Cowboys, Eagles meet with home playoff at stake

By JAIME ARON

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) - December 31, 2009 -- Jerry Jones flew home from last year's finale in Philadelphia vowing to change the Dallas Cowboys.

Although he considered that club as talented as any of his Super Bowl championship teams, they sure didn't play like it. Torn apart by petty jealousies and personal glory, they not only blew a chance to cruise into the playoffs, they wound up missing out entirely after getting stomped 44-6 by the Eagles.

So Jones dumped Terrell Owens, Adam "Pacman" Jones, Tank Johnson and Greg Ellis. He fired the defensive coordinator and the special teams coach. He made head coach Wade Phillips take over the defense and plugged holes on the roster with relatively unheralded, team-oriented guys.

Now look at them.

The Cowboys close the season Sunday in another high-stakes finale against the Eagles. Although both teams have clinched a playoff berth, the winner will be crowned champions of the NFC East and earn the reward of a home playoff game.

If Philadelphia wins, it will earn the No. 2 seed in the NFC and a first-round bye. Dallas could get that, too, but it would require losses by Minnesota and Arizona. If the Cowboys win, these teams could meet again next week.

Two weeks ago, Dallas was coming off consecutive losses and could have easily folded again, especially going to New Orleans to play the undefeated Saints. But instead of guys pointing fingers, they came together and knocked off the Saints, then went to Washington and shut out the Redskins. The surge has set themselves up for this potentially big finish and probably saved Phillips' job.

"I feel like we're more of a team this year," cornerback Mike Jenkins said. "Last year, we had an incident where our team fell apart a little bit. As you can tell right now, all of us are staying together and we're playing as a team."

So are the Eagles.

Philadelphia was 5-4 in mid-November and coming off consecutive defeats, starting with a home loss to Dallas that put the Cowboys in first place. The Eagles haven't lost since, winning six straight to put themselves in position to become the betting-line favorites to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl.

"The attitude is different, the approach is different, the enthusiasm is a lot different and the confidence is different," quarterback Donovan McNabb said. "We have to continue that."

McNabb's offense is averaging 31.2 points during the winning streak, pushing Philadelphia to the most points in franchise history with a game left.

However, the Eagles scored only 16 points the last time they played the Cowboys, their second-lowest total of the season. And Dallas is on a three-game roll of limiting teams to their lowest point totals of the season; that includes San Diego and New Orleans, the only clubs that average more points per game than Philadelphia.

The Cowboys slowed the Eagles in November by keeping DeSean Jackson without any of his trademark big plays. It remains to be seen whether they can do it again.

"We'll do a little better job there," Philadelphia coach Andy Reid said.

Another challenge for the Eagles is replacing center Jamaal Jackson, who tore a knee ligament this past Sunday. Nick Cole is taking his place.

Philadelphia's defense will be trying to slow a Dallas offense closing in on its most prolific season. Tony Romo is 40 yards from breaking the club's single-season passing record and the offense is 53 yards from its best total.

Should the Cowboys win again, they would have their first winning record after Thanksgiving since 1996, which also happens to be the last time they won a playoff game. Of course, carrying a three-game winning streak into the playoffs and having a home playoff game would help their chances of ending that drought, too.

Considering they could lure close to 100,000 for that extra home game, a victory Sunday could be worth untold millions for owner Jerry Jones, giving him even more reasons to pick up Phillips' option for next season.

"When I look at all of this," Jones said, "I wouldn't trade the alternative, which is to have felt better sooner. I wouldn't have traded that alternative to be where we are right now with the good things that I see this team becoming."

Magical Players Only Meeting Fuels Cowboys Run

BY Drew Magary

Wondering just what’s gotten into your Cowboys this December? Wondering how they were able to shake off the demons of seasons past and get their act together for once? Is it the emergence of Miles Austin? The uncommonly consistent play of Tony Romo? DeMarcus Ware’s rally from what appeared to be a devastating neck injury?

Well, you are WRONG. The Houston Chronicle reports that the key to the team’s resurgence was the tried and true players only meeting:

The Dallas Cowboys desperately needed a lift after they opened December with two straight defeats.

They got it when linebacker Keith Brooking called a players-only meeting the day after the loss to the San Diego Chargers.

“Everybody had a chance to say what was on their minds and in their hearts,” cornerback Mike Jenkins said Monday. “It helped a lot, showing that a lot of guys really have respect for each other. That Wednesday when we came back, that practice was magnificent.”

Energized by their closed-door session and the fact that so many pundits gave them no chance, the Cowboys upset the previously undefeated New Orleans Saints in the Superdome.

You read about this all the time. Teams that are stuck in a rut decide to hold a meeting, scribble a quick NO COACHEZZ ALLOWD! sign in crayon, and air their grievances. And then, PRESTO! Instant results.

I’m tired of reading about players only meetings turning everything around. For once, I’d like to read about a players only meeting that ends up in acrimony and brawling, with accusations of cuckolding bandied about. Also, if players-only meetings always turn things around, then why not just hold one after EVERY loss? Why did the Cowboys wait until December to hold one of these things? Heck, every time the team huddles, it’s a players only meeting. They should score a 60-yard TD after every one of them.

Here’s my guess: the players only meeting is an easy way to explain why a team turned things around. But here’s a much better explanation: they stayed healthy, played to their talent level and stopped playing like morons.

What Wade Has To Do To Keep His Job

BY Drew Magary

With the Cowboys’ December resurgence, the whole FIRE WADE bandwagon furor has died down a bit. And for good reason. The team is playing well, and the NFC has blow so wide open that it’s not insane to think Dallas can make a playoff run, which would all but secure another year of ol’ Wade bumblin’ up and down the sidelines.

But the fact remains that the Phillips’ contract option for next year has still not been picked up by Jerry Jones, meaning his fate has still yet to be decided. After all, there’s still plenty of time for this whole thing to go into the tank. The Cowboys play Philly in Week 17 this year. We all know what happened when they played Philly in Week 17 of LAST year. If the Cowboys get blown out of the water against the Eagles and then go quietly out of the playoffs, you can say goodbye to the fat man.

On ESPN radio last night, Matt Mosley said that the Double J unequivocally does NOT want to fire Wade Phillips. The awesomely named Jean-Jacques Taylor of the Dallas Morning News echoed that sentiment. And I'm sure it's true. After all, as long as Wade coaches the Cowboys, that means that Jones kinda gets to coach them too. Wade is a softie who lets Jones be as involved as he pleases. He's not some autocrat like Mike Shanahan who will demand full control. Wade's success means that Jones is ALSO succeeding as the team's shadow head coach. It justifies all his meddling.

That means the odds are already in favor of Wade coming back next year. In fact, I think Wade will come back even if the Cowboys lose to Philly AND lose their playoff game, provided they don’t look like heartless quitters while doing so. Remember: Jones had every reason in the world to fire at the end of last season and didn’t. A valiant playoff loss would represent an improvement over last year, so how could Jones fire Wade for that when he wouldn’t fire him after last year’s debacle?

I say that, if the Cowboys beat Philly and win the division, Wade will be back no matter what. BUT… if they lose to the Eagles, and then turn in an embarrassing performance in the playoffs, that will do it. So grab your popcorn and settle back. Your head coach is about to begin the final stage of the fight for his livelihood.

NFL Capsules: Philadelphia at Dallas

By The Associated Press
Published: Tuesday, December 29, 2009 at 5:10 p.m.
Last Modified: Tuesday, December 29, 2009 at 5:10 p.m.
PHILADELPHIA (11-4) At DALLAS (10-5)

---

4:15 p.m. ET, FOX
OPENING LINE - Cowboys by 3

RECORD VS. SPREAD - Dallas 8-7; Philadelphia 9-6

SERIES RECORD - Cowboys lead 56-44

LAST MEETING - Cowboys beat Eagles 20-16, Nov. 8, 2009

LAST WEEK - Eagles beat Broncos 30-27; Cowboys beat Redskins 17-0

EAGLES OFFENSE - OVERALL (10), RUSH (21), PASS (9)

EAGLES DEFENSE - OVERALL (7), RUSH (8), PASS (13)

COWBOYS OFFENSE - OVERALL (3), RUSH (8), PASS (6)

COWBOYS DEFENSE - OVERALL (12), RUSH (5), PASS (21)

LINK FOR REMAINDER OF ARTICLE: http://www.blueridgenow.com/article/20091229/APS/912292821

Ledesma: Some tough choices on all-decade Dallas 'D'

By Matt Ledesma

Yesterday, Andy Newberry showed you the best the Dallas Cowboys’ offense had to offer in the first decade of this new millennium. Now here’s a look at the other side of the ball.

They say defenses are supposed to win championships, but the guys on my all-decade defensive team have yet to win a playoff game.

But overall, the defense in the ’00s was a respectable unit — one that ranked in the league’s top 10 five times, including a year at No. 1 in 2003.

Once again, this list is based solely on the contributions made during this decade. I’ve also chosen to go with the team’s current 3-4 format, a decision that ultimately affected roster availability in the front seven.

Strong Safety — Roy L. Williams (2002-08). A direct quote from Andy on this selection, “It suxs that he had to make your team.” But with five Pro Bowl selections in the 2000s, Roy is a must start. He looked like the second coming of all-pro safety Darren Woodson after posting 85 tackles, three fumble recoveries and five interceptions in his rookie season. Guess how that turned out.

Free Safety — Ken Hamlin (2007-09). Hamlin was named to the Pro Bowl in his first season with Dallas, and has been a decent option in a secondary that was more than shaky at times.

Inside Linebacker — Dat Nguyen (1999-05) and Bradie James (2003-09). Two guys who I don’t think get the respect they each deserve. Nguyen led the team in tackles three times in seven seasons, and James has paced the defense the last four years. Neither has made a Pro Bowl.

Outside Linebacker — DeMarcus Ware (2005-09) and Dexter Coakley (1997-06): Opposing offenses have learned to beware D-Ware, coming off his third-straight Pro Bowl and a team-record 20-sack season. Coakley was an undersized guy who played way bigger, with seven consecutive 100-plus tackle seasons and three trips to Hawaii.

