All smiles from Tony Romo and no December struggles here as the Cowboys defense dominated all game long in their first shutout of the season. (AP Photo/Rob Carr)Somehow you knew they were going to blow it. Dallas always seems to break exactly when they need victory the most. One game for the playoffs, NFC East foe, easily winnable game - all these things could have led to a major letdown and late-season disaster for the Cowboys.
Not this time.
The Dallas Cowboys (10-5) harassed the Washington Redskins (4-11) offense all game long. Not only did they record their first shutout of the season, they allowed the fewest yards (218) in a game this season. Jason Campbell scrambled for his life all game long as Jay Ratliff and the Cowboys relentlessly attacked the Redskins quarterback. Ratliff accounted for two sacks and the Dallas D had three total sacks and eight QB pressures. Terence Newman came up with his third interception of the season on Washington's first possession which led to Dallas' first touchdown of the game.
The offense wasn't too shabby either as Tony Romo picked apart the Redskins defense for 285 yards on 66 percent passing (25-38). Jason Witten had six receptions for 117 yards including the longest reception of his career (69 yards). Witten and Miles Austin combined for 209 of Romo's 285 total yards. On the ground, Marion Barber and Felix Jones combined for 121 yards on 27 carries and Barber recorded his seventh rushing touchdown of the season.
Overall the Cowboys took care of business against a team that should have beat in an all-around solid game.
"I think we showed the December jinx is not here," said Roy Williams who caught a touchdown pass for the Cowboys' first points of the game. "Last year, we were in the same situation and didn't get it done. 2009's a different year."
Romo Interception-less Streak Over
After four games and 168 pass attempts, the third-longest interception-less streak in Cowboys history is at an end. On a pass over the middle, Roy Williams tipped another catch-able ball up into the air and two Redskins defenders fought each other for the easy pick. Reed Doughtry came down with it for the first interception of his career.
Romo also had some pretty spectacular plays on the night. One such play came on the Cowboys first touchdown. Romo ran left in the pocket, was greeted by a Redskins line-men, spun around and ran to his right; finding Roy Williams streaking to the corner of the end-zone. Romo reared back and let it go over the outreached hand of Fred Smoot and between both Smoot and Doughtry for six points. An unbelievable scramble and an even better throw that led to the Cowboys first points of the night.
This is some of the best QB play we have seen in Dallas since Troy Aikman. Cowboys' fans need to start admitting how good Tony Romo is. His numbers for December are nearly immaculate: seven touchdowns, one interception, 308.5 yards per game and a 68 percent completion percentage (107-157). This is with receivers who drop perfectly thrown balls (Williams had two this game and Austin and Hurd each had one by my count), including the leader in the NFL in drops per on-target throw (Williams with 10). What more can you ask for from this guy?
Cowboys Stuffed In Short-Yardage Situations
Marion Barber is the best runner in the league when it comes to third-and-one and fourth-and-one conversions. Going into tonight's game, Barber had converted 9 of 11 such attempts. Tonight's game, however, was a different story.
On the first possession of the third quarter, the Cowboys were faced with third-and-one from the Redskins' 35-yard line. Barber was stuffed not once, but twice on consecutive hand-offs up the middle. Big Albert Haynesworth was in on both stops and Dallas turned the ball over on downs.
The next occurrence came later in the third, with Dallas threatening in Washington territory once again. This time, from the Redskins 30, Barber was stuffed on fourth-and-one on the right side for no gain and Washington took over on downs yet again.
Three plays and zero yards for, statistically, the league's best short-yardage back.
No Confidence In New/Old Kicker
Speaking of these stops on fourth-and-short, why didn't the Cowboys take the three points? Yes, I know the first attempt would have been from 54-yards but the second was from the Redskins 30. That is a 49-yard field goal attempt - a playoff team should be able to rely on their kicker, especially in a hostile environment, to make a long field goal. Shaun Suisham was booed mercilessly by the Washington fans every time he stepped on the field, I know this, but isn't that the best spot to see what your new kicker is made of: against the team who cut him?
Don't get me wrong, I'm all for going for it on fourth-down. But when you bring in a guy with an eye towards the playoffs you have got to see what he is made of. Just sayin'.
Creepy Broadcaster Moment Of The Night
"WOW," Chris Collinsworth exclaimed creepily over a four-year-old who's parents had applied an outrageous amount of make-up on. "What a beautiful little girl that was."
I like Collinsworth, and I have a feeling it wasn't meant to sound that way, but man it did and the uncomfortable silence after his statement seemed to last forever.
What's Next?
After two straight wins, Dallas is now riding high after a rough start to the month of December. With the playoffs now guaranteed the Cowboys set their sight on a division title Sunday against the Philadelphia Eagles.
We all remember how embarrassingly the Cowboys' season ended last year in Philadelphia with the playoff's on the line but this year is different.
For one, Dallas already beat the Eagles in Philly earlier this season - so this one is at home with the division on the line.
Secondly, this game is for the division - not the playoffs. Even if Dallas loses they are still guaranteed a playoff spot so the pressure isn't as extreme as it was last year. This is a good thing for these Cowboys.
Always the salesman, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones can't help but stir the pot.
"I look at Philadelphia as a playoff game," Jones said. "It's so meaningful to us."
Regardless of the implications, Wade Phillips believes Dallas can and will handle the upcoming adversity.
"I think they've learned to play under pressure, and I think that's important," Phillips said. "It'll come in handy here when we get to the playoffs. But we've got another pressure game next week."
News and Notes:
- The shutout against Washington was Dallas' first against the Skins' since Dec. 14, 2003 (27-0).
- Dallas now holds a 59-39-2 overall record against Washington.
- With nine catches for 92 yards, Miles Austin now has more yards (1,138 to 1052), touchdowns (11 to 10) and only four less receptions (65 to 69) than Terrell Owens had all of last season. Also keep in mind - Austin became a starter in week five.
- With their win today, Dallas has now made the playoffs 30 times - most in NFL history.
(Portions of this article were taken from The Associated Press)
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