallas up at its own 36 to start the half, and three straight running plays moved the ball to Eagles 45. Owens then lined up in the right slot and ran free into the Eagles secondary thanks to a blitz. Romo hit him in stride down the seam, and Owens broke one tackle on his way to a 45-yard touchdown and a commanding 28-7 Cowboys lead.
McNabb found L.J. Smith for a 23-yard gain and third-down conversion on the following drive, setting up a David Akers field goal from 36 yards out later in the third.
The Cowboys marched 78 yards in just six plays on their next drive, with Romo finding Jason Witten in the corner of the end zone from 20 yards away to make it 35-10 with less than five minutes remaining in the third.
"I think the O-line, that might have been their best game of the year right there," Romo said. "We were able to run the football consistently and we were able to protect consistently against some exotic looks."
Nick Folk capped a 10-play Dallas drive with a 22-yard field goal with just under 10 minutes to go in the fourth quarter.
Philly drove 71 yards in 13 plays for a late score, as McNabb hit Baskett from 10 yards out with under six minutes left.
Game Notes
Dallas' 38-point performance marks its greatest-ever offensive output in Philadelphia; the previous high-water mark was 34 points, scored on September 26, 1971...Owens now has gone 160 consecutive games with at least one reception...Romo completed his first nine pass attempts...Dallas, which was averaging a league-leading 402 yards per game coming in, racked up 434 yards of total offense...Dallas is 4-0 on the road this season...Eagles safety Brian Dawkins, who hadn't played since September 17 due to an injury, returned and had two tackles...Westbrooks tied the team record for catches in a game. Don Looney also had 14 receptions in a 1940 contest versus Washignton.
Tony Romo completed 20-of-25 passes for 324 yards and three touchdowns and Terrell Owens had 10 catches for 174 yards and a score to lead the Dallas Cowboys to a resounding 38-17 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field.
The freshly-paid Romo found three different receivers for scores and made up for his one blemish - a late first half interception - with a touchdown on the following possession, while Cowboys running backs Julius Jones and Marion Barber combined for 113 yards and a pair of touchdowns on the ground.
Romo signed a six-year contract extension earlier in the week worth more than $65 million, keeping him in Dallas through 2013 and making him one of the NFL's highest-paid signal-callers.
Owens, playing in his second game in Philadelphia since being dismissed from the Eagles midway through the 2005 season, was considerably more productive than in his first return, when he caught just three passes for 45 yards and was held scoreless in an Eagles victory.
"Coming into this environment, it's hostile," the receiver said afterward. "They're trying to get a win and we're coming in here and we have to win on the road. It was a little feisty out there...I feel at peace with myself with the way the situation panned out. I'm with the Cowboys and I'm doing what I'm supposed to do. We're just trying to keep on track and win some division games. Tonight was a good step for us."
"He's a heck of a player," Eagles head coach Andy Reid said of Owens. "They did a good job of scheming him where he got them in one-on-one situations. He had a big night."
The Cowboys (7-1) hold a one-game advantage heading into next Sunday's showdown with second-place New York at Giants Stadium. It is also the team's best start since 1995, when they went on to win Super Bowl XXX.
"An impressive showing I thought of our group," Dallas coach Wade Phillips said. "We knew it would be a tough game. They kept fighting back, but our offense I felt controlled the ball. It was hard for them to get the ball back. Our defense made plays like they have all year."
Donovan McNabb was 27-for-46 passing for 264 yards with one touchdown, a pair of interceptions and a fumble lost. Brian Westbrook rushed 16 times for 65 yards and a score and also caught 14 passes for 90 yards, but the Eagles (3-5) dug an early hole and never recovered on their way to falling solidly into last place in the NFC East.
"As coaches we've got to make sure we put the guys in the right position to make the plays," Reid said. "I don't think anybody did a very good job, starting with me."
McNabb fumbled on the Eagles' first play from scrimmage, setting Dallas up at the Philadelphia 37. Romo hit Owens for a 23-yard pickup and a key third-down conversion, and three plays later Jones went in standing up for a two-yard touchdown and quick 7-0 lead that silenced the home crowd.
Philly answered on its next possession, with McNabb hitting Reggie Brown for a 45-yard pass-and-run that set up Westbrook's three-yard plunge to tie the game before the Cowboys ripped off 21 unanswered points.
Dallas' other back, Barber, keyed its next scoring drive, catching consecutive screen passes for gains of 22 and 14, then rushing around the right end for 16 more to set up Romo's one-yard touchdown pass to Tony Curtis with 2:20 remaining in the quarter.
Late in the second, Dallas moved inside the Philly 30 on a pair of completions to Owens that sandwiched a 15-yard run by Jones. But Romo, rolling to his right, underthrew Patrick Crayton and was intercepted by Lito Sheppard inside the 10-yard line.
McNabb, however, returned the favor on the ensuing possession when he was picked off by Ken Hamlin trying to hit Hank Baskett over the middle. Three plays later, Dallas made good on its second chance to score before the half, as Barber bulled his way in from five yards out for a 21-7 count with 44 left until intermission.
Isaiah Stanback's kickoff return set Dallas up at its own 36 to start the half, and three straight running plays moved the ball to Eagles 45. Owens then lined up in the right slot and ran free into the Eagles secondary thanks to a blitz. Romo hit him in stride down the seam, and Owens broke one tackle on his way to a 45-yard touchdown and a commanding 28-7 Cowboys lead.
McNabb found L.J. Smith for a 23-yard gain and third-down conversion on the following drive, setting up a David Akers field goal from 36 yards out later in the third.
The Cowboys marched 78 yards in just six plays on their next drive, with Romo finding Jason Witten in the corner of the end zone from 20 yards away to make it 35-10 with less than five minutes remaining in the third.
"I think the O-line, that might have been their best game of the year right there," Romo said. "We were able to run the football consistently and we were able to protect consistently against some exotic looks."
Nick Folk capped a 10-play Dallas drive with a 22-yard field goal with just under 10 minutes to go in the fourth quarter.
Philly drove 71 yards in 13 plays for a late score, as McNabb hit Baskett from 10 yards out with under six minutes left.
Game Notes
Dallas' 38-point performance marks its greatest-ever offensive output in Philadelphia; the previous high-water mark was 34 points, scored on September 26, 1971...Owens now has gone 160 consecutive games with at least one reception...Romo completed his first nine pass attempts...Dallas, which was averaging a league-leading 402 yards per game coming in, racked up 434 yards of total offense...Dallas is 4-0 on the road this season...Eagles safety Brian Dawkins, who hadn't played since September 17 due to an injury, returned and had two tackles...Westbrooks tied the team record for catches in a game. Don Looney also had 14 receptions in a 1940 contest versus Washignton.
posted by The Gryphon at 7:35 AM
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