Cornerback — Terence Newman (2006-09) and Anthony Henry (2005-08): Newman, a 2007 Pro Bowl pick, has been a bright spot in an otherwise dreary defensive backfield. When healthy, he’s established himself as a legitimate shutdown corner. Henry was reliable and started 51 of 56 games in four seasons with Dallas.

Defensive Tackle — La’Roi Glover (2002-05). Tough choice since I was only allotting one spot in the middle of the d-line. Even though he was on the down end of his career, Glover still was a force in the trenches, going to four straight Pro Bowls will Dallas. Current Cowboy Jay Ratliff was a close second, and I think eventually he will have the more dominant career.

Defensive End — Greg Ellis (1998-08) and Marcus Spears (2005-09). Ellis made a successful switch to linebacker when coaching and personnel changes mandated it. But he made his bones at defensive end, racking up 52 sacks in eight seasons at the position. Spears has steadily progressed since earning all-rookie honors in ’05.

Punter — Mat McBriar (2004-09). The numbers don’t lie. McBriar became the league’s highest paid punter with his five-year, $8.5 million contract extension in 2007. A year earlier, his 48.2 gross-yard average was the best the NFL had seen in 43 seasons and earned him a spot on the NFC Pro Bowl team. Arguably might be the best Dallas has ever had at the position.

Cowboys can win for losing to Eagles

By Matt Mosley
ESPN.com

Hear me out: Defeat in season finale to Philly could be a catalyst for playoff success

I've spent the past 24 hours analyzing every potential playoff scenario for the Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles. Conventional wisdom suggests that it would be helpful for the Cowboys to beat the Eagles on Sunday, thus securing a home game in the wild-card round of the playoffs.

The only problem with that scenario is that the Cowboys probably would host the Eagles again the very next weekend. As we discovered in 2007, it's not easy to beat a division opponent three teams in one season -- especially a talented team such as the Eagles.

With the Minnesota Vikings' loss to the Chicago Bears on Monday, the Eagles have even more incentive to beat the Cowboys. A win over Dallas would secure the No. 2 seed and a first-round bye for Philly. The Cowboys also have a chance at the No. 2 seed, but they need too many things to happen for us to worry about that scenario.

So here's where I'm headed with this. I think the Cowboys might be better off losing to the Eagles on Sunday and taking their chances in Glendale, Ariz., or Minneapolis in the first round of the playoffs. I think the Cowboys might be a better all-around team than the Eagles because of their superior defense, but beating the Eagles two straight weeks seems like a stretch to me.

It's not as if teams that win their final regular-season games have some type of huge advantage in the playoffs. The Arizona Cardinals limped down the stretch in 2008, then caught fire on their way to the Super Bowl. The New York Giants used a regular-season loss to the New England Patriots in '07 to jump-start their Super Bowl run.

An NFC East division title is nice, but you'd trade it in a heartbeat for just one win in the playoffs, wouldn't you? I'm not suggesting the Cowboys should go belly-up like they did at the Linc in Week 17 last season, but let's not pretend this is some type of do-or-die situation.

For selfish reasons -- I like sleeping in my own bed -- I'm rooting for the back-to-back scenario with the Eagles. And I know Jerry Jones and Cowboys fans would love to have another home game. But something tells me that playing the Eagles on consecutive weekends is a recipe for disaster for this team.

For starters, Philly has had plenty of success in the playoffs in the past decade. This Dallas franchise has gone 13 years without a playoff win. The Eagles won road playoff games in Minneapolis and East Rutherford, N.J., last season, so they're not going to feel a lot of pressure.

That's why I think it might not be an awful thing for Dallas to play well and lose Sunday at Cowboys Stadium. This team plays well on the road (see Philly and New Orleans), so there would be no fear in playing the Cardinals or the Vikings. Of course, the better scenario would have the Cowboys hosting the Green Bay Packers at Cowboys Stadium. Even when they had Brett Favre, the Packers couldn't beat the Cowboys at Texas Stadium. And I think Dallas would have the payback factor going for it based on a 17-7 loss to Green Bay this season.

My point is that you shouldn't be devastated if the Cowboys lose Sunday. It could be the best thing that could happen to them.

Dallas Cowboys in the Pro Bowl: The Joy of Six

By Richie Whitt in Dallas Cowboys

Punter Mat McBriar (he's forced a league-high 23 fair catches) seems a thorny omission and a case can be made for quarterback Tony Romo (five less touchdowns than Green Bay's Aaron Rodgers, but 18 less sacks), but the Dallas Cowboys should be pleased to have landed six players on the NFC Pro Bowl team.

Starters include linebacker DeMarcus Ware and center Andre Gurode, backed by receiver Miles Austin, guard Leonard Davis, nose tackle Jay Ratliff and tight end Jason Witten. It's not the baker's dozen 13 of 2007, but when you consider that the AFC North champion Cincinnati Bengals have zero Pro Bowlers and that only the NFC North champ Minnesota Vikings have more (8), the Cowboys are fairly represented.

Right?

By the way, remember way back in training camp when we were stressing over how the Cowboys were going to replace Terrell Owens' stats? Who knew the answer was so simple: Miles Austin.

Jerry: Playoffs Start Now

By Scott Crisp

With a 17-0 shutout of the Washington Redskins in Landover, Md., the Dallas Cowboys of 2009 punched a ticket to the NFL postseason on Sunday night. It cemented the field for the big dance completely, with a Green Bay win and a New York loss earlier in the day. What's remarkable, and kind of odd, is that the seeding is still completely in the air.

Going into next weekend, the NFC knows the pieces that will eventually make up what we like to call the playoff picture; it's just that, as of now, like a confounding jigsaw puzzle, no one knows where they will be, when the wild card round kicks off.

For Dallas's purposes, a win against Philadelphia means a division title and a home playoff game, which both ratchets up the importance of next Sunday's game, and tempers any premature exaltation on the Cowboys part.

Taking it a step further, and likely setting into motion what will become an overused refrain, owner/GM Jerry Jones said on Sunday that the team will prepare for next Sunday's match-up with the intensity of a playoff game.

"I look at Philadelphia as a playoff game," said Jones after the win. "It's so meaningful to us, it could give us a chance to play at home if we win, and that's a big deal...I was in the team meeting this morning, and Wade said one thing, and he said it real quick: 'This game's about the world championship.' That's all he said and walked out. He said, 'I know you know that.' His message was real simple and real easy for everybody to understand.

"We need to feel the same way about Philadelphia as we do the first playoff game. It's almost go home if you don't get it--that's a good attitude."

Cowboys vs. Eagles Game Moved to 3:15 cst

Posted by nickeatman at 12/27/2009 9:10 PM CST on truebluefanclub.com

Cowboys beat Redskins 17-0 to clinch playoff spot

By JOSEPH WHITE

LANDOVER, Md. (AP) -- The Dallas Cowboys returned to the playoffs Sunday night, dominating their 100th meeting with the Washington Redskins and setting up an NFC East title showdown with the Philadelphia Eagles.

Tony Romo threw for 286 yards, Jason Witten had a career-long 69-yard reception to set up a score, and the defense pitched the rivalry's first shutout in six years in a 17-0 win over the Redskins.

The victory eliminated the New York Giants from playoff contention and gave the Cowboys a jinx-bursting late-season winning streak. After starting 0-2 this month, Dallas recovered to win back-to-back December games for first time since 2003.

The Cowboys (10-5) will host the Eagles (11-4) in next week's regular-season finale, with the winner taking the division crown and the loser settling for a wild card berth. The NFL has moved the kickoff time from 1 p.m. to 4:15 p.m.

Dallas holds a commanding 59-39-2 lead in the 50-year-old Redskins-Cowboys rivalry and got its first shutout since a 27-0 win on Dec. 14, 2003. The Cowboys didn't allow Washington to score a touchdown this year -- the other meeting was a 7-6 win on Nov. 22 -- and they played their part in the Redskins' first winless season in NFC East play since 1994.

The Redskins (4-11), distracted by more off-the-field news, put on another embarrassing performance against a rival in prime time.

After a 45-12 pasting by the Giants on Monday night, Washington endured a week in which assistant coach Jerry Gray gave confusing answers when asked if had interviewed for the head coaching job. Then came some noisy Christmas Day tardiness from defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth, who was sent home by lame duck coach Jim Zorn for being late to a meeting.

Haynesworth used the occasion to again complain about the coaching staff, but he nevertheless remained in the starting lineup Sunday night.

Speaking of distractions, the Redskins are 0-2 and have been outscored 62-12 since front office chief Vinny Cerrato resigned and Bruce Allen was named general manager on Dec. 17.

Allen's father, Hall of Fame coach George Allen, was involved in many memorable Redskins-Cowboys classics. As for game No. 100, the word "classic" definitely won't come to mind.

Except for Witten's big play, the Cowboys nickel-and-dimed their way down the field throughout the game. They didn't blow out the Redskins the way the Giants did mainly because of three drives that ended inside Washington's 40-yard line with no points to show for them: They ran out the clock when receiver Miles Austin didn't get out of bounds as the clock expired to end the half, and Marion Barber was stopped twice on fourth-and-1 on back-to-back possessions in the third quarter.

Barber was also stopped on third-and-1 at the 5-yard line in the fourth quarter, but this time coach Wade Phillips sent on former Redskins kicker Shaun Suisham. To a hearty round of boos, Suisham made a 23-yarder -- the same distance of the one he missed for Washington against New Orleans on Dec. 6, costing him his job two days later.

Romo finished 25 for 38 and had a touchdown and an interception, his first in five games. Witten caught six passes for 117 yards. The defense held Washington to 218 total yards.

Terence Newman's interception led to the Cowboys' first-quarter touchdown, grabbing a pass from Jason Campbell that was tipped by tight end Fred Davis. Newman returned the ball 9 yards to the Washington 36, setting up Romo's 4-yard scoring toss to Roy Williams.

Witten set up the next score when he got a step ahead of free safety LaRon Landry on a crossing route, a 69-yard play that moved to the ball to the 3. Barber scored on the next play, giving the Cowboys a 14-0 lead in the second quarter.

