TIDBIT: Cowboys go for three-game sweep over G-Men
By DAVE GOLDBERG
AP Football Writer
http://www.argusobserver.com
Wednesday, January 9, 2008 12:33 PM PST
DALLAS (AP) —The only time the Dallas Cowboys had a chance to beat a team three times in one season, they lost.
To the Arizona Cardinals, of all teams.
They get another chance to do it Sunday against the New York Giants, who set up their third meeting of the season by beating Tampa Bay 24-14.
Since the NFL-AFL merger in 1970, teams have played three games in the same season 53 times, but only 17 of those included teams that won both regular-season matchups, according to STATS Inc. In 11 of those 17 games, the team that won the first two games also won the third, the last time by St. Louis over Seattle in 2004
Dallas’ loss to the Cardinals was in the 1998 playoffs after the Cowboys won the two regular-season meetings. That postseason defeat was at Texas Stadium.
But that shouldn’t bother the Giants (11-6), who won their eighth straight road game in Tampa on Sunday.
In fact, the last time the Giants lost on the road was opening night in Dallas (13-3), when the Cowboys beat them 45-35 in a game in which New York had a shot until the end. That was before the Giants’ defense came together — it gave up 35 points to Green Bay the next week before turning around, leading the NFL in sacks and carrying the team in those games in which Eli Manning played badly.
Dallas also won 31-20 at Giants Stadium in a game in which the Giants stayed with the Cowboys for a half.
The Giants also are playing as well now as they have all year, scaring unbeaten New England in the last regular-season game before dominating the Bucs.
The Cowboys don’t have that momentum.
But they have the rest.
They can only hope that the time off gave T.O.’s ankle time enough to heal.
AP Football Writer
http://www.argusobserver.com
Wednesday, January 9, 2008 12:33 PM PST
DALLAS (AP) —The only time the Dallas Cowboys had a chance to beat a team three times in one season, they lost.
To the Arizona Cardinals, of all teams.
They get another chance to do it Sunday against the New York Giants, who set up their third meeting of the season by beating Tampa Bay 24-14.
Since the NFL-AFL merger in 1970, teams have played three games in the same season 53 times, but only 17 of those included teams that won both regular-season matchups, according to STATS Inc. In 11 of those 17 games, the team that won the first two games also won the third, the last time by St. Louis over Seattle in 2004
Dallas’ loss to the Cardinals was in the 1998 playoffs after the Cowboys won the two regular-season meetings. That postseason defeat was at Texas Stadium.
But that shouldn’t bother the Giants (11-6), who won their eighth straight road game in Tampa on Sunday.
In fact, the last time the Giants lost on the road was opening night in Dallas (13-3), when the Cowboys beat them 45-35 in a game in which New York had a shot until the end. That was before the Giants’ defense came together — it gave up 35 points to Green Bay the next week before turning around, leading the NFL in sacks and carrying the team in those games in which Eli Manning played badly.
Dallas also won 31-20 at Giants Stadium in a game in which the Giants stayed with the Cowboys for a half.
The Giants also are playing as well now as they have all year, scaring unbeaten New England in the last regular-season game before dominating the Bucs.
The Cowboys don’t have that momentum.
But they have the rest.
They can only hope that the time off gave T.O.’s ankle time enough to heal.
posted by The Gryphon at 7:38 PM
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