Cowboys close out December schedule at Washington

(Sports Network) - Two longtime NFC East rivals working towards decidedly different goals will square off this Sunday at FedEx Field, where the rejuvenated Dallas Cowboys aim to move a step closer towards making the playoffs in their primetime matchup with the Washington Redskins.

The Cowboys accomplished three notable feats with their 24-17 road victory over NFC South champion New Orleans in Week 15. Not only did the critical win ruin the powerful Saints' quest for a perfect season, it solidified Dallas' chances of ending a one-year absence from the playoffs while keeping the team's hopes of capturing the NFC East title within reach. The Cowboys trail 10-4 Philadelphia by one game for the top spot in the division with two to play, and the two foes will meet in Dallas in what could be a winner-take-all showdown in the regular-season finale.

And maybe even more importantly, the Cowboys were at least temporarily able to remove the unwanted tag of being a team that can't win a big game late in the season. Dallas entered its clash with the then-unbeaten Saints off back-to- back stinging losses to the New York Giants and San Diego, and had dropped six of its last seven December contests prior to last week's breakthrough.

With a win over the beaten and battered Redskins that coincided with a Giants' loss to Carolina this weekend, the Cowboys will have secured the playoff berth that slipped through their grasp at this time last year, when the club dropped three of its final four tests to finish out of the mix with a 9-7 record.

On the other hand, a loss to a Washington squad that's clearly looking towards the future would have Dallas back to being branded as crunch-time choke artists, not to mention dredging up the never-ending speculation about the long-term job security of head coach Wade Phillips.

The fate of Redskins' sideline boss Jim Zorn is widely believed to have already been sealed, with the focus now shifted to who will be wearing the second-year coach's headset in 2010 and beyond. The early clubhouse leader appears to be former Denver Broncos mastermind Mike Shanahan, a man with close ties to newly-appointed general manager Bruce Allen.

The non-stop rumors, combined with an unfortunate rash of key injuries, seemed to take their toll on the Burgundy and Gold in their most recent outing, when the team offered little resistance in an embarrassing 45-12 home loss to the Giants on Monday. The Redskins allowed New York to score on six of its first seven possessions while repeatedly hurting themselves with a litany of mistakes and breakdowns.

Washington had been playing hard and competitive in the weeks leading up to Monday's disaster, enduring narrow losses to three potential playoff participants before routing Oakland by a 34-13 score in Week 14. One of those close shaves came to Dallas on November 22, with the Cowboys escaping with a 7-6 decision on Tony Romo's 10-yard touchdown pass to Patrick Crayton with 2:41 left.

The Redskins could have gone ahead by two possessions in that game, but now- departed kicker Shaun Suisham misfired on a 39-yard field goal try late in the first half. Ironically, he'll have a chance to impact the outcome of Sunday's tilt as well, only this time as a member of the Cowboys. Suisham was signed by Dallas on Monday to take over for Nick Folk, released by the team the same day after missing seven of his last 11 attempts.

SERIES HISTORY

The Cowboys lead the all-time regular season series with Washington, 58-37-2, including the above-mentioned 7-6 win in a Week 11 nail-biter at Cowboys Stadium. The teams embarked on an unconventional split of last year's home- and-home, with the Redskins coming up 26-24 winners in their trip to Texas Stadium in Week 4, but dropping a 14-10 decision when the clubs met at FedEx Field in Week 11. The Redskins last won a home game over their longtime NFC East rival in 2007.

The Cowboys will be vying for their first home-and-home sweep of the Redskins since 2004.

Washington is 2-0 against Dallas in the postseason, winning in the 1972 and 1982 NFC Championship games.

Phillips is 4-2 all-time against Washington, with one of those wins coming for his Bills team in 1999 at FedEx Field. Zorn is 1-2 against both Phillips and the Cowboys as a head man.

WHEN THE COWBOYS HAVE THE BALL

Dallas owns the NFL's third-ranked offense in terms of yards per game (394.5 ypg) and was able to flex its muscles against the Saints, combining the precision passing of Romo (3886 passing yards, 23 TD, 7 INT) with effective running from the inside-outside backfield duo of Marion Barber (778 rushing yards, 6 TD, 21 receptions) and Felix Jones (536 rushing yards, 2 TD, 12 receptions). The pair combined for 120 rushing yards and two touchdowns (both by Barber) last week, and totaled 148 yards on 30 attempts in the Cowboys' victory over the Redskins in November. Romo completed a sharp 22-of-34 throws for 312 yards, 49 of which came on a touchdown strike to big-play wide receiver Miles Austin (65 receptions, 1138 yards, 11 TD), in the New Orleans game and did not have an interception for a fourth straight week. The dangerous Austin finished the contest with 139 yards on seven catches and has emerged as one of the game's premier deep threats, with sure-handed tight end Jason Witten (82 receptions, 1 TD) serving as Romo's main underneath target and wideouts Roy Williams (37 receptions, 6 TD) and Crayton (32 receptions, 4 TD) offering two more capable, albeit inconsistent, options in the passing game. The Cowboys have been excellent at taking care of the football, having committed just one turnover over the past four games and only 19 for the season.

That trend of preventing costly miscues seems to have a good chance of continuing on Sunday, considering the Redskins are tied for last in the NFL with 15 takeaways and have induced a mere three turnovers during the previous three weeks. Washington still can play tough defense, even though it wasn't evident in Monday's debacle, and the Cowboys found that out first-hand by mustering a pedestrian 305 total yards and converting only 3-of-11 third-down situations in last month's meeting. The Redskins only sacked Romo one time in that game, however, as Dallas was able to keep the excellent pressure-causing combo of end Andre Carter (59 tackles, 11 sacks) and rookie linebacker Brian Orakpo (46 tackles, 11 sacks) in check by skillfully mixing the run and pass. Washington surrendered 153 rushing yards to their hated rivals, but didn't have difference-making tackle Albert Haynesworth (35 tackles, 4 sacks) in the lineup that day because of a sprained ankle. Middle linebacker London Fletcher (126 tackles, 2 sacks, 1 INT) helped compensate with an extremely active and productive game, with the durable veteran amassing 13 tackles along with an interception and forced fumble. A solid secondary headed by two-time Pro Bowl corner DeAngelo Hall (45 tackles, 4 INT) was able to hold Austin to a modest 47 yards and four catches back in Week 11, but was torched for 273 net passing yards and three touchdowns by the Giants on Monday.

WHEN THE REDSKINS HAVE THE BALL

An extensive series of injuries, particularly at the running back position and across the line, and a lack of viable playmakers have rendered the Redskins into one of the NFL's lowest-scoring and least threatening offenses. The team's primary ball-carriers for Sunday's encounter are expected to be Quinton Ganther (159 rushing yards, 3 TD, 7 receptions) and Marcus Mason (90 rushing yards, 5 receptions), two undrafted players who've bounced around practice squads for much of their careers, while a front wall that been forced to start 10 different players this year has allowed quarterback Jason Campbell (3138 passing yards, 18 TD, 14 INT) to be sacked 38 times for the season, five of which came in last week's loss. Campbell also hasn't gotten a whole lot of help from his receiving crew, save for second-year tight end Fred Davis (40 receptions, 6 TD), who's hauled in a touchdown pass in four straight games and softened the blow of the season-ending loss of two-time Pro Bowler Chris Cooley in October. At the wideout positions, veterans Santana Moss (56 receptions, 3 TD) and Antwaan Randle El (44 receptions) have shown signs of decline, while sophomore Devin Thomas (25 receptions, 3 TD) has yet to fully tap into his considerable potential.

Washington's patchwork offense will be trying to make some headway against a Dallas stop unit that came through with an inspired and highly-impressive performance a week ago. The Cowboys limited the high-powered Saints to season- lows in points (17) and total yards (336), and most of the damage came with the team in desperation mode in the fourth quarter. Game-changing outside linebacker DeMarcus Ware (53 tackles, 11 sacks), just six days after being hospitalized by a frightening neck sprain, led the charge with two sacks and a pair of forced fumbles, with counterpart Anthony Spencer (57 tackles, 4 sacks) also taking down New Orleans triggerman Drew Brees on the night. Young cornerback Mike Jenkins (44 tackles, 16 PD) also made a big impact, as the 2008 first-round pick posted his team-best fifth interception of the season and provided blanket coverage throughout. The Redskins' stable of journeyman backs figure to encounter their share of trouble against Dallas' sixth-ranked run defense (97.7 ypg). The three-man front of ends Igor Olshansky (36 tackles, 1 sack) and Marcus Spears (21 tackles, 2 sacks) and nose tackle Jay Ratliff (36 tackles, 4 sacks) is stout at the point of attack, while 12th-year inside linebacker Keith Brooking (100 tackles, 3 sacks) has proven he hasn't lost much at age 34.

FANTASY FOCUS

Those astute enough to grab Austin off the waiver wire and still alive in their fantasy playoffs know full well that the once-unknown wide receiver helped get them there, and they also don't need me to tell them to start the Dallas playmaker this week. Romo is almost always a solid choice at the quarterback position as well, but keep in mind that one of his lowest point totals of the season came against the Redskins last month. Barber's two- touchdown effort last week was an encouraging sign for someone who's had a so- so year from a fantasy perspective, and Witten invariably gets enough targets to be a useful tight end. Lean towards sitting Williams in a tough matchup, unless there aren't any other good options available. As usual, the pickings are slim on the Washington side. Davis is certainly worth a look at tight end, and Campbell will probably air it out quite a bit due to his team's dearth of talent at running back. That gives both he and Moss, a noted Cowboy killer in the past, some appeal. Give a thumbs up to the Dallas defense, which should have its way with the Redskins' depleted line, but anyone who's watched these teams this year knows to stay away from either kicker.

OVERALL ANALYSIS

Are the Cowboys primed for a classic letdown after getting the December monkey off their backs with last week's monumental win? Have the Redskins finally reached the breaking point in a season filled with adversity and decided to pack it in? Those are the questions that need to be answered when breaking down this game. The feeling here is that Monday's humiliating loss and the animosity that exists between these two teams will bring out the fight in Washington, but that still won't be enough. If anything, the victory over New Orleans gave Dallas the confidence boost it so sorely needed, and last season's late collapse will be a constant motivator for the Cowboys to take care of business against an opponent they should be able to handle.

Sports Network Predicted Outcome: Cowboys 20, Redskins 10

Cowboys will be signing former Redskins K Shaun Suisham

Schefter just tweeted:

Filed to ESPN: Cowboys will be signing former Redskins K Shaun Suisham to kick against his former Washington team Sunday night.

LINK: http://twitter.com/Adam_Schefter/statuses/6907675890

also

Cowboys To sign Suisham
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Mon, 21 Dec 2009 14:34:27 -0800

ESPN'S Adam Schefter reports the Dallas Cowboys will sign free-agent PK Shaun Suisham (Redskins) to kick for them in Week 16.

Bennett and Colombo have been cleared to resume practicing

Source: ESPN.com

Cowboys TE Martellus Bennett (concussion) and RT Marc Colombo (leg, ankle) have been cleared to resume practicing.

Colombo's return will improve Dallas' strong-side blocking, while getting Bennett back will give OCB Jason Garrett more options. It's worth noting, however, that rookie John Phillips played well in Bennett's place against the Saints, catching three balls for 40 yards. Bennett won't make a fantasy impact.

Mike Shanahan wants to wait and see if the Cowboys have an opening at head coach, according to Jay Glazer of FOX

Source: ESPN.com

The Cowboys' win over the Saints on Saturday night went a long way in protecting Wade Phillips' job. Shanahan is already reportedly in talks with the Redskins and it's widely assumed that he will end up in Washington. Phillips will likely have his fourth year option picked up for 2010 if the Cowboys make the playoffs.

Cowboys to look at Shaun Suisham

Todd Archer/Reporter

Two weeks ago Shaun Suisham lost his job in Washington because of a missed 23-yard field goal attempt against New Orleans. He might have a chance to replace Nick Folk, who missed a 24-yarder against the Saints on Saturday.

The only difference in the misses - the Redskins lost their game and the Cowboys won their's.

According to sources, Suisham is scheduled to workout as a potential replacement for Folk on Monday, and the team made more calls on other kickers, including Dave Rayner, on Sunday.
If Suisham were to join the Cowboys, he would face the Redskins at FedEx Field next Sunday in the first game of what would be his second time around with the Cowboys.

Suisham, who kicked in parts of the 2005-06 seasons with the Cowboys, made 18-of-21 field goal attempts this season. He is 85-of-107 for his career. In six games with the Cowboys, Suisham made four of six tries.

Two weeks before the miss against New Orleans, he failed to connect on tries from 39 and 50 yards against the Cowboys, allowing Dallas to come back for a 7-6 win.

Folk has missed a field goal attempt in the last six games and has made just 18 of 28 tries this season. He is 5-of-12 between 40-49 yards this season and his 24-yard miss Saturday was his first between 20-29 yards in 2009.

The Cowboys have stuck by Folk this year because of his first two seasons when he missed just seven attempts and made a Pro Bowl. He had major surgery on his hip last May, limiting his off-season work but he has said he is healthy. Two weeks ago the Cowboys made a change from Mat McBriar to Tony Romo at holder but Folk has missed two-of-four with Romo on the job.

Dallas keeps dream alive

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

DALLAS -- After a wild Saturday night in New Orleans, Tony Romo and the Dallas Cowboys woke up yesterday with a whole new outlook on things.

Here's a short list of what beating the previously perfect Saints in the noisy Superdome means for them:

- Their season is far from a lost cause.

Instead of carrying a three-game losing streak and fading playoff chances into the last two games, the Cowboys are back in control.

Dallas (9-5) will win the NFC East and Jerry Jones will get to host at least one playoff game in his new stadium by following this difficult victory with wins at Washington and at home against Philadelphia.

- Their reputation as December choke artists could be erased.

Despite opening the month with back-to-back losses, the Cowboys can have a winning record in December/January for the first time since 1996 by winning their final two games.

Since winning out also would mean getting into the playoffs, that would give them a chance at their first playoff victory since '96.

- Their coach can hold off on hiring a moving van.

Wade Phillips is far from guaranteed of remaining the head coach in 2010, but his job is more secure, at least for one week.

Of course, if the Cowboys win the division and a playoff game, Jones would be a lot more likely to pick up the option for next year.

Whew! All that from just one game!

And all of it coming with the catch that they must keep winning to make this victory more than a one-night stand.

"We've got to come into the next game ready and focused," safety Ken Hamlin said.

"It's a big win, but it won't mean nothing if we lose the next one."

Undefeated no more: Cowboys shock Saints, 24-17

By The Associated Press

NEW ORLEANS — Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints are marching toward perfection no more.

Tony Romo and DeMarcus Ware helped Dallas end its December doldrums and the Cowboys held off a frenzied rally by the Saints for a 24-17 victory Saturday night.

The loss by the Saints (13-1) left the Indianapolis Colts (14-0) as the NFL's only unbeaten team this season.

The high-powered Saints trailed 24-3 going into the fourth quarter, then scored two fast touchdowns. After Dallas kicker Nick Folk watched his 24-yard field goal try clang off the right upright shortly before the 2-minute warning, Brees got a final chance to tie it.

Brees quickly moved the Saints into Dallas territory. But on second down, Ware sacked Brees and forced a fumble that was recovered by the Cowboys with 6 seconds left.

Romo passed for 312 yards, including a 49-yard touchdown to Miles Austin. Ware returned from a neck injury that left his status in doubt and was part of a relentless Dallas pass rush that pressured Brees all night.

Marion Barber had two short touchdown runs for the Cowboys (9-5), who ended a two-game skid and proved they were good enough to beat the top team in the NFC in front of a charged-up, hostile crowd.

The Cowboys' troubles in December had been well documented, but this win provided a dramatic boost to their playoff chances. They'll hold on to a wild car spot for at least another week.

The Saints did not score a touchdown until Mike Bell's 1-yard run with 12:35 to go. Brees followed by capping a seven-play, 70-yard drive with a 7-yard touchdown pass to Lance Moore with 8 minutes left, cutting New Orleans' deficit to 24-17.

That left it up to the Saints' defense to hold once more. Dallas faced a third-and-7 on its own 23 and the crowd was going so wild Romo had to call timeout a moment before the play clock expired.

The noise was still deafening when Romo returned to the line of scrimmage, but that didn't stop him from finding Austin on a short crossing route for a 32-yard gain. On the next play, Romo spun away from the rush and hit tight end John Phillips for a 23-yard gain to New Orleans' 22. From there, Dallas went conservative and set up what looked to be a game-sealing field goal from nearly the same distance as Shaun Suisham's miss two weeks ago, which allowed the Saints to come back and beat Washington in overtime.

When Folk's kick bounced off the upright, the crowd erupted, sensing the Saints were simply destined not to loose. And it looked that way after Brees converted a frantic fourth down on a pass over the middle to Marques Colston, who made a one-handed catch.

The Saints marched to midfield in the final minute, but the Cowboys held firm. Ware stripped Brees for the second time in the game and lineman Jay Ratliff recovered, silencing the packed Superdome while the Cowboys leapt in the air and embraced one another.

Cowboys end Saints' quest for perfect season

Miles Austin caught seven passes for 139 yards with a touchdown in Saturday's upset of the Saints.

The Saints' injury-ravaged secondary had no answer for Austin all night. He burned rookie Malcolm Jenkins badly on a stop-and-go for his touchdown and then abused Mike McKenzie on a shallow slant on a huge fourth quarter play. Austin now has a touchdown catch in four straight games and is averaging 115 receiving yards during that span. He'll look to stay hot against the Redskins next week. Dec. 20 - 12:04 am et

Can Cowboys spoil Saints perfection?

Source: WFRV-TV Green Bay

Motivation should not be hard to come by at the Louisiana Superdome on Saturday night, when the New Orleans Saints play host to the Dallas Cowboys in a matchup between two of the NFL's most compelling teams in 2009.

The Saints, who have 13 wins for the first time in franchise history and have already sewn up the NFC South title and a first-round bye, can lay claim to homefield advantage throughout the NFC portion of the playoffs with a victory and a Minnesota loss at Carolina on Sunday night.

From a historical perspective, New Orleans can become the first team in NFC history to start 14-0 in a season, a milestone that the Saints - who have loudly declared their intention to finish 16-0 - clearly want to achieve.

New Orleans is in this position thanks in part to its ability to live dangerously and still find a way to win over the past two weeks. In Week 13, the Saints looked to be dead to rights against the Washington Redskins, but a missed chip-shot field goal by the Redskins fueled a comeback that gave the Saints a 33-30 overtime win.

Then, last week, the Saints turned back a rally by the Atlanta Falcons, as Garrett Hartley kicked his second game-winning field goal in as many weeks to give New Orleans a 26-23 victory. The Falcons tied the score at 23-23 after being down by a 23-9 margin in the third quarter, and Atlanta had multiple opportunities to pull ahead following Hartley's 38-yard kick with 4:42 remaining.

But a Saints defense that has been tested in recent weeks turned Atlanta back twice to preserve the home victory.

That type of resolve has not been present in Dallas Cowboys camp of late.

The Cowboys are just 2-3 over their last five games, a stretch that has placed Wade Phillips' former first-place club a game back of the NFC East-leading Philadelphia Eagles as Week 15 begins.

The team's last two losses have been particularly grating, as Dallas has failed to finish the job in defeats against the Giants (31-24) and Chargers (20-17), adding fuel to speculation that Dallas is not mentally tough enough to win games in December.

After dropping their first two outings this month, the Cowboys are now 5-11 in the months of December and January with Tony Romo as their starting quarterback.

Despite the recent struggles, Dallas (8-5) enters Week 15 occupying the second of two wild card spots in the NFC, just ahead of the New York Giants (7-6), Atlanta Falcons (6-7), and San Francisco 49ers (6-7).

SERIES HISTORY

Dallas holds a 14-8 lead in its all-time series with New Orleans, but has dropped five straight games to the Saints since last beating them in 1994. New Orleans was a 42-17 road winner when the teams last met, in 2006, and prevailed by a 13-7 margin when the clubs last met at the Superdome, in 2003. The Cowboys last defeated the Saints in 1994 at the Superdome.

Saints head coach Sean Payton, an assistant under Bill Parcells with Dallas from 2003 to 2005, is 1-0 against his former employer as a head coach. The Cowboys' Phillips, who was an assistant in New Orleans from 1981 to 1985, including a four-game stint as interim head coach in his final year there, is 1-1 against the Saints as a head coach. Phillips' father, Bum Phillips, served as Saints head coach from 1981 to 1985.

WHEN THE COWBOYS HAVE THE BALL

Romo (3574 passing yards, 22 TD, 7 INT) and the Cowboys haven't had trouble generating offense per se during their two-game losing streak, but the attack has had major trouble finishing off drives with points. Never was this affliction more evident than in the second quarter of last week's San Diego loss, when Marion Barber was stone-walled on a 4th-and-goal from the 1-yard line, following which struggling kicker Nick Folk missed a short field goal. Dallas was 1-of-8 on third-down conversions for the day. Establishing the run with Barber (716 rushing yards, 4 TD, 20 receptions) and Felix Jones (478 rushing yards, 2 TD, 11 receptions) will likely be a main directive for a Cowboys team that needs to keep Brees off the field on Saturday. The duo combined for 98 yards on 24 combined carries last week. When Romo throws it, he'll target top wideouts Miles Austin (58 receptions, 10 TD) and Roy Williams (36 receptions, 6 TD), along with tight end Jason Witten (77 receptions, 1 TD). Williams logged a team-high 74 receiving yards against San Diego, while Austin and fellow wideout Patrick Crayton (31 receptions, 4 TD) both scored touchdowns. The Cowboys are third in the league in total offense (391.1 yards per game), but just 13th in scoring offense (22.8 points per game).

A Saints defense that has surrendered 53 points and 847 yards over the past two weeks will try to tighten up the screws a bit against the Cowboys on Saturday. That effort will have to start against the pass, where the team has allowed the likes of Jason Campbell and Chris Redman to throw for 300-plus the last two weeks. Cornerbacks Malcolm Jenkins (38 tackles, 1 INT) and Randall Gay (29 tackles, 1 INT) could have primary responsibility against the Dallas receivers, with safeties Darren Sharper (54 tackles, 8 INT) and Roman Harper (87 tackles, 1.5 sacks) lending support over the top. Sharper continues to lead the league in interception return yards (355) and interception returns for touchdowns (3), but has just one pick over his past five games. The pass rush has been led throughout the year by end Will Smith (37 tackles, 10 sacks, 1 INT), who ranks among NFL sack leaders but has been shut out of that category over his past two games. New Orleans is a middle-of-the-pack 19th in NFL run defense (112 yards per game) and should be challenged in that regard by the Cowboys backs. Tackle Sedrick Ellis (28 tackles, 2 sacks), who had three tackles and a sack against the Falcons, will lead the run-stopping effort at the point of attack. Linebackers Jonathan Vilma (89 tackles, 3 INT, 1 sack) and ex-Cowboy Scott Shanle (63 tackles, 2 INT) have been the club's best run-stuffers in the next line of defense. Gregg Williams' defense leads the NFL in takeaways (37), and forced fumbles lost (13) as Week 15 begins.

WHEN THE SAINTS HAVE THE BALL

Saints quarterback Drew Brees (3832 passing yards, 10 INT) continued to state his MVP case last week, completing a clinically-accurate 31-of-40 passes for 296 yards with three touchdowns and no turnovers or sacks absorbed. Brees leads the NFL in touchdown passes (32) and passer rating (112.3), and New Orleans is No. 1 in total offense (4261 yards per game), scoring offense (35.8 points per game), touchdowns (59), and completion percentage (69.7). True to form, five different players caught four passes or more in the win, including six each for No. 1 wideout Marques Colston (56 receptions, 9 TD) and running backs Reggie Bush (310 rushing yards, 39 receptions, 8 TD) and Pierre Thomas (713 rushing yards, 34 receptions, 7 TD). The hot-and-cold Bush had two touchdown receptions in the victory. Robert Meachem (33 receptions, 8 TD) had a team-high 57 receiving yards in the win but did not have a touchdown for the first time in six weeks, and tight end Jeremy Shockey (48 receptions, 3 TD) chipped in with four grabs for 46 yards. As much as New Orleans has been pegged a pass-happy team, the Saints have also displayed an ability to run the football, ranking fifth in NFL rushing offense (138.9 yards per game) while using three different backs. Thomas was high-man last Sunday, rushing 13 times for 47 yards in the win over the Falcons. The New Orleans offensive line has done a terrific job of protecting Brees all year, surrendering just 15 sacks on the year.

Clearly, the Cowboys' ability to pull the upset in New Orleans will be predicated on their ability to handle Brees and the Saints passing attack. Cornerbacks Terence Newman (52 tackles, 2 INT), Mike Jenkins (40 tackles, 4 INT), and Orlando Scandrick (34 tackles, 1 INT) figure to be particularly busy, with safeties Gerald Sensabaugh (58 tackles, 1 INT) and Alan Ball (26 tackles) needing to be on their game as well. Newman had the team's only interception of Philip Rivers last Sunday. The secondary's job will be made easier if top pass rusher DeMarcus Ware (51 tackles, 9 sacks), who was carted off the field after suffering a scary neck injury against the Chargers, is able to play and get some pressure on Brees. Ware is regarded as questionable for Saturday night, and his lack of availability would put extra pressure on Victor Butler (16 tackles, 3 sacks) and Anthony Spencer (51 tackles, 2 sacks, 1 INT), among others, to provide some heat off the edge. Dallas is a solid eighth in the league against the run (100.2 yards per game), and comes off a week in which the team held LaDainian Tomlinson to just 50 yards on 21 carries. Ends Marcus Spears (20 tackles, 2 sacks) and Igor Olshansky (35 tackles, 1 sack) have been active at the point of attack this season, and inside linebackers Keith Brooking (92 tackles, 3 sacks) and Bradie James (90 tackles, 1 sack) have done much of the clean-up behind them.

FANTASY FOCUS

The Cowboys have not been a very consistent team from a fantasy standpoint, but against a Saints defense that has given up its share of yards and points of late, you should feel comfortable in rolling with the likes of Romo, Witten, and Austin for your playoff games. Barber, who has gone six straight games without a touchdown, has had a disappointing year and is a risky play, as is Jones. Roy Williams has four touchdowns in his past four games and is a credible choice, but the Cowboys defense and kickers most certainly are not.

For a team with as prolific an offense as the Saints, there curiously aren't a lot of lead-pipe-cinch fantasy options apart from Brees. The "problem" is the team's depth at running back, wide receiver, and tight end. Of the backs, Bush is probably the most preferable because he's scored in five of his last seven appearances. Of the receivers, Meachem has seven touchdowns in his past six games, but has had more than five grabs just once all year. Colston has scored in his last three outings and might be a better option. The Saints defense has been an OK start because of its playmaking ability, but has allowed seven of its last nine opponents to score 20 or more points.

OVERALL ANALYSIS

The Saints shouldn't have much trouble rousing themselves for a primetime home game against the storied Cowboys, and it is worth noting that New Orleans has played some of its best football, during this magical season, in games in which the whole world is watching. Dallas, meanwhile, has more often than not wilted in the spotlight this season, and that's not a good sign for a team that has both a talent and coaching disadvantage in this one. Look for the Cowboys to have trouble getting the Saints off the field, and to struggle to finish off drives. In other words, expect the Cowboys to play like the Cowboys and lose another December football game.

Sports Network Predicted Outcome: Saints 35, Cowboys 23

ESPN Analyst Says Cowboys Owner Could Call Stoops

Sourec: http://www.ktul.com/news/stories/1209/689028.html

Tulsa - Here we go again.

ESPN NFL analyst Chris Mortensen says Oklahoma head coach Bob Stoops could receive a phone call from Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones if the Cowboys part ways with current head coach Wade Phillips.

On ESPN Radio, Mortensen said Jones would have Stoops in mind if he decides to fire Phillips, who is under fire despite coaching the Cowboys to a 30-13 record over the past three seasons.

Mortensen is not saying Stoops would go if called. He says the interest would purely be on Jones' side at this point.

Stoops has already previously been sought by pro teams. In 2001, Stoops was mentioned for the Cleveland Browns gig just weeks after leading the Sooners to the NCAA championship. Last year, it was the Denver Broncos and the Kansas City Chiefs.

He recently had to dispel rumors that had him going to Notre Dame.

It wouldn't be the first time Jones has come calling on Norman. Former Oklahoma head coach Barry Switzer coached the Cowboys for four seasons, including a Super Bowl victory in 1996.

Cowboys nuggets from New Orleans

by Arnold Payne / WFAA Sports

Posted on December 19, 2009 at 1:55 PM

Updated today at 2:25 PM

1.) DeMarcus Ware remains questionable for todays game against the New Orleans Saints. It very well may be a game time decision.

2.) However, despite their recent play the Dallas Cowboys are apparently still in demand. Tickets for the game are reportedly selling at Playoff'/Super Bowl prices...Upper level seats reportedly selling for $400.00; lower $700-$800.00....

Unbeaten Saints Brace For Desperate Cowboys

NEW ORLEANS (AP) ― As far as Drew Brees can tell, the season of giving in New Orleans started about 14 weeks ago. Brees and the Saints have given this football-mad city more tastes of victory than it has ever known in a single season. The fans have responded in their own way when the players drive home from games, windows down, to share in the excitement.

"I got some pralines thrown in (the car) the other day, T shirts, CDs," Brees began. "It's like Christmas. It is Christmas. ... I think it's great how excited people are. Everybody wants to be a part of this and everybody deserves to be a part of this, because so many fans have been waiting for this for a long time."

New Orleans has long been associated with Super Bowls, but not the Saints, who are one of five teams never to appear in the NFL's marquee game.

The Dallas Cowboys, on the other hand, solidified their reputation as America's Team by winning two Super Bowls in New Orleans, the second of those in the Louisiana Superdome, where they'll meet the 13-0 Saints on Saturday night in a game carrying postseason implications for both teams.

The urgency is greater for the Cowboys (8-5), who trail Philadelphia in the NFC East and could miss the playoffs if they don't finish strong.

"We need this game," Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo said. "This is an important game for us and our season, where we are in the standings, so we're going to come out and hopefully play our best football game of the year.

"I know that guys are working their butt off and putting in the time," Romo said. "The preparation is there. We'll see what kind of team we've got."

New Orleans has clinched a first-round playoff bye, but has yet to wrap up what could be the franchise's first No. 1 overall seed in the NFC.

Then there's the matter of finishing the regular season undefeated, which may not count for much toward the ultimate goal of a championship (as the New England Patriots found out two seasons ago), but still seems important to the Saints.

"You don't have many opportunities like this, do you?" Brees said. "It's something to consider."

The Saints seemed all but invincible when they demolished New England on Monday Night Football 38-17 a few weeks ago. Lately, however, they've looked more vulnerable, nearly losing the chance to be the first NFC team to go 16-0 two weeks ago when they trailed late at Washington. New Orleans stormed back to win in overtime after the Redskins missed a field goal that could have iced the game.

Last weekend, the Saints held off the struggling Atlanta Falcons 26-23. Again, the result begged the question of whether New Orleans, which won nine of its first 11 games by double digits, is wearing down.

Injuries have hurt the defense, which has dropped to 21st in the NFL in yards allowed per game (347.6). Starting cornerbacks Jabari Greer (sports hernia) and Tracy Porter (right knee sprain) both have been out for about a month. Starting linebacker Scott Fujita also has missed the past two games with an infection in his knee.

If defensive coordinator Gregg Williams is worried, he's not showing it.

"We've played well enough to win and the big thing is that we still do a good job of attacking the ball," Williams said. "You can measure a lot of things, but you can't really measure a person's will. Our guys' strength and resolve at the end of ball games have been really good. We've let a couple of big plays hit us here the last couple weeks. ... We have to minimize those shots down the field."

Dallas has to figure out how to play better in December. With their two-game losing streak, the Cowboys have fallen to 3-8 in December games in three seasons under coach Wade Phillips.

"We're in playoff contention right now. That's the most important thing," Phillips said. "It's not about me. It's about this football team. We've won a lot of games here already. We hope to win some more. We have 30 wins already in three years and we'd like to win some more and get in the playoffs. That's our goal."

They can take a confidence-building step by winning against the Saints in a game that carries a number of subplots. Romo and Saints coach Sean Payton are friends who both played quarterback at Eastern Illinois. While Payton was an assistant coach at Dallas, he was influential in Romo's early development as a pro.

Since Payton came to New Orleans, their teams have faced each other once, in 2006, and the Saints won 42-17.

It was a nationally televised night game, much like this matchup, and it was one of Reggie Bush's best games as a pro. Bush turned a screen pass into a spectacular, weaving, 61-yard touchdown that night. He remembers the game well and figures a number of Cowboys players do as well.

"We're expecting them to give it everything they've got," said Bush, who scored a pair of touchdowns on short passes in Atlanta last Sunday. "They're trying to get to the playoffs and we know this game is really important to them and it's really important to us. ... It's a national stage. It's already hyped up. I'm sure they remember us playing them a few years ago and they would like to get a little revenge."

Five Questions: Cowboys vs. Saints

By Drew Magary

Every Friday, we’ll tackle five big questions for the Cowboys going into the weekend’s game.

1. What day is this game on? Saturday. That’s tomorrow. DON’T FORGET! If you forget, you’ll wake up Sunday, and you’ll be all jazzed to watch the Cowboys play, and then you’ll turn on the TV only to realize you missed the entire thing. That would be horrible. Unless the Cowboys lose by 30, in which case you may have done yourself a favor. The game will be on NFL Network, and broadcast locally in the Dallas area on CBS. I’m sure Troy Aikman will find his way into the broadcast somehow.

2. We all know what happens if the Cowboys lose this game. But what if the improbable happens and they WIN? I know! That would be so weird! You wouldn’t even know what to think then, would you? If the Cowboys beat the Saints, the matter-of-fact fallout is that they will retain at least a one game lead for the NFC’s final Wild Card spot. And should the Eagles lose to San Fran (which they certainly can do), the Cowboys would be back on top in the East. They’ll have also beaten a 13-0 team at home. Now, do you take a win like that and convince yourself that this Dallas team has what it takes to follow in the footsteps of the ’07 Giants and ’08 Cardinals and go on a late season sweep through the conference to the Super Bowl? Hey, you may as well. GO NUTS. GET DRUNK. STEAL BEADS FROM A SAINTS FAN AND SPIT IN HIS EYE. It would be a good win like that.

3. Will DeMarcus Ware play in this game? He’s a game-time decision. My hunch is that he plays, and that you will say a rosary every time he breaks down to tackle someone.

4. I really want the Cowboys to win, but Drew Brees has carried my fantasy team all year long, and this week is our title game. I’m conflicted. What do I do? See, that’s the beauty of being terrible at fantasy football. I never have these worries come fantasy playoff time. Because I’m never in it.

5. Is it true the Saints do not bleed? Not true. They are human. They can be beat. They bleed. And as any fan of Predator knows, if it bleeds, we can kill it.

Cowboys Gear Up For Super-Hostile Superdome

By Scott Crisp

Rowdy, deafening, and in all likelihood sauced beyond coherence, the crowd at the Superdome will present an obstacle in itself for the Dallas Cowboys on Saturday night.

In anticipation of this, the team has practiced this week to a blaring soundtrack of simulated crowd noise. Whether or not this will help is debatable. New England came in prepared. So did those New York Giants. Then they were slapped around, each losing by 21.

New Orleans, 6-0 in the friendly confines, currently has an average margin of victory of 15.3 when playing in front of the home crowd. (Thanks to Todd Archer at the DMN for the stat)

Dallas is 2-5 at the venue in their history.

But linebacker Keith Brooking, who played in the Superdome more than a few times as a member of the Atlanta Falcons, relishes the opportunity. Beyond that, he has a message for the Who Dat Nation: “Bring it on.”

“I’m very familiar with the Superdome, I’ve played quite a few games there, and you have to go for their heart,” Brooking said. “You have to take the life out of them very early and that’s going to be key for us defensively. I think that falls on our shoulders.

“If we can set the tone defensively, take the life out of them, go for their heart, that’s going to go a long way and let them know that we’re going to be there all day long.”

NFL playoffs: Who's in, who's close and who's hopeful

by Bob McManaman
Dec. 18, 2009 02:55 PM
The Arizona Republic

A year highlighted by a pursuit of perfection, surprising success stories and setbacks, and some really bad football, too, is winding to an end.

With three weeks to go in the 2009 NFL season, several teams are already looking ahead to next year's draft, but many more have meaningful games left to play.

With their victory Thursday night over Jacksonville, the Indianapolis Colts joined the 1972 Dolphins (14-0) and 2007 Patriots (16-0) as the only teams in history to start a season 14-0. On Saturday, New Orleans (13-0) will try to become the fourth team to accomplish that when the Saints host the Dallas Cowboys (8-5).
Dallas has lost two consecutive games but holds one of the two NFC wild-card spots.

"I think we can and I think we will," Cowboys coach Wade Phillips told reporters when asked about his team's postseason chances. "I have a lot of confidence in these guys. This is part of a long season and coming down the stretch, we need to finish."

Here is a look at the sure bets, the teams with the inside track on a wild card spot, and those teetering on the brink:


The sure bets

The Colts have clinched the AFC South, a first-round bye and home-field advantage and now, must decide whether to rest some of their starters.

New Orleans has locked up the NFC South and a first-round bye and can clinch home-field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs with a win over Dallas and a loss by Minnesota to Carolina.

The Vikings (11-2) will win the NFC North with a win over Carolina or a tie, plus a Green Bay loss or tie against Pittsburgh. They're also in line for a first-round bye and once they get it, it wouldn't be a surprise to see them rest Brett Favre and Adrian Peterson, in addition to some starters nursing injuries such as cornerback Antoine Winfield and receiver Percy Harvin.

If not for those seven turnovers in San Francisco on Monday night, the Cardinals (8-5) could have won the NFC West. Now, they must beat the Lions in Detroit and hope the Eagles beat the visiting 49ers to clinch on Sunday.

Winners of eight in a row, the Chargers (10-3) have the inside track on the No. 2 seed in the AFC although they figure to be challenged by their final three opponents: the Bengals, Titans and Redskins.

Cincinnati (9-4) can cap its turnaround season and win the AFC North with a win over San Diego. If they don't get it done this week, they likely will when they close out against the Chiefs and Jets.


The wild cards

Given that the six aforementioned teams have clinched, or are about to clinch, their respective divisions, there are two division titles left up for grabs.

The Eagles (9-4) have the inside track on the NFC East and the Patriots (8-5) are holding off the Dolphins and Jets (both 7-6) in the AFC East.

New England's chances look good based on its remaining schedule: at Buffalo, home against Jacksonville, at Houston. Philadelphia's closing stretch is a bit tougher: home against San Francisco and Denver, and then at Dallas.

But both teams likely will get in.

The Packers (9-4) aren't likely to catch the Vikings in the NFC North, but they remain a solid wild-card team. They can make it official this weekend with a win over the Steelers plus a loss by the Cowboys or a loss or tie by the Giants.

Dallas is a game behind the Eagles and is battling its annual December fade. A closing stretch that includes the Saints, Redskins and Eagles could cause the Cowboys to lose their grip on a wild-card spot.

That could open the door for the equally up-and-down Giants (7-6), but New York would likely have to win out.

Denver (8-5) is holding firm to one of the two AFC wild-card spots and should seal it given that two of their final three games are at home against Oakland and Kansas City.


The hopefuls

With the Packers likely nailing down one of the NFC wild-card spots and the other almost certainly going to the NFC East runner-up, the real dogfight is in the AFC.

Besides the four division leaders, there are eight teams still in the hunt. But with the Broncos seemingly in control of the No. 5 seed, seven teams battle for the final playoff spot.

Jacksonville's loss to the Colts has temporarily given the inside track to the Ravens (7-6), but this could come down to a series of exhausting tiebreakers.

Baltimore holds a slight edge there over the Dolphins (7-6) and also has the more favorable schedule. The Jaguars' (7-7) chances are now slim.

The Jets (7-6) look like pretenders, too, having already been swept by the Dolphins with games looming against the Colts and Bengals.

Pittsburgh (6-7) remains alive, but just barely, and would have to beat the Packers, Ravens and Dolphins just to have a sniff.

Houston (6-7) has a better closing stretch and could make things interesting, but not as much as Tennessee can if the Titans (6-7) were to win out against the Rams, Dolphins and Patriots.

The Titans went 0-6 to start the season and if they get some help, could complete one of the more stunning in-season recoveries in NFL history.

Video: Romo gets ready for the Saints

WFAA-TV Dallas

LINK: http://www.wfaa.com/sports/Video--79568592.html

The Cowboys beat Indianapolis a few years ago when the Colts were undefeated, can Dallas beat another unbeaten team on Saturday? Quarterback Tony Romo talks about the challenge. Next article Ware returns to the Cowboys practice field

Phillips: Cowboys won't 'cow down' to Saints

Calvin Watkins covers the Cowboys for ESPN Dallas.

Dallas coach Wade Phillips says the Cowboys will not 'cow down' to undefeated Saints.

IRVING, Texas -- Dallas Cowboys coach Wade Phillips said his team isn't scared of its upcoming game against the undefeated New Orleans Saints on Saturday night.
The Saints lead the NFL in scoring at 35.8 points per game and have averaged 426.1 yards per game.

"Usually when people say you can't do something, people bow up and have a lot of pride," Phillips said before Thursday's practice. "I think it helps. I don't think our confidence is we can't do it and we got to do something else to be able to do it."

Phillips said the team doesn't feel a sense of desperation going into this game.

"We have confidence in our football team. We're not going to cow down to these guys. We think we can win. Every game we've been in so far, we thought we could win. I believe we feel the same way going into this one."

For New Orleans Saints, Dallas Cowboys, there's a lot at stake

By Mike Triplett
The Times-Picayune
December 17, 2009, 8:00AM

They haven't consistently performed like "America's Team" for the past decade, but it's still a big deal when the Dallas Cowboys come to town.

Outside of the New Orleans Saints, the Cowboys might have more fans throughout Louisiana than any other NFL team. They might also have more haters than any other NFL team.

And all of them should be plenty vocal Saturday night in the Superdome with a national television audience watching on the NFL Network.

Throw in the fact that the Saints are trying to protect a 13-0 record, and the 8-5 Cowboys are desperately clinging to their playoff hopes after two consecutive losses, and you have all the makings of a must-see event.

"We have a lot to play for, and they have a lot to play for, " Saints quarterback Drew Brees said. "And you wouldn't want it any other way. We're going to get their best game, they're going to get our best game. That's great for us, great for them and great for all those watching."

The last time the Saints played the Cowboys, in December 2006, it was a defining moment for the franchise. The rebuilt New Orleans roster, under first-year coach Sean Payton, shocked the Cowboys with a 42-17 victory in Texas Stadium.

This time around, the tables have turned -- but only slightly, Saints offensive tackle Jon Stinchcomb said.

"Do I see anything (similar)? Like Dallas wants to come in here and knock us off our block?" Stinchcomb said. "Yeah, that's any team these days."

But, he added, "There's still a lot of proving for this team to do. I feel like we still have a little bit of chip on our shoulder and we're fighting for respect.

"There's no doubt in my mind that they're going to come in here and put their best foot forward and try to whip us, just like any other team. And that's what we want to see. We want to see their best, and we want to be able to answer the bell."

The Saints have been getting used to that kind of treatment as this historic season has carried on. They barley overcame their past two road trips to Washington and Atlanta, fending off inspired performances by both struggling teams.

Brees said he knows the way those teams feel from firsthand experience. When he was with the San Diego Chargers in 2005, they handed the Indianapolis Colts their first loss of the season in Week 15.

"Now there's not many things I remember (fondly) about that season because we did not make the playoffs, " Brees said. "But you remember that one."

Now come the Cowboys, who are in desperate need of a momentum boost after coughing up the NFC East lead to Philadelphia in the past two weeks.

"We need this game, " Dallas quarterback Tony Romo said bluntly. "It's an important game for us and our season, where we are in the standings. So we're going to come out and hopefully play our best football game of the year.

"We'll see what kind of team we've got."

The Cowboys' mettle has been doubted in recent years because of an ugly trend of late-season collapses.

They haven't won a playoff game since 1996. They're 18-37 after Dec. 1 during that span, including the playoffs. And they're 3-7 after Dec. 1 under Coach Wade Phillips in the past three seasons -- including a 20-17 loss at home to San Diego last week and a 31-24 loss to the Giants in New York two weeks ago.

And now it looks like they may have to go into battle without their best defensive player, linebacker DeMarcus Ware, who left Sunday's game with a neck injury. Ware did not practice Wednesday and appears doubtful for Saturday's game, but he has not been ruled out.

Phillips, who has caught the most heat from the local and national media, said the past has no bearing on the present, and pointed out the Cowboys were resting their starters for one of those losses two years ago when they finished 13-3.

"We don't worry about that. We worry about this ballgame. That's the only one we can do anything about, " Phillips said. "We're in position to make a playoff run and that's what we're trying to do."

Romo, who hasn't escaped the heat, said a win Saturday would help quiet those critics . . . sort of.

"For one week it would, " Romo said. "But I think it's just part of trying to reach your goals. You have to go through all this stuff, ups and downs during the regular season.

"I think even from the perspective of the Saints, they're undefeated, but I'm sure there are plenty of weeks that they still have gotten things locally about what they're not doing right or something they're not doing that could haunt them or something like that. That's part of playing the game, and having to deal with all that stuff is part of the internal stuff you have to get over week to week."

Indeed, the Saints have been facing many more questions recently about their struggles on defense, particularly against the pass.

And now here come the Cowboys, with a balanced and explosive offense that ranks third in the NFL in yards per game (391.1).

So both teams are facing a stiff challenge, both teams have something to prove and both have a lot on the line.

Like Brees said, that's an enticing mix for the teams themselves and the fans who'll be filling the Dome.

"I just know our fans are going to tear that stadium down with their excitement, " said Saints tailback Pierre Thomas, who said the fans already were working themselves into a frenzy while he was at an autograph signing Tuesday night.

"The neat thing about sports, the exciting thing, is that you get an opportunity once in a while to be part of a great challenge, " Romo said. "And I think that it's going to be very enjoyable to take part in this football game."

"We Need This Game," Says Austin

By Scott Crisp

Entering Saturday night's match-up between the Cowboys and the Saints in New Orleans, the accompanying storylines vary greatly between the two cities.

Dallas wonders aloud whether or not the season is falling apart, whether or not this edition can pull it together enough in the month of December to get into the playoffs and maybe (maybe) win a game. In New Orleans, the talk centers around perfection, and with good reason.

At 13-0, New Orleans will face Dallas on Saturday night at the Superdome with the division locked up. At 8-5, the Cowboys will be, barring the unforeseeable, the last real test of the season for the Saints. After this game, Sean Payton's boys will have only the Carolina Panthers and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers--a combined record of 6-20--standing between them, and a perfect regular season.

Some have wondered openly whether the Cowboys will present a test at all for the Saints, which says as much about the impressiveness of New Orleans as it does about the struggles of Dallas. New Orleans has been nothing less than generally dominant this season on all sides of the ball. The Cowboys, well, they're looking to get back on the right track, quite a challenge at this point considering the competition and the locale awaiting them on Saturday.

The Cowboys are up against it--'it' meaning any number of things, not the least of which are 'December' and 'the New Orleans Saints'--and everyone knows it, including the Cowboys themselves.

"It's a huge challenge," said receiver Miles Austin. "We need this game and I think there is a sense of urgency when it comes to this game so we'll see what happens."

While Austin and the Cowboys have any number of reasons to 'get up' (as they say) for Saturday night, the perfect season, Austin said on Wednesday, isn't one of them.

"We're not really focused on that," Austin said. "We've just got to go in and play the best ball we've played and finish the season strong. That's all we can do."

NFL Preview - Dallas (8-5) at New Orleans (13-0)

The Sports Network

Motivation should not be hard to come by at the Louisiana Superdome on Saturday night, when the New Orleans Saints play host to the Dallas Cowboys in a matchup between two of the NFL's most compelling teams in 2009.

The Saints, who have 13 wins for the first time in franchise history and have already sewn up the NFC South title and a first-round bye, can lay claim to homefield advantage throughout the NFC portion of the playoffs with a victory and a Minnesota loss at Carolina on Sunday night.

From a historical perspective, New Orleans can become the first team in NFC history to start 14-0 in a season, a milestone that the Saints - who have loudly declared their intention to finish 16-0 - clearly want to achieve.

New Orleans is in this position thanks in part to its ability to live dangerously and still find a way to win over the past two weeks. In Week 13, the Saints looked to be dead to rights against the Washington Redskins, but a missed chip-shot field goal by the Redskins fueled a comeback that gave the Saints a 33-30 overtime win.

Then, last week, the Saints turned back a rally by the Atlanta Falcons, as Garrett Hartley kicked his second game-winning field goal in as many weeks to give New Orleans a 26-23 victory. The Falcons tied the score at 23-23 after being down by a 23-9 margin in the third quarter, and Atlanta had multiple opportunities to pull ahead following Hartley's 38-yard kick with 4:42 remaining.

But a Saints defense that has been tested in recent weeks turned Atlanta back twice to preserve the home victory.

That type of resolve has not been present in Dallas Cowboys camp of late.

The Cowboys are just 2-3 over their last five games, a stretch that has placed Wade Phillips' former first-place club a game back of the NFC East-leading Philadelphia Eagles as Week 15 begins.

The team's last two losses have been particularly grating, as Dallas has failed to finish the job in defeats against the Giants (31-24) and Chargers (20-17), adding fuel to speculation that Dallas is not mentally tough enough to win games in December.

After dropping their first two outings this month, the Cowboys are now 5-11 in the months of December and January with Tony Romo as their starting quarterback.

Despite the recent struggles, Dallas (8-5) enters Week 15 occupying the second of two wild card spots in the NFC, just ahead of the New York Giants (7-6), Atlanta Falcons (6-7), and San Francisco 49ers (6-7).

SERIES HISTORY

Dallas holds a 14-8 lead in its all-time series with New Orleans, but has dropped five straight games to the Saints since last beating them in 1994. New Orleans was a 42-17 road winner when the teams last met, in 2006, and prevailed by a 13-7 margin when the clubs last met at the Superdome, in 2003. The Cowboys last defeated the Saints in 1994 at the Superdome.

Saints head coach Sean Payton, an assistant under Bill Parcells with Dallas from 2003 to 2005, is 1-0 against his former employer as a head coach. The Cowboys' Phillips, who was an assistant in New Orleans from 1981 to 1985, including a four-game stint as interim head coach in his final year there, is 1-1 against the Saints as a head coach. Phillips' father, Bum Phillips, served as Saints head coach from 1981 to 1985.

WHEN THE COWBOYS HAVE THE BALL

Romo (3574 passing yards, 22 TD, 7 INT) and the Cowboys haven't had trouble generating offense per se during their two-game losing streak, but the attack has had major trouble finishing off drives with points. Never was this affliction more evident than in the second quarter of last week's San Diego loss, when Marion Barber was stone-walled on a 4th-and-goal from the 1-yard line, following which struggling kicker Nick Folk missed a short field goal. Dallas was 1-of-8 on third-down conversions for the day. Establishing the run with Barber (716 rushing yards, 4 TD, 20 receptions) and Felix Jones (478 rushing yards, 2 TD, 11 receptions) will likely be a main directive for a Cowboys team that needs to keep Brees off the field on Saturday. The duo combined for 98 yards on 24 combined carries last week. When Romo throws it, he'll target top wideouts Miles Austin (58 receptions, 10 TD) and Roy Williams (36 receptions, 6 TD), along with tight end Jason Witten (77 receptions, 1 TD). Williams logged a team-high 74 receiving yards against San Diego, while Austin and fellow wideout Patrick Crayton (31 receptions, 4 TD) both scored touchdowns. The Cowboys are third in the league in total offense (391.1 yards per game), but just 13th in scoring offense (22.8 points per game).

Romo protecting the ball better in '09

by TED MADDEN / WFAA-TV
Posted on December 14, 2009 at 7:30 PM
Updated yesterday at 12:42 AM

I've addressed this topic twice before in this forum, and I think it's important to revisit again. Tony Romo is doing a much better job of protecting the football this year than he did last year. He made a point to work on it during the off-season, and his work is paying off.

2008: 21 turnovers in 13 games (14 interceptions, 7 fumbles)

2009: 11 turnovers in 13 games (7 interceptions, 4 fumbles)

More importantly, Romo had his third straight turnover-free game in the loss to San Diego, and he's had six such games in '09. Last year, he played in only one game in which he didn't turn the ball over.

I've used this Romo quotation a couple times this season, because it's very telling. He said it after the Cowboys beat Carolina, in which Romo threw for 255 yards and 0 interceptions. At that point, Romo had started six games in 2009 - three pre-season games and three regular season games. Here's what he said after the game:

"You know if you think about it, i feel pretty strongly -- in 6 games, that's four no-turnover games, and I think that's hard to do at this position, but that's something that excites me when I think about. It's there, and it's very possible to do it, you just have to always have that thought process in your brain, the ball is important. It really matters a lot. And that's part of the thing and as you grow and get older you gain an understanding. Sometimes you have to go through the growing pains to get there. There are plenty of quarterbacks I've talked to have told me the same thing. But you have to work at it - you really do, and I think that's been our goal and it's exciting to see improvement as a player."

The Dallas Cowboys are not without problems, but their quarterback isn't one of them.

All I want for Christmas is a win in December

By Danny Udero Sun-News Sports Editor

SILVER CITY — Like a script out of the Christmas Carol, the ghost of Decembers past came back to haunt the Dallas Cowboys during this past Sunday's football game against San Diego. Dallas lost its fifth of six December games, dating back to 2008, and it doesn't look like it may get any better this month, with the Cowboys still having to travel to face the undefeated Saints next week and then Washington and Philadelphia.

Dallas must win at least one of these three games to keep its playoff hopes alive, and I'm asking all America's Team fanatics to ask Santa Claus for a Tony Romo win in December. Romo is 5-9 in the month of December, and let's all face it ... He's the leader of our offense, and he has to get the team motivated enough to score points.

We can ask ourselves a bunch of questions as to why our beloved Cowboys are failing in December, and there are a lot of reasons that have surfaced.

First of all, if you look at stats, Romo isn't doing too bad. He had 249 yards passing and two touchdowns in this past Sunday's loss. The previous week against the Giants, he set a completion record in passing. So why are we faltering all of a sudden?

If you looked at Sunday's game, we need to ask the question, why didn't offensive coordinator Jason Garrett run the football from the get go. It took him until the third series to figure it out, and we were too busy trying to play catch-up after that.

We get down to the goal line running the ball, and then he calls the exact play over and over again to Marion Barber. My seven-year old son even knew Barber was going to get the ball again, and he was stuffed at the goal line after four tries. Miles Austin is having a great year, and I still don't see him added into the offensive mix more and more. He should be electric, and he probably should be returning punts. A playmaker like Austin could add some spark and energy to the special teams.

On defense, you have cornerbacks playing 10 to 12 yards off the ball on a third and short situation. This has happened over and over again. I know you don't want to get beat on the long ball, but giving up the short yardage isn't what you want to do either.

I think Garrett's play calling has become as stagnant as malaria in Vietnam. By now, everyone knows what he is going to do and where he is going to go. You see the receivers running routes for seven yards when we need 10. You see conservative play calling a lot more as the season goes on. With three running backs in the mix, there shouldn't be no reason why we couldn't have punched the ball in from the goal line this past weekend. Even if everyone knew there was going to be a running play.

Nick Folk continues to miss field goals. This turns around the game in a huge way with momentum. Gets the crowds quiet at home and then gets them riled up when you are on the road.

Starting the game in shot gun mode this past week, was like watching the Christmas Story. Everyone should have been telling Wade Phillips, "Romo will shoot his eye out." Our running game is what sets the tone, and only then will our passing game open up. I think a lot of arm chair quarterbacks know this, but how do we get Phillips, Jerry Jones and Garrett to figure it out.

I still believe Dallas has the potential of winning a Super Bowl this season. But, a lot has to change before that is going to happen, including a win in December. If I could get a visit from the ghost of Christmas future, he might predict a win and a playoff appearance. Let's start by getting a win in New Orleans, and let's not let the Saints go marching in.

Knocking off New Orleans from its pedestal is what the Cowboys need to do to kick-start them into a playoff run and maybe a deeper appearance in post season football. And, well if we can't beat the Saints, lets focus on Washington and Philadelphia. But, these games will be rivalry contests with the Eagles banking on a playoff appearance as well, so I am asking Kris Kringle for a win in December and against the Saints. Forget health care and budget problems. I want a victory in December. I'll take this one for the Boys in New Orleans.

NFL: Wade thinks Cowboys still in it

By The Associated Press
Posted: December 15, 2009 - 2:00 AM
IRVING, Texas — The Dallas Cowboys have gone from the NFC East lead to chasing Philadelphia.

Their kicker has misses in five consecutive games, Pro Bowl linebacker DeMarcus Ware is recovering from a strained neck sustained in a scary headfirst collision, and a trip to undefeated New Orleans comes next.

Yet despite consecutive losses to start December that have knocked the Cowboys (8-5) out of first place and intensified concerns about another late-season slump, coach Wade Phillips insists he is still confident his team will do what it needs to do to make the playoffs.

"I think we can, I think we will. I don't wonder about that," Phillips said Monday. "I have a lot of confidence in these guys. This is part of a long season. Coming down the stretch, we need to finish."

The Cowboys are a game behind Philadelphia (9-4), which beat the Giants (7-6) on Sunday night to prevent a three-way tie for the division lead. The Cowboys have a one-game lead over New York for the final NFC wild-card spot.

Romo: The Talk "Doesn't Matter"

By Scott Crisp

That Tony Romo had a career day in many respects on Sunday was lost as soon as Sam Hurd touched the ball on a desperation onside kick with less than a minute left, giving the ball to the Giants, and another December loss to the Dallas Cowboys. Romo hit on 41 of 55 passing for 392 yards, all career highs, and two touchdowns.

Unfortunately for him, the most visible stat after this one was "5-9"--Romo's career record in December.

But in his third full year as a starter, Romo might be the most scrutinized figure in the NFL.This makes the December talk, the record wielding doubters and so forth a mere side-note on the job description. The Cowboys, he said recently, aren't much worried about discussing and/or deconstructing their past failures, but interested in bouncing back and looking ahead to what will be another tough game, when San Diego comes to town next Sunday.

This is probably a smart move both with respect to the well-being of the team, and Romo's own sanity. Because the talk, as it always is around this time of year, is ubiquitous in the arena of national sports coverage, and downright suffocating around these parts.

The remedy for this--easy in theory and difficult in practice, particularly with the schedule ahead of Dallas--is winning.

"It just doesn't matter," Romo said in a recent Sporting News interview. "I've built up a turtle shell for positive and negative. You're never as great as they think you are when you play great. You're never as bad as they say you are when you play poor. And I think that goes with the team as well, and this team just puts the blinders on and keeps trying to get better."

Until the team does win in December though, the talk will remain; Romo has reconciled with this fact.

"We don't care about December talk," Romo said. "The season will be written when it's over with, no matter what happens in December. I know that's part of it until we win in December, but I just think this team needs to win."